Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Dec. 25, 2013 -- Greetings from downtown Quartzsite, AZ.

We are here and settled in—at least for a few weeks.  It was a long trip across Texas, smile.  The rest of the trip was faster.  We did run into a LOT of wind after we left Deming, NM on Daturday.  If I had looked at the weather report while at Dream Catcher RV Park, we might have delayed our trip by a day—but in spite of bad weather warnings, we were able to drive west to Gila Bend, AZ in one day.  We don’t normally make 335 mile days—but wanted to get to warmer weather.

We ended up having to dry-camp at Gila Bend—missing the last RV spot by minutes.  I just figured it was practice for Quartzsite! 

Here are some of the photos I could not post along the way.  We ran into Internet connection troubles across Texas and even into New Mexico.  In Junction and Balmorhea, we barely had phone coverage, much less Broadband or iphone internet service.  Deming, NM, we had the same issues.  So, we kind of gave up until we got to Quartzsite.  Now we have to run the generator to charge the computers, so times are short.

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Our site at the Llano River RV Park in Junction, TX.  What a rough life, eh?

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Larry resting at Quartzsite, AZ.  Fred & Arlene’s new trailer in the background.

Merry Christmas!  We had a very quiet Christmas with our friends (& family), Fred and Arlene Cray.  We have been friends and family for almost forty years!  Wow, that makes us old people.  We met when our 45-year old sons were about 8 years old!

I hope you have had a day surrounded by loved ones—either related by blood or by choice!  I heard recently:  What is under the tree is not as important as who is around the tree.  And with that, we were blessed this holiday!  We had wonderful friends at our sides.  It just doesn’t get any better.

May 2014 be the year your dreams come true—and fill your heart with joy.  Big hugs from the Jennings.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Dec. 19, 2013 -- Out in the wilderness…West Texas

Help, we have fallen into “old times.”  Last night we stopped at North Llano River RV Park and found we didn’t have internet service!  I couldn’t log on with my phone nor the broadband card and the WIFI signal was too weak to use!  I felt crippled!  Nice park—but step back in time if you visit. 

Tonight we are in Balmorhea, TX, at a Passport America Discount park—and I am using the old dial-up phone speed on the broadband caard for this posting.  So, until we stop in El Paso, TX, tomorrow or Deming, NM, I can’t post any pictures!  We are fine—weather is beautiful but expected to get rainy and windy tomorrow.  We are 212 miles from the Texas border—and it will have taken us four days of travel since we left Livingston.  Told you we don’t travel far and fast, smile.  Until tomorrow, keep us in your thoughts!

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Dec. 17, 2013 – Back on the road again…

Well, our time in Livingston, TX, didn’t last very long.  It was so nice to get out of the camper for a while.  Besides seeing wonderful friends again, these are the things that make my heart go “pitter-pat” at the house:

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Of course, my pottery shop.  Isn’t it cute?

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I made time to throw some bowls, doing a bisque fire and two glaze firings to practice some of the new techniques I learned in Salem last summer.

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The Livingston Art League’s annual Art Show was the day after we got back.  I entered three bowls and two won, a second and third place.  I was very happy!  The one on the left is called Texas Red and was thrown last winter.  The other two were thrown and fired in Salem, OR.  The ribbon winner was Day Break and the other is Midnight.  It was fun!!

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This is the other thing at the house that speeds up my heart—the washer and dryer.  I hate doing laundry in Laundromats!  I mean I HATE it.  I love being able to do a load of laundry every day—while I am doing other things—I miss these two already—and we are only 225 miles from home.  Boo Hoo!

We spent some time cleaning out the back of the back yard.  There was a huge Kumquat tree as well as a mangy fig tree along the back property line—which is also over a waterline.  The trees and bushes needed to come out—so Larry and I chopped and hacked and totted 10 or 12 loads down to the dumping area with the golf cart!  We had it down to a fine art.  Eventually we hired D & D Tree Service to remove the kumquat tree—I didn’t want to try “playing” with a chain saw at this stage in my life!

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Now the yard looks larger and much cleaner!  Another chore checked off the list!

If we were having some much fun, why leave? Well, we wish we could have stayed another month or two, but Larry developed another suspicious spot.  We had it looked at and the specialist prescribed an antibiotic/anti-fungus medicine that we have applied faithfully for three weeks.  While the spot looks better, it isn’t gone.  If it needs a biopsy, we want it done by our doctor in California.  The weather has been pretty rough across the US and we don’t want to risk staying another month and running into more severe winter weather.  There is a slight lull, and we hope we can make it to Casa Grande area before the next freezing weather.  If not, we will just hunker down and wait out the bad weather.  If we wait until mid-January, we won’t have that option if we are trying to make a scheduled appointment.

Tonight we are at Riverbend RV park In Luling, TX.  We have stayed here before as it is a Passport America Park as well as an Escapees’ 50% discount park.  It is close to I-10 and easy in and out.

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This is the laundry room and showers:

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There is an on-site pool and fishing pond.  It is located along the attractive San Marcos River.

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Tomorrow night we will be in Junction, TX again.  Hey, we were just there in November—and this is December!  Yikes!  Our travel stops along I-10 through Texas are pre-determined by the number of RV parks in the few towns between Houston and El Paso.    So instead of 250-300 miles a day, we will be doing about 200 for the next day or so.   We could comfortably drive 250 miles—but the lodgings are to slim to do it.  We aren’t in any hurry—so we will just mosey toward Quartzsite, AZ, for a few weeks until Larry has his doctor appointments.

See you tomorrow night.