SPIFFY MOTOR HOME

Yesterday was supposed to be a cruise out to South Padre Island. We had an appointment to have the motor home and Bronco washed and waxed today.  The two guys knocked on the door after washing a motor home a couple lots over and offered to get it done yesterday before we headed out for the day. They finished and we decided the windows needed washing on the inside. Then we lubricated the window tracks, washed all the screens, and just kept digging. We put off South Padre Island for later today. The motor home looks spiffy inside and out.

But, the Seattle Post Intelligencer reported that Seattle had the highest viewership in America last night for the premiere of the third season of ‘Downton Abbey, as reported by public television station KCTS 9.

Boston loves ‘Downton Abbey’ second best.

Austin was third most enamored, and darn, they don’t even broadcast  PBS in Harlingen.

New York came in fourth (*sniff*), PBS reported in a press release.

I guess Downton Abbey has become a national obsession. I’m feeling so culturally deprived.

I finally finished a huge book I’d been reading, it seems forever, Life by Rolling Stone,  Keith Richards. Quite a life indeed.

And, I read this  marvelous sketch about RVing from Jim’s friend Bud Kuball  He addresses Jim as Marco and signs Edwuardo, the CB names they chose while traveling to Panama and back in 2004.

Marco:Skiing @ around the 10,000 foot level in the Rocky Mountain West
when the temperature gets down to a MINUS 30 at night & you’re in a
PROPERLY equipped motorhome with sufficient solar panels,6-volt
batteries,back-up generator,heated water system,frost-free
windows,satellite tv & enough propane to last 10 days WITHOUT
hookups–plus 4 wheel drive & 8 commercial snow tires on the ground
with a 9000 pound winch up front–now that’s RVing!! With the sun
turning the snowflakes into sparkling jewels during the day &
cross-country sking on the high plateaus of Grand Canyon, Zion & Grand
Teton National Parks under a FULL moon making the snowflakes glisten
like diamonds & listening to the mournful howl of a grey wolf —now
that’s one of the joys of a PART-TIME RV’R. Adios.Eduardo.

I love his description of snowflakes like diamonds under a full moon because I’ve experienced that including the mournful howl of a wolf. Bud is a world class adventurer and writes prolifically and well about his experiences all over the world. Most  are published in TWA Magazine. Bud is a former TWA pilot.

 

 

Harlingen, Texas – Day 3

Mary remains at home in California tending to medical and personal business issues. She has made her airline reservations to join me here at Harlingen, Texas on January 3, 2013.

The motorhome is parked at Tropic Winds RV Resort and is scheduled to be here until January 10th. While I await Mary’s arrival on the 3rd, I’ll be seeing some local attractions, performing repairs and preventative maintenance on both the motorhome and Bronco, plus thoroughly cleaning both vehicles.

A couple of weeks ago the electric door lock on the passenger’s door of the Bronco decided to stop working. Normally when that happens it means one of the two solenoids has become defective or the electrical contacts are dirty/corroded. So that’s where I started yesterday…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

I cleaned the electrical contacts, the door actuator still made noise but did not function, so that meant the problem was inside of the door. So, in I went to find the problem. I could not see it behind the door’s metal partition, but by feeling by hand I found the pin had come out of the hole on the  connector. Re-inserting the pin into the connector solved the problem. Start to finish, the entire job took about two hours…

During the day I also took some photos of the local rabbits. You can read about these Black-tailed Jackrabbits by clicking this link…

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/rabbit/

Enjoying rabbits in nature is another joy of the RVing lifestyle!

The red dot on the below map shows my approximate location in the State of Texas. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…

http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Homer Simpson Buys An RV…

Here’s a fun little video about the Simpson’s buying an RV…

In other news…

Yesterday morning I spent a couple of hours attempting to get one of Mary’s printers to work. It appears to be working…more testing this morning will tell the story. Then I thoroughly cleaned the Bronco windows inside and out. Finished up my work day by cleaning out the wood stove and hauled a bunch more fire wood.

Mary left yesterday morning to babysit her two grandsons about 100 miles away for 4.5 days. Since I’m nearing the end of my cleaning duties on the motorhome and Bronco. I’ll pass some of my time while Mary is gone by watching this set of videos I found in Mary’s home. Her deceased husband had quite a collection of VHS video tapes…

Being an avid historian I always enjoy these sorts of videos. This set contains a lot of captured Japanese film. I viewed the first two videos yesterday and they were very interesting.

Finally…in case you missed it…today is 11/11/11.

17 days until my departure to the sunny and warm south land.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

The Beautiful 70 Degree Days Have Departed…

Since our arrival at Mary’s home on October 10th…the weather has been delightful. Essentially sunny days in the mid 70′s, sunny with a gentle breeze. Perfect for doing a thorough cleaning job on the motorhome and Bronco. But alas…the nice weather appears to be gone for this year. Yesterday managed to only make it to 60 degrees with rain during the night. 33 degrees this morning at 5:00 AM…with a wind chill factor making it feel like 29 degrees. Forecast high for today is 49 and cloudy with showers around. Forecast for the next several days is for low 50′s…partly sunny/cloudy. 24 days until I depart for the sunny and warmer south land.

Yesterday was kind of an odds and end day. With the major cleaning of the motorhome finally completed…I move the motorhome away from the house to its normal parking spot…

Once there…I decided to have a good lock around on the inside of the engine compartment…

I wanted to make sure everything in there looked okay…

Other than being a little dusty/dirty…everything appeared fine.

Mary and I then made the bed . Afterwards I got familiar with our new flat screen HDTV and remote…making sure it was functioning properly. Helped Mary move something things. Did some computer work and read. Kind of a funky/lazy day to match the weather.

I’m still dealing with a very itchy palm on my right hand…apparently from several spider bites I got about four days ago. No matter what I put on them…they itch doesn’t retreat for long before it returns.

Our current plans call for me to depart November 28th. Mary will met me in Phoenix, AZ on January 10th. We plan to spend most of 2012 exploring New Mexico.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Do I look like Stanley Steamer???

The extended weather forecast is indicating that the delightful sunny days with temperatures in the 70′s are coming to an end within a couple of days. So I need to finish my motorhome and Bronco cleaning soon. Fortunately I’m nearing the end.

I decided yesterday that I had better get Mary’s carpet cleaning machine busy on the motorhome carpeting…

This machine allows a person to spray on a cleaning solution and immediately follow with a strong suction which pulls the dirt out/off of the carpeting. It’s interesting to see how black the waste water is from this cleaning activity. As I’ve said before the road of life is a dusty and dirty one.

The vacuuming does not thoroughly dry the carpeting..but it should all be dry today…with our last…for now… day to be in the 70′s. The two-week forecast has us scheduled for day temps in the low 50′s and night-time in the high 20′s. Brrr…and I’m not scheduled to depart until four weeks from today.

Cleaning a sluggish shower drain completed my work day.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

The Cleaning Continues…

We arrived Marys home in central California October 10th. I’m currently scheduled to depart for southern California the Monday after Thanksgiving. Mary is currently scheduled to meet me some where in Arizona on January 10th.

During my roughly seven weeks here…my primary job is a very through cleaning of the motorhome and our towed ford Bronco II. The road of life is both a dirty and dusty one and both vehicles were ready to be cleaned.

My job yesterday was to complete at application of a product called Protect-All to the Bronco which I started a couple of days ago…

Protect-All is an all-purpose cleaner, polisher, wax and treatment product which contains a UV blocker. It can be applied to just about any surface to slow the deterioration from the sun and other weather elements. The outside of the Bronco is now bright and shiny once again. Now to attack the inside sometime soon…

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

More Cleaning And Other Busyness…

Yesterday it was the Bronco’s turn to get washed. As you can see it was really dirty…

I spent the rest of the day helping Mary get ready for her weekend yard sale.

In addition to her part in getting ready for her yard sale…Mary made like Janey Appleseed making more of her delicious homemade apple sauce. She has several variety of apple trees on her property…

Right now there are lots of things to keep us both busy.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

THUNDERBIRD RESORT

Located on a country road, set on the Snohomish River, seven miles from the town of Monroe, is Thunderbird Thousand Trails Resort. Foreboding clouds, spritzer rain, and cold, in contrast to our last stay here in July of 2009 when I couldn’t get enough of the beauty of this river. I must have snapped 30 pictures of melting sunsets. Where went summer?

We managed to get the exact same spot we had in 2009, near the laundry, on the river side of the resort.  We spent the morning doing household chores and didn’t get out to walk  until after dinner walk. The weather cleared, some, but summer still seems far away. Jim always comes to Monroe to catch up with friends, Mike and Vicki Coleman.  Mike is a mechanic and looks after the Bronco. Jim sold his old Bronco from this spot and had the “new” out fitted  as his “toad” that  July.  Jim’s  grammar/high school pal, Al Penta,  lives in Monroe. An avid cyclist, Al  bikes about 20 miles every morning and speeds right by the resort. Too early for us, however, and we get up at five a.m.

Across the road from us is the Family Lodge for the resort.

Someone painted a decent rendition of it on the TV dish at the Adult Lodge.

The grounds are beautifully landscaped, hilly, and cover about ten acres. This poppy is the size of a small cabbage.

Rhododendrons resemble balloons.

I’ll be making good use of the pool and hot tub here, before I leave for California on Monday.  I know the weather will clear and be sweet and sunny when I leave.  It’s Murphy’s law!

So, What Do I Do While In Banishment?

I jokingly refer to my separations from Mary as “Banishment”. In reality when we first got together in 2008, that was part of the deal. She still has a home and four rentals that require her attention, so we knew that 3-4 times a year she would have to return home to attend to business.

She claims I’m a distraction (Who, Me?) whenever I’m at her home and “can’t get much done when you’re around”, So, she has requested I stay away so she can get things done. Hence my joke about being banished!

If you have not seen it, here’s our “business card” that we hand to people as we meet them on the road.

So, what do I do while in banishment?

Well, first of all,I try to stay in decent weather conditions. Then I try to take maximum advantage of my Thousand Trails RV Resort membership, so that I have maximum comfort during my banishment. That means security and utility-generated electricity.

Since I’ve traveled my usual Western route of Washington in the summer and the desert southwest in the winter for 16 years, I’ve seen most of the attractions.

So…here’s what I do…

I think a lot about what an interesting life I’ve had and lucky guy I am. All my life I’ve enjoyed wonderfully good health. At 70 years of age, I have never had any major illnesses or pain or surgery. I’m not on any kind of prescribed medications. I still have all of my own teeth and most of my hair. Can you put a price on that?

I think about my wonderful family and my many great friends and acquaintances.

I think about how lucky I am to have traveled so extensively in my life. 26 countries while in the U.S. Navy. I started RVing in 1962, retired at age 55 and have lived on the road full-time for the last 16 years. I’ve got a lot miles on my body and oh, the people I have met, the places I have seen and the experiences I had.

In addition, I…

* do my daily blog, do research and play spider solitaire on my computer,,

* go for walks,

*read (I’ve been an avid reader all of my life.) Why are a good book and an RV much alike? Both can take you to many wonderful places,

* visit friends and meet new people,

* chat with family and friends on my cell phone,

* visit with my fraternal brothers at the VFW, American Legion, Eagles and Moose,

* watch an occasional movie,

* get lots of rest and relaxation,

* listen to lots of great music on our XM satellite radio and six-channel surround-sound system,

* do routine maintenance and repairs to the motorhome and Bronco,

* miss greatly Mary’s wonderful meals.

Finally, I think about how lucky I am to have met my life-partner Mary. She is a delight and brings much laughter, joy and happiness to my life.

But as she and I have discussed…moderation is the key to a good life. So, in reality banishment is a good thing. It gives us time apart to think and reflect about our relationship and really appreciate the times we spend together.

Kind of brings a tear to your eye, doesn’t it?

I’ll leave you with on of my favorite photos of Mary…

Did I tell you she brings lots of laughter into my life?

So, in banishment, I think and appreciate what a lucky guy I am!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://lulu.com/panamaorbust

Slide-Up RV

Here’s another unusual RV…

http://weirdrvs.rvtravel.com/2010/07/no-slide-out-on-this-rv-just-slide-up.html

In other news…
My good friend Aaron who visited us the day before yesterday, returned yesterday for another couple of hours of chatting with me.

Mary took the Bronco and met her long-time friend Sandy from Tucson in Florence where they spent an enjoyable day together.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.panamaorbust.com