Still enjoying warm AZ

Our site in Apache Junction with our 'Tweety' twirly flying high in the AZ breeze


A family friend we visited in Tucson who is 97 years young!


Eileen, my cousin's wife who hosted our mini reunion in Tucson.


Ellen's cousins, Myra and Mary, checking out the Mars calendars that cousin Alfred (arms outstretched in the background) took pictures for.


The cousins, Janet (MI), Alfred (AZ), Ellen (OR), Myra (AZ), and Mary(CO).


The birthday celebration at Spinati's Pizza in Phoenix.


Ellen after opening her gifts.


Larry and a 'self' picture (pretty good,eh?)


The birthday girls, Ellen and Jes, blowing out their candles.


We continue to enjoy the warm AZ weather although we have moved to Apache Junction. Again, we have made several trips by car to Phoenix to see family and friends and we also went to Tucson for a mini family reunion on Ellen's mothers side of the family. It was great fun seeing cousins we hadn't seen in 19-20 years! Hopefully this is something we can do in future years as most of the cousins have retired and enjoy winters in sunny AZ.

Larry has been busy with more projects and his activities have generated interest from our nearby neighbors. It is helpful that at this park we are able to have the trailer/'shop' parked next to us. Many of the projects involve modifying the trailer for when it is NOT parked close by. (Like putting a generator on the front so he has electricity for welding and running his power tools, putting a fan inside the trailer to cool him off when working, and adding a rolling jack so he can move the trailer when needed.)

Yesterday evening we met the kids and some of the grands for dinner to celebrate January birthdays. It is always fun to see family and spend time with them. Time just seems to go by too quickly and the kids and grands grow up too fast!

Happy New Year 2009

Our rig decorated for Christmas at Palm Creek RV


Our son Todd, the great chef, who cooked a great Christmas dinner


My surprise gift,a digital keyboard!


The grandkids checking out Grandma's new keyboard (they did a great job!)


The Christmas group minus one grandson (he was working)


At Applebee's for a birthday party


The birthday girl getting a good laugh at the card from her son


We really enjoy being in warm AZ. Winter time is definitely the time to be here, especially this year as so much of the country has had really cold weather.
We are still in Casa Grande but have moved to another RV park six miles up the road. We have made several car trips to the Phoenix area to see family, friends and visit some of Larry's favorite shopping places. He waits to buy many items here because he knows where the best places are to buy things.

We enjoyed celebrating Christmas at our son's place in Tempe and I had the surprise of my life! Our daughter and son-in-law gave me a keyboard!
This evening we celebrated our daughter's birthday at Applebee's in Tempe. It is always fun to be with family.

Thanksgiving for many blessings

Ellen at the waterfall near our camp site



The small waterfall we heard from our campsite. We had to hike through many reeds and brush to get a view.


Larry getting the 'stickers' out
of his socks as we hiked down from the ranger station, about two miles.


The hot air balloon that woke me up one morning


The neat rainbow that disappeared almost as soon as I took this picture because it really rained!


Larry carving the turkey and Vince filling a water glass for our Phoenix Thanksgiving


The grandkids and friends for our Thanksgiving feast


Daughter Dawn and daughter-in-law LaTia


Larry and son Todd checking out a Bible verse on Larry's PDA


We spent three weeks in Cottonwood, AZ at our 'home' park, this time in a different area than we usually stay. I could hear a water fall nearby so we hiked down to the river and found it. We also hiked up to the ranger station one afternoon (about two miles one way-coming back was EASY since it was all downhill!) One morning I was awaken to the sound of a hot air balloon and rushed out to get a picture. Larry was able to get several things done on the trailer since it was 'on site' with us. He just finished a project seconds before a downpour but I was able to get a picture of a rainbow before the 'bottom fell out'.

We spent Thanksgiving Day with Larry's mom in Prescott, AZ and the Saturday after Thanksgiving at our daughter's place in Phoenix with both kids and the grandkids. We had a very good time and it was fun seeing everyone again after 10 months.

Currently we are in Casa Grande, AZ at a new park for us. It is very beautiful and although most of our neighbors have park models or are 'annual' returnees six different folks came out to welcome us, which was very nice!! We will be here until Jan 1 when we move 6 miles up the road to another park, one we have been to numerous times.

We have much to be thankful for, even though we are not too happy about the recent election. We have to remember that God is in control and nothing happens that hasn't been 'Father filtered'.

Heading South for Warmer Weather

REALLY big farm equipment in the annual Potato Festival Parade


Queen's Court float in the Potato Festival Parade


Larry putting final items away in the trailer just before we left Merrill.


Larry's commercial sewing machine in the trailer. He had to move it forward only 1" for the car to fit in also.


The generator and new cover on the front of the trailer.


Larry putting a ladder on the front of the trailer so he can get on top of it. (We washed the trailer and the coach and the new ladder came in handy!)


Taken from Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park


Larry 'hitchhiking' in Titus Canyon (friend Gale taking his picture) located in Death Valley National Park


The ghost town of Leadfield located in Death Valley on the 4 wheel drive one way "road" leading to Titus Canyon. (There are only three buildings left standing.)


Scotty's Castle located in Death Valley National Park. (Basically out in the middle of nowhere!)


We left Merrill on Oct 20 after a wonderful weekend for the 71st Annual Potato Festival. We had great traveling weather and are currently in Pahrump, NV. We re-connected with three different folks we have met through the years in our travels. It is always good to see old friends again. We spent a day with one couple and went to Death Valley National Park. We have been there before but saw parts we didn't see in 2004 because the roads were closed then due to FLOODING of all things! Our friends drove and we traveled 30 miles on a one way 4-wheel drive gravel (more like ROCKY) road to see Titus Canyon and pass a ghost town. We arrived too late for the last tour of Scotty's Castle so we will have to make a return trip sometime as it looks very interesting.

We are enjoying the great NV weather and really like the 2-4-1 Buffets at the local casinos. I'm afraid we will have to go on a diet when we leave here since we have gone out to eat so much!

Home Base, Oregon

First step in getting the tire damage repaired.


More work on the tire damage to the coach.


Larry fixing the vent in the bath on the coach.


The home base with the coach and trailer parked next to it.


The 'carry-all' attached to the escape door, only place to put it!


The new refrigerator access door (doesn't have air vents like the old one-not needed since we have a residential refrigerator).


Fixed fender with the new side marker light.


Larry's latest project, a holder for the generator on the front of the trailer.




The coach is 'all better' now with both the window replaced and the tire damage repaired. We spent a little longer than planned in the Eugene area but were able to get much of what we wanted to do in the area taken care of.

When we arrived in Merrill we found we have a wonderful neighbor who pulled most of our weeds and had them stacked in the corner near the back of the yard. We have since 'disposed' of them and the place is looking good.

Larry has been busy getting the trailer ready, re-arranging and re-hanging many of the things we need to take with us. I've been giving the washer a workout, washing everything I can wash to get all the 'body shop dust' out. The weather here has been great but the weatherman says there is a change in store this weekend. We are grateful for the good weather we have had so far which has allowed us to get lots done in a short time.

Back in Oregon

Our campsite at O'Sullivan campground near Potholes Recreation Area, WA (Othello,WA)
Larry under the railroad bridge showing the other two bridges crossing the Crooked River Gorge north of Redmond, OR
The railroad bridge over the Crooked River Gorge taken from the old highway bridge that is now for pedestrians only.

The waterfall into the Crooked River Gorge
Ellen at the sign in Peter Skene Ogden State Viewpoint north of Redmond, OR



After leaving the Spokane area, we traveled 100+ miles to Potholes Recreation Area, WA for two restful weeks in a nice campground. On our way to La Pine, OR where we've been for the past 10 days, we stopped in Madras, OR to get Larry's drivers license renewed. The DMV was just one block off the main drag and we drove around the block, parked in front and were back on the road in 10 minutes! Such great service! We stopped at Peter Skene Ogden State Viewpoint north of Redmond for some great views of the Crooked River gorge and the three bridges that cross the gorge. There is also a waterfall there. What a great country we are privileged to live in!

Sept. 1(tomorrow) we leave for the Monaco factory to have the drivers window replaced (that was damaged in the wind storm in May) and repairs to the damaged fender well from the blown tire (in July). We have lots planned for the Eugene area while we are there. Then we head to Merrill for our annual 'exchange' of items we don't need and items we do.

Back in the Northwest

Aerial Lift bridge in the down position so cars and people can cross. The campground where we stayed was three blocks away. This was taken from the DECC where the Amsoil convention was held. We walked each day to the convention.
The Aerial Lift bridge in the up position to allow a large ocean going ship to enter the harbor.
At the Cottonwood campground at Theodore Roosevelt Nat. Park. Note the new internet satellite dish on top.
Larry checking out the info at Painted Canyon, Theo. Roosevelt Nat. Park, ND
Great view of Painted Canyon in ND
Ellen at Spokane Falls at Riverfront Park in Spokane, WA



We had a great but tiring week in Duluth, MN at the Amsoil University and 35th Convention. We were fed royally and won enough to pay for all the product we ordered. What a great deal!

We then changed our plans slightly and had mobile internet satellite put on the coach, something Larry has been wanting for five years. We had to go slightly south to meet up with our installer but it worked out OK. It is nice to have internet when we are parked!

We then worked our way west across ND,MT, ID into WA. We did it in four long days. We did stop at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, ND. It is a lovely park. We are now in a resort south of Spokane, WA and will be for another week before heading further west. The weather has finally turned wonderful and we are enjoying wearing shorts. We enjoyed the Spokane Falls in downtown Spokane last Sunday.



Aerial Lift Bridge, Duluth,MN