A Slightly Soggy But Fun Party

We had not had our annual party yet this year and were about to forget about it when two of our friends and my old workmates, Guy and Val announced their retirement from the Evil Empire of Telus. We collectively decided to combine everything and hold a party on our spacious patio.

Guy and Val supplied the booze and everyone brought a dish or a snack and the Party was on! It tried to rain a couple of times but we had the forethought to put a couple of tarps over one patio and the bar area and the tables had umbrellas so we all stayed fairly dry. For a little warmth we had two propane and one wood fire going.

It was a fun time and thanks to everyone for coming and participating!

The Honda Is Even Happier!

Today it got it's first transmission service in 27 years and 290,000 KM! It also got it's first air filter in probably 200,000 KM. Do I feel bad? Maybe a little but it never complained!

In my defense (and I need a lot of that), it has had regular oil changes, muffler and brake maintenance. The transmission shifted well and still does. It gave no indication of needing attention.

"It's a Honda"

We're Back!

Norma: The bird feeders are empty again.

Me: Again? I filled them two days ago! They are going through about a pound a day!

Norma (later): Come look out the window!

Me: Get away from there! You're not a bird!

Deer: Piss off! This is what you get for locking up the rose garden !

Honda Update

Mechanic: "I pulled the plugs and it makes me wonder how this car EVER started at all! All the tips are burned right off and all the wires need replacing."

He is replacing all that as well as the fuel filters on Sunday, leaving it outside Sunday night and seeing how it starts Monday morning after sitting in the cold and wet. If all is well, it is fixed! I am feeling hopeful!

The mechanic was impressed with my Mexican paint job and wanted all the details.

A proud craftsman. $300 Canadian including repair of a rust hole, other rust spots and several parking lot dings. I added $400 pesos ($27 CAN) and told him to take his family out for dinner. He was very thrilled.

My Honda Needs A Doctor!

Our old 1989 Accord is sick. This is not unexpected as it had not seen a shop other than oil changes, brakes and muffler, in over 200,000 kilometers (total mileage is 290,000 KM). It starts easily, runs well and uses no oil. That is until a couple of days ago when Norma tried to start it and it just cranked away until the battery was low. I charged it overnight and it started after a long struggle but when I tried it again later, it would not start. I put the charger on it overnight and left it connected and managed to start it but I do not have enough confidence in it to tow it down south where we will have no backup car.

Our house sitter knows a good mechanic so I called him this morning. He said it is probably just suffering from lack of attention and could probably use new plugs, filters and a couple of other things. He is pretty sure he can get it back on the road for not too much money and will tell me if she needs a burial and to look for a replacement.

She goes in tomorrow for a couple of days. Wish her luck, I am sure she has a few years left in her yet!

EDIT: I checked the date I changed the battery and it was 4 1/2 years ago so I went down and bought a new battery to eliminate that problem. I do want to get it running and between new tires and battery I have spent $800 on it since January. I would hate to lose that.

Here she is in 2013 being dropped off by the painter and his able assistant in Cuernavaca, Mexico. $300 US for full paint, dent and rust repair.

Another 9/11 Story

My other 9/11 story occurred in Apache Junction, Arizona a couple of years later. We were parked in an RV park when a single young man in a Class A backed in beside us. We remarked that it was unusual for such a young person (early or mid 40's) to be RV'ing. After he was set up we invited him over for a beer.

We asked if he was retired or on Vacation and he told us he had been one of the firefighters at the twin towers! He said he had simply seen and experienced more death and horror than any person should have to in one lifetime and had been unable to go back to work.

He was on unpaid medical leave, had sold his house, stored everything at his parents and bought the motorhome and a cargo trailer in which he towed his Harley Davidson.

He was a nice guy but was suffering from PTSD, using travel as his therapy. He said when he ran out of money he would have to re-evaluate but until then he was going to wander the desert.

Memories of 9/11

This is a copy of a post I did several years ago on a September 11.

9-11-01

Everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing on a select few dates. These include the day JFK was killed and the day MLK was executed. 9-11 was one of those days!

On that day I was driving north through central Oregon on my way home after a solo RV trip. Norma had yet to retire so I had headed out on my own for a couple of weeks. I was driving along with the radio on very low to the point where I could hardly hear it. The music had stopped some time before and there was just a steady drone of voices I could not make out. After a while I turned it up and thought it was a discussion of a war movie or something, not a subject I was interested in. I hit the "scan" button but every station I landed on had the same thing on!

I turned it up louder and that was when I began to understand what was going on. The first plane had hit and there was mass confusion. Almost right away the second plane hit! I was in the desert and the first thing I noticed was there was hardly any traffic. Soon a police car raced past me with lights and siren doing well over 100 mph. Then a fighter aircraft screamed past overhead at low altitude following the Interstate. I realized that the Country was being attacked and here I was driving down the highway in a foreign plated motorhome big enough to contain who knows what! It was time to get off the road.

I pulled into Bend, OR and found the nearest RV park. I walked into the office to find the two people glued to the TV. They told me to park anywhere and to come in and register and pay in the morning. I parked, hooked up the cable and watched CNN non stop for the next two days. 

Exercising the Generator

I have not been exercising the Onan generator over the summer as I should have been. I am supposed to run it for 90 minutes once a month under a good size load like the air conditioning. I have only done this once since May.

I also hardly ever look at the hours gauge telling me how many hours the Onan has on it. Today it reads 709 hours. The rig is 11 years old so that is only 65 hours per year of use. Not that bad but I wonder what the life of these things is and if I will be facing an overhaul in the near future.

OK, a little Googling tells me the 4000 watt Onan should be good for up to 5000 hours. I'm good!

Paradise For Sale!

Paradise For Sale!

Our friend Kathe is selling her little Tropical Paradise on Chetumal Bay in the Yucatan! We have visited Kathe here several times and what a wonderful spot, right on the water! Kathe is wanting to travel and is selling her beautiful home.

http://www.maricasa.com/