Happy Merry

 Wishing everyone a happy Holidays in whatever is celebrated in your home.

Yesterday was another birthday for me.  I stopped by to see a friend I haven't seen for awhile, then went out to Harrah's.  I walked out with more money in my pocket than I walked in with so I call it a good day.  I had been up to see Mom earlier in the week, and I'll go back early next week.  I try to not head that way when all the partiers are on the roads.

Again, no 'official' Bloggerfest, but I will be at the shelter house/pavilion at La Posa South on Saturday, January 23, 2021.  Stop by for chit chat if you can.  It is always fun to see folks.

Second attempt to post

 I'm having internet connection issues which ate my first post.  Makes sense, I write a post for the first time in, ummm, a few weeks, and the internet eats it.

Basically, everything is fine here.  Just not much going on.  I'm not alone in that, I know.

Bloggerfest.  With the general discouraging of gatherings, and with the Canadian border closed so our Canadian RV's can't join us, I wasn't planning on having a Bloggerfest this year.  I will be at the pavilion at La Posa South on January 23 around 1:00pm with coffee in hand to talk to anyone who shows up.  Stop by if you are in the area.  For the Canadians, I hope we see you next year.

Here's hoping this one posts.  I'll try to update more often.  The past few weeks have been lame even for me.

Clicking down the to do list

 More things are making their way either to storage or to donation.  I checked with the people whose lot I'm taking over this year down in the Valley, and they sold their motorhome so there won't be any overlap in needing the parking spot.  I had told them they could use it in October if they needed to as, even though at that point it is mine, I won't move down until November 1.  They told me about a mobile service that worked well for them to call about my front air conditioner once I move down.  I'll probably do that rather than take it in as with the cat it makes it difficult to find alternative lodging if the repair takes more than one day.  The back air conditioner keeps the place cool enough up here, but it may become more of an issue down where it is hotter, even in November.

I'm heading down today to pay the yearly fee for the lot.  I'll also do some other shopping.  I have gotten one of the guys up here drinking the Costco coffee I buy.  Now I need to be his delivery person for more cans of coffee every time I go to Costco.  I'm also going to get Mom a tablet as she is ready to move back into the internet age.

On Monday the motorhome goes in for service up here in Payson.  I still am not sure where Bosley and I will stay if they need to order parts and we need to find someplace to go overnight.  I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

Waking Up

Around the middle of September I seem to wake up from my summer stupor.  I am still slowly getting items checked off my to do list.

 Mom and I had a good trip.  I ordered wheelchair assistance for Mom at the airports for both ends of the trip and that worked well.  She wasn't as tired or beat up after the trip as she has been before.  I did ok, too, but had a few minor missteps as I usually don't check baggage and such.  The wheelchair guys kept us going in the right direction, and the shuttle guys both took the baggage out of the trunk of my car and then put it back at the end.  I park at Blue Sky off site parking and just let them manage the airport traffic while we sit in the shuttle.

We were not as careful as we could have been while visiting.  Around family we didn't mask up.  Some of the extended family doesn't mask up most of the time, but we are past our two week quarantine now and we neither one are sick.  I am very thankful for that.

I'm clearing out the motor home and finding some things.  I take it in a week from tomorrow to be worked on and that is a good excuse to empty it out so I can clean it thoroughly before moving down to the Valley at the end of October.  It was 100* at 5pm when I was down there one day last week.  Still way too hot.

Cleaning like a fiend

 We fly to Kansas City tomorrow.  Multiple face masks and we each have face shields.  I've been in contact with my 1st cousin and offered to help her set up the wedding on Friday.  I'm getting my electronics sorted to take (2 phones, a hot spot and a tablet, along with chargers).  And, I'm cleaning so that my neighbor can easily come in a take care of Bosley while I'm gone.

Mom is, of course, already packed.  I'm most of the way there.  Just a few more details, bills to pay, and a last check I've remembered everything.  See you on the flip side.

Yes, I'm alive

 This is the summer of not doing much.  The rains finally arrived, then we had another stretch of hot, dry weather.  My front air conditioner decided to die in the middle of it.  Luckily I have a rear unit and it works ok.  I put a fan in between to try to blow the cooler air towards the front.  When that doesn't work I take my computer and just lie on the bed below the strongest vent.

Mom is doing fine.  The doctor changed her medicine as the other medicine started giving her issues again.  The new medicine is about the same.  We are supposed to fly to Kansas City to see family in a couple of weeks, but how she feels determines whether we go.  The tickets are refundable to the last minute, almost literally.

Mostly I sit home and knit.  I'm not getting some things done that I actually could be doing, but I'm in a sluggish rut.  That is one reason I haven't been updating here.  I'm not doing much and I am not keeping up with things I could be doing..

Holding Pattern

The lockdown is starting to get to me.  I don't do much of anything.  I do try to walk down the road about a quarter of a mile to the stop sign at least twice a day.  I keep the motorhome more or less clean in case we end up having another fire and it needs to be Mom-ready.  Mostly I watch stupid video clips in my FaceBook feed all day.

The winds are picking up again, and the temperatures are starting to moderate a bit while the humidity comes up.  Understand, by comes up I mean it is it up to 13% and the dew point is 31* rather than 23*.  We aren't even in the desert up here.

Everything is fine, Mom is doing well.  She did lose her phone the other day.  I went over and found it in the seat of her car.  She had taken D, her neighbor, and gone to WalMart shopping.  Both of them are doing better in that even a major shopping trip went well, except for the losing the phone temporarily.

I'm thinking while the temperatures are to be in the 80's tomorrow I'll drive over to the Painted Desert/Petrified Forest.  It is about 2 hours away and could be a day trip.  I just need to get out.  I thought about asking Mom if she wants to go, but I think I need the time away by myself.  In a normal year I'd make a run somewhere for several days and camp and sight see, but not much is open.  Not even sure the Painted Desert area is open, but it is drive through if it is so fairly safe.

The fires are coming back up, being smoky.  Luckily for us here the smoke tends to go East.  There is a rumor on FaceBook that Tonto National Forest will close on Friday.  Most of us who live up here are hoping it will happen.  There is already another fire from yesterday at the recreation area around the Salt River near Phoenix, human caused by a UAV wreck.  The winds made it more difficult to suppress, but I believe they were successful.  The Tonto Basin fire is burning in the center in an area that the fires originally surrounded, and it is causing a lot of smoke but so far no evacuations.

There is a small chance of some rain at the end of the week.  Maybe.  Hopefully.

Back to Ready! mode

The large Bush fire is now in mop up stage. There is still a lot of work for the firefighters to do, but the perimeters are secured, at least as far as public safety and infrastructure are concerned.  The people living along Hwy 188 will be allowed to go back home today.  Sunflower, over on Hwy 87 is still in Evacuation mode. 

I am really happy that we didn't have to evacuate.  Mom is in recovery mode from the stress, as am I.  Our preparations will remain until we get some major rain.  There is a fire, the Central fire, over by Interstate 17.  That is an issue for us as that has potential to close one of our 2 remaining routes to Phoenix.  The fire is East of the interstate and moving North East, but isn't close to us.  Yet.  We could still head north or east if we need to evacuate.  For me, this means that Flagstaff is probably easier to get to than Phoenix, even though mileage wise it is usually about 30 miles further away.

So, back to knitting and cleaning and petting Bosley.

Why I Haven't Left... yet

I am thinking a bit more logically now.  I am definitely in a Set! frame of mind, as is Mom.  We could be on the road in about a half hour.  The reasons I haven't left yet are below.

The area that has burned between Phoenix and Hwy 188 is all open recreation land belonging to the Tonto National Forest.  Don't be confused by the 'Forest'.  It is pretty much all desert.  There are grasses, and as it moves north and up in elevation, some shrubs.  There are no buildings or people.  The firefighters have said that their 'Values' are Firefighters and people, structures, and then everything else.  The fire has been kept in a triangle bounded by Hwy 87 on the West, Salt River and associated lakes to the South, and Hwy 188 to the North East, the direction the fire has been moving.  The only town within that triangle is Sunflower on Hwy 87, which was evacuated.  They evacuated the small towns along Hwy 188 yesterday.  If the fire does cross 188, then as it goes north it starts to get high enough in elevation that there is more fuel in the form of trees.  There is also a lot of infrastructure between here and there.  There are high tension power lines with the poles, approximately 100 of them from the report, needing to be defended and at least 2 large power stations, one new. 

The upshot is, as long as the fires stays in desert landscape and the winds have died down, the fire lines they have been building for the past few days should hold.  There firefighters were reinforced yesterday with more people as well.  It is only if it jumps those fire lines and heads up into the timber land that I'll turn the key and go.

Cons of going is how much of a strain it will be for Mom to drive the 100-150 miles to get to my friend's place.  Her neighbor who would go with us is going blind and can no longer drive.  If we take my car and I drive, taking care of my cat is an issue as far as room during the drive and lodgings on the other end.  If we leave the cars and take the motorhome, we have no transportation on the other end.  Mom can't drive my car as it is a stick shift, the only other accommodation would be to put her car on the dolly and both of them ride with Bosley and I in the motorhome, which would be on the table as a possibility if Mom doesn't feel comfortable driving at any time.  There would still be the issue of very little braking power while towing a car with the motorhome.  I can't emphasize how much this stress on Mom plays into the decision. 

It comes down to, I don't think the firefighters will allow the fire to destroy the infrastructure between here and there.  There is a major dividing line that the firefighters have been reinforcing for a few days and should be able to hold.  IF the fire jumps that line, we will go.

What my neighbors here in the RV park are also looking at is we are surrounded by gated communities with multi-million dollar houses and golf courses in the center.  Those will be protected for sure.  Truly, I seem to be the only one worried about evacuating.

View from the casino. UPDATED

Looking south from the point where highway 87 is closed.  Seems like the bigger the fire gets, the less news is put out.  Or, maybe I'm obsessing about it.

Edited to add:. Ok, I'm a little stressed.  This is looking at the smoke from the Bush fire raging down in Tonto basin, probably 20 miles away.  Once the fire crosses the basin, if it does, it is an uphill sweep to where I am.  The casino is on the south edge of town and the main highway south is closed at the casino.

The information page has gone back to the fire map from yesterday.  This morning there was a map showing the fire had made it to the basin and to Highway 188 that traverses the length of the basin more or less in the middle.  I'm frustrated in that I will be slow in the motorhome and I don't want to wait until we get the evacuation notice.

AZ uses the Ready! Set! Go! model for the notices.  Communities about 12 miles south of me have been moved to Set! status.

If any of be this (all of this?) is gibberish, basically send prayers for good decisions to be made by all parties involved.

More of the same

There is a video update in a half hour on FaceBook about the Bush wildfire.  I had said my line in the sand is if the fire crosses 188.  It is 3/4 mile from the highway, or was this morning.  The fire is closest to the highway (from what I can tell) at Roosevelt Lake, so I'm hopeful it won't actually cross the road.  The fire is almost 90K ac. now.  Again, this is as of the morning's update.  I'll edit this after I watch the afternoon update if there are any significant changes.

I have slowly been cleaning and putting away loose items sitting around.  I'm trying to actually sort and put away properly this time.  I have most of the items I had outside put in bins.  I have bin space for the 2 items outside right now.

Phones are working today.  That is a help. 

My plan is to keep monitoring the fire, but not obsessively as I have been.  I keep at least 4 gal of drinking water to cook with, and a dozen at least bottles of water to drink.  If things get closer, but not yet to leave status I'll start the motorhome and let it run, and run the generator.  I replaced the inline water filter at the spigot yesterday and filled the freshwater tank.  This helped me see with fresh eyes my hookups and to have the tool(s) needed to quickly disconnect.  I always do this twice a year, but it is good to have a refresher.  In the meantime I'm cleaning to knock down some of the dust and cat hair around here.  Mom is sensitive, or at least more sensitive than I, to such things.  If I have a few more days I'll replace the filters on the air purifier and set it up again.

I told Mom, and she agreed, that even if this fire doesn't come any closer, this is early in the fire season.  This fire started as a car fire down by Phoenix.  We have 3 or 4 weeks of dry to get through before the monsoon rains show up, probably.  How dry is it?  Humidity is dipping below 10%.  Winds are gusting up to 15mph.  Temperatures down near the Valley are over 100.

One more stress yesterday

Just to add to my stress yesterday, Mom and my's TMobile phones stopped working.  I went into town and we took her car and filled the gas tank.  I said I'd check on her today if the phones still didn't work.  I read this morning that there was a network attack that caused my phones to not work.  Everything seems back to normal today.  I have a backup Visible cellphone as it is only $25/mo for unlimited talk/text/data and they used to have $19 phones as an incentive.  I wish I'd gotten Mom one at the time, but I wanted to try out the service.  I end up using the data on that one as a hot spot when my TMobile won't connect.  I also have an AT&T hotspot.  Usually I can connect with one of them.

Smoke is getting heavier up here, and the wind is picking up.  Not good things to happen.  I'm slowly working my way through getting ready in case I have to evacuate.  I had gotten lazy and let things pile up. This has been the roundtuit that I needed to get back on it.

My State is Burning

Arizona is burning.  The Catalina Mountains by Tucson is ablaze.  The wildfdire in the Kaibab National Forest up by the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is so large that 89A is closed all the way across, and Jacob Lake is being evacuated.  Now there is a fire between here in Payson and Phoenix.  Hwy 87 is closed from here in Payson to the Bush Hwy exit on the north side of Phoenix, almost to Fountain Hills.  Hwy 188 over to Globe is closed from Rye/87 to Roosevelt Lake and the communities along it are being evacuated. 

I have verified my welcome at my friend's place up in Williams where he has room for the motorhome.  I am  packing things that I have been lazy and let get strewn all over the motorhome.  If/when I need to move quickly I won't want to deal with all that.  I'll get stocked up on drinking water, fill my fresh water tank on the motorhome, Mom is packing clothes and a to go bag, and she will take her friend/neighbor and follow me up.  I will probably take the car on the dolly and baby the brakes on the motorhome and hope for the best.

Once we have the plan in place I will relax.  If the fire closes any further exit points for us, I'll take off.  I'm not so worried about the fire as I am being in traffic with only one way out.  We are down to 2 now.

Wading In

I found the new Blogger button.  I'm not impressed.  I have a feeling I'm going to be less impressed when I (once I find the *&@#  button) hit publish.  Ok, found the preview and publish icons.  Someone needs to shoot the $@%$ programmers who designed this thing.

Lets insert a picture!

That kinda worked.  I had to just grab one as all I saw in the list on the computer was the image numbers.  Edited:  I removed the one I originally chose and when I  clicked 'photos' instead of 'upload from computer' I got actual pictures to choose from.  Random from someplace on my computer.  This is a baby blanket that I need to rework the border.  It is for a boy, it turns out..  I'll decide whether to make a blue one for him instead later.

I can make this work.  Don't like it.  But I can make it work.

Hanging Out

Time flys when there isn't much to do.  Or it doesn't.  After seeing a couple of references to the 'new blogger' I realized I haven't posted in awhile.  I can't seem to find the new blogger button so I'm on the old style for now.

I'm in Payson, mostly behaving.  I admit I have been to the casino a few times.  I shop at the local Walmart a few times a month.  I was doing Mom's shopping but she is taking that back over for now.  In Gila Co. we haven't had many cases of the COVID 19 virus, which I am counting on when taking my chances.

I'm knitting.  Making a lot of mistakes as I go, so it takes awhile.  I found my black material to use as a backdrop so I may get a few pictures to post at some point.

Just not a lot to report.  I'm eating down my stores of food.  I'm slowly working my way around my storage unit.  I'm ready to head out to someplace.  Mostly I'm growing roots into my couch and Bosley watches me.

Optimism springs eternal

I just booked flights to Kansas City over Labor Day.  I have great hopes that both Mom and I will be on those flights.  Mom just turned 89 last month.  We are in the middle of a pandemic.  But, I'm optimistic that on Labor Day weekend we will attend the wedding of a young cousin in a town north of Kansas City.  Both of us.

It also feels good to make plans for the future.  It is a bit depressing just how much of a difference it is making in the world with the majority of the people staying home.  Air is cleaner.  Swans are back in the canals in Venice.  I have money in my account and it is almost the middle of the month.

A meme I saw said "Is everyone else getting 3 weeks to the gallon of gas like I am now?"

Picture of summer spot

I have been mostly recovering from the move since I got here.  I have gone back to the Valley 3 times.  Once for my mamogram cancer checkup (all is well), once to empty out the used shed I bought in my park down there so it can be moved to my site, and once to pick up a large order of yarn that I place before I realized I wouldn't be around to receive it.

I did a larger shop for Mom one of the times I was down there and the shelves were mostly stocked.  I did run into the item limits when I tried to buy 4 cans of pork and beans and the limit was 2.  Most everything else was available.   I haven't shopped up here yet so I don't know if I just happened at a time and place that worked.

The rest of my medical appointments have been canceled.  We will pick back up where we left off when life is back to normal.  It is only an hour and a bit drive down to the Valley, so being up here isn't a block to that.

I finished the shawl I was knitting.  I need to figure out how to block it and then I'll post a picture.  I like it.

That is mostly what is going on here.

Made it

I sent a picture of the motorhome settled in its summer spot but the picture was too large.  Now to get everything hooked up and sorted.  I heard we are expected to get snow next week.  Sigh.  At least I'm in the same town as Mom now.

On the road again, for now

Verdict was, I can't use my brakes much at all when towing as they get hot and stop working.  I need to use the transmission.  I'm half way to my summer spot, stopped at a brake check pull off.  I'm learning why all the signs and such are on these highways showing a downhill grade.  My speed is ranging from 40 to 50 mph.  It is dual lane so people can get by me.

Not sure this is a long term solution.  May need a dolly with electric brakes...

Stranded.

I decided to head to Payson early to be near Mom for the pandemic.  I had the brakes on the motorhome replaced by a guy in the RV park who is a retired mechanic about a month ago.  I started smelling them and pulled over and had almost no brakes.  I called him and he is on the way out here.  Luckily I'm only about 15 miles out.

Note to self:. Don't block the bathroom door when stowing the rolling cabinets for travel, even if it is a short trip...

Work In Progress

I am finally at a proper point to share a picture of my shawl on a Wednesday!  Otherwise known as WIP Wednesday.  I took it off the needles to measure it.  This is one skein of Lion Brand Ferris Wheel yarn.  I am really enjoying making this shawl, every row makes it look different.  I will add at least two more sections.  I wanted to see how it looks off the needles and I'm glad I did.  It seems smaller off the needles and I know for certain it needs more length.  Right now the neck edge is 40" and it is 16.5" from the neck edge to the tip.  I would really like to have it finished to take to Vegas, but that may be too ambitious.

The rest of the story

I am knitting a shawl that is the most fun I've had knitting in a long time.  Only issue is that my hands start aching and don't work after a while.  Pictures when it is when I next post from my phone.  I'm on the computer right now.  I had 40 spam messages in the past 12 hours to delete.  They have found me...

On Friday I finally got in to see the endocrinologist.  On March 10 I have an ultrasound of my thyroid.  The doctor was somewhat dismissive of my saying I want it out as it is causing issues with swallowing, some talking (needing to clear throat or drink), and now breathing.  Once he sat me on the table and felt my throat he walked out and came back in and ordered the ultrasound.  No idea on timeline or anything else.  Last two ultrasounds the (different) doctors weren't concerned about the size.  It feels larger now, at least to me.  It has been biopsied and isn't cancerous so that shouldn't be an issue.

My 2 and 3 year mammogram cancer checkup (I missed the 2 year one as I had not great insurance) is March 25.  I also have an appointment with an ear nose and throat doctor on the 27th for another issue that is impacting my speech.  There was a reason I put a hold on longer distance trips, needed to get all this scheduled and it wasn't happening quickly at first.

March 15 I head to Vegas again, and I may go a day or so early to camp and explore the area of Arizona on the way up.  March 18-25 my Mom's two sisters will be here and Mom will come down and stay with me while we explore.  Mom turns 89 on March 24.  We will take her to the Organ Stop pizza place to celebrate.  We know how to party.😊

 I am continuing to walk 1-2 miles around the RV park every day.  When I find myself spinning around in circles mentally, I walk.  I get a lot of exercise.  An earlier physical exam found I do have breathing issues.   I had thought I was just getting further and further out of shape as when I did do anything I was panting.  Turns out I can't breathe.  Hopefully it is related to the thyroid issue.  I do have an ENT appointment to look at things from that direction as well.

I had the motor home work done.  The brakes were replaced.  The rest of the issues are mostly cosmetic, except he says I no longer have tail lights.  There are some minor electrical issues, mostly related to the the cable for the backup camera dragging a couple of years ago and apparently shorting out the speedometer.odometer panel.  I know the fuse I need to replace now that my repairman un-shorted the cable underneath.  Hopefully that fixes the tail light issue.  I also now own a car tow dolly, which I bought from the same guy.  He set it up and verified I now have everything to tow the car.  Except for the whole tail light issue.  Being able to tow the car with me will make my moves between locations much easier.  I admit I am nervous about towing.  I have towed behind moving trucks almost as long as my motor home going cross country a couple of times, so hopefully after getting on the road with it all I will be fine.

I have been given the ok from the managers to move into a spot further back in the RV park next year.  It is on 'dog row' where folks with dogs have to park.  There are less than 10 RV spots in the dog friendly section, the rest are park models.  I said I want to get a dog so they gave me a spot where someone (who has a dog...) is not coming back next year.   I have put out to the Universe that I want a dog.  Small, quiet, low-shedding, laid back personality.  Basically a unicorn dog.  My neighbor in Payson has a dog that I'd love to dog-knap who meets all these criteria.  I'll ask her if she know what kind of mix Cindi-dog is.  I know she was a rescue, and any animal I adopt is always a rescue.  I'm in no hurry, I'll wait to find the right dog.  Bosley will not be amused.

If you need solar see this

I was supposed to hand out these cards at bloggerfest and didn't.  If you need any solar work done Jim is one of the best.  He will make sure your system is installed correctly, safely, and that you know what is going on with it.  He spends winter's at La Posa South and will be there for a couple of months yet.  You can say you are a friend of shadowmoss.  May not save you any money but he will be amazed at the number of people I know.  😁

Update

Not a lot has been going on.  I have been, mostly unsuccessfully, attempting to get into doctors to get caught up on my various checkups.  I'm still in phone tree chaos.  To celebrate I'm heading to Las Vegas tomorrow for a couple of nights.  Just because I can.  This time I'm driving.  I decided to go this morning.  There is more to the story that may end up irrelevant.  A friend may need to have some things relayed from Las Vegas to Phoenix.  She won't know until mid morning tomorrow.  If she can't go she needs someone to go meet her friends with her stuff.  Tomorrow.  So, I decided I wanted a trip anyway and made my own reservations and am heading out.  If she needs me to grab her stuff, I will.  If she can come up herself and actually visit with her friends there then I'll just hang on the Strip and have fun.

It feels good to do something spontaneous again.  A lot of stress just lifted off once I made the decision to go.

Sandie and I went to the Heard Museum last week on free passes from the local library.  In a few hours we only saw a fraction of what was there to see.  I will keep my eyes open for more of the passes there.  I can check out 2 sets of passes a month, and the selection rotates depending on what others have checked out. 

I did finally put my hands on my camera so I may have pictures again soon.  My new phone doesn't take very good pictures and I end up more frustrated than is worth it to make due with it.

I'm sure more has happened.  I'll try to keep up better here.  I've just been a bit of a hermit and not done much reaching out.

I think I'm recovered

On Saturday Sandie Dixon and I drove over to Quartzsite for bloggerfest.  Three hours drive each way.  We were both tired folks when we got back.  I'm just now surfacing.

Bloggerfest was fun.  Even though I did very little to get the word out we had 11 people show up, 5 from the US and 6 Canadians.  Even though Sandie had been one of the founders of Bloggerfest she hadn't been to one for a few years so we went around and again introduced ourselves and told a bit of our stories.  We discussed our sorrow at losing George Yates.  Those of us who had known Rod Ivers spent some time telling some of our favorite Rod stories, and there are many.  The Roomba post on his blog is a classic that I see referenced in unrelated places it is so funny.

My heart just wasn't much into doing much preparation for the event this year, for which I apologise.  Next year I will get the word out more and get the banner available for folks to put on their blogs earlier.  I admit that I usually let George do most of the advertising in previous years.  Time for me to step up in that area.

Thank you to all who showed up.  Next year, same place, the last Saturday if the big tent.

BLOGGERFEST

I am about to get on the road to Quartzsite, once I swing by and pick up Sandie Dixon.  I neglected to grab the Bloggerfest signs when I was up at my storage unit.  We will be at the shelter house at La Posa South around 1pm today.  Hope to see you soon.

Bloggerfest this Saturday

I will be at the shelter house at La Posa South in Quartzite this Saturday, January 25, to meet with anyone who cares to show up.  I believe there will be at least 3 of us.  I have no agenda other than being there at 1pm.

The loss of George Yates last week to cancer has been another jolt to the blogging community.  I feel it as another punch to the gut to get me to look at how I'm living my life and retirement.  I live year round here where so many folks drive long distances to see the wonders and enjoy the beauty of the area.  I go from wanting to get out and see and do to looking at what I need to take care of in my life.  I do have some preparations made.  I have a will, I have a burial plot next to where my Dad, and eventually my Mom will be interred.  I haven't made the arrangements yet with the funeral home which I need to do as my plot is in MO.  I have a lot of stuff to get rid of.  I have a vision of a stranger backing a dumpster up to my storage unit and tossing it all in.  I need to handle it and get the usable things back into circulation.

I am walking every day, although I haven't been to the gym for awhile.  I'm still working on eating healthy.  I have a doctor's appointment next week to start checking some issues that are bothering me.

And I have some survivor's guilt.  I'm a cancer survivor.  I had cancer lite.  A quick surgery, 3 weeks of radiation, and I'm good as new.  Since then I've lost several friends and my Uncle to this disease.  I'm ready for the sickness and death of people I care about to stop.  We have too much living to get on with.

Answer to Ms. B's question

The Instant Pot (brand name of the first one out) is an electric pressure cooker.  Because the basic setup works for other types of cooking it is called a 7 in 1, or now 10 in 1, cooker.  All I have to do is plug it in, put food in and press buttons.  Depending on what I tell it to do (which button I press) it can saute, slow cook, pressure cook, etc.  The stainless steel inner pot is removable for cleaning.  Oh, and once it completes the cooking cycle it goes to a keep warm state until I turn it off.  It makes it possible for me to pressure cook without needing to figure out of the weight is jiggling properly or how I need to set the stove burner.  It could help you cook when you have electricity but not a lot of propane.

Didn't go to the gym today but did 3 walks around the park.  I wore my repaired tennies but I realize now that the other sole is totally worn out.  There is an actual hole forming under the big toe on the other shoe.  I'm going to declare this pair worn out as well.  It was an interesting process to attempt to fix both pairs of shoes and maybe I can catch others before they are so far gone.  A lot of my shoes are old even if I never wore them much.  Part of getting rid of excess is starting to wear what I have.  Seems a lot of it is just plain beyond repair.  Then again, I have a lot of clothes and such old enough to vote and drink legally.

I'm planning to head up to my storage unit tomorrow to get some things I need to boondock out of my car at Quartzite.  I hope to make it over there at least for one night before making the trip the next week or so for RTR.  Friends are starting to arrive.

Bloggerfest lite change of date

I'm changing a few things around to try for a better fit.  First of all, I need to go back to Saturday, January 25 to meet at the shelter house at La Posa South.  The one person who's talks I want to see at the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous is speaking on Sunday so I will be over in Parker at the fairgrounds on the 26th.  Last Saturday of the big tent.  1pm as usual.

I did finally go back to the gym and felt fine while there.  I even got àn errand run and then did my walk around the park here.  Then I came home and fell into a deep sleep for 2 hours.  I guess I just need.to work through this phase and up my calorie count without resorting to too much sugar.

The errand I ran was finally taking the stuff to the thrift shop to donate.  A lot of it has been riding around in my car for quite awhile.  I also took out the trash, basically walked it over to the dumpster.  I had some larger pieces, including a pair of shoes, so it was two trips.

The shoes...  I fixed the Keen walking shoes, I thought, first this morning.  I set them outside for the shoe goo to dry.  When I examined them later I found the real issue, a hairline crack along the smooth part of the bottom of the sole.  I also realized most of the rest of that section was ready to split.  At 10 years old, even though they had average wear, I decided it was time to cut my losses.  

I turned my attention to the Merrill tennis shoes.  The crack in the bottom of the sole (same place at the ball of the foot on my right shoe...) was larger and more flexible.  I filled the crack with the goo and have now let it dry.  I will test run it for comfort tomorrow.  Won't know if it is water tight until it rains again.  They are 3 years old and I wear them a lot.  Or did, anyway.

I ordered more propane.  It won't be here until Monday.  I'll be out by then.  Tomorrow I'll bring the electric heater back inside.  Luckily it is only chilly in the mornings and evenings.

I'm here

This blogging every day is a pain.  It makes me realize I really don't do much.  Gotta find some get up and go.

A good day

A problem with writing a post in the late evening is that I'm too tired to write.  I had a good day.  I went up and met Mom and her friend she drives to bingo each week.  D is losing her sight so can't drive anymore.  Mom drives but sometimes gets confused or overwhelmed.  The two of them together work well.  They bought lunch at Denny's where I had the berry crepe breakfast.  I must have been hungry because I all but licked both plates clean.

I managed to grab a couple of things from the storage unit to donate, including my full size iron.  I bought it at a thrift store in Platte City, MO a few years ago.  This year I found a much smaller steam presser in the shape of an iron at a thrift store out here.  I mostly don't even care enough to iron anymore anyway, but if I'm sewing or mending an iron can be handy.  The smaller one will work fine.

Plan is to go back to the gym tomorrow.  I did a couple of walks around the park today, one before I left and one when I got home, probably a mile total.  Somehow the treadmill and bicycle use different muscles.  I'll report on my progress tomorrow.

Better today

After coffee and donuts down at the community room this morning I ended up sitting with Sandie and Jim's dogs while they ran errands today.  That was an easy start to a slow day.  I put some lentils and leftover lamb into the Instant Pot before heading over and it was done and waiting for me when I got home.  They had gotten me a sandwich while they were out so I wasn't hungry right then.  I put most of the lentil stew into freezer containers and froze for later and put some for tomorrow in the fridge.  Then, I slept the rest of the day.  I did do a couple of walks around the park to wake up, and then I did the dishes.  Nothing else to report.

Tomorrow I go up to Payson to see Mom.  I want to find more stuff in the storage unit to get rid of.  I know some of what I want to get rid of, the problem is getting to it.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate and it won't be wet or too cold to work in the unit.

I am feeling the dive I take both physically and mentally when I increase my physical exercise.  I will lay low for tomorrow again and then go back to the gym on Thursday.  This is a marathon, not a sprint.  I have to allow for how my body works.

Nothing day

I went out to run some errands and spent the day just running around.  Nothing to report.

Slow day

Went to the gym.  I did a bit more on the treadmill and bicycle but it still is not much.  I'm not any more sore than usual, but my ambition, which is never great, is non existent the rest of the day.  I'm thinking about taking tomorrow off.  Or, maybe I'll drop down to the little amounts I did yesterday.  Depends on how I feel.

I did the last day of taking care of my neighbor's cats.  They are nice cats and I hope she and I can help each other out more in the future.

I did not fix my shoes.  I didn't do much but lay on the couch today.  I did get out and dump the tanks a few minutes ago.  This is one reason I may take tomorrow off from the gym, to regain some energy.

Not a lot goes on in my life, which is why I normally don't post every day.  Tomorrow I will either go up and see Mom or I will do all the stuff I should have done today.  I'll make that decision tomorrow.

I'm actually keeping up with some resolutions and goals

I  had joined the gym yesterday.  Today I dug out my gym wear and went back.  I only did a few minutes on a bicycle and another few minutes on a treadmill.  I exercised the most stubborn muscle to get into shape, the one that pulls the car into the parking lot of the gym.  So far, a streak of 1.

This is 4 days of blog.  Progress.

My neighbor whose cats I'm watching gets back tomorrow.  It hasn't been a problem, and I go over about 4 times a day to check on them and give them pets and attention.  It has been fun to have more cats to cuddle.

Barney  left a comment saying I should try shoe goo to fix my tennis shoes.  I also have some Keen walking shoes I had started wearing when the Merrill tennies split that gave me a wet sock in Vegas when it rained there..  So, I went to Walmart and found a package and tomorrow I will commence operation shoe repair.  Nothing to lose at this point.  I just couldn't get myself to throw the shoes away.  I will either fix them or make them completely trash.

Tomorrow is home maintenance day.  Dump tanks, run trash over to the dumpster, mop and sort and that kind of stuff.  Not sure the what time neighbor will be home as she drove up to Vegas.  LIfe here is settling into a routine.  This is a good thing. 

Three days in a row

Today I did some adulting.  I verified with my Medicare supplement insurance that Mayo clinic is a major pain to deal with, as in I have to handle all the claims and money myself and make up any shortfall personally.  I pulled the plug on Mayo.  I then called a practice affiliated with Banner hospitals here and have an appointment for the end of the month, actually sooner than they were getting me in at Mayo.  The person Making the appointment was a lot nicer to me as well.

I rejoined Planet Fitness on the cheap plan.  They aren't in the town's where I tend to travel so I only go to the local one anyway.  After that I went and bought some new tennis shoes on sale at Big 5 sporting goods as my Merrill's are shot, as in a crack in the sole that gives me a wet sock the rare time it rains here.  Tomorrow I go to the gym and use the treadmill and/or bicycle.

I am taking care of a neighbor's cats while she is in Vegas.  She took care of Bosley while I was there last week.  The cat she said wouldn't climb into my lap to be petted did climb into my lap today.  The one she said likes to do that merely tolerates me patting him on the head a bit then walks away.  She will be back Sunday.

I'm planning a low key weekend.

Now for tonight's actual blog post

I did some administration earlier.  I finally took down the not great picture of me from 3 years ago.  The picture there now is 4 peaks covered in snow earlier this week.  This is on the edge of the area where I live.  The snow didn't make it all the way down to the Valley, but the surrounding peaks did have snow.  It is fun to look up and see white down to a specific elevation, like they have been dipped in sugar.  I had a different picture up earlier when I couldn't find where I'd saved the 4 peaks picture.  I'll post it here because it is a neat picture of the elk this summer.

Now to Quartzsite:  I will be at the shelter at La Posa South on January 26 from 1pm to whenever.  I will be in the area anyway, so on the very off chance that someone was planning on showing up at Bloggerfest this year, I'll be there.  This is a Sunday.  May or may not put up the signs, but probably will since I have them.

Temporary glitch

I will work on getting the right picture posted...

Test of new header photo

Getting this photo off the phone and onto my computer.  Figured I'd post as well.

New Year New Decade

Time for all the resolutions.  I almost let my first one slip by me.  I would like, at some point, to actually do a post every day for a month.  We will see if January is it.

I taking one from someone else as well.  My resolution for this decade is to clear out my storage unit by 2030.  Seems doable, maybe.  Not sure if buying a cargo trailer and using it to store my stuff counts.  It would probably be cheaper.

I have cooked the past 2 days.  Mostly healthy stuff.  That is an ongoing goal.  So far, so good.

I started putting together my expense tracking spreadsheet today.  I didn't spend anything today so it is working so far.  I put one together many years ago and spent at least part of most years keeping track of what I spent and what I bought.  Since I retired I have let it slip.  I will try to keep up with it again.  Who knows.

Planet Fitness has a special with no contract going on.  I may join again.  I joined originally because I thought I would travel a lot in retirement and use them for showers and sometimes actually workout, maybe.  Turns out that where I travel there are never Planet Fitness centers, so I quit last year.  However, I feel a need to exercise and there is one a little over a mile from my winter location.  With no contract I can quit during the summer and join the very nice rec center up in my summer town.  It's a plan.

Speaking of plans, I have a modest plan for Bloggerfest.  I will be at the shelter house on a date around the usual time, which I haven't decided on yet.  I will be there drinking coffee and if anyone wants to join me to stop in and visit, cool.  Enough of the folks who were showing up at Bloggerfest aren't making it down to the Southwest this year that I don't have the heart to make it an 'event' this year.  I will be there, though, as I said.  I'll pick a date tomorrow and post it.  That should give me 2 posts for the month.