Decisions

It is hot here in Riverside and I guess all over the west.I'm glad we have two air conditioners on the coach.While it was still cool this morning We headed over to our favorite park" Rancho Jurupa" County park in Riverside.We camp here when we are only in town for a week or two.$18 a night elec&water.It has a nice fishing lake and lots of grass.They are expanding the park right now with a water slide,miniature golf,and 40 more campsites.We checked on the progress of the expansion and took a little hike.We would be staying here right now but you can only stay 14 days in a 30 day period.
We checked out Crestmore manor, next to the park, which is now the district offices of Riverside County Parks and Recreation.We couldn't go inside but we did take a pic. of the outside.It looks like one of those southern antebellum mansions.Even the old carriage house on the property was being used as their maint.yard.
As we headed out we saw a cool dog park with lots of stuff for dogs to do.We took a picture of the entrance and the sign.The sign is hard to read but it says"Carlson bark park.
Well we have decided to move down to our soon to be home base,Park Sierra in Coursegold Ca.the 3rd of August.That way we can visit Sacramento a little easier.I also got a notice for jury duty on the 17th of Aug.so I better be there.We will be half way between Sacramento and Riverside so we can be available to our families.The park is just north of Fresno in the foothills about 30 miles from the south entrance to Yosemite National Park.

Tomorrow my brother Larry is coming in to Riverside for a visit.I spoke about Larry in our past blogs.We are all going to a baseball

game tomorrow night.My other brother Gary,his wife Martha,my Grandaughter Alyx will be coming in from San Diego to meet us there and Dan our son will be driving us.We will take Alyx back with us after the game as she will stay with us for a week. There won't be any rest for Jeni and I as Alyx will keep us busy.We have some stuff planned already but we are going to need more!

Our tow car the Suzuki Vitara is got 108,000 miles on it right now,and we like not having a car payment but,It is starting to need minor repairs.The air conditioning is going out,we just put brakes and tires on her and I know the "Biggie"is coming on the engine some day.but I like not having a payment!Sometimes I wonder,am I throwing money at a clunker?how many miles will the ole car go before major problems arise?The stock market is pinching our finances and I like not having a car payment!I wish I could predict the future?Decisions Decisions!

Red not Green!

Jeni and I had a nice weekend as we got out and about and experienced the flavors of summer.
Saturday,we went to the Farmers Market in Redlands Ca.We savored the many fruits and vegetables they offered and the beautiful bouquets of flowers they sold were bright and very aromatic.The market was in the quaint down town area with lots of shops and eateries.Jeni had her eye on eating at one of the cool little eateries but I found an old favorite,"Denny's".It's always open!I felt a little guilty,but I'm a" simple man"!
We did some shopping after brunch and checked on some places we might take our Grandaughter Alyx to when she arrives.I don't remember if I posted it but Alyx is flying down to San Diego today to spend a few days with my brother Gary and his wife Martha then she will be down here next week with us
Speaking of San Diego,thats where Jeni and I headed Sunday.Gary and Martha were taking Alyx to lunch and invited us to join them.We jumped on the 15 and in an hour and a half we were there.They took us to the" Brazilian Barbecue"in the downtown area of S.D.It's a buffet style bistro but upscale.And my favorite part,"all you can eat!"! You get your plate and get what you like then,when your ready for the main course(MEAT),you turn this little salt shaker looking thing on your table over from red to green(it's green on one end and red on the other)and here comes the waiters with each one carrying a different kind of meat.Top sirloin,bacon wrapped fillet Minon,tri tip,pork tenderloin,beef ribs,chicken,and on and on .13 types in all.they have it on this rod looking thing and they carve off a slice of meat and you take these little ice tongs and grab it and put it on your plate!Some of the best food we have ever tasted.And they just keep coming til you turn that little salt shaker thing over to Red!It was terrific.After we" waddled"out of the restaurant,overly satisfied,we went across the street to the downtown mall for a little shopping as Alyx had some spending money that was "burning a hole in her pocket"!After that we headed back to Gary and Martha's house which sets on a hill overlooking the canyon below and part of the city.We just love their place.We caught up on current events,visited with Alyx,and my favorite, we had "Ice cream"! Before we knew it,it was 8pm.So we motored back to Riverside.
I dreamed of Meat-meat -and more meat last night.and this morning I still have visions of that darn little salt shaker thing being green,and waiters lined up bringing meat-meat and more meat! JEN! wheres the "fiber pills"!

you can't go home!

Yesterday Jeni and I decided to head out to Silverwood lake for a

little hiking and picnicking.Jeni was excited about trying out the knee.We were also hoping we would see some of the people we worked with here when we volunteered back in 07.It was a beautiful day in the mid 80s and breezy.The lake sits at about 3300ft. elevation in the San Bernandino mountains.When we arrived we checked out our old "camphost site".Thinking no one would be in it."Maybe they might need us back"we thought but the site had a camphost in it.Oh well were not needed.We will just be visitors today.Also,every park worker we saw,we didn't know.What,did everybody quit when we left in 07!I guess it's true"you can't go home!

We hiked for about 30 minutes in the "black Oak"area of the park along the ridge that overlooks part of the lake.We usually hike an hour out and an hour back but jeni is just getting back to hiking after knee surgery so we take it slow for now.Thats us in the picture after the "Grueling"25 minute hike!Were only smiling because we just ate lunch(subway subs)!

After the hike we moved down to Cleghorn day use area.This is the quiet part of the lake where the Kayaks and float tube's hang out.Also there is a lot of birds in the area.I always bring my binoculars to view them.We found a shady spot to relax,Jeni

read her book and I tried looking for birds.It was very breezy so there weren't many birds around,so I cast my binoculars toward the beach to make sure none of those "pesky" birds weren't bothering the" bikini clad "sun bathers! We took another little hike around the picnic area just to loosen up for the drive home.

As the sun dipped below the mountain tops,we headed out, but on the way, we stopped for" McDonald's" ice cream.Yummy!

It was great to get out to explore and enjoy the outdoors again.Jeni and I promised ourselves we would get back to doing more of it.

This morning Jeni headed out to her Physical Therapy and I talked to my Daughter Katie.We have been enjoying our little chats lately as we just tell each other whats going on in our lives.No judging,no pressure,just how we are doing.We miss our two daughters and grand kids in Sacramento.In past years we have spent more time with them than with our son down here but now things have changed and we have spent more time with Dan and his sons.We hope to get up to see them soon as we really miss them all.

Poor Dan,he is finding out that owning a dog is expensive as Gigi tore up the blinds in the a couple of rooms in the house!Bad Dog! Baaad Dog!

It's the little things

This is a picture of jeni and I last winter,hiking in Anza Borrego State Park.Were not doing much hiking these days as Jeni's knee problems has made even a short stroll very painful.She's is hoping that the surgery she had will get her back to doing the things she loves.Monday she started physical therapy and she goes 3 times a week for a month.She also has exercises to do at home.It's a difficult road back for her,but if anybody can do it Jeni can!

Remember me saying"the little maintenance things you have to take care of on the RV."Well,I went to roll up our awning so the neighbor could wash his rig and SNAP! it wouldn't roll up.I had to get my ladder and hand roll it up as far as it would go.It wouldn't roll all the way up and it wouldn't roll out.Stuck!The manager at the park had a Mobile RV guy that could fix it so I gave him a call.He came out today and took care of it.It's something I couldn't tackle myself as the springs on the awning arms are under high pressure. per the mfg's instructions, only a professional should attempt to fix it.So I just watched,and paid the bill!It's the little things!

While I stayed with the RV repair guy,Jeni went over to our sons house to do laundry today.The RV park laundry costs about 2 bucks to wash and dry a load.Jeni usually has at least 4 loads so thats 8 bucks.Dan doesn't know it but he is helping "ole"Mom and Dad out.

Yesterday morning when we went for Jeni's physical therapy, as we left the park,we noticed the automatic entrance gate was smashed in and off the track and the big chain that opens and closes it lay in a tangled heap beside the gate.What happened!Did the local gang try to break in,did a crazed psycho try to run through the gate and kill us all.Maybe a drunk driver thought the gate was an off ramp and he planned on mowing down all our RV's.Our security has been breached!Maybe it was an" inside"Job.Which neighbors looked suspicious?Maybe the guy with the walker from Florida,Yea,he looked dangerous.Or maybe the lady walking the park early in the morning,Yea thats probably not an Ipod she's listening to.Yea,shes probably the one.As we drove,my mind was sifting through the possibilities,and now with no gate, will the "Invaders "be back to finish us off tonight?When we came back from the Dr.I stopped in to the office to see what really happened to the gate.I guess a tow truck was loading a car by the gate and the cable pulling the car up on the tow truck snapped and the car rolled off the truck and crashed through the gate.Also they were repairing the gate as the lady at the desk was telling me the story.OK!maybe there was no plot to take over the RV park.But,The guy with the walker still looks suspicious!

Say cheese.OH NO!

We all had a great time at the ball game the 4th.The fireworks were ausume.Too bad my camera malfunctioned!I forgot to charge the battery(senior moment)so there won't be any fireworks pictures.Today we are just kicking it as we didn't get home til after midnight.

Jeni and I were talking today about how we miss volunteering.That has been our main source of enjoyment and fullfilment these last 3 years.We started out in the summer of 05 camphosting at Beals Point at Folsom lake State Park.We volunteered there for 3 summers and enjoyed every minute of it.Then in the winter of 07-08 we volunteered at Lake Silverwood State Park in the San Bernanadino mountains.What a great place.Great fishing and lots of wildlife.The summer of 08 found us in Indian Grinding Rock State park.It was a small park but one of the most beautiful parks we have volunteered at.In the winter of 08 and 09 we volunteered at Agua Caliente County Park a San Diego county Park.It is in the Anza Borrego desert.A remote park with hot spring mineral pools.this was our best volunteering job so far and some of the nicest people we have worked for.We both feel we have lots more adventures ahead helping out our park system.We just need to line up somthing for this winter.

The weather has been hot here but with our big awning and window awnings plus our 2 big air conditioners we stay nice and cool.Our coach is just like a little condo.We have all the comforts of home.A gourmet kitchen with a microwave/convection oven,a double door refrigerator with Ice maker,a pillowtop queen size bed,satellite tv,and lots of storage room to carry the essentials.a self contained bathroom,automatic levelers to keep the coach nice and level and 2 slideouts that give us a little more room inside.And if we don't like our neighbors we start the engine and head down the road.If your going to fulltime you have to do it right.

slow week!

With Jeni still "gimping around,we had a slow week.Mostly housework and little fixes on the rig.Dan came over tuesday and fixed the elec.hookup from the RV to the car.I kinda smashed it last summer when I backed in to our "camphost" site at Indian Grinding Rock St.Park.There was a little hill at the back of the site and I backed up a little too far!

Yesterday we went grocery shopping{were Dorans we got to eat).Then we went over to Dans house as him and Aiden invited us over to dinner.Oh,did I tell you,Dan got a dog!Her name is Gigi.She is an older black lab.She looks like Penny a dog we had back in Sacramento.Dan wanted an older dog because he works during the day and Gigi does fine by herself.I'm sure if Dan hadn't taken her,the shelter probably would of put her down.He probably saved her life.

For dinner last night Dan and Aiden took us to one of those pizza/arcade places called "Johns amasing pizza factory".They had a buffet of pizza, pastas and a salad bar.Also Jeni's favorite,The dessert bar!The food wasn't half bad.Aiden had a great time as Dan and him played arcade games together.I played a couple of "shoot the enemy"games with him.It was fun!

If you noticed,Dan isn't in any of the pictures.He hates his picture taken.I'll get him though,he can't escape the cameras EYE!

We are all going out to dinner and to the minor league baseball game tonight.Jeni,I,Gary&Martha,Dan&Aiden,and Dans friend Mark and his girls are all going.They will be having a big 4th of July fireworks display ,and of course "Hotdogs!"

As I was saying earlier,Jeni and I were doing housework and fix up's on the rig.The fixes on the rig can become very expensive if you don't do them yourselves.Case in point,earlier this week a detail guy came into the RV park and washed 4 or 5 rigs.I was talking with him and he charges 2 bucks a foot.For my rig that would be $72!Have that done 5 or 6 times a year and thats $350-$400 a year.We do it ourselves.We do what were able to do to maintain the rig.The more you save,the more "dinners out"you can have!

It was nice to hear from our Daughters Jackie and Katie this week.Katie and I talked for an hour catching up on things.While I was talking with Jackie,DJ our grandson was playing by her and I could hear him.Jackie always tries to get him to talk to us on the phone but his responce,"NO!) Ah,Grand kids,you gotta love em!

Happy 4th of July!

The lost weekend

It was a very quiet weekend for us as Jeni was homebound from her knee surgery.I went out a couple of times for supplies but basically it was a TV weekend.I got to watch a lot of baseball as Jeni did a lot of napping.By Sunday she was almost her "ole" self
except for the crutches. The "chief bottlewasher"was hoping
for a demotion but no such luck!Oh no!Jeni's ringing the bell again!

Sunday Dan brought his son Nevin over to the RV to visit.We probably talked their ears off as their the only people we had seen in 2-1/2 days.We watched"the Monk marathon"on USA network all day.We love the" Kookie" detective.

and his cohorts.as they solve the case.Another favorite of mine is Frazier with Kelsy Grammer.It ran for 11 years.another great cast.

It was a sad week for celebrities as Farrah Fawcett,Ed Mac man,Micheal Jackson,and celebrity"pitch man"Billy Mays passed away.I can't remember that many famous people passing away in such a short time span.
This morning I took Jeni to the DR.to see how her knee is doing.The DR. gave her the"thumbs up"She will still have to use the crutches for a few more days but we can finally get out and around.She will also take some physical therapy in a couple of weeks.After the DR. we went out to Dennys for breakfast.It's nice to be out among people again!
While I was getting a prescription filled for Jeni Last Friday,I was asked for an address by the pharmicist.I explained to her that we were fulltime RVers and our address wasn't exactly where we are now.She was puzzled."How do you live like that"?.I explained that we choose to live this life.I told her of the places we have been,places we have volunteered at,and the wonderful people we have met and volunteered with.Every morning we wake up and out our bedroom window may be the ocean,or the forest with a herd of deer ,or the desert with all its beauty,it could be the everglades,the rocky mountains,or a beautiful lake.In times of family needs we just get in our home and drive it where were needed.After thinking for a minute,the pharmicist said"thats a great way to travel and see the country."Does it cost alot", she said. I told her people of all income levels" fulltime"It's just depends on how you want to do it.Shes(the pharmacist)very young but when she gets older it might appeal to her.Yes we choose to live the RV life but it is because we can ,not because we have to.We do this while were young and able enouigh.We will know when it is time to "hang up the keys"and when that time arrives,we will have our memories of our RV life.