16 degree’s......You gotta be KIDDING !!

Nope, I'm not kidding. We got home from Boondocking last Tuesday and Wednesday morning it was 22* when we got up……I thought that was pretty chilly. Then Thursday morning it was 16.   WOW, that’s COLD! I’m sure glad we had all the pipes protected around the place. I had an electric heater going in the Motorhome all night and a light bulb under the belly near the water pump. I opened all the cabinet doors inside so heat could get into them. But, to be on the safe side,  I went out at 4am and fired up the diesel and electric Aqua Heater furnaces. Now when that big diesel burner fires up, it gets hot fast both upstairs and in the belly. I let it run for about 3 hours until the sun came up. What’s a couple gallons of fuel compared to some broken pipes, right?  Friday morning it was 20*, Saturday it was 30* and HOT DOG!, this morning it is 45!!!  So things are looking up…..Hallelujah!!

I decided while I had my  Polaris 4-wheeler loaded in the back of my pickup, I would take it in for a little professional TLC. So Wednesday afternoon, I took it into town and unloaded it at the repair shop. What a good time to be without it, during this cold weather. I knew I wouldn't be riding it for a few days but I thought I was going to freeze to death before I got it unloaded. The wind was blowing a "gillion" miles an hour! I bought this Polaris about 6-7 years ago and it runs like a sewing machine, starts fantastically even after sitting in storage every summer while we are up in South Dakota. 

I change the oil and filter regularly and I've greased it a couple times but that’s all. You know how it goes,
"Don’t fix something if it ain’t broke"! Well, when we loaded it on the pickup to take it boondocking with us, I noticed I had a torn boot on one of the drive axles. So I taped it up with good ole Duct Tape until I got a chance to fix it.  So while I had it in getting that repaired, I told them to go over it good and fix whatever needs fixin'.  I'm scared it may never run so good again.  I’ve had that happen before, take something in and let the “pro’s” work on it and it's never the same.  I’ve got my fingers crossed...it sure has been a good dependable machine.


My good friend and former boss is a wildlife conservation officer in Custer State Park.  He sent me this picture of these Golden Eagles fighting over a deer carcass.  It was taken by his unmanned trail camera.  Gee....what big, beautiful birds! Outstanding picture Ron!

I have always wanted one of these Weather Stations. I finally got lucky with a bid on eBay and purchased one. It is quite impressive and I have been putting it together and trying to learn how to set it up.

Ms. Pat wasn’t too crazy about me putting it together on her dining room table, but it was COLD out in my shop, so she put up with me.(as usual)

It has a neat console, if I can just figure out all the buttons. Sometimes you have to push 3 different buttons in certain succession to get a reading. I’ve kept a record of the highs and lows everyday for years and years. Don’t ask me why, I just do it. As my buddy says “that’s just me”! I keep a record of a LOT of things, some of which would amaze you, I am sure! “That’s Just Me”!

It’s wireless, so I set it up in the back yard to make sure I get a good reception. When it warms up a little I’ll put it up on the roof.  So far it’s working great but I still have a lot to learn.

My son Pat gave me several big boxes of old pictures and documents to look through and see if I wanted any.  Now that we have a house and a "Cabin" in the Black Hills, we have more places to hang and put a few pictures.  Let me tell you, going through all those pictures has been some kind of an experience.  Gosh, stuff I had forgotten even existed or happened.  Man!  I was on an emotional roller coaster.....up and down!  Sometimes I was laughing and other times I was crying.

I sure found some neat old pictures.  The most prized one was one of my Father holding me when I was a mere baby of 6 months, taken way out on our Ranch about 75 years ago.  I think I kinda remember it……Yeah right....Ha Ha.  I can’t even remember a month ago. But, as they say, a lot of those long term things are coming back to me. Some good, some not so good. I found lots of other pictures, most of them of the boy’s when they were young and my parents. So much of my family is gone and that makes me sad. My Dad always told me”you can’t look back son, just forward”. He was so right, in so many things! I never realized at the time how smart he was……he was one GREAT MAN.

Friday, I about shocked Ms. Pats socks off.  I was tired of hanging around the house so much and I called her during her line dancing class and ask her if she would like to go to the Chili Supper that night. There was silence on the phone and I’m sure she was wondering if it was really me calling. Then she replied “Sure, do you”?  Well, I even shocked myself.  I said,  "It’s good chili weather, let's go. You can get the tickets while you're at the Office if they have any left."   So, at 5pm, we took off for the Activities Center and had a super Chili supper with cheese, onions, jalapeno peppers and the works.  Over 150 other folks were there and we sat with our old neighbors Dale and Julie along with 3 couples from the city of Congress.  Afterward they had a Cowgirl Poet and a local gal that sang Country Western songs. Both were quite good and it was an enjoyable time.

It was a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Thank you all for stopping by.

We’re off to Church this bright and sunshiny morning, praising God for all the many things he provides for us.

Mike

PS. Tomorrow is our 25TH Wedding Anniversary!!! Some more to praise the Lord for!

This Blog is Published every Sunday and Wednesday..

A Wonderful Day in the Desert with Pat and Michelle.

Sunday, my Son Patrick and his wife Michelle came down from Lake Havasu City where they live and we spent a few fun hours riding with them out in the Hills.

Pat and Pop’s out in the Hill’s where we paused for a little snack. That’s Michelle in the background…….



Pop’s, Ms. Pat and Michelle.


Michelle checks out an old Mine Cave we came upon………


Ms. Pat and I were dying to try out his RZR, so we switched 4X4’s about the middle of our ride. We were impressed and loved it!! Gee it rides nice and smooth and it's real comfortable. I love the steering wheel and the way 2 people ride side by side. Plus, it had POWER!!!  It was HOT!!  WOW! I would like to have one of these.  I had no idea they rode so smooth. Neat.   Thanks OP. ( We call my Son "OP" for Old Pat.   He has a Son who is called "LP" for Little Pat.)



Way too soon, it was time for them to load up and head back home. Our time went so fast but we are so thankful they came down and we got to spend some time together. We did talk them into staying for Happy Hour at Rollie and Gina’s……with all our friends.  Then Gina gave us all a bowl of her wonderful Louisiana Gumbo…….Man was it delicious and hit the spot!!

OP snugged down their Polaris RZR and headed back North to Lake Havasu City where they have lived for the last 4-5 years. Before that, they spent almost all their life in Nebraska. It was the coldest and windiest day we have had since we came but it didn’t bother him any. He wore his short pants anyhow.   He is a true native Nebraskan but he loves Arizona!! It’s great to have them so close in the Winter and although they are both quite busy with work, I sure hope we can spend more time together.  It was a SUPER day and I Praise God for our time together.  You can bet your bottom dollar that I told him I loved him more than once !!


This is our Campsite out here in the Desert near Bouse, AZ. It has been a lot of fun and we enjoyed it very much. We got more familiar with our motorhome and spending time in it with no power. It works wonderful and is quite comfortable.

Monday, we shipped out several PressurePro systems and later experienced a "Buttermilk Margarita" Happy Hour at Mike and Janna’s. Yes, you read it right, "Buttermilk Margaritas"!!  I thought I had heard of and tried everything but I never heard of putting Buttermilk  in Margaritas.  I couldn’t imagine it……BUT, to my surprise, they were VERY GOOD!!! Believe it or not!!  Thanks Janna for the delicious Margaritas.

Later that night when we were watching the news and weather, we found out another BIG COLD SPELL was headed our way and that the temps were going to get in the 20’s at home in North Ranch . WOW, we had hydrants and water that would freeze for sure! We decided we better cut our stay short, get home and get stuff protected.  Tuesday morning we loaded up, said our goodbye’s and got our goodbye hug’s. It was a beautiful morning and we sure hated to leave, as we wanted to get in a few more days of 4 wheeling. 

We decided to trust the weatherman and go on home. Better safe than sorry. We are sure glad we did.  About half way home the wind really came up and by the time we got home it was miserable. It was getting colder and colder. We got all parked and started protecting things with covers and heat bulbs.  We should be all set if it really does get cold as they say it will..   WELL, here we sit this morning and the tempeature right now  is 22* and the wind is still blowing. Needless to say, we are all buttoned up and snug as a bug in a rug.  I can say we made the right decision and I’m glad we came home. The first thing I did was take a NICE LONG, very HOT shower.

It is a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Thanks for stopping by.  I’m sorry the Blog is so long but I guess it makes up for the very short one last Wednesday.

God Bless you all and remember don’t forget to tell your kid’s you love them... they may not be around forever..

Mike

This Blog is Published every Wednesday and Sunday..

Boondocking!!

We got out of North Ranch Wednesday about 11am and headed for Bouse, AZ. We hooked  the Silverado to the back of our Motorhome and everything worked fine. I ask Rollie to follow me for a while and keep an eye on things, just to make sure I had done everything correct. Setting the truck up so it will tow is a real snap. It was easy with the Honda but you always had to leave the switch in Acc which was a slight drag on the battery. With this 4x4 you only have to put the transfer case in Neutral and you're good to go. Turn the switch off, pull the key’s and lock the door . No draw whatsoever on the battery.  Cool!  It towed superb and I couldn’t tell a bit of difference from towing it than towing the Honda although it does weigh about 2000 lbs. more. Plus, I had my Polaris 500 Sportsman loaded and strapped in the back. I don’t think that 450 Cummins even noticed any difference.  It purred along beautifully.

A couple hours later we were in Bouse and followed Rollie and Gina back into the desert to their favorite Boondocking spot. We scoped out our campsites and set up. Several of our friends were already here.  That’s Rollie and Gina’s rig in the background. They are about our closest neighbor, with Jim and Ellie just in front of us a ways.  It was a Superb day and the temps were right around 70*.  We got set up and all unhooked and unloaded just in time to relax a few minutes....


Then it was Happy Hour time! John Brown ( True name, I swear!) invited everyone over to his and Brenda Brown’s place for Happy Hour and then Hot Dogs cooked over the fire on his super neat grill. As usual, in Arizona when that sun even starts to go down, you better get a jacket on.   That’s Ms. Pat in the lower left with her hood pulled up. It does turn cool pretty fast..

Soon after we were stuffed with Hot Dogs and all the trimmins', Gina announced to me “Pops, it's roasted marshmallow time”!

Gina knows I like everything “burnt”, so she was fixin me right up!

Gina says “OK Pop’s, is this “burnt” enough for ya”?  Ah yes, it was perfect. Gee it was delicious....I hadn’t had a good ole roasted (burnt) Marshmallow for 30 years!

OK, Gina says. "It's now time for a S'MORE!!     A what?    I had never in my life had one of those.  Gina says “Well, you're gonna have one now”!  Hummm, well, OK. By golly, wow!,  Dad gum if she didn’t force TWO of them there “s'more’s” down me!! 

So you can see Ms. Pat and I are enjoying ourselves out here in the desert where it is so quiet, so dark, so alone, yet so close to friend’s.  Here Ms. Pat and I sit one night all by ourselves back at our rig, just enjoying a campfire. Another thing I haven’t done for a long time.

Today is going to be a super day and I am so excited it's hard for me to concentrate on writing this Blog. You see, my son Patrick who lives just about 100 miles north of here in Lake Havasu City, is coming out to spend the day. He is bringing his 4 wheeler and we will take a little trip back in the hills.  That will be another first and one that means more than anyone will ever know to me.  Praise the Lord!

It was a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Thanks for dropping by.  Come on back Wednesday for more about our stay in the desert with “Our Kid’s”!!

Mike

This Blog is published every Sunday and Wednesday..

We’re Off to QUARTZSITE !

Today we are heading over to the Bouse, AZ area, which is just 25 miles from Quartzsite.  It’s only 85 miles from North Ranch and will be an easy trip....a perfect trip to test our new Toad.  Hundreds, well, thousands of RV’ers are in that area for the big annual RV event that occurs there every year in January.  During the first few years when we first started full-timing, we went to Quartzsite every year and spent some time. Back then, in about 1998, it wasn’t nearly as big and as it grew and grew, it got too big and too busy for us.  In short, it is a ZOO!!

The last time Ms. Pat and I went through there, the traffic was backed up on the road and people were parked along the highway for miles so we didn’t even stop. We had seen enough of it over the years and North Ranch was our destination and I kept on driving. So, it's been a long time and the “Kids” have aroused our interest and we’re looking forward to it.  Mike and Janna,
John and Brenda, Jim and Ellie, Rod and Deb......here we come.

This Blog will be short this morning, as we still have several last minute chores to get ready to roll.  Besides, I’m too excited to even think! It has been so enjoyable to see Rollie and Gina again and spend a couple days with them catching up. 

Welcome to our new Followers:

Mike and Gina
Kate


We are so happy to have you follow us on our journey through life.


It is a GREAT WEEK!!!!


Thanks for stopping by, come on back Sunday for an update if we have good Internet connections.


God Bless you all…

Mike

This Blog is Published every Wednesday and Sunday..

Uh Oh, Hitch Itch!

OK, finally after a lot of time on my back, I have this Silverado ready to tow.  Just in time, too, because “hitch Itch” is just setting in.  I took it to a shop in Prescott Wednesday and it took them about 5 minutes to drill two holes through the frame for the baseplate to fit. Wow, what a difference it makes to have the right tools. Put it on a lift and raise it up, then take a nice, sharp drill bit and an air drill and zip, zip, he was done. So we are ready to roll.

Rollie and Gina, “the kid’s” are headed this way and getting closer by the minute. Last night they made it to El Paso. They should roll on in this afternoon. We are Oh, so anxious to see them!! We can hardly wait. We are all going over to Quartzsite and spend a few days. HOT DOG!!

We were in need of a new grill and Rollie has a Weber “Baby Q” and loves it. I know several other folks that also have one, so we decided that was the grill for us. Back in December, we brought it home. Great little grill!

Only problem I saw with it was, it used these little tiny disposable gas bottles. Maybe OK for traveling but not good for a permanent set up. So I bought this new tank and little “adapter” hose.

OK, now that’s more like it. We’re all set for some serious BBQ'ing!!  I’ll probably still use the little bottles some when we travel.  However, the Motorhome came with a hose so you can use your grill right off the main big propane tank. So we're all set.   Next week sometime we will head on over to the Quartzsite area for a few days. We have lots of friends over there and some folks that we are just dying to meet!!

My good friend, Mark Bruss, sends me a lot of good stuff.  I got this from him and I wanted to share with you.  Some have seen it I’m sure, but if you haven’t, it’s unbelievable.
****************************************************************************
The year is 1910
One hundred years ago. 
What a difference a century makes! 
Here are some statistics for the Year 1910:
************ ********* ************
The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.
The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, 
a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year,
and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.
Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!
Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which
were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard.'
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Extramarital sex was an acceptable practice for both men & women; said to improve the marriage. WOW!
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
The Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza 
2. Tuberculosis 
3. Diarrhea 
4. Heart disease 
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores.
Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind,
regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health'
(Shocking? DUH! )
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !
I am now going to forward this to someone else without typing it myself.
From there, it will be sent to others all over the WORLD - all in a matter of seconds!
Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
IT STAGGERS THE MIND

It was a GREAT WEEK!!!

Thanks for stopping by. See you Wednesday....maybe from the desert of QUARTZSITE!!

Praise the Lord for all he provides.

Mike

This Blog is Published every Sunday and Wednesday..

Go NEBRASKA!

I’ve always been proud of being a native NEBRASKAN. I spent almost the first 45 years of my life in Nebraska, graduated from the University of Nebraska School of Agriculture, raised my family of 3 boys there and was a State Trooper serving the people of the State for many years.

However, I will agree that except for "Football", Nebraska seldom gets any recognition. Therefore, I was quite proud to see that a young lady, Teresa Scanlan, from the extreme Western Panhandle town of Scottsbluff/Gering was selected MISS AMERICA!!  Congratulations to this Teresa!  Well done!!

Then almost at the same time my son Pat sent me this news clip from ABC……..Check this out and I’ll bet you will find out something about the great state of Nebraska you didn’t know! SURPRISE!


Ms Pat and I have busy taking advantage of this great 70* weather. Here we are washing and treating our Solar Screens. This is kinda like washing windows!! However, we love this screened  porch….

Ms Pat loves to Line Dance and she goes to that 4 days a week for a couple hours. I can find plenty to do around here while she is gone. I have been maintaining the automatic watering system this place has. It is an underground watering system that waters all the Oleander hedge, our Orange/Grapefruit trees and the other trees in our front yard. It comes on every 5th morning and waters several different sections for specified amounts of time. I have been learning the system, how it works, how it is constructed and made some repairs. It works real neat!

Since I have a busy day ahead and have to get an early start as I head up to Prescott today and do a few things I need to get done on the truck to get it ready to tow.  I leave you with this little bit of humor that my friend Gregg sent.  It cracks me up!

“I am passing this on to you because it definitely works, and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives. By following simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace. Dr Phil proclaimed, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished."
So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, a package of Oreos, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos, a box of chocolates, and the last bit of the tequila.
You have no idea how freaking good I feel right now.

Pass this on to those whom you think might be in need of inner peace."

LOL!!

It is a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Thanks for stopping by…

Mike

This Blog is Published every Wednesday and Sunday...

OK, Onward and Upward!!

After last Wednesday’s Blog and the comments I received from my friend Bayfield Al and the others, I was inspired. Time to move Onward and Upward! It's all such a mind control thing.  So move on we did!

Thankfully, we are both feeling better and the weather has improved considerably.....40’s in the morning and it soon gets up to the high 60’s with lots of blue skies and sunshine.   We're back to our daily walks, Ms Pat is back to "line dancing" and life is GOOD!!



Yesterday, I got the 4 wheelers out and blew the dust off them. I checked the oil, added fuel and aired up the tires. I had been attending to the batteries, so they were ready to go. They both ran perfectly. It was a beautiful day, the sky was clear and no wind. I asked Ms Pat “Are you ready to take a spin”? Ha, I knew what the answer would be...she was already getting ready.

It wasn’t long until we were way out in the vast BLM wilderness we have right out our front door. Above, we are pausing a moment so Ms Pat can take a call. Ah ha, another PressurePro order.   We say we are available for sales and service 7 days a week, 7am to 7pm.  It's true...even when we're having fun!!.:-)

Just look at that beautiful sky. That slope ahead of us goes down several hundred feet into a large “wash”. It’s much drier this year than it was last year and things aren’t as green but it is still beautiful and this is “normal”.  We are definitely in the "desert"!

Here we are down in one of the many “washes” that go on and on for miles. That sand is beautiful to run in and you can really “let ‘er rip”!!



Here I am trying out the "Remote Control" on my camera. It's a neat feature and I just never took the time to study it and learn how to use it.  It's works great!!

We are out of the hole, back on top and ready to again soar with the Eagles!  We are so lucky to be able to enjoy this beautiful country and this great RV'ing life style.  Praise the Lord as we continually thank him for sticking with us and keeping his hand on our shoulder.

Thanks for stopping by and remember to tell your loved ones you love them. They may not be around forever and tomorrow may be TOO LATE.

It was a GREAT WEEK!!!!


Mike

This Blog is Published every Sunday and Wednesday..

Tragedy in Tucson

How can I say anything this morning without saying something about this terrible, senseless tragedy in Tucson.  Tucson was my oldest son Mikel's home for many years. During that time, we visited there quite often. Tucson is a neat town that we always enjoyed and it sure has been in the news a lot lately. This tragedy just makes me sick and so sad. I miss having Mikel there so I can talk to him about it. He, too, would be devastated by all this.

I don’t know Representative  Gifford and therefore have no idea what her beliefs are but I will say the people of Tucson are pouring out their support. What further troubles me are the protesters...so many are so quick to place blame on gun laws and even on Sarah Palin.  Good Lord and to protest a funeral is despicable. It's just WRONG!  Our hearts and prayers are centered on all the victims and their families.
 
Our hearts are further saddened by the illness of Mike Nielsen, a friend and Church member in Custer,SD.  Mike and his wife Bonnie own the local hardware store in Custer. We spent a lot of time in their store last summer while we were building our “Cabin” in our Toy Barn.

Mike has been battling Cancer for a few years and has recently taken a turn for the worse. He is in the Regional Hospital in Rapid City. I wish we were close and could go visit him. He is certainly in our prayers daily as he fights this terrible disease. Thank you to his wife Bonnie who has set up a Caring Bridge site for Mike so we can keep up with his condition and continue to give him our support.

I’m sorry this is such a gloomy Blog this morning but I’m kinda down in the dumps myself. Just the winter "blues" I suppose. Ms Pat and I both have been sick with some kind of bug but we're a lot better than we were.  Our ambition level is right at zero so we are both have a hard time getting motivated.   It’s been so long since I've felt this way that I guess it all came down on me at once…… I don’t like it and I’m gettin' out of it…. Onward and Upward!!!

Rollie and Gina will be here soon and that’s about the most cheerful  thing I can think of….when they get here, I’ll be FINE!!  Gina has a couple of doctor's appointments before they can leave but hopefully they'll be on the road next week.  We'll be waiting with OPEN ARMS!!!
I sure like my new wheel covers and I have even had some people stop by and compliment me on them. They are made out of top quality vinyl about like the Truxedo pickup cover. They slide in a track that is attached to the wheel opening. We got them at MCD when we had the solar shades installed. The sun can be brutal down here in Arizona and these covers will keep it off those expensive tires.  They can be ordered by mail for your rig and it shouldn’t be hard to install them.

We have 5 new FOLLOWERS that I want to WELCOME:

Kyotesue
Lynn-Country Heart Roses
Dennis and Sandy
Trailercamper
Sofia

Thank You all for your support.  I am so happy to have you stop by.

It is still a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Praise the Lord and God Bless you all! 

Mike

This Blog is published every Wednesday and Sunday..

Comments

I love the comments I receive on the Blog and I notice that most of my Blogger buddies also enjoy getting them. It's kind of a way that makes us realize that someone is actually reading this stuff. “Followers” is probably the next best way to know. Then, of course, there are all the analytics and web counters that let you know how many viewers you had on a given day.

Having said that, I must say that I visit a lot of Blogs that I don’t comment on. I try to but sometimes you just don’t have time. Especially when you're as slow as I am on one of these keyboards. Plus, some of the gyrations you have to go through in order to get your comment published is mindboggling and frustrates me real quick.  I like Rick’s new idea of letting the comments go right on through without all the word games but I know he has many other spam preventers installed.  Anyhow, I appreciate all your comments very much and I’m glad you stop by even if you don’t have time to comment.

Thank you all for your complements on the pickup cover.  Malone, it is the same brand as yours.....a TRUXEDO, made right up in South Dakota.  Sam, yep...it’s a SOFT cover so I can roll it up and secure it when I want to haul my motorcycle or something else. So far, we are real happy with it.
I
My next project was to install this Base Plate so we can tow the Silverado behind the Motorhome. Not much to it really.  It's hard to believe Blue Ox charges $388.00 plus shipping for it. I got lucky and found this lightly used one from a fellow RV’er and saved a couple hundred bucks.

It went on real easy.  It just inserts into the frame in the same location that the factory equipped Tow Hooks were in. Slick and simple.

There are two holes that have to be drilled in the frame.  I don’t have the equipment with me to do such heavy drilling so I’ll have to take it somewhere to get that done. Next will be installing the "Light Kit". That won’t be as simple as it was on the Honda. On the Honda, I just put an extra bulb in the tail light housing on each side and wired direct. This one doesn’t have room for that.  You have to splice into the truck wiring and add diodes on each wire to avoid electrical feedback. Soon as I get that and the brake installed, it will be ready to tow.

January is kind of a blah month around here, not a lot going on and my ambition level isn’t running very high. The biggest thing I don’t like about this time of the year is the Federal Income Tax for last year is soon due. Now I don’t mind paying taxes (ya, Right!) and we pay quarterly in advance. But what they put you through and all the forms etc. drives us nuts!!

It was a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you’ll come back.

God Bless

Mike

This Blog is Published every Sunday and Wednesday..

What’s the Deal?

Does it seem to you that it gets colder than it used to? I don’t think it does but it sure seems to bother me more and more as I get older.  I have to keep telling myself that it is "Winter". I guess I used to just go on to work and forget about it. January is the Winter here in the Desert.  It doesn’t last long and it’s a small price to pay for all the enjoyment we get out of staying out here in the desert.  Plus, we NEVER have to shovel snow. That was always the worst thing about the 40+ years I spent in Nebraska, scooping all the snow!

About the only thing I have accomplished lately is the installation of this cover for the back of the truck. I spoke with a dealer in Rapid City that installs several different brands of these and he told me the best one to get. I purchased one and had it shipped direct to me here at North Ranch. He told me it was easy to put on and he was right. It was fun to install and I am very pleased with it.

It's a real nice vinyl and with a flip of the latch in the rear, you can roll it up and Velcro it up in the front. So I can just roll it up when I have the Harley or anything else big loaded. Now we have a place we can haul something that is well protected and out of the weather.

There's not much going on around here so not a lot to write about. We've both been a little "under the weather" but we're on the mend.  Hope your first few days of 2011 have  been good ones.

It is a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Mike

This Blog is Published Every Wednesday and Sunday..

Baby It’s Cold Outside!!

One thing about the bitter, cold weather that I like is, you don’t have to feel guilty about staying inside and watching TV.  When it's nice outside I don’t really feel “guilty” about staying in but I just feel like I should be outside doing something.  But that’s just me.

I’m kinda glad it's COLD lately because  I wanted to watch a bunch of FOOTBALL on TV anyway and that’s just what we did! I’ve watched so many Bowl games I can’t remember them all. Boy, they have a Football Bowl for everybody, don’t they? As John so perfectly describes in his Blog:  “Nobody Knows YOUR In It But Your MAMA” Bowls. 

I did stick my head outside long enough New Years Eve to snap this picture from our driveway North up towards Yarnell Hill.

We did have to run into town to mail a large PressurePro System to a gentleman in Iowa so I took a picture of the mountains to our East. They had a pretty good snow over there in the high country. You can see how far out in the desert we are out here at North Ranch. That area in the foreground is where we ride our ATV 4 wheelers. It's all BLM land....which means it belongs to US......all of US!!

I’ve also been seriously looking for what I need to set the new truck up for towing behind the Motorhome. That’s the worst thing about getting a different Toad. You have to go through all that rigmarole again. Finding the proper Baseplate and installing it along with the proper wiring and break away switches. Then it has to have a braking system. It's an ordeal and usually an expensive one!  I’m not one that can just take my vehicle in to someone, hand them the keys and tell them to do it while I go off and shop or eat or something.  No, not me.  I have to get involved and do as much as I can myself.  Believe me...I want to know it's done correctly! The FIRST time! "But," (again,borrowing a phrase from someone VERY close to me) "That's just me”!  Sorry Rollie.:-)  I love ya man!

Really, it's amazing what you can accomplish from your recliner while you're watching football games. I’ve already got the Baseplate.  I found it in Florida and 3 days later it was in my shop. I found the wiring kit and diodes in Iowa...they will ship tomorrow. I found an SMI Air Force One tow brake system in Montana. It will also ship tomorrow. So I’m about set. By the time it warms back up, I’ll have it and can go to work installing.

Hope you are all having as much fun as I am!

We are so happy to have some new followers.

A BIG WELCOME TO:

Connie,Barry
Jenny Johnson
Rene’ and Jeannette Genereux
Mac
The Old Geezer

I’m sure glad to have you sign in and thank you for stopping by.  We appreciate your comments A LOT.

Here we go again for 2011.... "Praise the Lord!"



Remember to tell your family and friends you love them. They may not be around forever.

It was a GREAT WEEK!!


Mike

This Blog is Published every Sunday and Wednesday.

My Last Blog in 2010

What, 2010 gone already? Unbelievable!!! However, when I stop and think of everything we accomplished this year, that’s also unbelievable! What a year!

At this time last year, we were still in South Texas and didn’t have even a clue that in less than 3 month’s we would own a HOUSE! A house that fits us perfectly. 15 years of full timing in an RV came to an end. Now we’re part-timers.

It was a joyous 15 years and neither of us would trade it for anything in the world. The fun and experiences we had are beyond explanation. Memories and friends we met during our travels are outstanding and unforgettable. For 10 years, we volunteered our services at Custer State Park in South Dakota in the Summers....we had a great job and kept going back year after year.   Winters we went anywhere our hearts led us. What a wonderful experience!

About this time last year, we had an experience that was like none we have ever had before. It was when God placed Rollie and Gina in our lives. It was definitely a meeting made in Heaven that brought us together with this fine young, Christian couple.  Our admiration for them is beyond words.  We have a special bonding with them that is like none other and the enjoyment of meeting up with them was definitely the highlight of the year!!  It was during this time that we unexpectedly lost our oldest son Mikel.  I don't know if we could have made it through losing a second son without them. They took over and cared for us at a time when we needed them most and we are truly Blessed.  We know there are Angels walking with us.

Before we departed North Ranch, Rollie and Gina decided they would come to our place in the Black Hills and help us finish off some living quarters in part of the pole barn we built during the summer of 2008. They made a quick run home to their place in Louisiana and then headed up our way. The rest of the summer is a blur.

We all worked extremely hard day in and day out on what Gina has named “The Cabin” in SD. We got so much done it was unbelievable, way more than I expected. First thing I knew it was all framed, electrical in, plumbing done, dry wall done, painting done, fixtures including bathroom are in. What an accomplishment!! Our good friends Sherri and Rocky drove many miles out of their way to come up and do the plumbing for us….God Bless you guy’s!

During the summer, Ms Pat and I decided we would put our Teton 5TH wheel and Volvo semi tow truck up for sale. I put an ad on “Craig’s List” and 2 weeks later it was SOLD!! Pat and I suddenly found ourselves HOMELESS! We desperately moved everything into our “cabin” and barn. It had no kitchen or floor covering or furniture as of yet, but we were able to improvise and sleep there.

We had decided that we wanted to try a Motorhome before we completely gave up RV’ing. The search began, we loaded up and headed south after looking locally without success for the Motorhome of our DREAMs. Suddenly after a couple weeks of searching, our "Dream Motorhome" appeared right out of nowhere. Did I mention there are Angels walking with us? We knew this was the one!  In about a week, we pulled back onto our place in the Black Hills with our NEW HOME!

So it was a BUSY YEAR to say the least. I didn’t expect to buy a "sticks & bricks" house but it happened. I didn't plan on building the "Cabin" in the barn but it happened.  I didn’t plan on selling the Teton 5TH wheel and Volvo so fast but it happened. I didn’t plan on buying a Motorhome but it happened. I didn’t plan on selling our place at Retama in South Texas so fast but it happened.  It's hard to believe all those things happened in less than a year.

When I was in a store the other day with Ms Pat, I saw this framed plaque. I couldn’t leave without it. What GREAT advice!! So this is my advice to everyone. "Saddle up and Follow Your Dreams!!!!!"

We certainly followed and found ours!! I continue to Thank our Lord and Father for all he does for us. My 3 favorite word’s: Praise the Lord!!

May you all have a Happy and Prosperous NEW YEAR!!

It was a GREAT YEAR!!!

Mike

This Blog is Published every Wednesday and Sunday..

Christmas 2010

We had a wonderful Christmas day in our new house here in North Ranch near Congress, AZ. It started out nice and brisk at 39* but not a cloud in the sky. It quickly warmed up to the high 60’s.

Ms Megabyte2 was excited about our First Christmas in HER new Home…. Here she poses for our Christmas Picture of the year.

She especially likes to knock the cute little paper ornaments off onto the floor. Then she gets down and plays with them. She has never had so much room to roam and is having the time of her life.

These are the lights I was telling you about that our friends Greg and Bonnie gave us. The ones in the tree are little lights in shotgun shells and those over the window are Harley Davidson emblems. They really look neat, don’t they and you can see Dale’s little Christmas tree shining and sparkling brightly inside the porch!

It was a quiet, laid back Christmas Day with just the 3 of us but Ms Pat did cook us a WONDERFUL dinner with Turkey, Ham, Giblet Gravy, Cauliflower Casserole and a Fruit Salad. The house smelled "Oh, so GOOD" all morning. WOW, was it ever tasty! Oh, yes, we even had homemade Cranberry Sauce. Now it doesn’t get any better than that, plus we have “leftovers” for about a week. I love leftovers!!  We had many telephone calls from kids and friends afar, and that, with a little Football on TV, topped off a fantastic Christmas day.


Even Ms Mega2 was ready for bed.  It wasn’t long until we were all sound asleep and another CHRISTMAS was history. Soon it will be 2011, as the year end is mighty near. Wednesday will be my last Blog for 2010. It’s been an exciting year but it seems it went by awful fast!!

It was a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and we hope you likewise had an outstanding Christmas wherever you are. Travel Safe!!

Mike

This Blog is Published every Sunday and Wednesday..

Here comes the FLOODING!!

Just as sure as we know California will have FIRES every year, we know they will have the RAINS and FLOODING. It's happening in Northwestern Arizona, too.  Houses are dropping off cliffs into the raging flood waters! WOW, I feel for those poor people.

We aren’t getting anything like that here but it has been raining a little. A welcome sight to this part of the desert, as it is very dry this year. So far it is sucking up every drop of moisture we get.  Let's hope it stays that way.

Many thanks for all the comments and congratulations on the new truck. Ms Pat and I are having a ball getting acquainted with it and learning where everything is and what it does.  They sure don’t build these new vehicles for us old Cowboys. Everything has a memory and has to be programmed. It’s neat, if you can figure it out!!

One real neat feature is that it has BLUETOOTH and when Ms Pat’s phone rings, it comes in over the Bose sound system. It almost scared me to death the first time it rang but the hands free conversing is unbelievable and a great safety feature.

This will be my last Blog before Christmas, so this will be my last chance to wish all of you a very, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

Ms Megabyte2 has her stocking hung and is wishing you all a special "Meow'ry" Christmas from her. :-)

We have more Christmas decorations up this year than we have had since we retired and sold our S&B house in Tallahassee, FL.

Again, in tradition, here is our Christmas Tree. My Mom made this tree many, many tears ago and Ms Pat adored it so much that Mom said she could have it when she was gone. Mom left us a few years ago and we have displayed her beautiful Christmas tree and other special ornaments every year. Here it is Mom.....in YOUR HONOR.  We miss you!!!

Mom had lots of Christmas decorations and she loved these little "Caroling Mice" ornaments. :-)

Even our Patio Porch Table has some special decorations for the season..

This special Christmas Tree sets off our Patio at night. It is special because our special and close friend Dale Bruss gave it to us. I love it and it reminds me of Dale every time I look at it. It has a motor in the base that drives a revolving light that changes colors on the tree. It’s really pretty! 

We also have a few decorative lights hanging in the tree out front and around the window on the front of the house.  The ones in the tree are "shotgun" shells and the ones around the window are "Harley" lights.  Sorry I don't have any pictures of the lights but they are compliments of our special friends Greg and Bonnie.   Thanks guys!

So that’s about it from here in Arizona where we are enjoying this First Christmas in our new House. We hope that you too are enjoying whatever you're doing wherever you are as we honor Christ our Lord on his Birthday and continue to give thanks to Him for what He provides us.

It is a GREAT WEEK!!!

ONE MORE TIME:
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Mike and Pat
This Blog is Published every Wednesday and Sunday..