The Planets have not quite been aligned

It's been a bit since our last post.  We left Arizona on Sunday Feb 27th.  On the way out of town we thought we had a tire down because the coach was shaking almost uncontrollably when driving over 30 miles per hour.  We went to a truck stop which took 2 hours to get to because we couldn't take the freeway and had to drive so slow.  When we arrived I was outside the coach and noticed the back wheel was not turning when Tom backed up.  So we took it to the repair shop and realized on a Sunday evening there was an hour wait.  While there I sat in the driver's seat and realized we had not turned off the leveling jack system.  Although the levelers were up the air was in staying in the system and that was making us shake.  We also realized the dogs had stepped on the tag axel button and let all the air out.  Lesson learned, we moved on to drive out of town on our way back to California.   We stopped at a rest stop and the auto step motor stopped so we had to push the step back manually.  Geez...all the little things that break when you purchase a used vehicle.  At least they are small and it's like an engine blowing up....knock on wood.

Once we were back in Redondo Beach we stayed in a parking lot by the mall.  We decided to get a hot spot so we could get connected to the internet when not in a wifi spot.  We purchased a hot spot and found it would not connect our toshiba laptops but it would connect our desk tops.  Seems there is a conflict with Toshiba.  Honestly how does that happen??? Whatever, we had to return it and get another one, but only from customer service so we had to wait.

Then we are ready to leave on Wednesday to go stay at our friend's house so we pull the coach together and pull in the slides.  The bedroom slide won't go in properly.  We try and try but no go.  So we get it in the best we can and head over to the RV service center in Torrance.  They tell us the best they can do is fix it the next day but they have 2 mechanic on jury duty.  I am thinking really 2guys the same week.  What are the chances of that.  So we stay the night in the parking lot at the RV center.  The next day they can fix it.  Turns out metal fatigue made the bar break so they welded it and put in a new pin, which was snapped.  Finally we are hooking up to leave and head down to ours friends house in Huntington Beach at 5:00 pm on Thursday.  We hook up the car and start to roll when I notice in the camera the car is fish tailing.  So Tom stops and I go back there and see that the tow bar has come off the front of the car and with the momentum of the car moving the bar punctured the AC radiator.  After some further investigation we found someone had stolen one of our pins which holds the tow bar on.  Luckily we were able to unhook the car and drive it without the AC on.  We made it to Huntington Beach, parked and had a giant margarita.  It was a BOAT week....

B-Bust
O-Out
A-Another
T-Thousand

We were able to get the car fixed by Saturday and got the bar which was bent fixed.   The silver lining was a great time at our friend's Richard and Leslie.  They were gracious to let us stay at their home for 5 days.  Even letting our dogs come in, sleep and visit.  Our Sam only chased their Sam ( the cat ) once.  We had a great time.

We came back to Redondo Beach on Mar 8th and I had surgery on March 9th to take the screws out of my foot.  The surgery went well and now I am sitting around again waiting for the healing process.  Scooting on my bottom to move around.  Glad we have marble floors.  I just need a cloth on my butt and I can polish the floor at the same time.  Now we just need get this rodeo going and get on to our adventure.

We are currently at the Antelope Valley Fair Grounds in Lancaster.  Going to visit family and see friends while here.  Hopefully we will be heading up to Idaho soon.

Thanks for reading our blog....

Watching the Pancakes

There is a small sofa next to the kitchen counter where I cook.  Sam, our dog, sometimes sleeps there.  So the other morning I was making pancakes and she was asleep until she smelled them.  I think she awoke in heaven.  Never before had she been so close to the kitchen counter and the food being prepared.  Those eyes were saying "Are all those for me?" .  Needless to say "No they are not."  She was a statue the whole time I cooked those.  After that night the dog beds are on the floor again.

Today we are heading back to California, unfortunately because I have to go to the doctor and then next week have the screws taken out of my foot.  It is what it is.  We are leaving a day early to take our time and maybe take a detour to Colorado River.  We'll see what the day brings.  Not having a plan is little out of my comfort zone but I knew going in that that would be the case.  I always need a plan, a list and know what's going to happen when.  Probably the control freak inside me.  Just have to quiet down that side and let the day roll on.  There won't be any internet for a few days until we get settled some place.  I don't think the Wal Mart parking lots have wifi for the full time RVers who stay there while passing through.  So see you in a few days with an update.

Life on the Road in Arizona

It feels weird to be on an extended "something"...Not sure what to call it for me, (Lorraine). Tom is retired or Semi retired.  I have always said I will work till I die and here I am not working.  Kind of strange.  I do hope to find some odd jobs while on the road when we stop for extended stays here and there.  Right now it doesn't really feel like we are on the road yet.  Although I don't know what it's supposed to feel like.  

I do like the openness of this area of the country as compared to Los Angeles.  The roads are more open and everything is more spread out.  The buildings in most places are newer and things seem cleaner.  I like the restaurants better.  Maybe it's just being in a different place  I don't know, we'll have to see as we travel around.

The Arizona sunsets are beautiful. As you will see from the pictures above.  That was a picture from our coach about 2 weeks ago.  

Dinner at Sassi for Valentine's Day

Tom took us to Dinner at Sassi in Scottsdale.  It's a mountain top restaurant with a spectacular view of the sunset over the city.  We had a wonderful time and a terrific meal.  It was a chance for us to finally take a deep breath and enjoy ourselves after the last few months of getting ready to move. 

Bill and Kiki's

Last Friday night we went over to Tom's long time friend Bill's house.  We had a great time drinking wine and chatting.  It was wonderful to see their girls Dana and Quinn.  I helped Kiki (Bill's wife) to get on Facebook, so now she has come into the new age.  The night went very fast and before we knew it I think we went through a few bottles.  Tom was a little beyond driving so I drove us back.  I was glad he knew where he was though.

Ash and Emersen posing with Kona. Not sure if Kona is thrilled.

Emersen licking her bowl from the Easy Bake experience.

Ashton intense watching his movie.

Emersen loving Sam up. They were quite a pair.

An evening with great friends

We had Bill and Kiki over last night in the coach.  This is Tom's friend Bill from his high school days.  We had a great time catching up.  We all shared a magnum of Dom Perignon 1992 it was fabulous.  Our first cocktail party in the new digs.