It has been a great trip up here in NE SD. Marvin, my hometown to be exact. Weather has been great, highs in the 80's, some thunderboomers and rain. We had a great Thorpe family reunion last Saturday, both my daughters Becky/Tina and Tina's boyfriend Joe were able to make it along with my grandsons, Christian, Sean, and Dylan. All got to meet the family and we were able to see others we had not seen in a number of years. A great day.
This past week we did some work on the farm, cleaning, hauling iron, clean the shop etc. Lots to be done and it is a never ending project. But when you have a spread, you have to take care of it. This farm/ranch has been in the family a number of years and will continue to do so. It is great being parked up here, I enjoy the peace and quiet, just the sounds of the livestock and critters in the gulch. I hate to leave it, but someday soon I plan to retire and spend a lot more time here. I have set a date for the future, but that depends on what happens, economy, etc. We shall see. I have today and tomorrow left here, Marvin Bar both nights and will just chill out during the day. Guess I had better get going and enjoy the day and not stay cooped up in here, so we can howl through the nite.
Home
Home sweet home
Cathouse in the Snow
What a lovely day in Paradise
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Hot, Hot, Hotter than hell!!
The hot Gods are with us, we have had 19 days of over 100 degrees. Yesterday got to 111 and 93 in the rig. Poor AC has all it can do to keep up. There is light at the end of the tunnel as the rig and I are going to SD. It should be cooler up there. I keep saying that you don't have to shovel 111 degrees. I will take the heat over cold any day. Just spent time with my latest grandson Dylan and his grandma Jan. That little guy is growing too fast. Short entry tonite, as I am going to relax a while. Cat feels 9 lives still left, just like my one brain cell is still alive.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Happy 4th
Been a while since I have updated this, so I will get off my butt and do so. I have been at the fulltime RV gig for over a year now and love it. Not doing much travel yet as I still work fulltime, but working on a date to retire etc. Money is the big factor, but ain't that the truth for all of us. Is the RV thing for everyone? No, it is not - some do not like the small space, lack of a yard, garage, etc. But as I have heard before, "home is where the jacks go down" lot to be said for that and your neighbors change a lot, LOL.
I have a decent spot and get good shade after 6 PM so can go out and burn a cigar etc. Are there challenges? Yes, the major one has been the weather, wind, hail, and I have had both. One rig totaled due to wind and replaced a roof due to hail last year, which is on an earlier post. Others have been the water system, which freezeup can be a challenge when it is cold and you have to take precautions to prevent it etc. Water leaks with plumbing is one of the problems I have had, but we are doing good now. But, after travel, you need to check fittings and check for leaks etc. I had two good friends who recently lost their rig due to a fire, but they have come through and are now in a new rig. Ed and Marilyn, glad all is working out for you. I have learned some lessons there and will be getting at least 2 more fire extinguishers and taking other items in truck when I travel. I have a Pressure Pro and recommend anyone who tows a trailer get one. It is cheap insurance.
Had a great fireworks show last nite and did no have to even leave home as the folks in the housing area provided the show. Sounded like a war zone here. Burned cigars and drank diet coke, yes you heard it. Have not had a beer in 6 months, but have lost 75 pounds and plan to lose another 25 and I will make it. There have been challenges but I feel great and nice to get all the good compliments and be able to wear smaller size clothes, 8 inches off waist and now an XL T-shirt, maybe soon a large. Maybe I will write about it more.
I will try to update this more, but when in front of a computer all day, I prefer to do other things and I will not be a slave to this machine which has a temperment of its own, LOL. Kinda like me. OK, time for a morning shake, walk, and get my Cat ass to the store and help my daughter blow fireworks tonite.
I have a decent spot and get good shade after 6 PM so can go out and burn a cigar etc. Are there challenges? Yes, the major one has been the weather, wind, hail, and I have had both. One rig totaled due to wind and replaced a roof due to hail last year, which is on an earlier post. Others have been the water system, which freezeup can be a challenge when it is cold and you have to take precautions to prevent it etc. Water leaks with plumbing is one of the problems I have had, but we are doing good now. But, after travel, you need to check fittings and check for leaks etc. I had two good friends who recently lost their rig due to a fire, but they have come through and are now in a new rig. Ed and Marilyn, glad all is working out for you. I have learned some lessons there and will be getting at least 2 more fire extinguishers and taking other items in truck when I travel. I have a Pressure Pro and recommend anyone who tows a trailer get one. It is cheap insurance.
Had a great fireworks show last nite and did no have to even leave home as the folks in the housing area provided the show. Sounded like a war zone here. Burned cigars and drank diet coke, yes you heard it. Have not had a beer in 6 months, but have lost 75 pounds and plan to lose another 25 and I will make it. There have been challenges but I feel great and nice to get all the good compliments and be able to wear smaller size clothes, 8 inches off waist and now an XL T-shirt, maybe soon a large. Maybe I will write about it more.
I will try to update this more, but when in front of a computer all day, I prefer to do other things and I will not be a slave to this machine which has a temperment of its own, LOL. Kinda like me. OK, time for a morning shake, walk, and get my Cat ass to the store and help my daughter blow fireworks tonite.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Spring time
Yes, I think spring is here, thunderstorm tonite with some small hail. Just got my walk done when it started. Yep, timed that just right. Thank God the hail was very small, don't need anything like last fall. Good news here in the trailer park, we thought there were going to be new owners, but guess the deal fell through at the last minute. That is fine with me cause I like the folks that work here, Mary, Steve; just good folks and they did not want to leave. So I am glad about that, gets to be a bit of a family here and we tend to look out for each other. One thing I had heard was that new owners were talking about electric meters on power etc. Anyway some of the rumors I heard. At least for now we shall see what happens. I plan to do a post about the Marvin Bar very soon, hopefully this weekend when weather is cold and nasty. Old man winter still is trying to hold on, but I think he will go down in flames soon, I hope:)
Well, all I will post for now "The Alamo" with John Wayne is on and think I will finish watching that. Tomorrow the cat will howl at the local watering hole.
Well, all I will post for now "The Alamo" with John Wayne is on and think I will finish watching that. Tomorrow the cat will howl at the local watering hole.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Cold and Snow
So, how do we deal with the cold in an RV? If you think it is the same as in your stick and brick home, it is not. Depends on the type of RV you have and how well it is insulated. That is one thing I have learned is to check those type of specs when looking at RV's. Some have R14 on the floor and roof and R10 on the walls, by the way that is what I have in my rig. I saw one at the RV show two weeks ago that had R40 on the floor, R28 on the roof, and R10 on the walls. By the way most have R10 on the walls, get any higher would be quite heavy. Also where you plan to RV is also a consideration, being from SD I would like to be up there in the cooler weather in the fall (hunting season etc.) So it is what you desire, how much can you afford etc.
What have I done to cope? Well, I use two space heaters in the living room/kitchen. One is on the GFI circuit and the other is on another circuit, otherwise would blow breakers. I also have one in the bedroom, but only use it at night and the one in the living room is shut down. The main concern is that I only have 30 amps so have to ration where the power goes. If you use the microwave, shut off the living room heater. Have to develop new habits, after breakers blow right in the middle of a favorite TV show such as Hawaii 5-0, you learn real quick as it takes a few minutes for the satellite system to wake up and get back to work. I have tried to limit the use of the furnace but sometimes you need it. I run it more at night. Main reason to run the furnace - there is a heat duct that goes into the basement compartment where the water lines are located and you need to keep it warm. Believe me, propane is cheaper than dealing with the hassle of frozen lines and those types of repairs. I also have an indoor/outdoor temp sensor located in the basement compartment and keep an eye on the temps. I also have it to monitor the indoor temps as well. A great little device, you can get at a hardware store etc.
What about the water coming into the rig? That is the biggest challenge. Hard to use the water when it turns to ice. Did I tell you that the only good place for ice is in your whiskey or in your cooler?:) Same thing we say when flying airplanes and have to deal with in flight icing conditions. The good news here is that the hydrant at the rig is covered with heat tape and I keep it plugged in at all times. I also have a heated water hose that is good to -42. Both of these are plugged into the shore power pole. In addition, I keep the gray valves open and black closed (for well known reasons.) What I have learned is to have a faucet valve open and keep movement in the lines, old trick as a kid on the farm in SD. I leave the hot and cold open in the bathroom sink with a small trickle. I have heard tales of sewer lines getting iced up and that has already happened to me. Not good when you come home and the kitchen sink is 1/3 full already - gets your attention. My sewer hose is one of those Rhino Flex type and works good. I keep it as short as possible and check the outlet on the rig to make sure water is coming out. The hose has stayed clear so far. On my kitchen when I was running a water trickle there, the sewer line under the rig somewhere froze, just had to wait for temps to come up and thaw it out. When the weather gets above freezing, and it will, I dump the black tank. I try to flush it at least every two weeks. So far all is good:)
Last Friday and Saturday we had highs in the 70's and then the bottom fell out and "old man winter" let us know again who is in charge. Lows last week got below 0 and wind chills to -20. You find out how airtight your rig is when the wind is blowing at 40+ knots and snow is flying. Furnace ran almost non-stop and used over 4 bottles propane, that is one expense you had better plan for in this type of weather, you will drink propane like a thirsty elephant. Last Tuesday was the worst as the temp in here did not get much past 68 if we were lucky. Water held out, so all went well. Wednesday nite the wind died down and once again the rig got toasty warm in spite of outside air temps down to 0. It was one heck of a storm, but other parts of the country had it way worse so cannot complain. Where my daughter is in IN, they had over an inch of ice and the power was out. If you do not like the weather here, wait an hour. In SD, just wait 15 minutes.
I know some of my friends in TX had a heck of a time. I can see why, hydrants are not heated - they freeze up, water lines are only 6 inches below the ground. In SD we bury them at least 6 feet - get below the frost line. I know many had to take precautions. And why do we all want to go to TX in the winter? Well, it is not supposed to get that cold and snow. Ask the folks in DFW, dealing with the elements and the super bowl being today. Go Packers!!! Good news, hopefully this will be short-lived and spring will be soon. By the way, the groundhog did not see his shadow. Yeah, tell that to the folks on the east coast!
So, some of the tale of how we cope with the weather, temps in the 30's today, but all I have going right now is two of the space heaters and keeping quite warm:). Looks like it will get cold later this week, so need to be ready. Going to a Super Bowl party later and cheer on the Packers. Wish the Dallas Cowboys were in there, but let's see what happens next season.
What have I done to cope? Well, I use two space heaters in the living room/kitchen. One is on the GFI circuit and the other is on another circuit, otherwise would blow breakers. I also have one in the bedroom, but only use it at night and the one in the living room is shut down. The main concern is that I only have 30 amps so have to ration where the power goes. If you use the microwave, shut off the living room heater. Have to develop new habits, after breakers blow right in the middle of a favorite TV show such as Hawaii 5-0, you learn real quick as it takes a few minutes for the satellite system to wake up and get back to work. I have tried to limit the use of the furnace but sometimes you need it. I run it more at night. Main reason to run the furnace - there is a heat duct that goes into the basement compartment where the water lines are located and you need to keep it warm. Believe me, propane is cheaper than dealing with the hassle of frozen lines and those types of repairs. I also have an indoor/outdoor temp sensor located in the basement compartment and keep an eye on the temps. I also have it to monitor the indoor temps as well. A great little device, you can get at a hardware store etc.
What about the water coming into the rig? That is the biggest challenge. Hard to use the water when it turns to ice. Did I tell you that the only good place for ice is in your whiskey or in your cooler?:) Same thing we say when flying airplanes and have to deal with in flight icing conditions. The good news here is that the hydrant at the rig is covered with heat tape and I keep it plugged in at all times. I also have a heated water hose that is good to -42. Both of these are plugged into the shore power pole. In addition, I keep the gray valves open and black closed (for well known reasons.) What I have learned is to have a faucet valve open and keep movement in the lines, old trick as a kid on the farm in SD. I leave the hot and cold open in the bathroom sink with a small trickle. I have heard tales of sewer lines getting iced up and that has already happened to me. Not good when you come home and the kitchen sink is 1/3 full already - gets your attention. My sewer hose is one of those Rhino Flex type and works good. I keep it as short as possible and check the outlet on the rig to make sure water is coming out. The hose has stayed clear so far. On my kitchen when I was running a water trickle there, the sewer line under the rig somewhere froze, just had to wait for temps to come up and thaw it out. When the weather gets above freezing, and it will, I dump the black tank. I try to flush it at least every two weeks. So far all is good:)
Last Friday and Saturday we had highs in the 70's and then the bottom fell out and "old man winter" let us know again who is in charge. Lows last week got below 0 and wind chills to -20. You find out how airtight your rig is when the wind is blowing at 40+ knots and snow is flying. Furnace ran almost non-stop and used over 4 bottles propane, that is one expense you had better plan for in this type of weather, you will drink propane like a thirsty elephant. Last Tuesday was the worst as the temp in here did not get much past 68 if we were lucky. Water held out, so all went well. Wednesday nite the wind died down and once again the rig got toasty warm in spite of outside air temps down to 0. It was one heck of a storm, but other parts of the country had it way worse so cannot complain. Where my daughter is in IN, they had over an inch of ice and the power was out. If you do not like the weather here, wait an hour. In SD, just wait 15 minutes.
I know some of my friends in TX had a heck of a time. I can see why, hydrants are not heated - they freeze up, water lines are only 6 inches below the ground. In SD we bury them at least 6 feet - get below the frost line. I know many had to take precautions. And why do we all want to go to TX in the winter? Well, it is not supposed to get that cold and snow. Ask the folks in DFW, dealing with the elements and the super bowl being today. Go Packers!!! Good news, hopefully this will be short-lived and spring will be soon. By the way, the groundhog did not see his shadow. Yeah, tell that to the folks on the east coast!
So, some of the tale of how we cope with the weather, temps in the 30's today, but all I have going right now is two of the space heaters and keeping quite warm:). Looks like it will get cold later this week, so need to be ready. Going to a Super Bowl party later and cheer on the Packers. Wish the Dallas Cowboys were in there, but let's see what happens next season.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
RV Challenges, Blown Tire, Hail
Well it has been more than a year that I made the decision to live in my RV fulltime. Do I regret it? Hell no!!! Saving some money, no association dues, neighbors change, can move if I do not like the spot, less to clean and maintain, you name it!! Have there been challenges? You bet, small problems such as water leaks, toilet leaks, challenges of changing weather, wind, hail, blown tires. It can all happen. Do the same things happen in a stick and brick home? Yes, I have had the same issues. Are they more in an RV? Possible, cause when you move, you subject your rig to an earthquake that would be similiar to the Pacific Rim. All part of it. Have a good dealer who can assist with repairs, give advice, and be there when you need them. I have had good luck here with Wichita RV, who have been the best. Read the blogs of others and heed what they say and try to help them if able and you know what you are talking about. Many things you will learn as you go.
OK, I told you all I would write about some of the issues I have had, bout time I get off my butt and tell it.
First on the trip home from Sturgis for the motorcycle rally, I had a blown tire on the right side of the rig. I did not know it until someone flagged me down and told me. I pulled into a parking lot and sure enough the tire was shredded and riding on the rim which was ruined as well. As good fortune would have it, there was a Goodyear Tire dealer on the other end of the lot, so I walked over there and got the service guys to look at it and assess the repairs. So I limped on over to the shop, pulled it in and they got to it. There was damage on the wheelwell and around the fender area. Pretty sure it happened in town at slower speeds, as it could have been a lot worse. They were able to replace the tire and rim and get me back on the road. I had them put a load range E tire on the rig and eventually replaced the other three with E tires and got rid of those D's. E tires are 10 ply as opposed to 8. Hopefully that will help as I am at gross weight with the rig. Now for the dumbass award!! I purchased a "Pressure Pro" system at the RV Dreams Rally in fall of 2009 at Kerrville, TX. Now, why you ask would this be a problem? Well, I did not have the sensors on the wheels as I should have. Had I done that, hopefully I would have caught it sooner and could have prevented a problem. After the repair and insurance claim, that alone was over $2000 worth of damage and with a high deductible it was a costly mistake. Lesson learned, if you spend money on a system, use it!! So you can bet I will in the future.
Next thing. On September 15, 2010 the "weather gods" were quite annoyed and we had a doozy of a storm that evening. We had been watching the weather all day and believe me the conditions were ripe. During our morning center get together at the work place, one of the young ladies gave the weather report and stated that the "gods were angry," and was she ever right. Well, we had a farewell party for one of our managers that nite and we spent the first part of the evening watching the storm, seeing the hail, drinking beer, and not a thing we could do (about the storm that is.) Good thing I was in the bar and not in the rig. Guess what you don't see and hear will not hurt you. Weather report said a twister was in the area of the airport but did not touch down. The Good Lord intervened and saved us, so I say my thanks to Him. The party went on and afterward, I went home to survey the damage, could not see anything from the ground, no holes I could see. Some of the neighbors had hail stones go through their roofs as many others had holes in roofs of stick and brick homes. The roof repairs guys were busy for a long time. Some of those hail stones were larger than soft balls and the amazing thing they were so hit and miss in the area. What a nite, none that I want to repeat anytime soon.
I had the local RV dealer repair guy check for damage and he said I had a dent in one of the slides and that was it. However, after talking to others I decided to have my RV dealer check it out and surprise, surprise. I had a whole lot more damage to the roof. Bottom line, had to have the holes/dents in roof repaired, roof reskinned, and all three slides extended out and reskinned on the roofs. All told, over $12,000 of damage. Thank God the insurance took care of it, but again another deductible expense. Took over a week to repair the roof, so a friend of mine let me crash in the bedroom of his "Clubhouse" located on his property. Thank you Greg and Beci, you were a huge help. Also, need to mention, I had a brake lock up on one of the axles and get very hot, so on the way to repair the roof, I advised the dealer of this latest problem. Good news, they replaced both axles for nothing. Guess there was a defect on them. So a lucky break there. Same time, repaired the blown tire area, so got all the work done at one time.
So, are there issues and problems? You bet, but if you have a good dealer and support network it will certainly help you to cope and move on with life and not let them get you down. The "Cathouse" is still alive and well and waiting to howl and growl again. Now I need to tell you how we deal with the cold, but will do that later.
OK, I told you all I would write about some of the issues I have had, bout time I get off my butt and tell it.
First on the trip home from Sturgis for the motorcycle rally, I had a blown tire on the right side of the rig. I did not know it until someone flagged me down and told me. I pulled into a parking lot and sure enough the tire was shredded and riding on the rim which was ruined as well. As good fortune would have it, there was a Goodyear Tire dealer on the other end of the lot, so I walked over there and got the service guys to look at it and assess the repairs. So I limped on over to the shop, pulled it in and they got to it. There was damage on the wheelwell and around the fender area. Pretty sure it happened in town at slower speeds, as it could have been a lot worse. They were able to replace the tire and rim and get me back on the road. I had them put a load range E tire on the rig and eventually replaced the other three with E tires and got rid of those D's. E tires are 10 ply as opposed to 8. Hopefully that will help as I am at gross weight with the rig. Now for the dumbass award!! I purchased a "Pressure Pro" system at the RV Dreams Rally in fall of 2009 at Kerrville, TX. Now, why you ask would this be a problem? Well, I did not have the sensors on the wheels as I should have. Had I done that, hopefully I would have caught it sooner and could have prevented a problem. After the repair and insurance claim, that alone was over $2000 worth of damage and with a high deductible it was a costly mistake. Lesson learned, if you spend money on a system, use it!! So you can bet I will in the future.
Next thing. On September 15, 2010 the "weather gods" were quite annoyed and we had a doozy of a storm that evening. We had been watching the weather all day and believe me the conditions were ripe. During our morning center get together at the work place, one of the young ladies gave the weather report and stated that the "gods were angry," and was she ever right. Well, we had a farewell party for one of our managers that nite and we spent the first part of the evening watching the storm, seeing the hail, drinking beer, and not a thing we could do (about the storm that is.) Good thing I was in the bar and not in the rig. Guess what you don't see and hear will not hurt you. Weather report said a twister was in the area of the airport but did not touch down. The Good Lord intervened and saved us, so I say my thanks to Him. The party went on and afterward, I went home to survey the damage, could not see anything from the ground, no holes I could see. Some of the neighbors had hail stones go through their roofs as many others had holes in roofs of stick and brick homes. The roof repairs guys were busy for a long time. Some of those hail stones were larger than soft balls and the amazing thing they were so hit and miss in the area. What a nite, none that I want to repeat anytime soon.
I had the local RV dealer repair guy check for damage and he said I had a dent in one of the slides and that was it. However, after talking to others I decided to have my RV dealer check it out and surprise, surprise. I had a whole lot more damage to the roof. Bottom line, had to have the holes/dents in roof repaired, roof reskinned, and all three slides extended out and reskinned on the roofs. All told, over $12,000 of damage. Thank God the insurance took care of it, but again another deductible expense. Took over a week to repair the roof, so a friend of mine let me crash in the bedroom of his "Clubhouse" located on his property. Thank you Greg and Beci, you were a huge help. Also, need to mention, I had a brake lock up on one of the axles and get very hot, so on the way to repair the roof, I advised the dealer of this latest problem. Good news, they replaced both axles for nothing. Guess there was a defect on them. So a lucky break there. Same time, repaired the blown tire area, so got all the work done at one time.
So, are there issues and problems? You bet, but if you have a good dealer and support network it will certainly help you to cope and move on with life and not let them get you down. The "Cathouse" is still alive and well and waiting to howl and growl again. Now I need to tell you how we deal with the cold, but will do that later.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year
The holidays this year have been great, but glad it is about over and we get back to normal, for whatever that is. If you find out, please let me know. Had a great Christmas, got a stuffed dog from my daughter Tina. His name is Col Spicket II, little history there with him and my kids. Needless to say was a nice gift and a rather emotional one there. It is something I will cherish. Next gift was from my daughter Becky, my son David, and grandkids Christian and Sean. It is a photo slideshow with over 225 pictures of kids/grandkids etc. I was really surprised to get it. Both really nice gifts this year. Had dinner with my daughter, her boyfriend Joe and two other friends. A great meal of ham and all the trimmings. Then watched the kids open their gifts which is always fun. Off to the watering hole that nite.
New Years eve with my daughter up at the Hangar One. A great meal with good friends, beer and cigars, a great way to top off the evening. Today, a quiet day, temp of 25 degrees, we had 68 on Thurs then the bottom fell out and cold it got. Last nite coming home from bar was 15. Space heaters have proved their worth and furnace to help out and keep the belly warm. Nice and cozy in here today, a good day to catch up etc.
Short entry today, hopefully more tomorrow. Cat may howl again tonite. My gals at the regular watering hole are missing me.
New Years eve with my daughter up at the Hangar One. A great meal with good friends, beer and cigars, a great way to top off the evening. Today, a quiet day, temp of 25 degrees, we had 68 on Thurs then the bottom fell out and cold it got. Last nite coming home from bar was 15. Space heaters have proved their worth and furnace to help out and keep the belly warm. Nice and cozy in here today, a good day to catch up etc.
Short entry today, hopefully more tomorrow. Cat may howl again tonite. My gals at the regular watering hole are missing me.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Merry Christmas
Well, bout time I make a post here. I will try to do better, just a lot going on. 27 degrees here in ICT with clouds, trying to snow or whatever. We have not had snow yet, not that it breaks my heart. After growing up on the farm with it, was a lot of work, boy does that bring back memories. Sometimes things were a lot simpler then. The good old days where as kids, Christmas was with family, school, and church.
Our grade school would put on a Christmas Program every year in Marvin, SD and man did we ever pack that old hall. Folks from all around would come and support us and the school and it was all good. There would be full days we would practice, good news is no school work, but we learned how to work together under the careful guidance from our teacher Mrs. Lisa Halverson. She was a good one, God rest her soul. I think of her often especially at this time of year. The best teacher I ever had!!!
After the school program and always on a Saturday, we would have Santa Claus day. I would help Dad set up the PA as he was the announcer for the event. Dad was great at those sorts of things with a loud voice and a great gift of BS and humor. Kids and parents from all over would gather to get a chance to meet the "old boy" Santa that is, and it was great. We all got a big bag of Christmas candy and peanuts in the shells. Remember that old crunchy candy. After Santa left we had a big drawing with donated items from the merchants in town and most walked away with a prize. What a great thing to grow up with.
Then off to the Church Program, where we dealt with the true meaning of Christmas, the "Christ Child." Too many times we get caught up with the season and forget what it is all about. Again we packed the house here and we gave gifts to our Sunday School teachers and we got gifts from them. One of the best was from Bob Stewart who gave us a box of .22 shells as he knew we all loved to shoot and hunt.
Christmas eve was with family from my Dad's side and that is when we would open presents. I remember one Christmas eve when it was snowing so thick our guests could not make it down the driveway and the steep hill into the farm yard. So what did I do, well we hooked up the manure spreader to the old Massey tractor, drove up the hill, got them with all the gifts, and head down to the yard so we could have Christmas. Yes, the spreader was empty. Afterward we would brave the "elements" and head back up the hill and up the driveway to their car so they could go home. Great memories. Christmas eve of 1968 when Apollo 8 was in lunar orbit and we listened to the astronauts read about the creation from the bible. One of the best quotes, "Merry Christmas to all of you, All of you on the good Earth." Another fine memory!!
On Christmas Day it was always to my Grandma and Grandpa Quale's home and have Christmas dinner there with all the family from Mom's side. Grandma was always a great cook and we never went away hungry. Got rest her soul along with my Mom and other Grandparents. The world is a lessor place without them. Christmas has never been the same since but we move on.
Now it is my turn to carry on as I will be with my daughter Tina, her boyfriend and his kids who are my "other grandkids." As we know life goes on and we learn to cope. Let us be thankful for our health, family, and friends and not forget our roots.
Life in the RV is good. Finally figured out the heat situation with the space heaters along with help from the furnace as needed to keep warm. Cheaper with the space heaters. Got the Christmas tree up, just a small one, a gift from my Mom of which I will cherish along with her memory. Also some stockings and Santa on a Harley, got to have that. Oh, one other thing which I consider to be a great idea is I got an indoor/outdoor temp gage. I have the outdoor sensor in the compartment where the water pump and lines are and keep tabs on the temps there. Good way to make sure we don't have freeze-up problems. Also got a heated outdoor water hose and it seems to work good. It had better for 90 big ones.
So as another Christmas comes and goes we have to thankful for our blessings in life and keep the "Stray Cats" under control. I will talk about the trip back from SD, blown tire, and Sept 15 hail storm that damaged my roof etc. Just need more time in front of this thing.
Our grade school would put on a Christmas Program every year in Marvin, SD and man did we ever pack that old hall. Folks from all around would come and support us and the school and it was all good. There would be full days we would practice, good news is no school work, but we learned how to work together under the careful guidance from our teacher Mrs. Lisa Halverson. She was a good one, God rest her soul. I think of her often especially at this time of year. The best teacher I ever had!!!
After the school program and always on a Saturday, we would have Santa Claus day. I would help Dad set up the PA as he was the announcer for the event. Dad was great at those sorts of things with a loud voice and a great gift of BS and humor. Kids and parents from all over would gather to get a chance to meet the "old boy" Santa that is, and it was great. We all got a big bag of Christmas candy and peanuts in the shells. Remember that old crunchy candy. After Santa left we had a big drawing with donated items from the merchants in town and most walked away with a prize. What a great thing to grow up with.
Then off to the Church Program, where we dealt with the true meaning of Christmas, the "Christ Child." Too many times we get caught up with the season and forget what it is all about. Again we packed the house here and we gave gifts to our Sunday School teachers and we got gifts from them. One of the best was from Bob Stewart who gave us a box of .22 shells as he knew we all loved to shoot and hunt.
Christmas eve was with family from my Dad's side and that is when we would open presents. I remember one Christmas eve when it was snowing so thick our guests could not make it down the driveway and the steep hill into the farm yard. So what did I do, well we hooked up the manure spreader to the old Massey tractor, drove up the hill, got them with all the gifts, and head down to the yard so we could have Christmas. Yes, the spreader was empty. Afterward we would brave the "elements" and head back up the hill and up the driveway to their car so they could go home. Great memories. Christmas eve of 1968 when Apollo 8 was in lunar orbit and we listened to the astronauts read about the creation from the bible. One of the best quotes, "Merry Christmas to all of you, All of you on the good Earth." Another fine memory!!
On Christmas Day it was always to my Grandma and Grandpa Quale's home and have Christmas dinner there with all the family from Mom's side. Grandma was always a great cook and we never went away hungry. Got rest her soul along with my Mom and other Grandparents. The world is a lessor place without them. Christmas has never been the same since but we move on.
Now it is my turn to carry on as I will be with my daughter Tina, her boyfriend and his kids who are my "other grandkids." As we know life goes on and we learn to cope. Let us be thankful for our health, family, and friends and not forget our roots.
Life in the RV is good. Finally figured out the heat situation with the space heaters along with help from the furnace as needed to keep warm. Cheaper with the space heaters. Got the Christmas tree up, just a small one, a gift from my Mom of which I will cherish along with her memory. Also some stockings and Santa on a Harley, got to have that. Oh, one other thing which I consider to be a great idea is I got an indoor/outdoor temp gage. I have the outdoor sensor in the compartment where the water pump and lines are and keep tabs on the temps there. Good way to make sure we don't have freeze-up problems. Also got a heated outdoor water hose and it seems to work good. It had better for 90 big ones.
So as another Christmas comes and goes we have to thankful for our blessings in life and keep the "Stray Cats" under control. I will talk about the trip back from SD, blown tire, and Sept 15 hail storm that damaged my roof etc. Just need more time in front of this thing.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
South Dakota Trip
Well bout time I update this journal. It has been a while. I will start with my SD trip in August. I combined a trip to my hometown of Marvin, SD and annual trek to Sturgis for the rally. Trip was great except as we all know time spent is just too short. Started out and spent time with my Dad which is always good to do. I lost my Mom 3 years ago this month so the month of October is not always the best of times, but we all learn to cope.
The first week home was road trips during the day and evenings at the Marvin Bar gotta get up there for the evening cocktail hour as we like to call it. In the meantime two of my friends Russ and Carolyn came through, they were on the way back from Alaska. They managed to ride their Honda Trike all the way up there and back and had a good trip. They worked with me here in Wichita. So while we were there, gave them the tour of the local area and then off to the bar at night.
The night before we left for Sturgis, my friend Joe, his brother Larry and another friend showed up so we all had a great old time. Drinking beer, shaking the dice and just telling lies etc. On Friday morning we left for Sturgis and spent the next few days out there. If you have never been to the rally, it is a sight to see with all the bikes, RV’s, you name it-you will see it. By the way all the young ladies etc. will add a special treat. It is hard to describe, you just have to be there. The riding in the Black Hills is some of the most beautiful country you can ride through. But a word of warning, you have to be careful as there are thousands of bikes on the roads. It is not something to take lightly. With over half a million folks there you can see why. And this year being the 70th rally it was a huge event.
The entertainment at night is something else to see. I have seen some of the best top name rock bands ever. Just to name a few that I have seen: Steppenwolf, Jethro Tull, Whitesnake, Heart, ZZ Top, Journey, Blue Oyster Cult, Styx, Kid Rock, Nickelback, Tesla, Toby Keith (not a rocker but a great country artist who loves this country). My favorites were Jethro Tull and Styx. Jethro Tull is not an individual but a British band, Ian Anderson is the lead singer and one heck of a flute player. Very unique style of music. Styx also great with the keyboard player who spins that keyboard around, he makes the show. Course there are many others, just too hard to remember them all. The ones above really stood out. Of course the "parade" as we like to call it is also a sight. You will have to ask me about that one.
Also went down to Crazy Horse and met my friends Mike and Leslie. We had a nice lunch there then off to where they were staying in Custer, SD. A very nice campground and I know they liked it a lot as evidenced by their journal entries. So a brief summary of the August trip. I will make a separate entry for the trip home as that is another tail and I need to tell it as it has some important lessons there.
The first week home was road trips during the day and evenings at the Marvin Bar gotta get up there for the evening cocktail hour as we like to call it. In the meantime two of my friends Russ and Carolyn came through, they were on the way back from Alaska. They managed to ride their Honda Trike all the way up there and back and had a good trip. They worked with me here in Wichita. So while we were there, gave them the tour of the local area and then off to the bar at night.
The night before we left for Sturgis, my friend Joe, his brother Larry and another friend showed up so we all had a great old time. Drinking beer, shaking the dice and just telling lies etc. On Friday morning we left for Sturgis and spent the next few days out there. If you have never been to the rally, it is a sight to see with all the bikes, RV’s, you name it-you will see it. By the way all the young ladies etc. will add a special treat. It is hard to describe, you just have to be there. The riding in the Black Hills is some of the most beautiful country you can ride through. But a word of warning, you have to be careful as there are thousands of bikes on the roads. It is not something to take lightly. With over half a million folks there you can see why. And this year being the 70th rally it was a huge event.
The entertainment at night is something else to see. I have seen some of the best top name rock bands ever. Just to name a few that I have seen: Steppenwolf, Jethro Tull, Whitesnake, Heart, ZZ Top, Journey, Blue Oyster Cult, Styx, Kid Rock, Nickelback, Tesla, Toby Keith (not a rocker but a great country artist who loves this country). My favorites were Jethro Tull and Styx. Jethro Tull is not an individual but a British band, Ian Anderson is the lead singer and one heck of a flute player. Very unique style of music. Styx also great with the keyboard player who spins that keyboard around, he makes the show. Course there are many others, just too hard to remember them all. The ones above really stood out. Of course the "parade" as we like to call it is also a sight. You will have to ask me about that one.
Also went down to Crazy Horse and met my friends Mike and Leslie. We had a nice lunch there then off to where they were staying in Custer, SD. A very nice campground and I know they liked it a lot as evidenced by their journal entries. So a brief summary of the August trip. I will make a separate entry for the trip home as that is another tail and I need to tell it as it has some important lessons there.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
House Closing
I have been wanting to discuss the closing of the house. Been a while since I commented on this. I am amazed at how fast the sale went. I listed the place in January 2010 and closed in June 2010. I fully expected it to be a lot longer, but I am glad to be rid of it. Amazed at how I got rid of bills every month, especially when I hear of rate hikes etc. The folks that bought the place seemed to be good people and really loved the place. It was a brother and sister along with their mother. There were some issues as we got close to closing which I commented on in earlier posts. They agreed to what I offered on the window replacement and that was a good thing. Saved me a lot of work. The delay on the closing had to do with money for new homebuyers from the government. Once they got that squared away and the down payments were covered, we finally got to close. It was around 2 weeks later than planned, but it all worked out good. Couple of times I was getting anxious on whether we were going to close. But, it finally worked out and I am glad for that.
I love living in my rig, I do not feel closed in even with long times spent in it. If they ever say about fulltiming that you won't spend much time in the rig, think again!! That is why when you look at rigs, take your time, look at lots of models and floorplans. Get the one that has the "it" factor for you. Every one of us is different on what our desires are, likes and dislikes. I strongly feel this area is very important for one to be successful in this lifestyle. Football season is upon us and winter will be here before we know it. That will be the test here on how well I survive it. Being from up north, I understand what the cold can do and should be able to take precautions as needed. I have also had the pleasure of having some mentors in this undertaking which has been a huge help. So thanks to Ed and Marilyn, Mike and Leslie, and Howard and Linda. The one downside is I wish I had someone "special" to share it with me.
Speaking of football, I hope the Dallas Cowboys can pull it off this year, especially since the Super Bowl will be played in "Cowboys Stadium." So lets hope they can do it. "Go Cowboys!!" Yes, I am a Cowboys fan and proud of it!!!
Ok, enough for this day, am going to get out of here for a while, then on to the bar for a cold beverage and enjoy a good cigar. Now we have to smoke on the patio or outside due to the recent smoking ban. That will be a rant for another day. I have made my point clear at times but, guess we will have to accept it for now. Last thing I will say is make sure you vote in November. The right to vote is one of the greatest freedoms we have and I cannot emphasize the importance of exercising that right. Holiday tomorrow, so this cat may hiss and howl a bit.
I love living in my rig, I do not feel closed in even with long times spent in it. If they ever say about fulltiming that you won't spend much time in the rig, think again!! That is why when you look at rigs, take your time, look at lots of models and floorplans. Get the one that has the "it" factor for you. Every one of us is different on what our desires are, likes and dislikes. I strongly feel this area is very important for one to be successful in this lifestyle. Football season is upon us and winter will be here before we know it. That will be the test here on how well I survive it. Being from up north, I understand what the cold can do and should be able to take precautions as needed. I have also had the pleasure of having some mentors in this undertaking which has been a huge help. So thanks to Ed and Marilyn, Mike and Leslie, and Howard and Linda. The one downside is I wish I had someone "special" to share it with me.
Speaking of football, I hope the Dallas Cowboys can pull it off this year, especially since the Super Bowl will be played in "Cowboys Stadium." So lets hope they can do it. "Go Cowboys!!" Yes, I am a Cowboys fan and proud of it!!!
Ok, enough for this day, am going to get out of here for a while, then on to the bar for a cold beverage and enjoy a good cigar. Now we have to smoke on the patio or outside due to the recent smoking ban. That will be a rant for another day. I have made my point clear at times but, guess we will have to accept it for now. Last thing I will say is make sure you vote in November. The right to vote is one of the greatest freedoms we have and I cannot emphasize the importance of exercising that right. Holiday tomorrow, so this cat may hiss and howl a bit.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
How we doing
Will make it short, been trying to update my email etc and getting this account to work. Think I finally got it. Nice cool nite tonite, cold front blew in and low should get down in the 50's. Will write about my vacation when I get the urge, hang in there it will be soon. Guess I had better before I forget all about it. But for now this lazy cat is going to call it a night.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Marvin SD
Back in SD and great to be here. Only got to 85 yesterday, 109 in Wichita yesterday. Having a great time here. More freinds from Wichita will be here tonite and back to the Marvin Bar. Two days we leave for Sturgis and the rally. This is the 70th year of the rally so should be a big one. We shall see. Short post today, got some things to do before we leave.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Hot day and ready to hit the waterin hole:)
Hot again today, good news, you do not have to shovel 90 degrees. Got some foil insulation for some of the windows in the rig. It helps darken it a bit, but will help Mr. AC and he will thank me for that. Should make a difference. Ready to go to SD, just 2 weeks from today I will be there. Short post tonite as this Kitty Kat is going to clean up and hit the bar. A cold Bud Light draft beer and cigar are waiting for me. "Sleepy Truckers" at the bar tonite, good bunch of guys that play good old rock and biker type tunes.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Great time with my daughter
Guess, I could make a post here and let you all know what is happening. Been a good visit with my daughter Becky and my two grandsons Christian and Sean. They will be leaving and heading back to Brazil, IN tomorrow. So I wish them well and hope to see them again soon. Have been dug in here at the trailer park as the kids were in town so did not want to make that drive to and from the lake while they were here, not sure if I will get back there before I go back to SD and Sturgis. Less than a month away and I am looking forward to that. Speaking of the lake, it rained all weekend of the 4th so just as well be here.
I keep saying I will comment on the house sale, maybe soon when I get a wild cat hair and decide to do it. I can say that I enjoy living in the rig and do not miss the house. Guess I am getting used to it, but sure nice not to pay the extra bills. This will aid in the debt reduction plan. So I will make it a short one tonite and howl at the moon.
I keep saying I will comment on the house sale, maybe soon when I get a wild cat hair and decide to do it. I can say that I enjoy living in the rig and do not miss the house. Guess I am getting used to it, but sure nice not to pay the extra bills. This will aid in the debt reduction plan. So I will make it a short one tonite and howl at the moon.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Hot and more Hot.
Hot day here is KS. Must have got to a 100 today. Poor airconditioner has all it can do to keep up. Trying to update financial info etc. Enjoy the full time style, will be traveling back to SD in a month, then the Sturgis Rally. Was up there a week ago, rained a lot, but not to fear. Spent time with my Dad and at the bar. Was a good trip. Off to my favorite waterin hole again tonite.
Good news, a judge here in Wichita issued a stay on the statewide smoking ban so there will be a hearing on 15 July 10. Hopefully they will drop the ban. I am tired of our freedoms being eroded etc. That is another day for a rant. So this kat is going to clean up and get ready to howl for the nite.
Good news, a judge here in Wichita issued a stay on the statewide smoking ban so there will be a hearing on 15 July 10. Hopefully they will drop the ban. I am tired of our freedoms being eroded etc. That is another day for a rant. So this kat is going to clean up and get ready to howl for the nite.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
House Closed
The day finally arrived. As of June 3, 2010 we closed on the house. A good feeling, so I am now officially "homeless", oh I guess I forgot, I am in my home. Plan to go to SD soon, so that will be good. Keep having the urge to figure what to pack, then I remember I will take my home with me, clothes, "stuff", internet, you name it. I will post more later, getting tired, feel the crud coming on and I do not need to be feeling like crap while traveling. Truck in for service tomorrow, so hope that all goes well.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Life at the Lake
Fri was a good nite, went to my favorite watering hole, drank beer, smoked cigars, and listened to some great rock and roll by my favorite local band "Ten Day Wish". These folks are awesome and also great friends. Had enough to drink and slept very well. Got up on Sat and had breakfast at the local truck stop in Newton, KS. They have a great buffet breakfast.
Some of the best eatin I have had while on the road is the truckstops. Big rig friendly, room to park, etc. Just have get used to being on the diesel side with the 18 wheelers etc. Course some of the rigs we pull are getting to be that type of length. Big Rig Diesel pumps much faster if you do not mind the oil and grease. But growing up on the farm and dealing with large equipment, not a big deal for me.
Then off to the lake, some friends showed up and went jet skiing, while I just wanted to relax after a busy week. We grilled steaks in the evening, then I sat out by the fire and enjoyed the night. Neighbor came over with some home brew which was quite good. I gave him one of my rubber chickens as he asked about the one hanging on my king pin. If you want to know about the chickens I can tell in an email etc.
Sun, went to town and had a nice lunch with my daughter and then did some shopping with her. She, her boyfriend and his kids plan to come out here today so should be good to have them out here.
After I got back to the rig on Sun, put some things away, got ice, prepared to dig in. But nature had other ideas, big thunder boomers all evening so that pretty well got everyone headed for cover. I just dug in and watched the "Patton" movie I had just picked up.
So today "Memorial Day" a day to remember those who sacrifaced their lives so we may enjoy the freedoms we have. The down side is I am not in SD. We always had a service at the local graveyards and paid tribute to those fallen troops. This was a tradition while growing up at home. So I will reflect here and remember our troops and give them our support.
Still not closed on the house, will give update on another day. The "goat rope" is now turning into a "cluster" but tomorrow we plan to close. Will keep you all posted. So this "kitty cat" is going to clean up and get ready to face the day.
Some of the best eatin I have had while on the road is the truckstops. Big rig friendly, room to park, etc. Just have get used to being on the diesel side with the 18 wheelers etc. Course some of the rigs we pull are getting to be that type of length. Big Rig Diesel pumps much faster if you do not mind the oil and grease. But growing up on the farm and dealing with large equipment, not a big deal for me.
Then off to the lake, some friends showed up and went jet skiing, while I just wanted to relax after a busy week. We grilled steaks in the evening, then I sat out by the fire and enjoyed the night. Neighbor came over with some home brew which was quite good. I gave him one of my rubber chickens as he asked about the one hanging on my king pin. If you want to know about the chickens I can tell in an email etc.
Sun, went to town and had a nice lunch with my daughter and then did some shopping with her. She, her boyfriend and his kids plan to come out here today so should be good to have them out here.
After I got back to the rig on Sun, put some things away, got ice, prepared to dig in. But nature had other ideas, big thunder boomers all evening so that pretty well got everyone headed for cover. I just dug in and watched the "Patton" movie I had just picked up.
So today "Memorial Day" a day to remember those who sacrifaced their lives so we may enjoy the freedoms we have. The down side is I am not in SD. We always had a service at the local graveyards and paid tribute to those fallen troops. This was a tradition while growing up at home. So I will reflect here and remember our troops and give them our support.
Still not closed on the house, will give update on another day. The "goat rope" is now turning into a "cluster" but tomorrow we plan to close. Will keep you all posted. So this "kitty cat" is going to clean up and get ready to face the day.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Closing
If all goes well, we finally close on the house. Scheduled for 4 PM today. So ends a chapter and beginning of another one. What a lifestyle change. Finally able to relax this week at the lake and just drink beer, smoke cigars, and think about life and what is next down the road. I will keep you all posted.
By the way been fighting with the Satellite dish all week, but finally got the best of that. Bought one of those small carry-out dome antennas and so far this rascal seems to do the job, once I got some things figured out with the DVR etc. Had to get it back to thinking it has only one TV now. Somtimes trial and error works and even a blind hog will find an ear of corn. "Goat rope" is a good way to define it. Guess I should go back to bed, 0530 comes early but could not sleep, so here I sit.
We close, beer will taste extra good at my favorite watering hole tonite, with my favorite local rock band, "Ten Day Wish". These are awesome folks and great friends. I love them and totally enjoy their music. Will tell more of the move "tails" later.
By the way been fighting with the Satellite dish all week, but finally got the best of that. Bought one of those small carry-out dome antennas and so far this rascal seems to do the job, once I got some things figured out with the DVR etc. Had to get it back to thinking it has only one TV now. Somtimes trial and error works and even a blind hog will find an ear of corn. "Goat rope" is a good way to define it. Guess I should go back to bed, 0530 comes early but could not sleep, so here I sit.
We close, beer will taste extra good at my favorite watering hole tonite, with my favorite local rock band, "Ten Day Wish". These are awesome folks and great friends. I love them and totally enjoy their music. Will tell more of the move "tails" later.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
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