Still working

We are both doing much better health wise. I had a colonoscopy and then a brain scan and both came back OK. Larry had his dentures re-lined and much of that was covered by our new Humana plan.

The weather had been nice riding weather so we have ridden to church several times during the month.

All the recent rain is making for a very pretty field of yellow weeds in our neighborhood. I had to take a picture but I don't know what they are called.

We have resisted upgrading to HD TV because of the cost but got a free upgrade and new programming at a really nice rate with DirecTV. It did take some 'doing' and several hours on the phone but we are happy now and really enjoying the HD picture on TV as it is so much sharper and much more vivid.

The 16^th was Colby's 30^th birthday party and was supposed to be a surprise but he surprised us by arriving 30 minutes early! In the end he was surprised because his Dad and stepmom plus his best friend from childhood were there. We all played “Relative Insanity” which is a hilarious game and we all did a lot of laughing.

Bob and Larry

Dawn, Bethany and Amy

Cards on the table are part of Relative Insanity

Larry did a sleep study at the VA on the 26^th and left at 5 AM. He had to kill some time since nothing else was open at that time of the morning but he was able to get the Smart aligned at a 'first come, first served' alignment place. He was the first in line and said the line was quite long by the time he left.

All wired up

Nearby neighbors have a MH made by the same folks as our and a comparable model so Larry was able to measure the axles and down tubes on it to be sure he was fixing ours correctly. It still is not finished but is getting closer to being done. He wants to be sure everything is as it should be and will make it better than new when he is done.

Larry underneath the MH

Showing the solid steel tube in the broken down tube

March 30 we went to see the movie “Unplanned” at the nearby Harkins Theater. It was a real eye opener for me.

March 31 was our church's Family Service where we had only one service followed by lunch for everyone. It was good as usual.

Stuck

The MH is not repaired yet as Larry ended up with pneumonia from his C-PAP machine and was down for most of the month.  He is doing better now but is having to take is slowly as he gets tired very quickly from being in bed for two weeks along with numerous trips to the VA including the emergency room.  These are called 'the Golden Years' so where is the gold??

When he was feeling some better and the weather was too cold to be outside, he finished a project he has thought about for several years, making it easier to get to the electric panel behind his clothes cabinet.  It took a lot of re-doing but it will make repairs and changing fuses in the area so much easier in the future.

New access panel Larry put into his closet

It also has been quite cold so he couldn't have done much outside anyway.  While we didn't have snow where we are, we could see snow on the mountains to the north of us as well to the east of us.  Really awesome as that is a very rare sight for Phoenix!

Snow to the north of us in Phoenix Feb 24, 2019

It's always something!

We celebrated Dawn's birthday by getting take out from Red Robin since the newest member of the family was being fussy but we all had a fun evening.

Dawn's birthday party

Our kitchen sink faucet broke again so Moen sent us a replacement since our old model is no longer made. The arm on the new one is shorter and lower which I don't like but it does work.

Almost hits my dish drainer

We were preparing to move the coach on Jan 14 but it rained the night before and Larry didn't want to get stuck in the driveway like we almost did in October so instead Larry decided to put the MH on jack stands to get the tires off the ground and we could run the engine to get the fluids moving. When the jack stands arrived Larry went out to get them ready to place under the MH and found the uprights that hold the rear end to the frame were broken loose! PTL God sent the rain so we didn't move the MH!! After removing the tires and carefully checking plus much prayer he has found a certified welder who will come out and repair our big boo boo on February 9.

Driver side break of the upright to the frame

New jack stands to hold the coach without the tires

Passenger side break from the back

Passenger side break from the front

For my birthday we went to Cracker Barrel so I could have fried okra and then returned to Dawn and Vince's for cake and ice cream. On my actual birthday Larry and I went to Old Country Buffet where I again had fired okra, a real treat for me!

My birthday cake at Dawn's

Us at Cracker Barrel

We ended the month with Larry going to a new dentist since we now have Medicare Advantage with both dental and vision coverage. The appointment was no charge-nice!

Happy 2019!

We took a drive to Cave Creek after church the first Sunday in December and found another Chinese restaurant that we like.

With the new house going up behind the house across the street from us, the big trucks are tearing up the street and drive so with the help of another neighbor, Vince and Larry bought five BIG rocks to put around the property at the corner. We have noticed they are doing their job and keeping the trucks off the property.

Unloading the rocks

Neighbor Randy in his Bobcat moving the rocks into position

Rocks all set on the corner and doing their job

I went to the neighborhood Ladies Christmas party with another neighbor on Dec 13. It was hosted by one of my former customers and I saw another former customer who is also a neighbor. What a small world! It was fun and nice to meet more neighbors.

Neighborhood Ladies Christmas Party

Some of the ladies including my former customer first on the left in black

I had an eye appointment on the 18^th and this time the doctor was pleased with my progress as my eye pressures are down in the normal range now. The new med seems to be working.

We had a nice Christmas with the family and we even have a picture of Great Grandma and Great Grandpa with the newest great granddaughter.   She is a good baby and not fussy at all.

The family

Dawn's surprise Christmas present with Bethany and Colby going for a ride

The neighbors again rang in the New Year with aerial fireworks that were quite spectacular and noisy. Also we are now having winter as freeze warnings have been issued. This too, will pass.

Where does the time go?

It seems once we return to AZ the time to the end of the year with all the holidays just goes by too fast! For Veteran's Day, since Dawn spent the week helping with her new granddaughter, Iliana, and Vince was helping a sick friend, we went by ourselves to Chili's on Sunday Nov 11 and then Golden Corral on Nov 12. The meal Monday night was one of the best either of us has had in a long time.

Larry at Chili's on Veteran's Day

Waiting in line at Golden Corral

We both have had several doctor's appointments this month and are trying to get everything wrapped up before year end.  Larry has been on a C-PAP machine since Nov 7 and had some trouble adjusting to the mask.  He is thankful he has learned to sleep on his back without moving all night, thanks to our adjustable bed, as he would really have problems with the mask if he was still a side sleeper.  God is so faithful and provided for us again beforehand!

I had decided I wanted to recover the dining chairs so we went to the local Fabric Store. While we were there Larry suggested we re-do the couch too so we ended up having both the couch and the dining chairs done professionally. We had to do without the couch for 10 days and put a lounger in its place and used our camping chairs for the table. The chairs had some padding added and they are so much more comfortable than before! The couch no longer has 'a dip' where it was worn down by 15 years of sitting.

Me in the lounger where the couch goes

Couch recovered

Dining chair

The annual Harvest Dinner at church this year served two purposes as our worship leader and his wife are moving to MI December 3 (reverse snowbirds) so we had a 'farewell meal' with them including some neat slides of them throughout the years.

Harvest Dinner at church

Thanksgiving was at Vince and Dawn's and I was able to see and hold the latest addition to the family,

Great grandma and our newest great granddaughter

Our newest great granddaughter is a good baby and didn't cry during the four hours Colby and Krista were with us. After they left the five of us played Train and Bethany won.

Nov 29 we had two and a half hours of steady rain during the night (the best time in my opinion) and once again our driveway is mushy. It is something we need to address in the near future. 

We have lots to keep us busy this last month of the year and have already received two Christmas cards.  Those folks are really on the ball!

Lots of things happening!

We started October off by a follow up visit to the VA to Larry's new Bend primary doctor. His sleep study showed he needs a C-pap machine which he does not have yet since we left OR and are now in AZ and the records have not caught up with him. A few days later when I was out walking I was able to see the 'resident' owl at the Ranch. He is a beautiful bird and seemed to be 'talking' to me as I walked before I spotted him. Then he flew away.

We had everything put away and ready to go by Sunday evening, Oct 7 and left at 8 AM Oct 8 only to have a red light warning on the coach. Larry put ¾ gallon of antifreeze in the overflow bottle but the light didn't go out. We drove to get our mail and Larry did more checking there and found the 'low water' sensor was not hooked up so how did it light up when it was low except a God thing? Larry found the unattached wires and was able to get the light to go out and we were on our way. We stopped at Basin Tire in Klamath Falls to get six new tires put on the back axles since we had to purchase larger than needed tires in 2014 for our quick trip to IN when my stepmother passed. Since the old tires were not that old we were given a wonderful trade-in on them and the new tires cost us $1800 less than expected—what a great PTL!! We spent the night in Tulelake, CA outside the fairgrounds since the RV park is all grass and they had recently had rain and the RV park was muddy. We didn't want to take a chance on getting stuck and a fairgrounds worker said it was OK for us to park in the gravel outside. We stayed in the old Walmart parking lot in Fallon, NV the second night and new for us, the Tonopah Casino RV park in Tonopah, NV the third night.

Our view at Tonopah Casino RV in T onopah, NV

We stayed at the Las Vegas TTN for four nights and saw our friend, Ron Wilson, who we hadn't seen in five or so years. On Sunday we went to church and then to AZ Charlie's for Brunch Buffet with our friends, Forrest and Rosie, using the 2 for 1 coupons we received at TTN. 

Rosie, Forrest and Larry at AZ Charlie's in Las Vegas

Ellen and Rosie at AZ Charlie's

We arrived back in Phoenix on Oct 15 and nearly got stuck in the new driveway since they had had 5.5” of rain in October! The weather has been great since we returned to AZ.

Rut the right front tire made in the driveway in Phoenix

I went to the eye doctor on October 16 and have officially been diagnosed with glaucoma so have had my eye drops changed to hopefully help bring my eye pressure down to acceptable levels.

Larry has been busy repairing and fixing several things that needed attention and I helped Dawn prepare for the baby shower on October 28 where we had a nice turn out and where we were able to see our granddaughter Cerét, Alen and Calvin again. Calvin has gotten a lot heavier in six months!

Dining room decorated for the baby shower with a 'space' theme

Granddaughter Cerét and Calvin

Grandson Colby with his "doody" belt at the shower

Larry holding Calvin and grandson -in -law Alen

October 30 grandson Shane and his daughter, Millie came for a visit and it was great seeing them again! Millie is quite the talker and kept me entertained, asking to sit on my lap and giving me hugs.

Larry, Grandson Shane, Ellen, Dawn and Great granddaughter Millie

The really exciting news is we were up late last night waiting for the arrival of our third great grandchild.  She finally made her appearance at 3:45 AM weighing in at 6 lbs 4 oz and 18” long. 

Critters

We started off September by going to the Labor Day weekend Potluck where there were 85 in attendance, a really nice crowd with lots of wonderful food! On the 4^th of September Larry went to the VA clinic in Bend for a sleep study which we will learn the result of today, October 1.

Getting ready for the Labor Day Potluck

On the 5^th we moved once again to Cascade Meadows where we encountered smokey skies. Fortunately they did not last all that long. We went to the Potluck on the 8^th where the crowd was much smaller but still we had lots of good food.

Larry spent the week of the 10-14 working on installing the recording cameras he purchased on line. He had to string the cable from the back of the MH to the front and enlisted my help. He had left a string in the rails from a previous “stringing job” so it went very easy and it still ready in case he needs to string something else in the future. However we have run into a problem with the camera system as it doesn't work past 90 seconds so since then we have been working with the supplier to get the problem fixed and it is on going.

Passenger side camera

On the 17^th we moved back to the Ranch for our remaining time in OR. It had been really cold at night at Cascade Meadows (22º) but at the Ranch the nights have not been freezing so that was a nice perk.

On the 20^th our friends from Winnipeg came for a week visit. We played Mexican train many times with the fellows winning each time, played miniature golf and the highlight was horseback riding, something I had not done since 1977 and they hadn't done in 50 years. Larry was not able to ride because of his back so he was the designated cameraman.

Currying Utah and Buddy before our ride

Betty on the straw bull

Me riding Buddy with wrangler Louie

Larry roping the straw bull

Betty and Jamie at the Lodge for Mexican Train

Jamie and Larry playing Mexican Train

Getting Jamie ready to ride

The handle on our big bay door broke on the 20^th and that is were all Larry's tools are located but fortunately he had left a drill out so he was able to drill our the lock so we could get into the bay with a screw driver until the new handle arrived on the 25^th. The new handle (chrome as opposed to painted silver) looks really nice.

New chrome handle on the big bay door

Larry took a short walk around the campground and had a neat encounter with an owl. He did not get a picture but another camper did. We also had 'visitors' in the park, deer, the first that I've seen.

Deer in the campground

Owl that Larry saw on his short walk

On the 28^th we rode to the mailbox to get Larry's new Apple Watch 4 that he ordered at midnight on September 14. He is like a kid in the candy store!

We ended the month going to another Potluck where we met some fellow owners and had a good conversation.