donf888

We're back in Calif, probably all month so Fannie can do her sisterly-duty -- helping a sister's difficulty recovery from hip replacement not going as well as the first one did! Vern & Chris -- enjoy your winter with Henry (is he there, yet?), Davena & her Mom! -Don

We, too, are hunkered down (in SJ), doin' some ☐ dancing (C-levels with Dave Heffron); hope to be in Q soon (maybe?). GO 49'ers -Don

THAT's the thing about 4-wheel drive adventures; you get "lulled into" more remote locations -- it's not that you cannot go there, it's just that it can be more difficult to get out (my son usually says 4-wheel drive gets stuck, too -- the problem is you get stuck so far away from "everything" it's much more expensive --time, money or both-- to get out!) We might not make it to Q after all; Fannie's got "sister" duties this month --- one of the young-'uns had 2nd hip replaced, it's not going as smoothly as the first,,, doc hit a nerve or two, causing very slow and painful recovery... 6 weeks, so far, and she's still not ambulatory without help! Whatever happens, we'll visit en route to our Mesa "closet",,, hope to see at least a couple days there. -Don

Hey Lee --- FWIW, just got abit of a "clue" re. the Verizon; for me, when using VZAccessMgr on the laptop it works for awhile then several hours later, it refuses to stay connected. MY fix was to use the 12v adapter for my CradlePoint Router and it stays connected (more consistently). My next move will be to check for updates to the UML290 (air card) and/or VZAM. -Don p.s. We just left Temecula (got a 3-day grand-kids "fix" for that pair), heading to SJC for the rest of Dec & 3-weeks of Jan before heading to Q on 1/21; stopped by Ventura beach (Rincon Hwy) for tonight -- sunny and 65º temps was too nice to pass up; will press on northward in the morning.

We got to our (new) AZ-closet almost a week ago, meeting with contractors & others re. needed "enhancements", will press on to Calif for the holidays... very soon (now that we've paid our "taxes" at the Mesa Swap Meet). -Don

Hmmm,,, it does NOT show up on the PA website; maybe you're on a different passport system(?). When we visited just before T'giving, we stayed at the state historic site in Estero -- 2 miles from Mom's place at Corkscrew Woodlands (straight up Corkscrew road). Not bad, but had to leave Wed due to holiday reservations. Had a pleasant (albeit, short) visit with Janet Church & her two sons -- got to see their new 5'er, VERY nice! From Winter Park, we pressed on the Estero,, had turkey dinner (and did laundry) at Sumter Oaks in Bushnell, then on to Plantation for short visit, Branson (more of the same), Little Rock (COE in Maumelle) for niece visit, KS for NH & friends over the w/e, then south to TX (via Fire Lake -- nice place, Jack!), got MCD fixes done then zoomed to Mesa via Pecos & Deming ERPU sites... all nice places to spend more time than we had! We have (finally) landed in Mesa, tending to our new "closet" for a few days, then onward to San Jose via Q, Temecula, and brief visit to the beach (Ventura or Pismo, not sure on that score). Safe travels to all! -Don

Wow... sorry we missed you; we were there for Friday night music & Sat b'fast, then left. Woulda loved to seen the new rig! We were/are anxious to get our new "closet" (in Mesa) organized for winter season usage -- plus, get to Calif for Christmas. (IF you do go to Q, we'll stop by there on our way to Calif -- gotta hit Temecula for 2 g-kids, then be in SJ by 12/?!?.) Cheers (from Mesa), -Don

Hurray, for you & Jim -- he's been in our thoughts & prayers thru all these episodes... and, now, into recovery (and rehab?). We stopped by Sumpter for a one-day visit, had 8 tables of 10 for dinner today; will miss left-overs pot-luck tomorrow, as we are short on time and long on miles & 5 more stops needed between here and Calif for Christmas! Safe travels, to all! -Don

Movin' on, and movin' on again... left Clarksville, Va after two nights (great site at North Bend Park - COE, 50aEW for $5), AND great visit with an "old" work buddy who's only 52); sadly, did not meet with Ron & Linda anywhere near Blackstone -- she'd gotten a bad cold, was "down for the count"... maybe next time. Did three nights in Hollywood, NC (visiting niece's family farm), now (Thurs-am) leaving Savannah (Skidaway SP) after 2 nights & another niece visit complete. Onward to Orlando (well, Winter Park & Lake Mary to check in with Mom's sister) -- hope to visit Ray & Janet Church in Oak Hill while there. After a few nights there, will press on to Estero, to check up on Mom's winter home -- she's not been there since '06, renters have been good, but now it's time to look into selling (finally); none of my siblings has an abiding interest in keeping the place.... so, gotta investigate the market to see what it'll bring. Still planning to be back in Calif for Christmas week (about 4k miles from here)... that may be about it, though! (We're on the wait-list for a site near Pasadena for Rose Parade float volunteers... won't know the lottery results until 01-Dec.) Safe travels to all! -Don

Congrats, Linda -- on the new rig and adventure!!! Good luck exploring the rig's features, and visiting with SKP's in Livingston -- say "hi" to our mailbox for us! -Don

Movin' on, and movin' on again... left Clarksville, Va after two nights (great site at North Bend Park - COE, 50aEW for $5), did three nights in Hollywood (visiting niece's family farm), now leaving Savannah (Skidaway SP) after 2 nights & another niece visit complete. Onward to Orlando (well, Winter Park & Lake Mary to check in with Mom's sister) -- hope to visit Ray & Janet Church in Oak Hill while there. After a few nights there, will press on to Estero, to check up on Mom's winter home -- she's not been there since '06, renters have been good, but now it's time to look into selling (finally); none of my siblings has an abiding interest in keeping the place.... so, gotta investigate the market to see what it'll bring. Still planning to be back in Calif for Christmas week (about 4k miles from here)... that may be about it, though! Safe travels, to all! -Don

Continued wishes and prayers for Jim (and you, Sandie); hope to hear more good news in a couple weeks! Are you going to the Banner facility in Mesa?!? (We've heard such good things about them, we finally bought a place there.) -Don

Thanks, all for the (ahem, corrected) updates! Thoughts & prayers for Jim next Tues. BLM's with hook-ups near Parker --- Hmmm, good to know (hadn't heard of them before)! Landed in Elkhart, got thru four "episodes" of RV tweaks (scraping the slide-out rams, new end-panel for the new sofa, new limit switch on one of the "Big Foot" corners, inspection/eval of MCD shade issues at Bradd & Hall). Next stop, Chicago,,, hoping our smart's new exhaust package arrives so we can get outta the north country before frozen tundra sets in. -Don

We just left MI/OH after most of Oct there (notwithstanding a week-long break for Canadian-T'giving and smart maint up near Toronto); landed in Elkhart for a round of RV shop visits then on to Chicago to get the new smart exhaust installed -- it's being held in customs now (shipped in from Stuttgart). Heading to FL after the Chicago "fix",,, gotta visit Mom's sister (and Mom's FL home one last time), before heading west for the winter. AZ first (short visit), then Calif (Temecula then San Jose) for the Christmas holidays. Will definitely look for the Gehlen's near Parker dam when we visit the latter part of January... while visiting gangs in Q. Wishing safe travels to all! -Don p.s. I cannot imagine trying to make both WCR and ECR -- given 2k miles apart... though, we might be tempted to do one of them along with the NHOG rally (again in Kerrville, TX).

We're hunkered down near OH/MI border -- finishing up Mom's affairs/accounts, getting ready to head south/west. Jeri --- what Elks lodge, Pismo?!? (That's the only one I know is a "long" walking block to the beach.) Hope all's well! Steve (and Yoda) -- where in OH r u?!? We're heading to Edon when the storms lighten up (maybe Wed), getting wheels replaced (under warranty, due to clear coat peeling off)... then, onward to Elkhart for a few RV shop "treats" (BigFoot visit, slide-out service, Mor/Ryde visit), and Chicago to get a new muffler on the smart car. From Chicago, we're hoping to head SE to VA (possible contract-job @ DHS), SC & Savannah to visit nieces, then Orlando area to visit Mom's sister and BIL,,, maybe visit Mom's place in Estero -- we always like visiting there, but not to own,,, it's just too far away from our g-kids and the "lovely" Calif. coast! Cheers and safe travels to all! -Don p.s. Hey Ms. Kay -- we, too, had a blow-out with PressurePro alert (en route from NYC to OH for Mom's last day), replaced the tire, submitted old one to PDCT@goodyear.com, they reimbursed us the full $500.xx for the new G114! p.p.s. Lee --- You *may* wanna try an antenna --- don't recall what is your wi-fi device; I have a 4G aircard UML290), for $20 (ultimately, got a refund when they sent me the wrong one) --- AND, it has TWO different ports, depending on whether my local tower is 3G or 4G; it does seem to help data speed when I'm on a 3G tower (like now); so far, i have not needed it for 4G speed, since 4G is so much better (even with a weak signal).

Thanks, Randy & Nancy AND Cindie & Jeff -- Fannie and I appreciate everyone's kind thoughts and prayers. We were blessed in many ways, first with Mom's presence in our lives while growing up and raising our own families, then with her Alzheimer's, over the 10 years she struggled with the disease, it never completely stole her from us; she had occasional moments of clarity right up to the very end -- even said my name twice during one visit last month; and, she was in a "settled space", always happy to see us, it wasn't difficult to spend time with her. Love to y'all! -Don

Thanks, John & Richard -- - you are both very spot-on with your kind thoughts,,, God bless y'all! -Don

Thanks, ALL for your kind thoughts and prayers... AND,,,, WOW, Lee you must be very proud to have known such a wise woman! Up late, preparing music & slides for the viewing in 12 hours,,, will try to get some rest, now. -Don

We (early Sunday) beat tracks from NYC back to Toledo to visit Mom -- she began a rapid descent a couple days earlier. Mom passed quietly, in her sleep at 05:20 EDT Wed; she'd been made very comfortable, especially the last 8 weeks, by the caregivers at ParkCliffe Community, the Hospice attendants & their nurses... didn't need Adavan at all (so, minimum/negligible agitation), was given morphine for the first time on Saturday -- that is what made it clear we needed to be back in Toledo. We visited with Mom all day Tues, into the evening, planning to spend all of Wed with her -- but, she was so ready, she left once she knew all her kids were nearby! Love to all, -Don

We (early Sunday) beat tracks from NYC back to Toledo to visit Mom -- she began a rapid descent a couple days earlier. Mom passed quietly, in her sleep at 05:20 EDT Wed; she'd been made very comfortable, especially the last 8 weeks, by the caregivers at ParkCliffe Community, the Hospice attendants & their nurses... didn't need Adavan at all (so, minimum/negligible agitation), was given morphine for the first time on Saturday -- that is what made it clear we needed to be back in Toledo. We visited with Mom all day Tues, into the evening, planning to spend all of Wed with her -- but, she was so ready, she left once she knew all her kids were nearby! Love to all, -Don

Our sincere condolences to Terry (and Jeri) for your loss... Fannie keeps reminding me, you're never really ready (no matter how long you've been expecting it). We've moved on from Henry & Davena's place in NH, will spend a couple w/e's visiting my eldest son in NYC -- paying the "outsider's" rate at Lido Beach, it's the best deal going for a convenient LIRR trip into Manhattan (and we're now armed with our half-price senior cards for subways & buses). Cheers, to all! -Don p.s. I keep forgetting to check the Elks' guide when back east; note to self -- check the Elks Guide! (Last nite we stayed at a PA site in CT for $20; was good to unload the gray & black tanks after a 10-day run.)

So far (from AZ & CA), so good... Mom's stabilized, though we got her on Hospice last Sat. So, we're in OH visiting for the next little while. While visiting Elkhart/Shipshewana area, ordered up a new couch (they put in 76" jack-knife, when they shouda put in a 68" unit with sturdy-but-removable arms; also, visited Mor/Ryde factory for inspection (the IS suspension has "moderate" wear, GREAT news!), discovered the hydraulic lines (for disc brakes) were not optimal, AND one had just broken, again (third time for that wheel position)... so, had them re-plumb the lines (for $200, they're now behind the frame rails, with no hard lines beyond the flex-line connecting to the calipers), since we needed to repair and bleed the lines for one wheel! Also, had them repack the bearings all around, spent two nights (with their amazing hospitality -- they bring in lunch every day, have 30a hookups for overnight guests) getting all the running gear in shape (one new rotor with caliper & pads, plus all 4 brake lines freshly re-plumbed, annual wheel re-packed with fresh grease), AND four-wheel alignment (there were corrections needed, though only one tire showed a toe-out wear pattern). That's about it, for now; hoping we've finished paying our "taxes" for this year of traveling. We now have abit over 70K miles since 2007 when the RV was built... considering we did over 50K the first 3 years. We seem to be settling down to about 10k per year, though we'll probably do 15k (again) when we return to Alaska. Cheers (from OH/MI), Don

FWIW, we 55+ type folks (sometimes) abide by the rules somewhat "loosely(?)" -- in this case, one might use the RV for "sleep" quarters, and "live" in the house during non-sleep times... of course, discretion is the better part of valor, AND maintaining good, reciprocal relations with the nearby neighbors is definitely on the menu. (Keeping the RV in setup-and-go mode is a major attraction for us; living in the "house" over the RV during our stays there is preferable to climbing up-and-down the steps to the RV anyways!@! So, this community fits our winter-hibernation needs to a tee -- we're already familiar and comfortable with the area; its amenities and its winter climate are much to our liking -- when the heavy rains start in Calif, AZ tends to be less wet and abit warmer than the normal, Mediterranean temps of Calif.) -Don

Hey Gail -- We're wishin' we had the time to swing by, will try again next year; got such a late start this year (having to hang back in CA for family grad events, plus the house closing in Mesa), we finally heading to OH via KS (yet, another?) visit to NH factory for a couple minor repairs (and, one more attempt on the sidewall crack). We'll be traversing KS, IL, IN, OH, NY, NH (Henry's place), then back down to SC, FL before heading "home" for the holidays in Nov/Dec. Cheers (from Rock Springs), -Don

The place we bought is 1400 sq. ft. double-wide manufactured home in Mesa East Park, west of Sossaman, between Broadway & Main. It is a self-managed HOA ($300/yr), you own the dirt and the house -- website has links to units for sale or rent online at mesaeastpark.org. We *can* install hookups for the RV(s), but cannot "live" in the RV. IF you want a place that allows you to "live" in the RV, the only town I know that has such developments is Yuma --- which lacks the amenities we wanted to have (ref. my earlier post). In Yuma, there are several development-areas that have room for THREE units, 2 RV's plus a house, hookups for all and folks *are* allowed to "live" in the RV while parked on the property -- not so at Mesa East. (If interested, PM or call me for realtor contacts.) OTOH, there are a few other places in Mesa that one might consider (Dreamland Villa has stix-nd-brix homes) which are less restrictive --- OR, go further out to AJ and beyond for rural property,,, more primitive, less intrusive zoning laws. Steve --- We plan to be there (on Long Island, Lido Beach), soon after Labor Day; there's no point in stressing over getting in before that holiday! Would like to spend at least two, maybe even three, weeks visiting our eldest son (he's in Manhattan, in Wash. Heights) and touring and "playing"... seeing B'way plays! Cheers (from Rock Springs, WY, rodeo-week), -Don