Do You Oovoo???

Even though I’m an ex-engineer, I’m slow to be up-to-date on the latest electronic happenings. I guess that’s because I haven’t seen or read the news in 13 years…plus I watch NO television at all with the exception of movies that Mary and I like. We have about 100 movies on board our motorhome. So…I guess what I’m saying is that I’m disconnected from the real world…which is just fine with me. It’s just the way I like it.

Thanksgiving Day Mary and I were at her youngest daughter’s home. While there, we communicated with Mary’s oldest son in Las Vegas, NV via video chat. A new experience for me. It was kind of neat and made for a nice family visit despite the fact we were all not at the same location.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to do a video chat with my son, his wife and my three grandkids, Jocelyn age 16, Eric age 14 and Jaime age 11 back in southeastern Connecticut. My grandkids know how to do all this video chat stuff and told me to use a system called Oovoo. So I downloaded it a few days back and yesterday enjoyed a nice 1/2 hour video visit with my family.

I tried to take some photos with my camera, but because of reflections reflections off of the screen of my computer…they were not very satisfactory…

Right near the end of our conversation, my grandson Eric showed me how to click a button on Oovoo to take a photo which works much better…

Most likely you are already video-chatting. You know how much nicer it is than a regular phone call.

But if you are not and want to consider Oovoo, here’s a link…

http://www.oovoo.com/home3.aspx?vc=2783&utm_source=sem2783&utm_medium=display&utm_content=home3&utm_campaign=media&gclid=CNCDi8-p6awCFYpY7Aod2WUkLQ

Try it…you’ll like it!

In other news…

Today is my 71st birthday. That’s was the reason I got my busy family in Connecticut to slow down for a visit with me yesterday via Oovoo. I’ll spend today quietly reading, walking, visiting with friends and chatting with friends via telephone. It’s supposed to be 63 and sunny here in Thousand Palms, CA today.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

The Weather Wimp Says It Was One Degree Too Hot…

Yesterday was the first day of Summer and here at Thousand Trails Thunderbird RV Resort in Monroe, Washington it was 76 degrees and sunny. Here was the view the looking west down the Skykomish River from my campsite about 8:30 PM last evening…

Meanwhile where Mary is, in Las Vegas, Nevada, for her grandson’s high school graduation, it was 100 degrees, supposed to be 105 today and 108 tomorrow on her day of departure! In Mary’s hometown in Central California yesterday it was 91 degrees.

If you are a regular follower of my Blog you know that my life-partner Mary calls me the weather wimp because if the temperature gets below 65 degrees or over 75 degrees…the weather wimp (that’s me) starts to complain.

Anyways, with yesterday’s temperatures described above, you now know why I’m in Washington for the Summer instead of those other places. As I’ve said before about the full-time RVing lifestyle…it’s a lousy job but somebody’s got to do it! 

In other news…

Yesterday my friend and mechanic Mike put in another two hours on my Ford Bronco II preventative maintenance/repairs. Two more hours are scheduled for today which should complete the job.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://lulu.com/panamaorbust

FROM COLD TO SIZZLING

After graduation ceremonies for Alec, my daughter Kristanne drove me to Henderson, Nevada, a few short miles from Las Vegas. Her house had been closed for five days, and the temperature was 106 degrees as we stepped out of the air-conditioned car. Shocking to move from cold and rainy Washington, to temperate Mission Viejo, then sizzling Nevada. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.This morning I attempted to download pictures into my daughter’s rather ancient computer and blog. The pictures downloaded, but I was incapable of uploading them from her ancient machine into my blog. As Jim says, some days are diamonds and some days are dust. Hopefully by tomorrow, I’ll have it all figured out.

I’m caring for my youngest grandson, Austin for a couple of days. Its time to be a kid again. Hopefully, I’ll have my problem solved by tomorrow.

Monroe, Washington

Yesterday Mary and I arrived at Thousand Trails Thunderbird RV Resort in Monroe, Washington. I’m here for a two-week stay and on Monday I’ll drive Mary, the about 50 miles, to Seattle/Tacoma International Airport. She’s heading first to Southern California for a grandson’s high school graduation…then she’ll drive with her oldest daughter to Las Vegas, Nevada for another grandson’s high school graduation. Then she’ll fly to her home in Central California for a family reunion and also attend to lots of miscellaneous business. I’m hoping to get her back with me on July 13th.

In the meanwhile, I’ll hang out here in Monroe for two weeks. I have a life-long friend who lives just up the road from our campgound…so I’ll get a chance to visit some with him. In addition, my cracker-jack mechanic friend Mike also lives here in Monroe. I’ve got several items for him to attend to on our Ford Bronco II. All together I’m expecting a couple of days working with Mike.

I have always really liked Monroe and always look forward to returning to this area. After my two weeks here are up, I’ll move the motorhome about 75 miles northwest to the Thousand Trails RV Resort in LaConnor, Washington…another of my favorite places! As I’ve said a number of times in the past…it’s a lousy job, but someone’s got to do it!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://lulu.com/panamaorbust

AN INSIDE VIEW

These young  police officers were all killed on the same day, March 21, 2009. Remembered on this t-shirt, which was displayed at an Alameda County Deputy Sheriff’s Association Dinner event at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Convention center over the weekend. I’ve been very close to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Archive Association since its inception as one of its founding members.  I’ve followed its growth as it has  morphed from an archive to part museum, and I’ve participated with other volunteers to help preserve the history of the department, both statistical and personal.
Important to me is that people understand police culture; the semi-militaristic bent of police work. Cops find  family in each other; its a brotherhood and sisterhood; a bonding that doesn’t happen in most ordinary jobs because your desk mate will probably never be called upon to be your back up in a life or death situation. To each other they offer an  understanding of the stresses of the job they’ve taken; they share a humor only understood by other cops; sometimes macabre, sometimes hilariously human. And, they know the job they do isn’t perfect, as they deal with contrary laws, and angry humans set in an adversarial role as society expects cops to punish, incarcerate, deprive, protect and sometimes even kill for the public good.

The Sheriff’s Department Bed-n-Breakfast, an inside view of cop humor.

In earlier times, justice was meted out swiftly with little regard for anyone’s “rights.” If you were caught on a stolen horse, you were guilty without question. Even though we know that isn’t the way it should have been done, we sometimes long for that simplicity to maintain “law and order”.

And, no matter what precautions you take, an inmate can always fashion a deadly weapon, be it a broken CD wrapped in fabric, a magazine rolled into a sock, a sharpened toothbrush, comb, or deadly stem from someone’s eyeglasses.

The cops confiscate hundreds of these weapons and take them away, along with gang identifications as in these belt buckles-

Patty Hearst’s backpack was displayed at this event along with a wanted poster for SLA members. My partner and I had recently watched two movies made about Patty Hearst and I was surprised to see Russell Little in one of those movies expounding on the innocence of the parties involved in the SLA. He was an SLA member who shot and killed School Superintendent Marcus Foster, along with Joseph Romero. They used a hollow point bullet loaded with cyanide. Little served 6 years and now counsels inmates at the jail and in half-way type houses in Oakland. Its the way our country works. But, I can’t help but feel resentment that he is free and making light of the SLA.  From an inside view here is why. Pictures we have of Sergeant Bob Jensen, and Larry Franks, guys I knew, who were attacked during Little and Romero’s escape attempt.

Jensen was beaten with a microphone stand and his eye was put out.

Deputy Larry Franks was stabbed with a pencil, as you can see, still sticking out of his neck. It was aimed to kill and fell short by a quarter of an inch of Franks jugular vein. Romero stabbed him; he had a background in a special forces unit in Viet Nam and was a practiced killer, courtesy of our own military training. The two unarmed deputies were locked in the visiting area with the inmates while they consulted with their attorney.

This was the first vehicle the county Sheriff’s Department bought.

And, in the forties, through the sixties, some deputies served as cowboys, rousting the beef herds from county property to property.  Inmates at one time worked for crews herding cattle, butchering their own hogs, cutting hair in the barber shop, baking breads and rolls, working the shops and gardens as well as manning the Santa Rita Fire Department.  The farm system was one of the best ways to treat inmates. It gave them a sense of worth. But, like society, inmates are more violent and must be locked up without opportunities, fresh air, and hard work. Harsh punishment doesn’t make them better citizens, or our streets safer when they get out. And, once you have a record, jobs are scarce.  The perpetual problem, costly, unsatisfactory.
Its just a glimpse,  a bit of an inside view.
I always enjoy the camaraderie of cops, unique people who have unique lives because of their chosen occupation.

The Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas Sign…

Jim says:

Two days ago when Mary and I visited the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino, we drove about one mile further south on Las Vegas Boulevard, also known as “The Strip”, in order to view this famous sign…

This is what to sign says as you are leaving town…

This sign has been welcome visitors to Las Vegas, Nevada since 1959.

Here’s a vegas.com website link about the sign…
http://www.vegas.com/attractions/on_the_strip/welcomelvsign.html

Here’s a Wikipedia informational link about the sign…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_Fabulous_Las_Vegas_sign

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

Bellagio Hotel And Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada

Jim says:

Yesterday afternoon Mary and I spent two hours wandering around the Bellagio Hotel and Casino at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo. It’s one of the largest and most elegant of all the buildings in Las Vegas.

Here are some photos I took while there…

Here’s the official Bellagio website link…
http//www.bellagio.com/?CMP=KNC-MSN-Bellagio_Corp

Here’s a Wikipedia link that will tell you all about Bellagio…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellagio_Las_Vegas

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

Another Two week Stay In Las Vegas, Nevada…

Jim says:

Yesterday I drove the motorhome about six miles from Mary’s oldest son Ken’s home to arrive at Thousand Trails in Las Vegas, Nevada. We recently completed a two-week stay here, but there’s still a lot more to see and do.

We’re located at point “A” in the photo. It’s only about five miles from “The Strip”. We’ll be here for 14 days.

Because we’ve so much on the go lately, we decided to take a “do nothing” day. It ended up being a do laundry, some walking and a mostly reading day.

Here’s a Wikipedia link to tell you everything you could want to know about Las Vegas…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas,_Nevada

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

No Super Bowl Watching For Me…

Jim says:

Yesterday we drove motorhome the about 175 miles from Lake Havasu City, Arizona to Henderson, Nevada. I say we, but it was really me. Mary rode in the passenger seat. She’s very talented, she can read a book and take a nap at the same time…without losing her page!

Southwest of Boulder City, Nevada we passed by a huge solar power generating station.

Here’s a view from Google Earth…

From a distance along the road it looks like a lake, but they’re solar collectors…

(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Here’s a Wikipedia link about this particular generating station…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_Solar_One

Here’s a photo of Las Vegas in the distance as taken from the highway in Henderson…

We’re parked next to her oldest son’s home in front of a neighbor’s house who are away.

.Mary’s oldest son Ken and his family, including Mary, watched the game. I retired to the motorhome and read a good book.

The Super Bowl holds not the slightest interest to me. If you are a regular follower of my Blog, you know I haven’t listened to the news in the last 14 years…and that’s just fine with me!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

A Change Of Plans…

Jim says:

Today we were supposed to be heading for Death Valley. After 10 days return for another two weeks in Las Vegas and then to Yuma, AZ.

When I arose this morning, I looked at the long-range weather forecast and saw that a week-long cold front is expected to drop temperatures in Death Valley during the day to the mid 50′s and at night to the mid-20′s. The Weather Wimp (that’s what Mary calls me) said…”Brrr, that’s to cold.” So, we discussed it briefly and a last-minute change of plans developed.

We’ve decided to reverse our plans and go to Yuma first (where it will be nice and warm ) and return to Las Vegas on February 7th for which we already have a two-week reservation. After that, hopefully things will have warmed up in Death Valley so we can visit then.

That’s a real nice feature of the RVing life…the ability to make last-minute schedule changes in order to stay in a relatively nice climate.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/panamaorbust