End of the World celebration.....

Dec 20, 2012

We hosted an End of the World Celebration at our campsite on Dec 20th.  Our big festivity lasted from 5:30PM to 7:45PM.  Honestly when it went past 7:30PM I was shocked that it was going to last longer than 7:30.  We all turn into pumpkins after 7:30PM.  LOL (No kidding).  Besides it gets really chilly after the sun goes down.  Great fire though!!!



Caveman television....with christmas lights strung on the cactus carcus.





Check out the Pallets...that's the firewood.
We drive over to Blythe, California to get the pallets...for free!!!!





Jim got carried away this year with the christmas lights.

 I think this is the third campfire that we have had since we have been here.  Great entertainment and a way to gather with the rest of the group.

Here I am writing this on the 21st.....the world did not end.....but we had a great campfire....any excuse!

Be safe and take care.

Barb, Jim and Abby.

While in Quartzsite this time......

When we came back to Quartzsite it was more for the weather (sunshine).  Oh yeah, and to play around in the desert with the dune buggy.  We took it out one day and this is the where we went......



Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee





Wheeee Wheeeee





Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!






An Old mine left in the desert to rot away!!!

That was fun!!!!

Check back for more off-road adventures......later.

Having a great time....which you were here.


Stay safe and enjoy!

Barb, Jim & Abby

Returned to Quartzsite (Nov 2012)

Nov 14 to Present, 2012

Back in Quartzsite, AZ......for the warm weather and to see some friends we met last winter.  Unfortunately, not to many have yet to return.  They will be in after Christmas or the first of the year.  Mostly we have just been enjoying the wonderful weather (high 70's and sunny, sunny, sunny) and have had time to work on the dune buggy.




If it isn't one end, it's the other!!!!!
Jim is wiring the front end of the dune buggy..... headlights, front turn signals.

 



This will be the dashboard, believe it or not!!!!!
This is where all of the wires are ending up.






Looks much better after Jim got it all together!

 



NO ONE  is taking the dune buggy for a ride without Abby knowing it!!!!

 


The crowing glory.....bumper with license plate!!!!!  This makes it street legal.


We have been able to take it out on the road and have also done some romping in the dessert.  All of the work and money to get this thing up and running has been worth it.  It has been so much fun!!!!!





With a view like this, who would want to leave?



The campfires are great.....caveman television!!!

We have fire works....from the campfires.
The white dot is the moon.



And we can't forget the sunsets!!!!


RETIREMENT...that's the life for me!!!!!

Having a great time.....wish you were here!

Life is a journey....enjoy it.

Barb, Jim & Abby

Resuming work on the house

Oct 16- Nov 14, 2012

The reason(s) we came back to Cousin Bob's was to get out of the cold weather of Ohio,  free camping, have a place to work on the dune buggy, and, of course, to help Bob get some work done on the house.

Well the weather has been great!!!!  In the high 70's and sunny.  We are parked in our usual spot when we come to Bob's.  The view from my window is awesome!!!



The sky is so blue!!!

The Dune buggy is sitting in Bob's garage waiting for it's new motor and transmission:
(yep, motor and transmission was junk, have new ones on order!!!!)

(Sorry no picture of this event!)  More on the dune buggy on another blog.


Ah, yes, the reason we came out was to assist with the house.  So far there has been lots of work done on it.  This summer, Bob's brother, Bill came out for a few weeks and they were able to get some work done on it.





More works has been done on the exterior.
Bob has his own barley feild, the straw has gone to seed.

The interior has had some work done:



Tongue and grove wood plank boards make up the interior walls.





A unique way to trim out the walls!!




Work being done on the far end of the building.




The Ceiling!!


I'm not sure why I voluntiereed to varnish the walls, but I did......it's not so much the actual varnishing that was so tough, it's the sanding, vacuuming, washing the walls down and then the actual varnishing.  it's the prep work that's a killer!!!!!

And then I didn't get all of the varnishing done......someone please tell me how I could be out in the middle of flippin nowhere and manage to get the flu for four days!!!!!  I left the last section of the wall and the end wall to be done at a later date, probably in the spring when we return to help him again.

We left Bob's on the 14th of November to return to Quartzsite.  In Quartzsite we will have the room to work on the dune buggy.....and it needs more work done on it.  Will it ever end???????

Take care and travel safe.

Barb, Jim & Abby

Petrified Forest National Park

Oct 8, 2012

On our last trip out here, we just flew through this area at 70 miles per hour....this time I wanted to see this National Park.  As you remember, since we have a Senior Pass we get into the National Parks for free.  I just love that part!!!!

An interesting observation was made: I bet the National Park Service was sorry that they started the Senior Pass program now.  There are alot of older Americans that are not paying to get into these parks anymore.  The Park Service is loosing money on Seniors!  They should have thought about that a long time ago!!!



Look, a piece of petrified wood in front of the
Park's sign.



This is the Painted Desert part of the National Park.

Ode to Route 66.
 Route 66 went though here.  The road is gone, but not the memories!

This is the Petrified Forest part of the Park.

(Remember, you can double click on the group of pictures to enlarge them on your computer.)

Some of the logs looked like they had been cut down for firewood, the cuts looked like they were so precise.  In actuality, the crystallization of the tree split them.
Just when you thought there is no way there can be any more rocks....now it is petrified trees that look like rock!

This is a huge country, with lots and lots of different things to see and do in it.  It is just amazing!!!

Having a great time....wish you were here!

Barb and Jim
Oh yeah, and Abby!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!!!!

Oct 1, 2012 to Oct 15, 2012

We left Ohio on October 1st and started our travels to Arizona, to where else, but cousin Bob's!!!!

We said goodbye to Willow Lake RV Park that we called home for two months.....



Our front yard at the campground, and they mowed it every week.

 The sign when we were leaving Ohio.....


Thank you for visiting OHIO!

 Yep, we were just visiting!!!!

On our way out to Arizona, we stopped in Shawnee, OK (just east of Oklahoma City) to visit with our friends, Deb and Jerry.  We stayed in the Casino RV parking area.  It was free for three nights with free water and electric.  Yeah, free alright.....went to the buffet two times and then hit the casino and lost everything that we put into the machines.   It was a fun though, and we got to spend time with Deb and Jerry.

Then on to Arizona......we stopped at the ROOT 66 RV PARK on the night of the 7th.  I wanted to go to the Petrified Forest National Park on our way through this time.

I think someone was trying to be funny.....ROOT 66.

We went to the Petrified Forest but that will be my next blog.

We returned to Cousin Bob's.....

Some things never seem to change.



It's another beautiful day in the neighborhood!!!!



Pretty.....look but DON'T TOUCH!!!!
















There has been more done on Bob's house, but still has a ways to go yet.  But while we are here we will try to help him get a bit further on  it.

For the most part, Jim has been working on the Dune Buggy and I have just been enjoying the sunshine!!!!  I could get use to this life style!!!

Til later....stay safe and enjoy!

Barb and Jim

One year ago....

October 1, 2011 to October 1, 2012

It's hard to believe that it has been one year that we have been "full-time RVers".  There has been some exciting times and some lean times but all in all it has been worth it.

I have been asked alot "What do you do if you need a doctor?".  Let me tell you there is always some one out there that will take you and take your money!!!!  Luckily, we really haven't been to terribly sick that warrants going to a doctor on a regular basis.  I had to find a chiropractor, no problem.  Abby has had to go to a vet on 3 occasions and we found several vets along the way.  Jim signed up with the VA clinic system and have used them for blood tests to check on his PSA levels.  Which by the way, has been low and the doctor says he is cancer free (Yeah!!).  There will be future tests just to keep an eye on things though.  We found an awesome dentist in Mexico and will return again this winter for more work.  While in Mexico we will stock up on any medications that we need for the year.

We have met some really neat people along the way and have still continued with the friendships we had left behind.

There are more things to see and do and we hope to see and do as much as we can for the time we have to do them in.

As we prepare to leave Ohio, the leaves are turning beautiful colors but it is getting to chilly for me.  We are off to Arizona for a little warmer weather and lots of sunshine!!!!

Now that we have the Dune Buggy there will be more adventures and different pictures of rocks!!!

Until later......live long and prosper!!!

Having a great time...wish you were here.

Barb and Jim.

Home to Ohio

August 1 through October 1, 2012

We planned to return to Ohio for the month of August then off to new adventures.....the best laid plans of mice and men.

I didn't think much would happen when we got back to Ohio so we really didn't plan for much.  First thing when we got back Cassie shared with us that they had sold their house and had to be out by the 19th of Sept.  So we helped with the move (so we extended our stay into Sept.) and I got to baby sit for a few weeks until Cassie was able to find a qualified sitter. (Do you know how hard it is to keep up with two little ones when you are use to doing nothing all day!!).

We were invited to Anderson's (grandson) Karate exhibition on the first Saturday we got back.

Hi Ya!!!!

Then there was the Medina County Fair...



Riley,  cute as a bug......in a bug!!!!

 Then we had planned to go on a camping trip with the Good Sam's "Fire Side Sam" Group #50 the third weekend in August.  While we were with them we found another Covered Bridge....


 

This may become a hobby on our travels!!!!



We had a chance to visit with family and friends while we were in Ohio.  On one of my trips to Cleveland to visit with my friends at SIRVA I had a chance to stop at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park office to pick up a souvenir pin to add to our collection.  On the porch of the Rangers station there was a lady enjoying her day (she said so!!)



What a way to spend your day..enjoying what you like to do.



I also got to pick up Anderson from his first day at school....



It was easy to pick out the kid with the green arm
in the sea of children coming out of the building
all at one time!!!!

Anderson managed to fall off of the swing set in his back yard just a few days before school started.  He is in first grade this year. 

It really doesn't sound like a lot but we really were busy....oh yeah, there is one more thing that managed to keep us (at least Jim) so busy......we bought a new toy.  Actually, we traded the golf cart even up for it.  It is a 1964 Volkwagen beetle/dune buggy.  Street legal and off road capable.



It looked cute!!!!

There was the tear down......














Then there was the rebuild....



It's cute again...only better!!!!
















It goes under it's own power.....




Abby loves to ride in it!!!!





                       If it fits...it ships!!!!!


Just like it belongs there!!!!


Now you know what we have been up to.  We can't wait to get it out west to do some off roading and have a great time!!!!!

Speaking of which, we were planing on going to the Outer Banks, NC then on down to Florida for November and December but our plans have now changed.  On October 1st we will once again leave Ohio for Arizona.  It's warmer out there and it's sunny.  Works for us!!!

Till later....stay safe and enjoy life!!!!

Barb and Jim.