MERRY CHRISTMAS

Another Year!!!I wish everyone a very merry Christmas…I know that I have not written in a while and I know you are wondering why…Well I have no excuse…It is pure procrastination…This is truly the happiest time of the year…Starting November the eighteenth(my birthday)until January first is the main holiday season of the year…It seems like there is always a party going on during this time…Maybe I will make a New Years resolution to be more active with my blog…The weather is great here in Arizona, this time of the year…I know everyone has things in their lives that they wish they could change, but we know that life moves on and you cannot change the past…With the passage of time you realize that live is truly worth living with a smile…THIS TRULY IS THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR…We are getting ready for the season’s performances and looking for a busy time of rehearsals…The future truly looks good…I do wish you all of the happiness that a new year can bring…Philip 

BRYCE CANYON

We had a good night sleep and woke up to a cold 37 degrees…We wanted to go to Bryce Canyon and tour the area…We were not sure if there would be any restaurants available for lunch…So we decided to take a picnic lunch with us…We had been there before, but really had very little knowledge of any detail…We took our time and took pictures of the most interesting points…We stopped for a picnic about 1 pm and found a beautiful location in the middle of ponderosa pines…A couple from England came by and had a wonderful conversation…A very pleasant conversation lasted for about 30 minutes…I told him to inform the Queen that the Colonies were doing fine…This is one of the reasons that I love RVing…So many interesting people that makes life such a great adventure…Here are some pictures that were taken today….Talk to you later…Philip

REMEMBERING 9/11

Mary Ann and I were in New York State, on our way to Nigeria Falls…We were going to cross over into Canada and spend a couple of days on the Canadian side of the falls…The CB began to talk about the occurrence in New York City…We turned the radio on and realized that an attack was in progress…We made a decision to go to plan B and get across the Mississippi River in the event they decided to close the bridges…We felt fortunate that we had not already crossed the border into Canada…The terrible feeling of not being able to help was very frustrating…As we have traveled around the world and have seen many societies we are thankful for the blessings that have come our way in a country that I love with all my heart…Our feelings for the lives that were lost will remain as strong as the feelings of Pearl Harbor and the loss there…I realize that I have lived through a tremendous transition period in my 76 years and every year produces growth and compassion…I hope that I never loose my love for my fellow man…

STILL WAXING MOTORHOME

We have a little more before we finish the was job…We have to wait for the sun to move from side to side to keep the surface from being too hot…It is good that we don’t have to hurry because doing is in sections makes it more fun than thinking we have to do it all in one day…Last night we went out to the Olive Garden for dinner…Rob and Karen went with us…The fellowship was good and of course we talked about a thousand things…Rob is becoming a talented photographer…Tomorrow we will work on the wax job…The motorhome is really looking good…Talk to you later…Philip

WAXING MOTOR HOME

We got some special wax for the fiberglass…It came highly recommended from other RVers…We started this morning and worked on the shady side of the motorhome…We came inside to eat lunch and waiting for the sun to rotate to the other side…We are taking our time and doing a lot of detail…We had someone to come by and wash it, but he only washed…I am glad to do the detail and find all the chips and areas that need attended to…I want to lubricate the slide and spray the rubber that prevents water from entering around the slide…I am still studying my Spanish and making some progress…We went to Borders to get a calendar and Spanish/English dictionary…Last night Mary Ann had a coupon to the Long Star Restaurant…We were able to get an appetizer, two entrees, and drinks for twenty dollars…Of course we got steak with salad and potatoes…We will probably stay home tonight…A week from tomorrow we will probably head for Arizona (home)…I could have taken some pictures of us working on the motor home but I don’t think that would be very interesting…Talk to you later…Philip 

TRIP TO BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON

Yesterday we discussed going to Cottonwood Canyon…We decided to go this morning and take a lunch where we could have a picnic at one of the picnic sights…We went all the way to the top and started taking pictures on the way down…We climbed from around 4000 feet to above 10,000 feet…We wanted to take our time and drive around 35 to 45 miles per hour…It seems that the drivers in Salt Lake area are very aggressive in their driving habits…The speed limit as posted was 45 and in some places 30…This is a National Forrest and we thought driving the speed limit would not hold up the traffic…Wrong…We would pull off anytime there were three or more cars behind us…We had to  pull over about every mile and let the cars pass…We could not enjoy the scenery because of the road rage these drivers were demonstrating…We did take some pictures and they do not do justice for the beauty of the area…This being a National Forrest we thought we would pull into one of the picnic areas and have our picnic…Well we could stop and use the picnic area for lunch if we would pay $7.00 for the use of a table…We decided to pull off on the side of the road and eat in the car…It is hard to understand this…Here are the pictures…Enjoy…Philip    Talk to you later…Philip

COULD NOT FIND PARKING

We went to Temple Square and drove around and tried to find parking spots…We even tried private parking lots and they were full…We wanted pictures and just drove around and snapped them from the car while it was moving…We got some pictures but they were not what we wanted…After we left the Temple Square we headed for a Carl’s Jr. for a hamburger…This was my first time to get a hamburger from Carl’s…I have been wanting to for a long time but never really stopped at one…While we were eating Mary Ann suggested we go to Bountiful and look at the temple on the side of the mountain…While on the side of the mountain we had a beautiful view of the Salt Lake Valley below…Here are some of the pictures taken today…

The Valley from Bountiful

I wish we could have had a better view of the Temple Square…Talk to you later…Philip

RAINED YESTERDAY

We wanted to go to Temple Square yesterday and decided to go when it wasn’t raining…I stayed at home and studied my Spanish lessons…Mary Ann has gone to wash the clothes and I am waiting for the detail man to come by and detail the motor home…I took this time to study again…and write in the blog…I will let you know how well the man cleaned up the motor home…Talk to you later in the day…Hope to get some pictures and publish them of our activity today…We are planning on going to the square tomorrow…We will definitely take pictures then…Philip

INVITED TO DINNER TONIGHT

Karen and Rob invited us to dinner tonight…Had a wonderful time…The stake dinner was excellent…Ryan and Kelsi had just returned from their honeymoon from Mexico…They showed us the pictures of their trip…They seemed to have had a wonderful time…We are planning a trip to Temple Square in down town Salt Lake…I will try to remember to take my camera and show some pictures on my blog tomorrow…As you probably have guessed by now, I forgot it tonight…We have two more weeks in Salt Lake and we have several more places to visit before we leave…I am spending a lot of time on my Spanish lessons…Talk to you tomorrow…Philip

THE GOLDEN SPIKE

When I was younger and saw movies about the Golden Spike and read the book by Zane Grey, I have been intrigued about that portion of history…We are here in Salt Lake, Utah for a few weeks and decided to drive the eighty some miles and see the spot where the spike was driven…I am sure that I will be able to find the golden spike and make me a rich man…HA HA…We left about ten in the morning and drove up I –15…Well you guessed it, Mary Ann had to stop for the inevitable pit…We saw a Flying-J and she rushed in…Out she came with two donuts…We consumed the sugar rush and continued to the spot in the middle of nowhere in the desert plains of Utah…They have made a National Park where the driving of the spike occurred…We arrived at eleven thirty and the movie was just beginning…This was some of out unscheduled luck…The movie was about thirty minutes long and as soon as the movie was over, the ranger lectured about the spike being driven…Then came the demonstration of the two trains…These were made from the actual plans of the original engines…The trains backed up about a quarter mile and switched to a side rail and made a pass where we could observe…I hope my pictures will give you the idea of the activity…I could not give you the experience of smelling the coal being burned, the vibration of the ground as the engine passed, the sound of the whistle and the excitement of the kids that were present…Here are some pictures…Hope you enjoy…Philip

This was another adventure that will not be forgotten…I don’t know why life has been so good to me…I am thankful for this time in my life…Philip

STORMS, FLOODS,AND MARY ANN’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION

We have been in areas where AT&T would not allow us to get on the internet without charging us roaming fees…We are wondering if we made a mistake in choosing their service when they cannot provide us with proper area coverage when needed…Enough about one of our choicest…We were in constant storms and rain for about three weeks…We were fortunate enough not to become victims in some of the tornadoes…While we were at Mary Ann’s high school reunion our motor home was camped in the City Park of Hay Springs, Nebraska…It rained constantly and the wheels of the motor home began to sink…We had to move twice to prevent some serious problems…The reunion was a wonderful experience for Mary Ann and I really enjoyed meeting some very solid people…The food was good and the entertainment was very enjoyable…After the reunion we had to go to Pender, Nebraska, where our car hitch is manufactured, to get it overhauled…Well after 11 years and over 100,000 miles the factory said we needed a new one…I now feel much safer with the new one…Our bank account is less so we look at the stock market daily to see if it is being replenished…We had to dodge flooded areas in eastern Nebraska, which made our trips longer and naturally increased our fuel bill…We spent Wednesday Night in Omaha and were treated to an excellent dinner at Cassios Italian Restaurant…Thursday we headed for my sister’s in Kansas City…We spent Friday with her and David…We went to the Olive Garden for lunch…We love Italian food…I guess you can tell????Saturday morning we headed for Carthage, Missouri and the Coach Light R V Park…We are sitting here under the air conditioner, staying cool and comfortable..By the way it is 98 degrees F, with about 98% humidity…As you see, I have no control over the weather…We will head for Branson tomorrow…If AT&T doesn’t mess us up with our internet we will write daily…Talk to you later…Philip          

Beautiful Day…Let’s have lunch at Estes Park

We woke up to a beautiful morning and wanted to experience it to its fullest…As I was getting out of the motor home, I was hit with the beauty of the snow capped mountains… 

We had to go by the Post Office and pick up our weekly mail…I needed fuel for the car…We went into town to get the mail and fill the tank…I don’t like going into the mountains without full tanks in our vehicles…After we got the mail we headed for Estes Park, which is only 26 miles from Longmont…The drive is a beautiful drive and the traffic was very light…We were able to drive at a more leisure pace…It was lunch time when we arrived and decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants…It has a view of a small lake with ducks and geese flying, swimming, and feeding…We like sitting by the window where we can observe the actives of the wild life…Mary Ann took some pictures of the ducks and geese with her I-phone…Here they are…     

These are the reasons we love to travel…Looking forward to tomorrow…Talk to you later…Philip

The Sun Set today

Here are some pictures of the sun set tonight…

Talk to you later…Philip

We Are In Longmont, Colorado

We left Friday about 9:15 and headed north to Longmont…We arrived about 11:00 and was hooked up by 11:15…I broke my watch band when hooking up…It wasn’t anything serious and would have it repaired Saturday Morning…It was hot Friday, in the 90’s and we were grateful for air-conditioning…Saturday rolled around and we headed for town to find a jewelry store that was opened…Saturday being the Sabbath for the Jewish Faith, most of the jewelry stores were closed…With my weak back and walking, did not make me a happy camper…We found a store and the owners were very nice and repaired the watch band for just $2.00…I thanked them sincerely and was happy to get back to the car where I could sit down…We returned to the motor home and Mary Ann decided we needed some groceries…While out she bought some BBQ chicken for lunch…There was enough left over for dinner…Well I took a nap and was treated to watermelon by my thoughtful wife…It begin to cloud up and the rain started and then hail…It was a refreshing rain and the hail was small so no damage was done…We watched TV and Mary Ann popped some corn…The evening passed pleasantly and rest came quickly…I was able to sleep all night…What a difference it makes when there are not lines to memorize, songs to learn, and entertainment troupes to work with…I now have the rest of the summer to relax, visit family and friends, and explore the sights that I have not seen before…With the mountains in the back ground and the clouds peaking over, it should  make for a beautiful sunset…I will take some pictures and post them tonight…Talk to you later…Philip    

Last Evening At Chatfield

Today was a day that I wanted to get out and do something…Which means that I am feeling better and I am tired of staying in dodging the wind…Jack and Thelma left this morning for the repair shop where they had an appointment…I needed some epoxy putty for my carving and we headed for the Woodcraft store…Looked at some books and DVDs, but found none that I needed…We had heard about the Cherry Hill State Park and since we were in the area, we decided to go over and scout it out…It was very nice but getting to it was a hassle with the traffic…We just like Chatfield better…While we were on the East Side of town, we decided to go and have some fish at Joes Crab Shack…Mary Ann ordered fish and chips and I ordered a shrimp poor-boy…We enjoyed our lunch and headed for the motor home and catch up with our business…Since we had a large lunch we decided to eat lightly for dinner…Mary Ann wanted left over pizza and I had a hot dog…We waited for the sun to go down and took our chairs out with Sunshine, and wait for the sun set…It was not a spectacular evening for a sun set but very enjoyable…I took some pictures and hope you enjoy…Talk to you later…Philip   Mary Ann and Sunshine

Our camp sight The sun set

The ending of another day

DINNER AT OUTBACK

Mary Ann came home and wanted to go to the Outback for dinner…Had to purchase fuel for the car and get some cash from the ATM…After dinner we drove through the Deer Valley Canyon…Beautiful scenery and homes that have an excellent view of the canyon…We got home about 7:00PM…I am feeling good after the anti- biotic…Looking forward to tomorrow and what it might have in store…Talk to you later…Philip 

FINALLY GOT OUT OF THE MOTOR HOME

The wind finally died and we were able to drive to the mountains and made a wide circle from Chatfield to Fairplay…We cut across to Interstate 70 and turned toward Denver…I enjoy going through the Eisenhower Tunnel and coasting almost all the way to Denver…The circle is almost 200 miles of beautiful mountain scenery…Guess what?…I forgot my camera…I guess I will have to make a check list for everything that I do…We were tired when we arrived and decided to go out and get pizza for dinner…With age, comes some unaccounted discomfort…It was hard to get to sleep…I got up and did some computer work until the discomfort in my left leg subsided…I think that I will try to walk more and see if that will help…Today is a beautiful, clear, day with wind velocity very low…Mary Ann has gone shopping and visiting the cemetery…     Freedom waiting to travel for the next adventure…  A picture of  tranquility

Talk to you later…Philip

Anti-Biotic Seems To Be Working

I feel that I am back with the living…Yesterday the wind was blowing around 40 and gusting 60…Everything was tied down…The wind gave me an excuse not to go out…I have two more days left on my medicine…My ears are coming back to life and that makes is easier to communicate with Mary Ann…Jack and Thelma have invited us to go out to dinner tonight…I do feel much better and have stopped coughing and sneezing…We are looking forward to dinner tonight…Their specialty is fried chicken…Jack and Thelma are our across the street neighbors at Happy Trails…Jack had some bad luck with pot holes and had to have some repairs done to his coach…It made them late getting in for their reservations at the state park…He called ahead and they assured him his reservations would be held for them…They did arrive early enough that it did not interfere with graduation of his grand-son…I have not had the opportunity to take pictures but, should have some from today's activities…George, I got your message and hope you are feeling better…Talk to you later…Philip     

WELL, I GOT SOMETHING LIKE FLEW

I came down with a cold while we were on Cheyenne Mountain…The rain and cold settled in and I stayed indoors…Tuesday we were scheduled to go to Denver…I didn’t feel good but drove the distance and after hooking up I went to bed and just about stayed there until a few minutes ago…I haven’t been able to take any pictures…I am feeling much better and look forward to tomorrow…I will talk to you later…Philip

Some pictures

One of the wolfs

Old narrow gaugeA view from where we were sitting

The engine hooking up (the diesel)   

As you can see it was a beautiful day