Yes I got a shower

Don't want ya to miss out on all the fun we are having. So we wake up yesterday, Sunday wouldn't ya know, and I go to do up the dishes from a lovely brunch I had prepared and I say "Oh Mr Doodles guess what, we have no hot water". I hear this grumble, grumble. Guess those were not the words he was hoping for on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Now many of ya know how handy this man of mine is. He gets out all the manuals and reading stuff you must go thru before finding the danged screwdriver and lifting the lid to see what's going on here folks. Oh I shoulda just got in the truck and went shopping but noooooooo I had to stick around and see the outcome.

I am also quite happy with myself that I keep good records and a neat file system for Mr Doodles to find exactly what he is looking for. This is the same man that opens the fridge and says "where's the butter?" I digress a bit sorry. I am able to put my hands on everything that was needed, well with the exception of a guy to come out right then and there to repair the dern thing.

When we purchased our RV, Grace as I affectionately refer to her as, we purchased a roadside assistance policy, actually they gave it to us when we purchased our sweet thing. So you call this number and a technician calls you right back, walks you thru all the steps that may help repair the problem. That's nice but hell it didn't help us one bit. My I sound crabby.......well I have a sink full of dirty dishes and haven't had a shower. Cause we needed a service guy to fix it and it's SUNDAY!!!

Ya know I think about all the older, even older than us, folks that have these big RV's and coudn't find a screw driver or much else how the heck do they manage. Oh well I guess they must cause there is a large amount of those very same folks on the road..........Lordy help us!!!

Back to the water heater that isn't working. We are lucky, HAR!!!, that we are in an area where there are several RV dealers to work on all of us RV'ers. And three of them service our manufactured model.

Now it's Monday morning and we must hook-up and drive to said RV fix-it place. Yes I called ahead to see if they could fit us in on such a short notice and oh by the way this is warranty work. Bless their little hearts they say "oh yes mam we will swueeze you in as soon as you get here". Okey dokey we will be there shortly. I turn to Mr Doodles and say this I do not believe.

Well folks believe it!!! They got us in ASAP fixed the dern thing and off we went before the traffic got bad on the freeway. I was and still am amazed.

So thank you Beaudry RV Service Center in Tucson, AZ you have made Mr Doodles and me a very happy customer. We have hot water and back up for when it should ever happen again. And also happy not to have to pay since it was warranty work.

I would like to take a moment

to thank the person that invented the DVR aka digital video recorder, or if you have one the TIVO.

Lordy, lordy TV has never been the same since we have gotten one with our satellite system a few years back. Going from our traditional VCR to the DVR was actually easy. We are TV watchers and have quite eclectic taste between the two of us. So recording our favorites is a wonderful invention

Sister and I were discussing this very topic just the other day. How many commercials have you seen lately? Actually none or very few and ya know what I don't miss them at all. Zip thru all the BS and now all those political commercials. Oh my their is a GOD!!!

So I bow to you and thank you dear person, whoever you may be, for inventing this wonderful piece of electronic equiptment I now value as much as my blow dryer or my electric tea pot.

A hike with a few animals to visit.....

Took off early the other day, well early for us, and went on a ten mile hike and then on the way back stopped at the Tucson Zoo. Not the showiest Zoo, but quite sweet with just a few animals. I spotted the tiger cage the minute we walked in, BUT resident tiger was napping. Dang no pictures of tiger. As we were making our loop around the park I heard someone say "the tiger is up and walking". Hmmmmm let's hope the guy is still behind bars. Off I go and look there he is. Bars get in the way of the photo but in a good way don't cha think?!?!!! Such a pretty boy......he was pacing quite a lot and scared the beeeejeeezus outta me when I first walked up and this bad boy jumped up on the cage. Mr Doodles said "he likes you". Let's see if I can find some pics Mr Doodles took. Think he's practicing up for our photo adventure trip to Alaska.
I'm quite fond of giraffe's. One of my all time favorite photo's I have ever taken was of a giraffe at the Washing DC Zoo many years ago.



Llama's are just comical aren't they?










And Zebra's are strickingly beautiful.









But these big guys are King of the Zoo. This old boy was waiting for his sweetie to wake up from her afternoon nap. And I think he was getting a bit impatient cause the growl could be heard all over the zoo.

Paper or Plastic

Referring to gift cards. You may have received some as a gift during the holidays.

California has put in a new law (SB 250) effective January 1, 2008 that require retailers to give cash back for the balance of any gift card worth more than$10. Prior to that no matter whether it was ten cents or ten dollars it remained on the card.

If you are like me I use the card and then any remaining amount I never remember and the card goes back in my wallet. The retailer has already received their monies. Many of these retailers exist on unclaimed discarded gift cards.

Once California does this and it is successful I sure do hope that other states follow. I must admit I don't know of any other state that does this. If they do let me know.

Awwwwwww come on

do we really need the dopes in Washington to tell us we are headed for a recession. Any half-way intelligent adult could have told ya that months ago.
Instead of talking about a stimulus package (I always thought a stimulus package sounded kinda like something that should be on a porn site) shame on me cause this was not meant to offend anyone. Anyway, instead a talking about it.....do something for God sakes. You folks in Washington caused most a this mess..................... now fix it.

Oh wait this is an election year, so now the present government is gonna just talk about it and the candidates are gonna bore us to death about the economy cause they know what to do about this mess we are in. Meanwhile, fuel prices, credit card debt, health costs, to name a few, are skyrocketing. Have you noticed in your city how many people are on the streets pushing shopping carts with all their earthly belongings in that cart. Listen to the news and the new homeless are families with children. Lord what have they created?

If this is my fault tell me now. Did I not spend enough $$$ last year heavens Mr Doodles thinks I did.

Now your job is to read about these candidates. Don't just form an opinion thru sound bites on TV. We cannot allow the media to run the election turnout. And remember just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's true.

I don't care who you vote for just be an informed voter PLEASE!!!

Gypsyies on the move again

Definition of GYPSY = gypsy One inclined to a nomadic, unconventional way of life.

I guess you could call us gypsies, nomads, or even bohemians. All would certainly apply.

Thanks to my friend Bee and her love of quotes, I found this quote I really like - The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. ~St. Augustine

We have been in Southern Arizona for a few months, and have seen enough to know that we would come back here to build a house someday. That is once we get the gypsy in our soul on to another plane.

So since we need to be heading West to start our trip to the great state of Alaska. Why not head that way now. Plus will be closer to family. I miss Buddy the dog.

I have posted about many of the highway travels over the past few months. We have visited some wonderful towns and cities. Met some fantasticly wonderful people. That said we have not found a town or area we would live in but Tucson. But this city is not for everyone. Oh it has all the amenities Starbucks, shopping, culture, terrific weather, a Zoo, a large University. And speaking of that I get dirty looks when I wear my UCLA shirts. But the weather on a hole is quite nice, well not now cause it's a whopping 27* outside. The weather is wonderful most of the time. But as I said it's not for everyone. Not a lot of greenery unless you consider the cactus as the greenery. Lot's a dirt, little grass.

But there are so many things it doesn't have like hurricanes, mosquitoes, humidity. Now because of the drier climate I am spending a fortune on body lotion.

Like I said this could be the place to hang our hats when the time comes to build. Tucson could just win the lottery for us to set up residency once we get that gypsy outta our souls.

So in the meantime we are going to California in a few days. Just saying that puts a smile on my face and makes my heart very happy.

As always, stay tuna'd..................

Dog Park Buddies

I'm sure y'all know by now my sweet sister and her sweetest have a wonderful dog by the name of Buddy.

Every once in awhile Buddy has his Masters take him to a favorite spot the dog park. I had never had the pleasure of going along for the ride. But this last trip Buddy included me and I got to see what all he was raving about.

It's about 15 minutes away and the closer we get to the Park old Buddy knows just by the turn and corners. My he does enjoy the adventure and can hardly wait to get out of the car to get his leash and go see his Dog Park friends. And many friends he has.



Buddy and two new friends
This young lady was always smiling

Nice to meet ya! Come here often?

This is just a wonderful park. Divided into two sections, one for the under thirty smaller dogs, which Buddy is, and the other side is for those larger animals. You go thru two gates as a security process and then off they go running helter skelter to meet old friends and then of course there is always new friends to hook up with. This place is huge and you would never think there were that many dogs in there. Sometimes they get to running like a freight train. It is very enjoyable to see these animals enjoying themselves. And ya know there is rarely ever a problem.

Take a look at some of these photos and see the smiles on these sweet pups faces


This little fella is just too cute and well dressed.


These boys are jumping for joy!

And thanks Buddy for inviting me on your adventure...................I really enjoyed myself.

Some changes coming up...........in the Tombstone

community.................so stay tuna'd

However I wanted to share this with you.............pee'd me pants when I read this email from a friend. Please feel free to use this on any voice mail you choose.

I dialed a number and got the following recording:
"I am not available right now, but thank you for caring enough to call. I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep. If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes."

My bus riding skills

They have not been tested in eons, literally eons.

When visiting sister we tend to gas ass a lot. Being the good souls we try to be, sister thought it was a good idea to utilize the Los Angeles transit system. Now some of this she has done before, BUT not this particular trip.

Our one destination was to be Olvera Street Downtown Los Angeles. It just so happens that Los Angeles Union Station is directly across the street from our destination. How Lucky is that. So we travel from sister's house to the Valley to pick up our first leg of the journey. Guess where it takes us. HollyWEIRD!!!! Walk off the train go up the escalator to the famous Hollywood Blvd and there it is the Kodak Theater and right next door to the Grauman's Chinese Theater. You know that place where all the stars have there feet and hands in cement in the entry way. I remember going there as a kid thinking how cool it was to actually witness the foot and hand prints of the likes of Clark Gable and many others. Don't know how they pick and choose who gets to lay their hands and feet in cement but there happened to be some new ones like Will Smith and others like, yep kimmy George Clooney.

Anyway it was pretty cool years ago and just as cool now I guess cause Hollywood Blvd was mobbed with folks. Kodak Theater....very interesting. When watching those award shows I will now look at that red carpet a bit differently. It is a VERRRRRRY long way from the Blvd. to the entrance of the theater. You are not allowed in the Theater unless you pay for a tour...NOT ME!!! But the surroundings are quite unusual, it's an upscale Mall, so we shopped and had a snack.

Back to the train we go and head to Downtown Los Angeles.......look out Olvera Street.
Most of the riders on the Metro are your everyday working people. Sometimes you get a bonus of entertainment with some (how do I put this) street folks. We were entertained and stunned all at the same time. Suffice to say these young people are not the future of this country, THANK GOD!!!

Get off at the absolutely gorgeous Union Station. Have some pictures that I took and I'll post over on my flickr site. But I do love going to Union Station cause I know the next stop is Olvera Street and those tasty taquitos. We, as a family, have been going there since we were younguns. Niece was at Olvera Street a few weeks back and happened to call me from there just to tease. It's one of those places.

Needless to say we did the Olvera Street walk which consisted of popping into a few shops and the small purchase of some wonderful candy another added memory.

OK back to Union Station for the return trip which I must say was quite sane.

Next trip to be Pasadena and the Craftsman Architecture tour....stay tun'd

Neither rain, nor snow or

whatever it is the United States Postal Service says.......I have been really bad about blogging.

It has rained and not rained and rained some more the last few days here. Not only that the weather is truly shitty, bone chilling cause it is so damp. BLEEEEECH!!!

Blogging for me is sort of cathartic, medicinal journey of words. Writing at the end of your day, putting your thoughts together of the last day or so. Well hell sister and I have been just way to busy to do any of that.

stay tuna'd.........