And We're OFF To The Races!!!

Ice cream day finally arrived ... and it was a lovely day, to say the least.  Beautiful sunshine, low 70s ... it doesn't get any better in the desert!!

Here's most of our group with about six people missing.  Four of us were off to Costco to pick up the spoils for the event of the day ... the ICE CREAM SOCIAL.

You cannot imagine how important it is to someone who owns a Prevost to get their 50 cent ice cream bar.  Lucky for me, we were able to borrow a pickup truck from a member.  Of course we left early, just in case.  Not having done this before, I had no idea how it would work out.

We had just hand loaded all the boxes into the truck when I looked at my watch.  Uh oh ... it's only 11:00.  We have an HOUR before passing out the bars.  Instead of heading to the grassy knoll where all the action was, we made a beeline for the freezers and UNPACKED all 144 boxes.

That gave us about 15 minutes to rest before the big rush.  Here's two of our beautiful table girls, Dottie and Betty, ready to make a couple thousand people VERY happy.

If you like ice cream bars, I'm here to recommend these babies.  Eighteen in a box for the measly price of $9.99.  They were a BIG hit.  Everyone oohed and awed over the thick chocolate, and only two complained about the nuts.  

At long last, the rush was on.  It was a little difficult to keep up with the crowd, delivering boxes with the golf cart while trying to deliver to those who can't come to the party.  In the end, everyone did a fantastic job of making a lot of people ice cream happy.  There wasn't even any fights over "my wife is in the RV not feeling well because of her diabetes ... I need two bars"!!

The clouds kept us perfectly cool and the ice cream frozen until the last delivery.  In spite of a rise in the number of rigs, we didn't have as many people as previous years, so of course I have ice cream left over.  Hopefully that won't be a problem ... because today we do it all over again!!

This time however, it's scooped and covered with chocolate or caramel sauce.  Yup ... another trip to town, this time to Smart and Final, for buckets of the cold stuff.  

I had to show you this picture.  Tom, one of our most ardent train fans (many in his family worked for the railroad) found this very cool shirt at the vendor building.  It's covered with pictures of trains.  After showing it around, it became so popular that several others ordered the same shirt.  It will be perfect for our Promontory Summit rally in May.

I'm so very thankful the ice cream social went off without a hitch.  The best part is that I wasn't worried even one second about whether the ice cream would be delivered or not.  Unlike Schwans, I both called myself and sent myself an email that it would be there on time!!  I'm liking his new delivery method.

Back In Business

Bzzzzzzzzz ... that's me being busy as a bee.  No time to sit around and relax with the Vendor Building opening up.  I've still got a list of things to get and repairs to be made.  First up, chassis batteries.  There's nothing I would hate worse than having my rig not start.

I really wasn't thinking about it until someone mentioned I should have those replaced every 5-6 years.  I sucked up that information like a sponge.  It's been 7 years and I HAVE noticed a little slowness in the turnover.  What better place to get some new 31 AGM's installed.

Bad news however ... the battery guys said they cannot install on the fairgrounds.  Okay then, let's go to Walmart!!  Instead, I went to Redlands Truck and RV Service.  These guys are the bomb!!  Best service in the west.  If I ever had any trouble on the highway, they would be my Knights in shining armor.

They came to check my rig, said I had the cleanest battery box around, and "just leave the bay unlocked ... we'll take care of the rest".  Of course I did use my "single lady" charms, saying there would be nothing worse for me than dead batteries.  It didn't matter ... they would have helped me anyway.

A couple hours later, they arrived.  THEY being the Lifeline battery factory installation guy himself ... Jason.  It took a tad bit longer than normal, since the batteries were actually shorter, making connections more difficult.  We even discussed the new lithium batteries I had never heard of.

He finished just in time to strip my wallet of it's last remaining vestiges of green.  Don't have a heart attack, they cost me $975.  I'm back in business.

It's okay, it was marguerita/taco night with plenty of drink to drown out the sounds of my screaming wallet.  Even the ambiance helped!!

The tacos were amazing, with all the toppings you could imagine.  It was VERY nice just to sit and enjoy the evening since I had absolutely NOTHING to do with the prep of this meal!!

I was getting a little worried since my card reader had not returned by noon, but alas there was a knock on the door by a tall drink of water.  Yup ... the NBC photographer returned my CF reader.  Our pro cameras use much larger memory cards that do not fit in computer card readers, plus there's so much data on them, it requires a faster reader.  

Of course I asked him what he shoots ... Canon or Nikon.  It's the question all photographers want to know.  Mostly Canon he said, but the Golden Globes were shot with a Sony A9 mirrorless, the latest and greatest.  He was the first ever to explain why and how it all works.  We talked for a long time about everything technical.  It really doesn't happen often that photographers will share their information.  What a nice guy!!

With my card reader back, I was able to download the sunset images I took previously.  It was a beauty to be sure!!

I love how it reflects on the nice shiny clean rigs.  No, those aren't mine, but I DO love the blue lights underneath the far one.

One last parting shot before I gear up for ice cream day.  

We've got two vehicles to acquire the ice cream from Costco and get it back to the fairgrounds before it melts.  It's going to be a crazy busy day!!  Wish us luck!!!!!

Pocket Change

Another day at the FMCA Western Motorhome Association Rally in Indio California.  After a morning of sleeping in until 4:30, I got busy gathering up stuff for the Chapter Fair.  The candy is most important of course.  Whoever has the best candy gets the most new members.  I'm proud to announce we have at least SIX new members.

With that out of the way, I headed back to the rig to meet Shade Pro.  Having made an appointment the previous day, I expected them at 2:30 or so.  At around 1:00 I arrived to find him already working on it.  

The cord holding the fabric to the roller end had worked itself out about 12 inches.  I figured at least a $100 bill ... you know, pocket change ... to get it fixed.  In less than one minutes, he was done. NO CHARGE!!  Are you kidding??  I didn't tell him how much I expected to pay, I just thanked him a lot and went on my way ... back to the Chapter Fair where we were stuck until 2:30.

Back at the rig, I tried organizing the fridge but became frustrated in a flash.  There's just too much stuff in there.  I thought to take the puppies for a walk along the Hollywood Boulevard of Indio before beginning my dinner contribution.

I'm sorry to announce there were only a couple of Phaetons.  I was not impressed.  Mine is SO much nicer ... and roomier.  THIS one however, the Entegra is a showpiece.  I'm not sure my dirty cowboy boots would fit in here well at all.  With two theatre seats on the left and a long couch on the right, I suppose I could get used to it.

It has about the same kitchen space as mine, but only a two burner stove.  I would have to dig out my dutch ovens for outside campfire cooking I guess.  

Back to the bedroom, it's roomy and elegant, to say the least.  I'd change out that fancy bedspread for a nice quilt.

Keep going and you end up in the HUGE bathroom with not one, but TWO sinks.  I suppose I could live with that too, but the shower would definitely NOT be fun.  Who wants to spend an hour wiping all the water spots off the see-through glass.  Besides, it would probably scare the puppies to see me in there.

I might add, there were TWO bathrooms in that beast and I'm SURE I saw two showers as well.  That's TWO much cleaning for me!!

I'm happy to say you TOO can have this beauty for a measly $744,000.  Of course for the show it's marked down to $558,000.  Pocket change!!!  

This is the second Entegra available for slightly less, but I don't care for the floor plan and I think dry camping would be a challenge with all those lights!!

On the other hand, here's the Phaeton.  Not quite as fancy.  I like mine MUCH better.  Surprised?  Me too!!!  

It DID have an interesting feature however.  This is a walkthrough bathroom, meaning you can access the bedroom from the main door, or walk through the bathroom to the bedroom.  Kind of a cool feature.  Oh ... and practically every single rig has a fireplace.  That's something I could use.

At long last it was getting close to dinner time.  When I learned we had only four small pork loins for 30 people, I made a quick trip to Costco for two huge pieces of salmon.  There were NO leftovers, so it was a good call.  

I know you are wondering about my one beater mixer.  The Westerfields graciously offered their Black and Decker for my use.  If you want power, it's got it.  It took me a second to get it turned off before plastering a little potato on the walls, but in the end it worked perfectly!! 

After dinner, we were entertained by the Guitar Guy.  We hire him every year.  He's a kick ... a great entertainer ... and likes it if we dance, holler and otherwise sing loudly off key.  We accommodated.  I would have pictures, but alas, you will have to wait. 

You never know who you will meet at a rally.  Yesterday, it was an NBC photographer who happened to be here learning all about being on the road in a rig since he is retiring in a few days.  He also just happened to have finished shooting the Golden Globe awards and left his card reader home, like all of us do on occasion.  There's no viewing images on your computer unless you transfer them with a reader.

He was referred to me ... and of course I had a reader I could loan out.  That means I don't have a reader for MY card which has all of my Guitar Guy images on it.  Sorry, you will have to wait until tomorrow to be regaled by my magical photography.  

In the meantime, I'm on the hunt for chassis batteries.

Bloody Mary'ed

Up early as usual,  I got dog duty out of the way (a quick walk around the "for sale" rigs) and started to whip up everything pancake breakfast.  They decided this year we should have a Bloody Mary Bar.  There were no nays when the voted ended, so Dottie Poole set up her fabulous make-it-yourself table.

She even supplied different appetizers to slip inside the beautiful red concoctions.  We were all spoiled, to say the least.

My morning kitchen looked rather organized I thought, as I gathered up all the ingredients for pancake and sausage making.  Water ..... pancake mix ..... sausage.  It wasn't hard.

I carted everything out to the men who have been conscripted into pancake making for the last few years.  There was a slight problem however ..... they couldn't seem to get the electric grill hot enough.  In no time there were more electric cords strung across the parking lot to an extra 30 amp plug they discovered.  Boy did she get hot in a quick minute!!

This is why we have the MEN do the breakfast.  Pancakes were flying off the grill in no time and they were DELICIOUS!!  The sausage was fried up by the vegan in our group.  I'm sure it's okay if a few fumes wafted into his mouth.

In no time, everyone was stuffed, not to mention happy Bloody Mary campers.  Even Miss Cocoa was calm, cool and collected.  Don't leave your chair for long ..... she claims it as her own.  After all, it's much more comfortable sitting on a chair than on the asphalt.

We sat around yacking while I asked for recommendations on waterless cleaner for the rig, roof suggestions and chassis batteries.  After a trip to the vendor tent for supplies, I should be all set.  I even made an appointment for Shade Pro to come fix my awning.  That's when I got a call from Costco saying they couldn't get my credit card to run through for the ice cream.  In no time I had that taken care of because they are so nice and helpful ... UNLIKE Schwans.

Gosh .... so far things are going along without a hitch, knock on wood.  By the way, here's a quick picture I took of the last quiche baked.  Honestly, ANYTHING tastes good when it's full of bacon!

I may just make a quick trip to the quilt store this morning, followed by the Chapter Fair, before my awning appointment.  Next up is trying to decide if I dare use the single-beater mixer to make mashed potatoes ... my contribution to tonight's pork loin dinner.  I think I'll pick up a roll of plastic for the floor, just in case.

Front Row Seating

Good Morning Rally Folks!!  So here we are parked on this lovely hard black stuff, perfect in case of rain, which is predicted here and there.  Front row seating!!  Not far from us are all the new coaches up for sale if you've robbed a bank lately.

The best part is it's a very short walk to the vendor tent, which of course garners the most interest.  That's my HUGE golf cart parked in front of my rig.  It was supposed to be a small flip-back, but for the fourth year in a row, they didn't save one for me.  Instead, I got the Monster.  It's okay though because there's a roof for when it rains!!

The very first morning was quiche time, so I set about grating cheese and preparing them to bake.  About two hours later, I looked out the window to find a beautiful sunrise.  This part of the country knows how to do morning.

I grated, mixed and stirred my way through four quiches.  No eggs in these yet and I completely forgot to take pictures.  It didn't go without a hitch however.  I left my hand mixer in Arizona and purchased a beautiful red one for the rig.  Up until now, I never needed it.

The cinnamon rolls require a cream cheese frosting.  I had set the cream cheese and butter out to soften, but figured the mixer would do most of the work.  I inserted the beaters and turned it on.  One beater when flying across the room with a loud clang, flinging butter along the way.  

I must have put them in wrong.  I double and triple checked the two sides and inserted them again.  Twang ..... it flew off into the sink.  Well for heaven's sake!!  Nothing I did could make that beater stay in it's appointed hole.  Have you ever tried to use just ONE to beat up cream cheese?  What a mess!!  

With nothing working, I stuck it in the microwave to melt a tad, then in the fridge to set back up.  I finally got it done, but it took WAY too long.

In the middle of all that I raised and lowered my rig so Jim Fulkerson could change the oil and filters, grease everything important and check my generator.  I'm good to go for another year.  THANK YOU JIM!  $432 in case you were wondering.

The quiches went to their respective ovens with instructions.  I turned off everything in my rig and set one in my Breville oven.  It seemed to be working fine.  Eventually, I stuck a pan of rolls in the convection oven and turned IT on.  No circuit breakers were harmed.  Thank you Karma!!!

Breakfast was served!!  I even included a bottle of Baileys.  Everything turned out VERY well.  If you need a quick and easy quiche recipe, this one is it.  Frozen pie shell, precooked bacon and onion, Jarlsberg cheese, 7 eggs and 1-1/2 cups cream (or half and half).  Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (give or take) on cookie sheet pan that has been preheated in the oven.  That makes the bottom crust brown perfectly.

With that cleaned up, I was off to Costco and Smart & Final to double check on my ice cream.  They have it all in stock and it's paid for.  All I have to do now is pick it up.  One member who tows a pickup truck with a tonneau cover has offered it for delivery.  I think we're in like Flynn.  I even have a freezer inside a building for storing it.

This morning ... pancake breakfast!!  HOWEVER, it has to be completely prepared by the MEN.  Ladies get a reprieve and bloody Mary's to boot.  THIS time I'm taking pictures!

WE HAVE ASPHALT!!!

For those that haven't been reading my blog for long, asphalt is a VERY good thing.  Over the years the Golden Spike Group has been coming to Indio ... and it's been a long time ... we have had weather conditions from roasting in the sun to freezing in the rain and snow.

One year it rained so hard we had rigs parked in lakes out at the end of this huge parking lot ... in the dirt.  It was a muddy mess, to be sure.  One couple couldn't even get out of their rig.  Not far away in the middle of the asphalt, the drain apparently plugged up and there was a one foot deep lake.  Rigs had to be moved and jockeyed around to avoid the water.

Ever since then, I pray very hard that we be allowed good parking.  Someone smiled down upon us, because we have ASPHALT!!!  Not only that, but we are parked in the very first row, meaning a short walk to any of the buildings.

It wasn't all that easy however.  We were lined up, made the trip to the fairgrounds with ease and were parked next to about 50 other rigs.  Hmmm me thinks we have a long wait.  It was not to be however, as within fifteen minutes, they said round em up and move em out.  I even heard him say send the Golden Spike group over.

As we arrived to the actual lot, two rigs were sent off way down the line.  I spoke to one of the guys about getting a party space next to my rig and he said NO.  But wait ... our group gets a party spot! Come to find out, the front parking crew sent the wrong group, but here we are ... all stacked up in the way, so they had to park us first.  Best spot ever!!

I would have pictures, but I've been too busy getting organized.  It takes a little creativity to fit breakfast for 30+ people in your fridge and freezer.  I literally can't get another zip lok bag squeezed in the tightly packed freezer.  This is the fridge with two big pans of cinnamon rolls already out on the counter.

The menu this morning includes bacon and onion quiche, spinach and onion for the vegetarians among us, cinnamon rolls, a fruit medley into which I will toss some of those oranges I picked up in Bakersfield, juice, pumpkin bread and I can't forget Baileys for your coffee.

By the way, did I mention it's 40 degrees this morning with a nice chilly breeze?  I've heard we are in a warming trend, so maybe we'll get up into the 50's during the day.  I'm sticking close to my heater.

So it's cooking time for me ... wish me luck.  At least I'm only baking ONE quiche (I have two volunteers for the others) so I have a much better chance of these things turning out okay.

Breakfast will be served at 9:00.

Land Of Sun, Warm and Shorts

OR NOT!!!  Go South they said ... to the land of sun and warmth.  Get away from all the rain and cold up North.  Not so much this year.

After Bakersfield, there's Tehachapi.  Been over that pass many a time.  Never EVER has there been wind like there was this trip.  Down into Mohave I drove and thankfully it quit.  There's nothing worse than driving a huge sale across the desert in the wind.

In no time I was in Adelanto and Hesperia to find myself surrounded with snow covered mountains.  I was sure I could sneak through, but was checking my weather app for wind.  I needn't have bothered because it hit me big time just as I entered Interstate 15.

The rain and sleet came down like cats and dogs for about one mile.  As I crested the hill and headed down into the realm of runaway truck ramps, it stopped.  Thank you Lord.

From there on it was the normal heavy traffic all the way to the old Sam's parking lot next door to Walmart.  This is where we stage for the conga line to the fairgrounds.  I sure hope everyone shows up because I was the only one visible and I've got food for 40 in my fridge.

Just after dark, who should arrive but COCOA!!  Isn't she just beautiful!!  At only nine months old, she's a bundle of play.  We introduced her to Cooper, but he just growled.  Hopefully tomorrow he'll be more receptive to playing with this happy girl.  I don't think I've ever seen a happier puppy.

I suppose I could mention her parents are good friends John and Patty who hale from the Phoenix area.

Obviously I don't get much room on the couch.  I ran the generator for an hour before bedtime, just as a precaution.  This will be the first time I've dry camped with AGM batteries.  In spite of my wishes, it rained on and off all night long, waking me up every time.  Not that I was asleep anyway. 

I kept the heater on low so I didn't use up too much battery power and froze most of the night.  Between the puppies, the rain and the heater, I think I got two hours sleep.  

But here's the best news!!  Those AGM's are AMAZING!!  I began the night with 12.57 volts and this morning ended up with 12.35.  Oh yeah ... and the fridge ran on and off all night too.  I usually wake up with maybe 11.  In spite of the price, I couldn't be happier with these household batteries.

Around noon we will caravan over to the fairgrounds where we will be staged to park.  Sometimes that takes an hour, sometimes THREE hours.  I'm praying for a short wait and PAVEMENT.  With our new parking Boss, I have no idea where we will end up.  I'm bribing him with ice cream.  I'll let you know how it works out.

Orange You Happy Here?

THIS is one of my happy places.  It's always comforting to know I don't have to drive very far the first day of a long trip.  It didn't really help much with the nerves about "something" might happen along the way, but I pushed those thoughts aside, pulled up my big girls pants and hit the road.

First stop .... fuel.  I love the new station I found across from Pilot Flying J outside of Chowchilla.  There is rarely anyone there, and with only four islands, it's a blessing they are empty just for me.  With $250 now in Union 76's pocket, I was set for the next two weeks.  Fuel - $3.89 a gallon.

Traffic was heavy, but I did my usual thing and stayed in the right lane going 58 mph.  Everyone passed me.  I made one quit pit stop for the puppies and I'm in like Flynn at my favorite happy place, Orange Grove RV Park outside of that ever lovely smelling Bakersfield California.  I can say that because I visited family here for years and smelled the oil from drilling.

You can dry camp anywhere in among the trees at the end of the park, for a few dollars of course, but I don't know what that would be.  I choose to park in the OTHER side where 50 amp electricity comes magically up out of the ground.  Whoever had the idea to build a park in an orange grove was genius.

Sadly, the oranges are very small this year, unlike in previous years when they were the size of a softball.  These are all more baseball sized.  As you can see, the trees are LOADED!!  You get to pick an entire shopping bag full for free.  It makes the $50 nightly fee a little more palatable.  

I discovered quite by accident when my awning hook went flying in the air, that you can grab an orange with the hook and pull it right off the tree.  I got a load of nice large oranges from the top, all of which will be fed to the RV group.

I cleaned up the water and ice from the bottom of the freezer because the drain tube is apparently plugged, as well as a quart of doggie water I keep on the floor.  The plastic container had a hole in it.  Otherwise, all went well.  

It's been a little difficult for the puppies to get used to the new routine of harnesses and going up and down the steps.  Me too for that matter.  Let's hope I remember to unhook the power cord.

I'm taking off early and heading to Walmart in Indio.  What better place to camp for the night.  Let the crazy rat race of a rally begin!!

Romano Romano ..... Parm ...... Bacon

Good CHILLY morning!!  Mornings bring 30 degrees here in central California, but at least so far there's no snow, unlike my spa retreat in Arizona.  This is the front walkway to my house.  I just never imagined I would see this!!  Most all the pictures are courtesy of Patty and Dan Chance.

At any rate, I'm trying to combat all that candy and sugar I ate over Christmas and New Year's by making a nice meatloaf.  My brain seems to be elsewhere, like praying the ice cream will arrive in Indio.  I added everything to the bowl EXCEPT the spices, as in salt, pepper and garlic powder.  

I also added just a tad of parmesan cheese.  It smelled rather sharp and tasted a little old, but it's meatloaf and it will be fine.  I won't even know it's in there.  As it baked, I smelled it.  Gee ... it's never smelled like THAT before.  

Finally cooked and rested, I took a big bite.  WHAT THE HECK?  It's that cheese!  It must be spoiled.  I took another bite.  Oh boy .... this is bad.  I could probably choke it down if I held my nose.  I went looking for the parmesan container.  It said ROMANO on the top.  I'm not sure I can eat this ... it's so strong I can barely get the fork to my mouth.

In other news, thank you all for the bacon cooking suggestions.  It was on sale for $2.99 a package, so I stocked up for the coming bacon/onion quiche breakfast at the rally.  This method of cooking worked beautifully.

For the quiche itself, I prepped all the bacon and onion beforehand.  It's much easier to deal with all the mess here at home, rather than in my small rig.

It took some time, but I'm sure happy with the results from my cast iron skillet.  To make it even better, I got an excellent season on the pan with no extra effort.

And so I'm OFF!!  Taking deep breaths every few minutes to keep my blood pressure down.  It's the first day take-off worries that flood my brain.  Really, there's no need ..... I can always buy whatever I forget at home.

Since this rally is all about Once Upon a Time, maybe Prince Charming will arrive on his white horse and want to hike, photograph and otherwise enjoy the desert.  I know, don't hold my breath ..... only when I'm eating that meatloaf.

Baby It's COLD Outside!!

I think I need to change the Lost Horse Ranch name to Snowshoe Ranch.  I knew it was going to be cold, down to 27 the Chance family said.  Then I received THIS picture of their back yard.  I knew there would be an occasional dusting of snow due to the elevation.  Powdered sugar, like what still lurks on my floor from the marshmallows.

Next came an image from my neighbor.  Yikes!!  It looks like winter has hit Arizona.  Isn't this supposed to be the land of snow birds ... those who ESCAPE the snow?  The land of sun and warm temperatures where you get to wear shorts all winter long?

Soon I received ANOTHER image of even MORE snow!  Hey Mother Nature .... this isn't 7,000 feet in elevation ... this is only 3200 and we're in the DESERT!!  

Bring out the skis was my first thought.  You could easily bobsled down my back yard, pop a wheelie over the fence and run clear to the train tracks!!  I can't believe Patty and Dan drove over to check out the house and took pictures for me.  How nice was that!!

By the time it was all said and done, this is what my yard looked like.  I'm betting my two palm trees are shivering in their boots.  I won't be surprised to lose quite a few growy things.  Baby it's COLD outside!!!

Snow doesn't last too long in the desert, so I'm hoping it will mostly be gone very soon.  I'm not taking any chances however .... I packed my parka and snow boots, just in case.

Thank you everyone for your comments on the streaky roof.  The black paint all around the top of my rig doesn't help matters.  I guess I'll just have to have it washed twice a year.

Time is short .... I'll be on the road very soon, so it's back to packing and checking my list twice.  And three times and four times ...........

One Of My Guilty Pleasures

I've got lots of them ..... guilty pleasures.  Funny, it's always centered around food.  Hey ... it's a New Year, the first day of 2019 and time to celebrate.  Unfortunately, it took no time whatsoever to throw my diet out the window.

Resolutions are a bust with me.  They seem to revolve around my penchant for food.  If it involves high calories, I'll never have the self control to give it up.  So why bother with healthy resolutions.

Here's my first guilty pleasure of 2019.  Yup ... Colonel Sanders chicken tenders with cole slaw.  Not wanting to be TOO fool hardy, I'm making my order last for three meals.  I can taste it even at 5:00 am because that's what I'm having for breakfast.

Chilly news for the west coast ... it's down to 32 degrees every night with frost on the pumpkin.  I guess that's better than snow, which happens to be covering the Lost Horse Ranch in Arizona.  Pictures tomorrow.

I wasn't all that gung ho to get pictures of my clean rig, but I braved the chilly air to take just one.  Look ... those white stripes are coming back already.  SO frustrating!!

It was so cold, I didn't even stick my toe out the door the rest of the day.  It was just too cozy sitting in front of the fireplace watching the Rose Parade.  This was the most fabulous float of the day.  It's the trains celebrating their railroad connection in Utah.  

Unlike most floats, this one went from start to finish in just 2-1/2 weeks.  That's crazy when you think most of them take 7 or 8 months.

Unfortunately, we didn't get a very good look as a small fire caused the fast exit of all personnel.  In no time at all, it was parked at the roadside, not even able to make the first big turn.  Why is this so interesting?  Because our Golden Spike group will be heading to Utah for the REAL celebration in May.

I would love to say my second guilty pleasure was one of those chocolate covered marshmallows, but alas, I have already packed them away in the rig.  My once full freezer only contains Jonathan food.

The bad news is the New Year didn't bring any more memory cells.  I've been doing everything based on a Thursday departure.  It's a good thing I double and triple check, because this morning I discovered it's on the calendar for FRIDAY.  

That gives me time to take the truck for an oil change and get the Jeep a new battery.  New life for the New Year!!  I'm hoping the New Year brings a little more money into my wallet to pay for all these new lives.

HAPPY HAPPY 2019!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I'm so happy to say I survived another year on this planet.  Honestly, I never expected to live this long at all.  Longevity does not run in my family.  Everyone said the world would end in 2000 ... Y2K if you remember ... so I figure I've been living on borrowed time ever since.  

It was a peaceful quiet night as Cooper, Jessie and I spent most of our time on the couch.  I kept thinking I should get up and exercise or something, but it never happened.

Television, Dish Network to be exact, didn't have anything exciting going on either, except this.  Lewiston Idaho was having their New Year's Eve Bull Bash.  Ride a bull, win money.  All the local guys entered.  Sorry about the blurry pictures, but my phone hasn't worked well since it was updated. Isn't that always the case?

I'm not sure what these people were thinking, because they were in an outdoor facility with heavy coats, hats and scarves.  You could see the breath of every person.  Even more so with the bulls, which made them look pretty ferocious!!

I've never watched bull riding that made me laugh, but last night was the night.  This is not your Pro Rodeo, although every single rider had just as much intestinal fortitude.  Several of the bulls kind of skippy skipped around the arena, with only a couple working hard like this guy.

While the cowboys rigged up, I could see way in the back, a bull had gotten his horns hooked in a section of fence and was wreaking havoc.  Cowboys were frantically trying to figure out how to get him loose.  They finally just gave up as the fence panel became toast.

The announcer wasn't the highest paid either.  He kept forgetting his microphone was on.  There were a few bad words here and there along with lots of confusion over who was up next.  What better way to spend your end of year celebration than getting stomped by a bull???  Congrats to the winners, whoever they were.

Around 11:45 pm, the fireworks, or rather gunshots, began.  Someone had a machine gun, or at least a big semi automatic.  Thank goodness he was far away.  Jessie wasn't doing too bad until my neighbor shot off several rounds.  The crack was doubled with echoes off the trees behind me.

Sounds of sirens soon filled the night and they all stopped.  My thought was they should send out fire trucks, Sheriff deputies and ambulances around every neighborhood with sirens blaring.  They would all think the Po-Po was coming and put their guns away.  

By 12:30 it was quiet, except for Jessie, who was now wired to the gills.  I spent the next hour trying to calm her down by clutching her tight to me.  I'm pretty sure that Thunder Shirt won't work, as neither did my "clutching".

Another hour and I just got up.  I was thinking about celebrating by making aebleskivers this morning, but not sure I want the cleanup job afterwards.  Maybe toast would be better!

Here's a big HAPPY NEW YEAR'S wish to each and every one.  I hope your New Year is filled with peace, love, kindness and chocolate covered marshmallows!!