We awoke early this morning to the sound of boomers! Thunder, lightning, and hard rain fell onto Tucson off and on all day today. Skies were alternately sunny and blue or full of heavy rain clouds. Up on Mt. Lemmon, we can see snow. That's where I like to see it, too -- off in the distance, and 5000 feet higher than we are!
Church was good today, as we celebrated the first day of Advent and talked about hope. After church, we went and looked for a cover for the firepit and Jack looked at grills. Then we did our *once per week* visit to an all-you-can-eat and this week was New China.
This was a perfect afternoon for goming out here at home, and that's what we did! As rain fell, I cleaned out a closet, and that's about all we got done, and that's ok. :)
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Black Friday
OK, I'll use black in honor of the day. I hope that the nation's retailers had a palpable increase in their sales over years past. If the traffic and parked cars are any indication, the recession in Tucson is over!
Jack went out early to go and have a look at the Kohl's and Home Depot crowds. He discovered that the checkout lines at Kohl's snaked all the way around the perimeter of the store. Home Depot was more sane, but was still plenty crowded. Then he went to Sunflower, bringing me back raspberries and a chocolate chip muffin, which I was happy to have for breakfast.
The day passed with us going on a walk, driving to Lowe's and then walking to Walmart* (which really isn't yet a Walmart*, but is still a Wal*Mart), getting our cable hooked up, dining at Chuy's, and playing Farkle in between. So.. no big shopping, and a good, fun day!
Jack went out early to go and have a look at the Kohl's and Home Depot crowds. He discovered that the checkout lines at Kohl's snaked all the way around the perimeter of the store. Home Depot was more sane, but was still plenty crowded. Then he went to Sunflower, bringing me back raspberries and a chocolate chip muffin, which I was happy to have for breakfast.
The day passed with us going on a walk, driving to Lowe's and then walking to Walmart* (which really isn't yet a Walmart*, but is still a Wal*Mart), getting our cable hooked up, dining at Chuy's, and playing Farkle in between. So.. no big shopping, and a good, fun day!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Getting Settled
I see that I've used the "Getting Settled" title before! Yes, it seems that, when one is a snowbird, at least two weeks of the year are spent doing just that. We arrived here a week ago today. We unloaded the liquids, perishables, and clothes from the RV and now we have it over in the storage lot.
We did a bunch of laundry in Willcox, and then we did a huge bunch more just yesterday. That included the sheets, blankets, and towels from the RV, as well as just everyday stuff for the past week.
We got our mail and did business, including a bank run, calling all over the country about insurance and other financial stuff which waited for our return to civilization, and reinstating our cable TV. We bought our supplies to make our trail mix and things to make our hiking sandwiches!
We've done our first hike for the 2010 season! That was on Tuesday, and it was up to the saddle on the Pontatoc Ridge. Lovely hike, and just right for us at this point in our fitness. We're back to walking every day, too. Yay! We got into the pool after the hike, and that felt good.
Socially, things are somewhat slow right now. We did have a fine dinner over at Harold and Kathy's and we've made plans for a couple of other evenings.
And today's Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for so much this year. Jack has been a lot of fun, and we laugh and love and ... life is good. I'm grateful for our wonderful friends in Big Rapids, for our Tucson friends, and for our friends who travel back and forth. I'm grateful for my fortunate circumstances that enable me to enjoy this lifestyle. (Special thanks to Michael, George, Danny, and Louise!)
I'm grateful for the beautiful house in Paris, MI where we will spend our summers. I'm happy about our location, about the neat furniture that I got, and about just the way the house is built and configured. (Thank you to Judy, Fred, Luanne, and Dan!)
I'm grateful for Michael and the love he gave me. I'm grateful to his family, who have been with me and stood beside me in my difficulties. I'm grateful for my church and for all of the spiritual and social opportunities, and for all I've learned about our wonderful world. I'm grateful that I have friends and family who care enough about me to read this blog. (In particular, thanks to Annette, Robert, Auntie Dots, John, Lynell, Ray, Charlene, Donna, Dorothy, Anonymous, and all of the rest of you who've commented on my blog postings.)
And Happy Thanksgiving to all!
We did a bunch of laundry in Willcox, and then we did a huge bunch more just yesterday. That included the sheets, blankets, and towels from the RV, as well as just everyday stuff for the past week.
We got our mail and did business, including a bank run, calling all over the country about insurance and other financial stuff which waited for our return to civilization, and reinstating our cable TV. We bought our supplies to make our trail mix and things to make our hiking sandwiches!
We've done our first hike for the 2010 season! That was on Tuesday, and it was up to the saddle on the Pontatoc Ridge. Lovely hike, and just right for us at this point in our fitness. We're back to walking every day, too. Yay! We got into the pool after the hike, and that felt good.
Socially, things are somewhat slow right now. We did have a fine dinner over at Harold and Kathy's and we've made plans for a couple of other evenings.
And today's Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for so much this year. Jack has been a lot of fun, and we laugh and love and ... life is good. I'm grateful for our wonderful friends in Big Rapids, for our Tucson friends, and for our friends who travel back and forth. I'm grateful for my fortunate circumstances that enable me to enjoy this lifestyle. (Special thanks to Michael, George, Danny, and Louise!)
I'm grateful for the beautiful house in Paris, MI where we will spend our summers. I'm happy about our location, about the neat furniture that I got, and about just the way the house is built and configured. (Thank you to Judy, Fred, Luanne, and Dan!)
I'm grateful for Michael and the love he gave me. I'm grateful to his family, who have been with me and stood beside me in my difficulties. I'm grateful for my church and for all of the spiritual and social opportunities, and for all I've learned about our wonderful world. I'm grateful that I have friends and family who care enough about me to read this blog. (In particular, thanks to Annette, Robert, Auntie Dots, John, Lynell, Ray, Charlene, Donna, Dorothy, Anonymous, and all of the rest of you who've commented on my blog postings.)
And Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Where are we now?
If you're watching the Where is Janee Now? link over to the right -->, you see that we're in Willcox, AZ tonight. Yes, that IS close to Tucson. And we do that on purpose. Arrival day is always a panic, with so many things to do. I hate arriving late in the day, so .. I don't! Today we drove just 2.5 hours, from Deming, NM. And ydy we drove from Las Cruces!
In Las Cruces, we stayed at the Hacienda del Sol RV Park, and it was nice. They give you a free breakfast which is comparable to Holiday Inn Express, except that you can have a custom-made Belgian waffle!
We went to the Farm Heritage Museum in Las Cruces and it was a fun time. We got to watch a cow being milked, saw many longhorns up close and personal, and toured some antique farm machines. The museum also included a gallery of photos and story about the Mexican Banceros from the first part of the 20th century. These were Mexican workers who came to the USA, through an agreement with the US and Mexican government, to work. Interesting and some really good photos.
There was also an exhibit of photos of old schools from New Mexico, many of which closed in the 1950's, and most of which are in a state of shameful ruin now.
We had a great lunch in Las Cruces, too, at Furr's Buffet. And I've decided that Sunday is going to be buffet day. No buffets on other days. The weight loss is going well, actually, though it seems really slow. I'm at 137.0 today, and that's nearly 10 lbs that I've lost since August 18. I guess that it's better to have lost 10 lbs in 3 months than it would be to gain something. :) Ok... I feel better now!
Jack is cooking dinner now, as I blog. We're having beef tenderloin and potatoes on the grill, artichokes, and Italian bread.
In Las Cruces, we stayed at the Hacienda del Sol RV Park, and it was nice. They give you a free breakfast which is comparable to Holiday Inn Express, except that you can have a custom-made Belgian waffle!
We went to the Farm Heritage Museum in Las Cruces and it was a fun time. We got to watch a cow being milked, saw many longhorns up close and personal, and toured some antique farm machines. The museum also included a gallery of photos and story about the Mexican Banceros from the first part of the 20th century. These were Mexican workers who came to the USA, through an agreement with the US and Mexican government, to work. Interesting and some really good photos.
There was also an exhibit of photos of old schools from New Mexico, many of which closed in the 1950's, and most of which are in a state of shameful ruin now.
We had a great lunch in Las Cruces, too, at Furr's Buffet. And I've decided that Sunday is going to be buffet day. No buffets on other days. The weight loss is going well, actually, though it seems really slow. I'm at 137.0 today, and that's nearly 10 lbs that I've lost since August 18. I guess that it's better to have lost 10 lbs in 3 months than it would be to gain something. :) Ok... I feel better now!
Jack is cooking dinner now, as I blog. We're having beef tenderloin and potatoes on the grill, artichokes, and Italian bread.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Sunday
We awoke this morning in Fort Davis, Texas. We'd already scoped out churches and found this one in Fort Davis. Seriously, click that link and look at these pictures. I took some, but I'm sure that they won't be this good! We had even read Pastor Matt's blog! (Check it out here. I have already discussed with him the idea of his updating more frequently. ;))
So we readied ourselves and headed down there. When we arrived, just 10 minutes before the start of adult Sunday school, there was no one in the parking lot. Soooo.. we parked Ruby and got out to look around.
Just then, a gentleman showed up carrying a Bible, and we assumed at first that he must be the pastor. (We were wrong. He was most genial and welcoming, but was not the pastor.) He gave us a short tour, and we enjoyed looking around in the 1906 church building.
Sunday School was in the basement, and, in this tiny community of about 1200, there were about 10 of us there, led by Pastor Matt Miles. We talked mostly about traditions for the Christian year, and I got to report on my daily blogging for Lent this year.
We discussed the notion of Lent and what its purpose is. The idea of recognizing our wretchedness (for lack of a better word) and the exercising of some discipline for the period of time seems appropriate. It reminds me of the Jewish holidays and the sacrificing as they remember what their forebears endured before them.
Church was good, too. Matt's family (2 six year-old twins and a two year-old) were there with his wife, and the kids' antics made us all smile.
Anyway... good church! We felt very welcome and everyone seemed interested in hearing our story. I hope that we pass through Fort Davis on a Sunday again!
On up the road we went. We decided to go through Marfa, hoping to visit some art galleries, something (besides the lights) for which Marfa is famous. But, upon arriving, we remembered... Sunday! We contented ourselves with a Marfa Subway sandwich and headed on up the road.
Van Horne... and then I-10 to El Paso. We ended up driving about 5 hours today, trading drivers at intervals. Tonight we're at Anthony, a western suburb of El Paso. The campground is fine, though we had to use blocks to get level. It's pretty cool here, too. Right now, under clear skies, it's just 46°.
So we readied ourselves and headed down there. When we arrived, just 10 minutes before the start of adult Sunday school, there was no one in the parking lot. Soooo.. we parked Ruby and got out to look around.
Just then, a gentleman showed up carrying a Bible, and we assumed at first that he must be the pastor. (We were wrong. He was most genial and welcoming, but was not the pastor.) He gave us a short tour, and we enjoyed looking around in the 1906 church building.
Sunday School was in the basement, and, in this tiny community of about 1200, there were about 10 of us there, led by Pastor Matt Miles. We talked mostly about traditions for the Christian year, and I got to report on my daily blogging for Lent this year.
We discussed the notion of Lent and what its purpose is. The idea of recognizing our wretchedness (for lack of a better word) and the exercising of some discipline for the period of time seems appropriate. It reminds me of the Jewish holidays and the sacrificing as they remember what their forebears endured before them.
Church was good, too. Matt's family (2 six year-old twins and a two year-old) were there with his wife, and the kids' antics made us all smile.
Anyway... good church! We felt very welcome and everyone seemed interested in hearing our story. I hope that we pass through Fort Davis on a Sunday again!
On up the road we went. We decided to go through Marfa, hoping to visit some art galleries, something (besides the lights) for which Marfa is famous. But, upon arriving, we remembered... Sunday! We contented ourselves with a Marfa Subway sandwich and headed on up the road.
Van Horne... and then I-10 to El Paso. We ended up driving about 5 hours today, trading drivers at intervals. Tonight we're at Anthony, a western suburb of El Paso. The campground is fine, though we had to use blocks to get level. It's pretty cool here, too. Right now, under clear skies, it's just 46°.
The Marfa Lights
I finally got to see the Marfa Lights! After having driven past the viewing site several times, and always during the day, this evening, Jack and I made the effort and saw the lights!
We drove this afternoon to Alpine, Texas, and secured a campsite at Lost Alaskan RV Park. Then we did our walk, going into town with the idea of eating an early dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse (not the chain). But, when we arrived at 3:30, they were closed! Open at 5pm.
So back to the RV we walked, and then, at 5, we drove it to the Longhorn. The dinner was great. I got a filet and Jack got a sirloin, and we each had soup and salad bar.
After our dinner, we headed west on Hwy 90 the 16 miles to the Marfa Lights Viewing Station. It is quite an elaborate structure, built just for those of us who are there to look at this mysterious phenomenon. There are even restrooms!
So we joined the group of probably 8 other people, staring interestedly into the southwestern horizon. We saw lights right away, but wondered if they were *the* lights. These looked a lot like car headlights off in the distance, but they were sort of shimmery, coming and going, changing colors, and moving up and down.
But this is how they were described, and so we figured that this is it. Supposedly, the lights predated cars, since a cowboy in 1883 was said to have seen them, but that was not a sighting that he documented in his own memoirs. Rather, his heirs reported that he had seen them.
According to this site (http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4038), the mystery has been solved, and he gives a plausible explanation for the lights. I am more a science person than a mystic person, so the explanation is one that I appreciated.
Do I believe that the Marfa Lights are a mystery worthy of a "viewing site" and Roswell-style attention? Naah... But anyway... it was a fun evening!
We drove this afternoon to Alpine, Texas, and secured a campsite at Lost Alaskan RV Park. Then we did our walk, going into town with the idea of eating an early dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse (not the chain). But, when we arrived at 3:30, they were closed! Open at 5pm.
So back to the RV we walked, and then, at 5, we drove it to the Longhorn. The dinner was great. I got a filet and Jack got a sirloin, and we each had soup and salad bar.
After our dinner, we headed west on Hwy 90 the 16 miles to the Marfa Lights Viewing Station. It is quite an elaborate structure, built just for those of us who are there to look at this mysterious phenomenon. There are even restrooms!
So we joined the group of probably 8 other people, staring interestedly into the southwestern horizon. We saw lights right away, but wondered if they were *the* lights. These looked a lot like car headlights off in the distance, but they were sort of shimmery, coming and going, changing colors, and moving up and down.
But this is how they were described, and so we figured that this is it. Supposedly, the lights predated cars, since a cowboy in 1883 was said to have seen them, but that was not a sighting that he documented in his own memoirs. Rather, his heirs reported that he had seen them.
According to this site (http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4038), the mystery has been solved, and he gives a plausible explanation for the lights. I am more a science person than a mystic person, so the explanation is one that I appreciated.
Do I believe that the Marfa Lights are a mystery worthy of a "viewing site" and Roswell-style attention? Naah... But anyway... it was a fun evening!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Heading Westward
Today we put the Navion into Drive and headed west again. We made it ALLLL the way (LOL) to Del Rio, Texas. That's about 140 miles. The drive was easy and pretty, as we got to see the trees gradually getting shorter, and the prickly pear cactus taking over the undergrowth.
Del Rio is right on the border between Texas and Mexico. Its main geographic feature is Lake Amistad, a lake created by a dam on the Rio Grande River. We are camped at Holiday Trave-L-Park, which .. isn't really like a "real" Holiday Trav-L-Park. This one has potted roads and unlevel sites with grass growing through the gravel. We were able to get level, only after being moved to a second site, and driving up onto all the levelers we have.
Del Rio is right on the border between Texas and Mexico. Its main geographic feature is Lake Amistad, a lake created by a dam on the Rio Grande River. We are camped at Holiday Trave-L-Park, which .. isn't really like a "real" Holiday Trav-L-Park. This one has potted roads and unlevel sites with grass growing through the gravel. We were able to get level, only after being moved to a second site, and driving up onto all the levelers we have.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Another day in San Antonio
What a fun day this was! We took the bus into town and got a transfer. This was so that we could hop the trolley down to the King William District. This is an area rife with beautiful historic homes. We toured the Steves home, saw many lovely things, and learned a lot about the history of the district.
From there, we walked all around the district, enjoying the other houses from the outside. The tour ended up down by the river, and we loved walking along there.
We caught the trolley back up to the city, getting off at the Hemisfair park. This is where the Tower of the Americas sits. This 750-some-foot-tall tower is one of the structures remaining from the international exposition that was helf here in 1968. We rose gently to the top in the glass-sided elevator.
Up there, we enjoyed a lovely lupper (lunch-supper). We ordered the scallops with ginger and bok choy rice and clam chowder. Afterwards, we shared the chocolate lava cake. This was a great meal, which we savored as our table rotated around the circumference of the restaurant, affording us wonderful views of the entire San Antonio metro area.
We picked up a pin in the gift shop before we left (We are collecting little pins from everywhere we go.) and then sauntered back to the Alamo area via the River Walk.
Happy Hour time, and we did a margarita, a beer, and a plate of fried mushrooms. By then, it was starting to get dark, and we strolled along the River Walk a little more, before making our way back to the bus stop.
City buses rock! Nothing beats public transportation for big cities. And... speaking of big, would you guess that San Antonio, TX is the 7th largest city in the US? We didn't believe it at all, till we looked it up. San Antonio is bigger than Denver, Detroit, Washington, DC, San Francisco, San Diego... I am really surprised. This town seems small, probably because of its walkability and the little neighborhoods. We both agree that San Antonio is a fun place to be, if you're a tourist!
From there, we walked all around the district, enjoying the other houses from the outside. The tour ended up down by the river, and we loved walking along there.
We caught the trolley back up to the city, getting off at the Hemisfair park. This is where the Tower of the Americas sits. This 750-some-foot-tall tower is one of the structures remaining from the international exposition that was helf here in 1968. We rose gently to the top in the glass-sided elevator.
Up there, we enjoyed a lovely lupper (lunch-supper). We ordered the scallops with ginger and bok choy rice and clam chowder. Afterwards, we shared the chocolate lava cake. This was a great meal, which we savored as our table rotated around the circumference of the restaurant, affording us wonderful views of the entire San Antonio metro area.
We picked up a pin in the gift shop before we left (We are collecting little pins from everywhere we go.) and then sauntered back to the Alamo area via the River Walk.
Happy Hour time, and we did a margarita, a beer, and a plate of fried mushrooms. By then, it was starting to get dark, and we strolled along the River Walk a little more, before making our way back to the bus stop.
City buses rock! Nothing beats public transportation for big cities. And... speaking of big, would you guess that San Antonio, TX is the 7th largest city in the US? We didn't believe it at all, till we looked it up. San Antonio is bigger than Denver, Detroit, Washington, DC, San Francisco, San Diego... I am really surprised. This town seems small, probably because of its walkability and the little neighborhoods. We both agree that San Antonio is a fun place to be, if you're a tourist!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
San Antonio
Today we awoke to a bright blue sky and that delicious feeling of having NO plans. We readied ourselves, had cereal and a pear, secured another night at the San Antonio KOA, and then went across the street to wait for the city bus.
Right on time, the bus arrived, and, before we knew it, we were at the Alamo! Jack loves historical places, and so do I, so we relished the Alamo and its museums. I loved the model of the compound as it looked back in 1836, with the thousands of Santa Anna's troops surrounding and marauding the 200 Texas soldiers holed up in the former church.
I think that the title of "hero" is tossed around too much, and too many of us are credited with "bravery." But these people who proclaimed "victory or death" and sent out letters begging for more help with the defense of the compound... heroes. No question in my mind. Brave? You betcha. This is a moving place to be -- a shrine to some great Americans.
Next we went to the River Walk. There are dozens of riverside cafes, offering all kinds of refreshment for the city's locals and for us tourists. We shared a meal of 2 beef tenderloins, a baked potato, and baked beans.
Sharing a meal is a great way to save money. This lovely meal cost us less than $25, including tip. The other thing we accomplish when we can agree on a meal to split is that we don't eat too much!
After our delicious lunch, we walked over to the River Center Mall and found a hair cutter, who sold Jack and me each a haircut. Mine's shorter than it's been in a very long time, but... it's cute!
Next, we walked the 10 blocks or so down to the Market Square. This is a huge shopping mall of Mexican goods of all descriptions. We escaped without buying anything, but it was cool to look at all the brightly colored and shiny objects.
Back to the River Walk, we were ready for a break. A guy hawking his cafe's Happy Hour lured us in, where we each enjoyed a margarita and shared a plate of onion rings -- all for $6, including tax!
I'll have time to go through my photos soon. I'm just now downloading a bunch, including ones from Huntsville Rocket Center and Disney World!
Right on time, the bus arrived, and, before we knew it, we were at the Alamo! Jack loves historical places, and so do I, so we relished the Alamo and its museums. I loved the model of the compound as it looked back in 1836, with the thousands of Santa Anna's troops surrounding and marauding the 200 Texas soldiers holed up in the former church.
I think that the title of "hero" is tossed around too much, and too many of us are credited with "bravery." But these people who proclaimed "victory or death" and sent out letters begging for more help with the defense of the compound... heroes. No question in my mind. Brave? You betcha. This is a moving place to be -- a shrine to some great Americans.
Next we went to the River Walk. There are dozens of riverside cafes, offering all kinds of refreshment for the city's locals and for us tourists. We shared a meal of 2 beef tenderloins, a baked potato, and baked beans.
Sharing a meal is a great way to save money. This lovely meal cost us less than $25, including tip. The other thing we accomplish when we can agree on a meal to split is that we don't eat too much!
After our delicious lunch, we walked over to the River Center Mall and found a hair cutter, who sold Jack and me each a haircut. Mine's shorter than it's been in a very long time, but... it's cute!
Next, we walked the 10 blocks or so down to the Market Square. This is a huge shopping mall of Mexican goods of all descriptions. We escaped without buying anything, but it was cool to look at all the brightly colored and shiny objects.
Back to the River Walk, we were ready for a break. A guy hawking his cafe's Happy Hour lured us in, where we each enjoyed a margarita and shared a plate of onion rings -- all for $6, including tax!
I'll have time to go through my photos soon. I'm just now downloading a bunch, including ones from Huntsville Rocket Center and Disney World!
Monday, November 09, 2009
Arriving in San Antonio
We arrived last evening in New Orleans, thinking that we'd go into town today, eat at the French Quarter, groove on some jazz.... but then the lady at the campground told us that there was a hurricane which might affect the city. Well, the memory of Katrina and the still-very-present damage from that storm are too recent in our memories. So we opted to leave there this morning, not having enjoyed ANY gumbo or crawfish etouffee.
We drove like maniacs, instead, going 540 miles, and making it all the way to San Antonio! We're at the KOA, which is close to downtown and right on the bus route. We had a hotdog feast, sponsored by the campground, met some fellow campers, and we're happy to be here!
We drove like maniacs, instead, going 540 miles, and making it all the way to San Antonio! We're at the KOA, which is close to downtown and right on the bus route. We had a hotdog feast, sponsored by the campground, met some fellow campers, and we're happy to be here!
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