Uh oh...this doesn't look good

Yep, you're right, this is a rental car. The Dodge truck began spewing diesel out from under the hood somewhere. I limped it into a repair shop but the diesel guy was out today. I'm thinking it's probably a faulty fuel line or broken fuel filter housing or??? Anyhow, I left it at the shop (about 8 miles away from here) and had to rent this car. The guy at the car rental let me rent if for 1/2 price because it's a weekend. I'm going to have to talk to the "Dodge" by hand I guess... Supposed to get the truck back Mon. or Tue.?? I'm really glad it happened today and not when I was pulling the trailer out of here in a week or so. Feels sooooo funny driving this little thing after being in the 3/4 ton truck all winter. 85 degrees here today, no rain in sight.

Another day in paradise

Not sure if this image is coming through or not. Not sure I'd want to be on the "business" end of this guy..

Went to the Doug Gabriel show yesterday p.m. was a great performance. I'll post a pic later..

Off to buy some groceries today. Am incorporating some running with my morning walks now, got to lose some of the cake and ice cream..

Orange blossoms

I guesss it's a sure sign of spring in Arizona when the orange trees blossom out. They sure are pretty and really have a strong (sweet)
smell. I suppose if you had allergies to these things you'd be inside a lot.

Off the see a performance at the Arizona opry, some guy named Doug Gabriel (www.DougGabriel.com) He has a big show in Branson Missouri, he'll be here for a couple of weeks.

Beginning to check rig for travel in less than 2 weeks, probably a good thing cause I'm running out of stuff to photograph around here. We'll pull out of here March 12th and spend 3 nights at Avi in south Laughlin Nevada. Our reservations start March 15th in Hurricane Utah, kind of strange...here you experience spring (like now) then when we get to Hurricane Utah we experience spring again (higher elevation) then when we get to Pinedale in late May we get a 3rd spring. I'll be "sprung" by then....

Mardi Gras, (Arizona style)

Woah, had fun at the Mardi Gras RV park party. The "park" performers put on quite a show. This place has become kind of a "family" away from home. Really decent folks here.

The real weaver's needle

This...is the weaver's needle (on the n.e side of the superstitions). On the post previous post I didn't include a picture of it. Apparently the weaver's needle is some left over stuff from volcanic activity in this area a couple million years ago.

nice trip today

Tortilla flat and weaver's needle

Deb-We were just going to make a fast Walmart trip and ended up taking a little drive and having lunch at Tortilla Flats. Any how, the pics are of various cacti and scenery. The Weaver's needle pic will come later. Tonight we have a Mardi Gras party here at the clubhouse. It should be a lot of fun. Our time here is winding down fast. Two weeks and we will be back in Utah.

New used cheap Dust devil

Debi bought this new, used handy dandy dust devil vacuum cleaner to clean the truck out. $2.00 and the darned thing would suck the wig off your head. Boy Debi, you sure make that look easy.

Hot here today (80's) Off to Walmart to donate some more money (like the $50.00 I donated to the casino yesterday) But at least at Wally world you have something to show for it.

Phoenix Suns game

Boy that Shaq is a big human...... The Suns had an "off" day. Lost 88-108 to Boston....The US Airways center is pretty cool, they held the NBA All-star game here last Sunday. Took the "trax" train from the Parking lot in Mesa, saw lots of interesting folks. One guy had two huge discs in his ears to increase the size of the ear lobes...that...and various other sharp instruments protruding from his head....his girlfriend looked equally as lovely... All in all.... a good day...poor Debi stayed home and did the laundry....she said she'd rather do laundry than go to an NBA game...Ohhhhhh K.

Helen Ruland (as a baby)

I know this is a bit hard to see but it's my mom's baby picture. She'll be 103 years old in a couple of weeks. I found this old photo among the family stuff and photographed it with my digital camera. Talked to her a couple days ago and she says she dosen't feel old at all. I got online and bought a ticket to today's Phoenix Suns vs Boston Celtics game. It's supposed to be nationally televised on ABC tv. Maybe I'll get my 15 minutes of fame....pics to follow.

Snagged this photo off one of my friends' facebook page

I "borrowed" the below photo from one of my facebook pal's photo album, not meant to offend anyone, just honor an American hero.

Off to the local "patio" sales....

An american hero

Spraying weeds

Hooking up the weed sprayer. The little buggers are starting to sprout up in the dirt areas. The rv park supplies the sprayer and the chemical, we have to spray in on. Should be weedless in a couple of days.

Nice here today, about 75 degrees. Having a big rummage sale here in the morning (at the RV park). Everyone puts their sale stuff out on the patio and hopefully it sells. We don't have anything to sell so will just look.

Apache Junction Public Library

Apache Junction has a pretty nice public library. Not sure what the curved bricks denote?? Anyhow, I go over there once in a while and configure up my I-pod touch. They have really fast internet there.

72 here today, Monday it's supposed to hit 81. We'll head over to one of the local Indian casino's Monday and donate a few bucks. I plan to stop at the Hohokam stadium and pick up some spring training baseball tickets. The Chicago cubs do their spring training there, lots of folks show up for autographs etc., it's about 10 or 12 miles west of here.

""Takin it easy"

Woah, hard work is a fleeting thought around here. I think I took this while we were in Hurricane in November.

Nice day here today, rain is all gone so I washed the truck. Cleaned the bays out and vacuum'd them on the 5th wheel. Those suckers sure get dirty in a hurry. Next week I'll start to get the 5er ready for travel again.

RV park entertainment

These folks (except the lady in the center) are know as Laughing Bird. We've had some "doozie" entertainers here this winter but these folks are head and shoulders above them all. They put on a 2 hour show for $5.00 and it was worth every penny of it. They travel from RV park to RV park in the southwest and South. They head on to Rockport Texas from here, we spent most of last winter in Rockport.

Rained hard here last evening, supposed to clear and be near 80 by the weekend. Sucks to be us huh??....

Another picture from east of Apache junction

This was kind of a pretty draw on one of our trips the other day. I think that trickle of water must come from a spring. In about 4 months this place will be over 100 degrees every day (and probably night). I bet those pioneers that lived in this country were double tough. Supposed to rain tonight...doesn't look very threatening at the moment. There's some musical/comedy thing tonight at the clubhouse. Apparently they're from Story Wyoming.. Might get a picture!!

Coming in from the south

A little different angle of the superstitions coming in from Tucson yesterday. Cloudy here today, maybe a little rain tonight...

Finished product

Deb-After a year of working on the swedish weaving throw....it is DONE. If it just doesn't fall apart when I wash it. Just joking, I hope.

Now, on to something new..

Hank- Went to Tucson and visited with Mike Mahar and his family today. Good to see and visit with old friends. Traffic in Tucson was a bit brisk but I must be getting used to it. Wasn't warm by Arizona standards today. Highest my truck thermometer said was 57.

Good to be home safe and sound..

Imax Theater

Went to an early Valentines day dinner at "Chilis". They have a cool Imax theater in the same area. We saw a movie there a while back. Lots of sound and action in one of those places.

If all goes right tomorrow I'm headed down to Tucson to visit with Mike Mahar. Mike's a Pinedale boy and we were in the army about the same time. He winters in Tucson then heads north for the summer. We've been good friends for 35 years or so. Probably be lots of traffic on the road as everyone is heading to the Renissance faire on weekends. It's about 100 miles down there so will probably start out with plenty of time to spare.

Did some maintenance work on the 5er today. Warm in the sun and cool in the shade.

Test pic

Just posting this test picture of Half Moon lake near Pinedale. Had it one an online photo storage place. If it posts then I figured out how to access those pics

Tarpon Springs Florida

Took a day trip a couple years ago when we were in Florida. Ended up in Tarpon Springs. It's famous for harvesting "sponges". Had some neat boats in the harbor. Tarpon Springs is a few miles north of Tampa Bay.

Taught day 2 of the memory course here today, some of these folks are developing pretty darned good memories. Was fun and I told a few war stories from my S.O. days. Was near 60 degrees today, the locals think that's cold.

Dinner theater

Yee Haww... Got me some of that culture. Well actually we went to "The best little Whorehouse in Texas" dinner theater in Mesa Az today. Was a great performance. Not exactly your tuxedo joint but was sure fun.

Balmy 61 here today. Another round of rain supposed to come in Saturday.

Touch of snow on the superstitions

Not too often that you see a skiff of snow on the superstition mountains. Had just that last evening. Boy it rained and rained (obviously snow up there), Power went out for about 2 1/2 hours. Hmmm, perhaps should go farther south..

Figuring out the "Mavika"

Debi engrossed in trying to figure out how to run the Mavika digital camera. I think I took this pic when we were in Zion park in November.

Cooler and rain here today. These folks in Arizona need all the water they can get. Got to get the truck back to Big O tires tomorrow. When they mounted one of the tires somehow it caused a slow leak. Just once I'd like to go get something done to the pickup or anything else and have it done right.

Home too early last year

This is what happens when you go to Pinedale too early in the spring. May 10, 2008...yikes..

Deb-Not too much going on here. I'm not feeling too good, so just taking it kind of easy. The meds should kick in soon.

The gourd fest was very good, I can't believe what they can do with them... to be so talented must be nice.

Gourd video clip

Moving gourd......more to follow.....

Gourds galore

More gourds...