Places We Have Called Home In 2019

Home Is Where We Park It:   UMOM New Day Centers, Phoenix 

Nov 29, 2109

Temperature 65 Degrees

A Wild Sleepless Night

We knew the weather was supposed to be bad.  But it was a lot worse than we ever expected.

When we went to bed it was relatively calm.  No wind to speak of and no rain at all.  That would all change rather quickly.

3 am in the morning we were startled awake by a loud, and I mean loud, bang.  What in the world?  Then again, and again.  It was the wind – gusts in the range of 25 to 30 mph according to the forecast –  slamming square into the driver side of Graybeard.  The jacks were down as they had been since we arrived here but we were still rocking from side to side.

The covers over the roof vents were slamming up and down.

The slide topper on the front slide was trying to self destruct and making a racket in the process.

In addition we could hear Gertrude starting to walk across the roof above us.  She had a tether on her in case she decided to go over the slide – but would it hold?

Out I went and up on the roof.  OK, Gertrude was holding her own for the time being.  I pushed her more toward the center of the roof and made sure her tether was still in place.  Thank goodness I did.  By morning’s light she was on the edge of the roof and about to go over, held back only by her tether.  I’ll find a couple of sandbags to hold her down and keep her centered during future storms.

The covers for the roof vents, nothing could be done about them.  The clips were in place and would hold.  But they would continue to slam up and down for the rest of the night.

The slide topper on the front slide, that was an easy one.  We brought the slide in and that solved that issue.

Sleep at this point in time was impossible.  The winds continued for the next several hours.  Scrap metal from the yard behind us went flying over us and landed in the parking lot.  Thankfully, nothing hit us.

It was all over by morning’s first light.  You can bet that naps are on today’s agenda!

We’ve been in several other storms of this magnitude but I guess what made this one so bad was that it was hitting us broadside.

Thankfully, we made it through without an issue.  Graybeard is like the proverbial Timex Watch, he can take a licking and keep on ticking or in this case can get slammed around but never cave or give in to the storm. It’s at times like this that we’re so thankful for the great rig that we have.

That’s it for us on The Road of Retirement.  The winds have died down.  The temperature is dropping quickly tonight.  7 pm and we are already down to 45 degrees.  We have a heat pump.  We have an electric heater.  We have blankets.  We have warm PJ’s.  We’re ready.  Bring it on.

Thanks again for checking in with us.  We always appreciate your company and your comments.  Catch you again tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before

See you on down the road!

Places We Have Called Home In 2019

Home Is Where We Park It:   UMOM New Day Centers, Phoenix 

Nov 28 , 2109

Temperature 68 Degrees

Wishy Washy

Second Thanksgiving Dinner With our Nomads Family

So far so good.  The weather is still quite mild and there is no rain.  That will change tonight.  The forecast is for falling temperatures, and for heavy rain and wind gusts up to 30 mph.  Bring it on we’re ready for it.  We’re snuggled down as warm as a bug in a rug.

This being a Holiday for the UMOM staff it was a perfect time to take everything – and I mean everything – to the

One of the benefits that we enjoy is that we have access to a commercial washer and dryer free of charge.  It is in continual use during the work week but on holidays and the weekend it is available for our use.  Today, I took our clothes, the sheets and blankets, and the couch and chair covers over to be washed.   Everything is now spiffy and clean.

Can you remember Thanksgiving Dinner with your family?  I can.  It was a wonderful time to get together and just share the day together.  What happens, though, when that family is no more?  Or so few in numbers and so scattered that coming together is a real issue.  So what do you do?  Why, you find a new family to gather with.

That’s what Barbara and myself did today.  We gathered with our Nomads family for a Thanksgiving Dinner.

 

This was somewhat of a different kind of Thanksgiving Dinner.  No turkey, or stuffing, or mashed potatoes, not even gravy.

So what then was on the menu?  Would you believe the main dish was Jambalaya.  Here is the man behind the dish bringing it in.  This is Anton our Thanksgiving cook.

We also had a special Brussels sprout dish, corn bread, chips and dips, pumpkin pie, rice pudding, apple crisp and so much more.

Time to dig in.

Anton, our cook on the left; Tim, a former member of the team back for a visit, on the right.

Sandy and Cathy

A good time was had by all as we spent the better part of two hours eating and sharing memories of past trips, RV parks, and all other kinds of stories.  It was a fantastic way to spend a Thanksgiving afternoon.

That was our day on The Road of Retirement.  It’s now late afternoon and the rain and wind has arrived.  We just made it back from the hall where we were gathered before the heavens opened up.  Now it’s time to turn the heater on, grab a blanket, find a football game to watch and just kick back and relax.  Life doesn’t get much better than this.

Thanks for checking in with us today.  We always appreciate your company and your comments.  Catch you tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before

See you on down the road!

 

 

Places We Have Called Home In 2019

Home Is Where We Park It:   UMOM New Day Centers, Phoenix 

Nov 27, 2109

Temperature 59 Degrees

The Big News is There is No News 

Down With A Cold

Short, sweet and to the point – there is nothing really to report.  Several projects were finished today.  No new ones were started.  We’ll wait until next week to pick up the pace again.

The only big news is the weather.  They say we are in, like I’m sure most of you are, for two major storms.  Flash flood warnings continue to pop up on a regular basis.  If you are traveling the next few days please be safe.

Your’s truly is down with a cold.  I’m cold, then I’m hot, I’m tired and then I’m not.  I have a cough I can’t get rid of.  Added to all of that sleep right now evades me because I spend most of the night hacking away.  Fun, hey?

Barbara, thankfully, is still in good health and I’m hoping that I don’t give her what I have.  Two of us sick at the same time is not, trust me, a pretty sight.

Let me end by wishing all an early Happy Thanksgiving.  Hopefully, you are as blessed as we are this season.  My mom is in a better place, free from all pain and suffering.  The Lord has definitely been good to us as we’ve traveled this great land this past year.    We’ve made a lot of new friends over the past months.  Challenges have been met and overcome.  We’ve discovered and visited so many wonderful, exciting and fascinating places.  We’ve had the opportunity to give back through NOMADS.  What a great life we lead.

That, then, is where we are at on The Road of Retirement.  Let me close today’s blog with this:

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before

See you on down the road!

Places We Have Called Home In 2019

Home Is Where We Park It:   UMOM New Day Centers, Phoenix 

Nov 26, 2109

Temperature 68 Degrees

Working Oh So Hard

Our First Thanksgiving Dinner

Odds and Ends Accomplished

What an absolutely beautiful day to wake up to!  Yes, a bit on the chilly side with a temperature of only 49 degrees.  But the sun is now shining bright and all is right with the world.  However, flash flood warnings are already being posted for Thursday into Friday.  Looks like more rain and wind is on the way.  The higher elevations like Flagstaff are probably looking at 1 to 2 feet of snow.  Now how about that.

We’re on what is called a drop in schedule until after Thanksgiving so our work days are usually shorter with not so much to do.  Now for those who have had one too many pictures of us painting walls and what not, do I have something new for you.  Here are some action packed pictures of our new project – ready for it – removing staples from pile after pile of filed material.  Seems they have to be scanned in and the scanner balks at staples.  So, our job is really quite simple, get them out!

Exciting, hey?  A dirty job but someone has to do it.  Of course we answered the call.

Today was Thanksgiving Dinner for the staff and we were invited.  What a spread was set out.  There was smoked turkey, ham and cows cheek (yes, strange but good).  There was also mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, as well as cranberry relish sauce.

There were trays of rolls

lots of soda to drink

as well as plenty of pies and a cheesecake.

The conference room tables were set and decorated.

Many hands made light work of readying the table for the crew.

The table ready and waiting for the hungry crowd to come.

Now, let the eating begin!

One half of the group that assembled today.

We have a tough life, don’t we!

What else is going on?  I’ve made a resolution.  Sitting and reflecting on my flight experience this past weekend I have resolved never, ever to get on another plane.  If I can’t drive my home where I am needed then I’m not going.  At least that is the way I feel today.  Time will tell how long my resolution will last.

In other news.  The new door lock came today and I was able to install it.  Of course things didn’t quite go as planned.  Three simple screws in and out was all that there was to it.  Three simple screws that did not want to cooperate.  I was as stubborn as they were and in the end I won.  Yipee!

I also got the storm windows in the door.  Emptied the tanks.  Ordered the new blind (that’s right I did that yesterday!).  Picked up a bit around the homestead.  Rebooted Gertrude.  The typical stuff one does almost anywhere at almost any home.  Odds and ends that need to be done.

That was our day on The Road of Retirement.  Sun is going down and so is the temperature.  Winter has come to Phoenix.  Life as always is good.  Thank you Lord for the precious minutes you give to us to live.  May we always cherish each and every one.  So we will, we will continue to travel on down the road, hand in hand, singing our song.

By the way saw this on a wall in my sister’s house and thought, how true indeed

Thanks for checking in with us today.  We always appreciate your company and your comments.  Catch you tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before

See you on down the road!