A Senior's Lifestyle

SOLD Mid-Century Mobile Home, 55+ Resort Mesa, AZ P

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:39:00 +0000

I just visited with a mobile home park manager this morning. My husband and I took a mobile home in on a trade for our Motor Home. We will be selling it soon. The manager said that the company that operates the park will be moving new manufactured home in soon so we think the park will get a new look which will be good for the value .

Vintage Mobile home looks like
this inside. Stove, refrigerator, sleeper sofa,
small table, washer/dryer
and 1 double and one twin bed. 2 bedroom.
Sorry...no Lucy! 1964 Star Craft

Awing on both side offer shade and the mobile home faces south for warm summer sun.

The idea that we would be able to use the mobile home somehow had been incubating in our head for a few weeks. The mobile home is in wonderful condition...I am the one that is feeling very old!!Bedroom has two windows and two closets.

The mobile home is 10x54' and was built in 1964...can anyone say Lucille Ball??? It is very clean. The refrigerator is very nice...looks like new. The stove is the cutest shade of pink you ever saw and it too looks like it is almost new. And it matches the kitchen sink, bathroom wash basin and toilet. A dining room table of the 1964 vintage sits under ruffled curtains. When the curtains are open it is very light inside. The bedrooms are just the right size to house a double/queen bed and a twin. A new shower and hardware have been installed. All the walls are covered with real wood paneling stained naturally gold...something I had not seen in many years. There is even a darling transistor intercom/radio on the kitchen wall with speakers in every room. I just think it could be so much fun to own. If mid century is your interest then you have found a home...let you creativity run wild!!!!

The thing that really surprised me was the fact that it apparently has never been home to a smoker. It smells as fresh as if it were brand new! There are so many second hand stores in the area that I probably could even pick up mid-century furniture to furnish it. If I were younger I would lay new carpet (Lowes has installation specials going now...$139 for the whole house if you install what they have on the rolls or $39 if you buy an upgraded carpet.) and furnish it in keeping with the vintage structure. Then I could enjoy living in the solid structure for many many years. But I am not young and I like where I am now. (So does my husband...that is a good thing.)

I have listed it on Craig's List (listing here.) in Phoenix .

Note: For more information on owning this piece of Americana contact me at orencoopinions@gmail.com. My phone number is on the Craig's List ad. As the pitch man Billy Mays would have said "It is an opportunity to own this little baby for an incredibly low price and sit in the sun for part of each year! Rent on the space is less than $400 per month plus utilities. Or, since it has a large Carrier air conditioner and storm windows, so you can be comfortable living there year around."

Let me know if you need more information.

b

Malcolm Gladwells Tipping Points! Lifesaver Water Bottles...ViRob Robots in the Blood Stream

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Malcolm Gladwells Tipping Points! Lifesaver Water Bottles...ViRob Robots in the Blood Stream

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Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge Pictures

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:21:00 +0000

Note: I urge you to click on the images so you can see them full screen. It is very impressive

May of 2009

October 2009

Last May I posted about traveling over Hoover Dam on our way home from Arizona. I also posted several pictures of the area and of the Hoover Dam bypass bridge that is being constructed. I love this trip on so many levels. The scenery is spectacular, the dam construction is poetry on a high wire and the public areas on the dam are just a beautiful piece of Art Deco craftsmanship.

Last May the arch that will ultimately support the span over the canyon was not nearly completed. We were thrilled to see it joined together waiting for the road to rest on it's back. You could see the over head pulley system with buckets they are using to carry material and men(?) out onto the arch to work. I wish I had been there the day they put the keystone in place. It must have been something to see. Anyone have pictures?

I just thought you might be interested.

b

Items of interest:
Lolo's Extreme Cross Country RV Trips

Snow Birds: Oregon to Arizona...Ogden Canyon, Ut

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:24:00 +0000

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Ogden Canyon, Ogden Utah
October 4, 2009

We left Portland on Saturday, October 3rd. We arrived in Las Vegas on October 5. The stops on the way were both good experiences. The snow...well that was another thing. As we passed through Idaho on I-84 and then south into Utah it was just beginning to snow in earnest. We noticed in the news the next day it had snowed 2 feet. The unexpected seems to be the rule when we travel. If you are just beginning to travel or have done very little, I am suggesting that you do a humor check...the attitude has to be right or you will NOT have fun!

On the second night we stopped in one of our World Mark condo units located east of Ogden at Wolf Creek World Mark. (The resort is located 13 or so miles east of Ogden on Highway 39.) Even though it did snow as we were leaving, I did get some beautiful pictures of the area. All I could think was "Mother Nature must be a little surprised by this too." Snow fell on trees still covered with beautiful red and gold leaves.

We stopped at a restaurant set in Ogden Canyon for breakfast called The Oaks. Locals come here for the coffee klatch each morning. The restaurant has big decks outdoors and the view are spectacular. The food was just fine...not great but sometimes we take the trade offs and are glad for the view or location.

I am from the generation that remembers two lane roads, falling rocks and curves that demanded a honk before you went around them. We traveled on beautiful 4 lane roads from Portland all the way to Las Vegas. Save a few pot holes here and there the roads we well maintained. Unlike the trip through California where concrete is crumbling and any road that is not a major federal highway can be in very poor condition we found the highways in Idaho and Utah to be almost flawless. We traveled south to Las Vegas on October 5th and arrived here at our World Mark facility at rush hour. We had a late start that morning...pictures you know. It was not a hard day for us at all. I called as we were traveling toward Las Vegas outside of Mesquite to see if we could get bonus time. We booked into a room at the World Mark on Las Vegas Avenue and paid $52 for a one bedroom condo. We used our points for three nights at the resort. The rooms are beautiful.

We will leave here on Friday and travel via Boulder Dam to Phoenix then to Tucson. I will post pictures for your information. Hopefully no more snow. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Just thought you might be interested.

b

Boise, Id to Las Vegas via OGDEN, UT.

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:53:00 +0000

Isn't traveling fun...the truck stop food, the $3.28 per gallon gas with an out-of-order restroom...the snow on October 3? It is just a barrel of monkey flying down the road...really! Now if you do not have a sense of humor or are not grounded in the fact that life is not a smooth road to the sunshine, then you may not be able to laugh at what a trip will throw at you. I have a friend that says that my husband and I should not be allowed to leave our home. She may be right but we love the adventure. We were on trip near Three Mile Island nuclear facility in Penn. when it malfunctioned, we lived through black outs in Boston, we were in Spain with visas to go to Saudi Arabia when the war broke out in Iraq, we were on Koh Samui, an island in the Gulf of Thailand when the tsunami hit in the Indian Ocean, we have been on the destination part of our trip when the airline we had booked to come home went on strike...and the list goes on. But we have never seen it as a bad thing (well the broken down rest room was not good but still)...in fact we like the hard as well as the easy parts. We boldly call our mishaps bragging rights. I guess you can see what is coming...right?

This trip is no different in any way. We had planned to go to Estes Park in the Colorado Rockies but because the weather forecast called for sleet and cold wind, we decided to change our plans. We go to Arizona to escape just that kind of thing. We changed our booking with our time share and we are going to Las Vegas instead. Never did we dream that it would snow all the way from Boise Idaho well into Utah on I-84 going south toward Salt Lake City. Today is October 4, 2009. The temperature lingered at about 34 degree for most of the day. I can just imagine someone saying, "Here is the deal, you will be getting snowed on in October...no matter which way you go missy. Just tough up!" (that's cowboy talk in case you didn't know, only a cowboy would say just cowgirl up lady.)

We are now at a World Mark resort outside of Ogden, Utah. We traveled about 13 miles east of Ogden up the Ogden Valley. The resort is called World Mark Wolf Creek and is near the little community of Eden. If we were skiers this would be perfect in the winter. Powder Mountain is very close by. The resort ad touts "Over 7,000 acres covering three mountains adds up to the most skiable terrain in the US. With this much space, you won't share any of the 124 runs with a crowd." In the summer fishing would be an option. The large Pineview Reservior is just a short drive away. Utah.com says "Pineview Reservoir provides outstanding opportunities for boating, fishing and other water sports."

Or, if you are a golfer and would like a luxurious lodge to be your home for a few days, Wolf Creek Lodge is just next door to the World Mark Resort. They want you to come and enjoy all the services. "Your lodging reservation includes full access to our many mountain resort amenities that include championship golf, restaurants, lounge and bar, outdoor pools, spa, concierge shuttle service, plus special free and discount perks."

Our room is beautiful here at our time share. We pay less that $50 dollars to use 'bonus time' or that time that is not booked. We call about 10 days ahead to find a spot. Our room has a kitchen with everything we need to fix small meals...including a dishwasher. A separate bedroom allows one of us to go to bed early or even sleep in late while the other can rattle around.

So we ate a turkey dinner at a small restaurant called JC's in Tremonton (not really good) as we came down I-84. I will fix toasted cheese sandwiches later on this evening. We have a bottle of wine, a gas fireplace and a queen sized bed. Until tomorrow morning we are in a very wonderful place.

But best of all IT IS NOT SNOWING....YEAH!!!!

I just thought you would want to know!

b

Insurance Agent...a real person might have the best rate!!!

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:19:00 +0000

I only have a few words of advice...when you are shopping for insurance, don't forget the old fashions "Insurance Agent". My husband spent a great deal of time online, searching for the right insurance. In the end he found that, when he began to talk directly with an agent using our existing policy as a comparison, we were able to get car insurance with what we wanted for what we could pay. The company that had accident forgiveness, gave us a better deal because we were educated and did not punish us for being "senior citizens". Liberty Mutual was the company.

So my advice is, "TALK TO YOUR INSURANCE AGENT AND THEN TALK TURKEY!!!"

Just thought you should know.

b

Oregon to Arizona...the long way!

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:11:00 +0000

Image by Always at Home via Flickr

We are moving toward our selfish time of the year. In summers we come back to Oregon where we spend time with our children and grandchildren. Our days are filled with family. Then, as fall approaches, we begin to wander mentally to our little "doll house" in the desert of Arizona. The condo makes the transition from a busy center of life with a black cat to an empty cold shell. The black cat gets to go live with our daughter, the condo is shut down and we load our little Subaru with all the things we think we will need. Over the years we have managed to accumulate two of almost everything. I only want to take my big Mexican mortar/pestle set and a wonderful collections of spices/condiments. Golf clubs, computers and clothes (some very warm clothes for the Estes Park stay) are crowded in and we are ready to travel.

We will travel east from Portland along 1-84 across Oregon with a stop in Ontario. On day 2 we will continue I-84 to Twin Falls, ID and on south on Utah HWY 79 to Eden near Ogden. On day 3 we will go east again to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Day 4 will find us at our midway point in the trip, Estes Park, CO. We will just be tourist for a few days in the Rockies before we hit the road again. We have a time share with World Mark so our condo awaits our arrival there. Then we will go south through New Mexico on to Tucson, AZ where our park model is waiting to come back to life.

We travel using our timeshares a great deal. The World Mark has a wonderful feature that allows us to use those rooms that are not booked as bonus time with a charge of less that $50 dollars per night. We usually stay in a 1 bedroom condo. We will keep you posted on how that works out this time. We already have one night of bonus time booked outside of Ogden at a place called Wolf Creek (Eden, UT.)

So here is the wrap up. We will travel through Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and into Arizona. We will travel approximately 2200 miles. We will take a little less than two weeks.

Did I see that the price of oil went up again the morning? Sigh!!

Stay tuned!

Did you know that if you put the earphones to you ipod up your nose....

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:52:00 +0000

I love my grandchildren...bless their peeked little heads! They make me laugh, they make me cry, they occasionally make me want to run and hide. But, in spite of the hiding part, they mostly make me laugh.

I have a lot of teen aged grandchildren and one that is an "almost teenager". She is a great joy to me and hates it when I talk about her. So I will not mention her name...not today anyway. She has just gone to middle school where she hangs out with other middle school humans all day. She is not a baby any more she tells us and she thinks that being in middle school should prove that to us .

I took her to ballet after school this last week and offered to meet her at the front door of the school because it was the third day of school and we weren't entirely clear on what the drill was. I don't know what I was thinking. Oh my gosh...you would have thought I had offered to entertain at an assembly naked!! NONONONO!!! THAT IS A VERY BAD IDEA!!! she warned. I hid out in the parking lot ducking down as low as I could...she found me anyway. So I took her to her lessons as anonymously as a grandmother possibly can.

Her brother discovered the "pee hole" in his underwear when he was about 4...and had to tell me about it when we were streaking down the freeway at 70 miles per hour. "Grandma, know what I found out today...I have a pee hole in my underwear. Do you think grandpa knows about that?" The freeway almost had a huge pile up that day and there were reports of a hysterical older woman with a child in the back seat driving erratically on Oregon 26.

So yesterday when my nameless granddaughter came into the dinner room and announced that if you put the earphones to your ipod in your nose the sound will come out your mouth I should have remained cool. As she leaned over to let me listen I almost fell off my chair. My daughter and I were still laughing as she headed out the front door to visit with the neighborhood. Her parting words were "don't talk about me while I'm gone!" My daughter and I looked at each other in amazement. Would that be possible?

I'm just saying....!!!

b

Health Net: Ciprofloxacin Side Effects!

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:26:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Medicine Net When we think we need to self-diagnosis, the local coffee clatch is not the place to get your information. I found Medicin Net and think the information they have is wonderful. It is worth placing this in your book marks on you computer. Your doctor is a very busy person so every piece of documented information we take with us to an appointment can only work in our favor.

I recently suffered from a kidney infection severe enough to require a talk with my nurse practitioner. He prescribed CIPROFLOXACIN for the infection and the infection went away...a wonderful side effect to say the least.

But that is not my story...in this particular case I read the side effects carefully. I think I am just becoming more cautious as I grow older or maybe just wiser. One of the side effects it mentioned was tendinitis! Surprise. Since the drug is used to treat infections in the joints who would imagine that is would do damage to that area too. This is what Medicine Net said:

Ciprofloxacin as well as other antibiotics in the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics, has been associated with tendinitis and even rupture of tendons, particularly the Achilles tendon. Some physicians recommend that their patients discontinue vigorous exercise while they are taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

I forgot the warning totally because I was feeling well, several weeks had passed and I was busy with grandchildren day after day. Then I was making my bed one morning when I twisted my knee slightly and a sharp pain went down my left leg. Within a few hours the knee was noticeably swollen. But the pain was not severe and I went on with my life. I did not even take an aspirin or anyother pain killer. Still, what was that? I racked my brain for a cause for my knee to suddenly be wounded. It had felt fine that morning!

After several days of ignoring the ache and searching my brain for a cause, I remembered the warnings in the Cipro information...the part that came to my mind was the part that said the injury may not occur until several weeks have passed (I paraphrase).

It has been quite a while now, maybe over a month. I have begun wearing a brace, applying heat and taking an antiinflamitory I can buy over the counter. I did try resuming my long fast walks without the brace but that was apparently a bad idea. I am leaving for Arizona in a few weeks so I will wait to see if it gets better before then. You and I know that a visit to the doctor is a good thing so I may even do that if I don't get better with the application of heat and the brace.

(Medicine Net also had information on tendonitis, strains, sprains and some suggestions for relief before you visit the doctor. You might take a look at that too.)

If I do go to the doctor, I will go armed with the information I need. Self diagnosis can be very dangerous but information and knowledge always work in our favor. Or at least I think so.

Just a thought!

b

Traveling Western Europe Travel Book...Karen Brown's Books

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:58:00 +0000

Traveling western Europe? When we did that we needed some advice...some really good advice! I found this information this morning while drinking my smoothie and trying to convince myself to walk (the second day in a row) . This is what the 50 Something Info Blog had to say:

....I asked a former travel agent what she uses to get recommendations for accommodations and itineraries.
“Without a doubt,” she replied, “I use Karen Brown's Guides. The hotels, inns and bed and breakfasts aren’t inexpensive but they are always great.” She further explained that Brown doesn't cover every single country.

The books cover Italy, the British Isles, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and France. They are available at Amazon and I am sure that your local Barnes and Noble has it or can get it for you. We always travel with several guide books and this may be one we will add to our collection.

b

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Only the Good Fridays!!!

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:28:00 +0000

Friday is a good day in the week...
It is the one where young people work
They know that Saturday is tomorrow.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if it worked
that way all the time...that we knew work
brought a rest, lovely bites of things we love or time to do
"just what we wanted"?

I am oldish
and I can tell you now
it does work that way.
It is called retirement.
The Friday is your work life
The Saturday is that time we
Get to take all those lovely bites
of thing we love.
Surprise...!!!

b

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Car or Rv In Storage...you can save on insurance. But if you don't ask, they won't tell!!!

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:42:00 +0000

While we're far from home the other car sits waiting...and insured to the max. Or it used to be. Now we know better.

Tortilla Flats on the Apache Trail, Arizona.

You've all seen that commercial where the man offers the little girl a horse and when she accepts, he gives her a plastic horse. She loved it until the man gave her friend a real horse. When she says, "You didn't tell me I could have a real horse" he answers, "You didn't ask!"

So this is the way our insurance company operates. We have GMAC insurance on our two automobiles. I suppose the rates are comparable with other companies but we are finding there is more to those policies that we realized. The problem has been "We didn't ask...and they didn't tell"

We are just now discovering after 12+ years of travel that we could have put our extra car on a "storage option" and would have saved several hundred dollars over that number of years . But, when you read the information, there is no mention of this option...none that we could find anyway.

Snowbirds, if you are traveling south and leaving one car at home in the garage, put it on the storage option. If you fly home for a holiday, you should be able to call and have it insured for the 10 or 14 days that you use it and then put it back on the storage option again. When it is being stored, you are left with only comprehensive insurance but don't pay for collision or any of the other coverage you need when you actually take it back out on the road. You can also do this with your motor home if you store it for long periods of time.

I just thought you would want to know.

b

From flickr to your travel blog...how to add pictures!

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:30:00 +0000

Columbia River Near Arlington, Oregon
image by b

I have already written about our trip home from Arizona last spring. This picture is one of my favorites from this trip. I love windmills and stop to take pictures anytime we see them along the horizon.

That is not the information I want to share with you today. For those of you that love to write a travel blog, you know that pictures are an integral part of the whole when you tell a story. Blogger has a wonderful picture loading function that really does make it so easy. Many times though, I want to use the pictures I have saved on my flickr site (torristravels). It saves the time it takes to go through over a thousand images to find just the right one.

Last night I was adding a couple of pictures when I discovered a HTML function on my flickr account that allows me to add a a picture by copying the code and then just inserting it into my blog (click on Edit HTML just above your post page, add code from flickr and go back to compose. The image should appear on your post page.)

The secret flickr button is located on the page that opens when you click on the image in your flicker home page. The picture will open and just above it you will find options for your use of that image. Right in the middle is a + sign with the words "all sizes" When you click on this, your image will appear, choices for the size you want are given and below that is the HTML code that you can copy and paste onto your blog post page.

I have given you the large and medium images so you can see the differences.

Hope you find this useful.

b

If you want to use my pictures, you will need to ask for permission.
I will add...do not change your flickr account pictures that you are using on you blog...they won't come here on the blog if you do. Trust me-I know!!!

Portland, Oregon...river front dining for the out of town visitors!

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:37:00 +0000

Image by pondskipper via Flickr

River Place on the Willamette River is located very close to the core of the city. Portland is one of those beautiful places that reflects its location. Bridge Town is the nickname locals have chosen for this little gem of a big city. The downtown area faces the Willamette River. A wall built to protect the city from the ebb and flow of the Pacific Ocean tides allows Naval Vessels to dock on Tom McCall Waterfront Park during the Rose Festival. Bridges open to allow tall sailing vessels approach the city and locals use the waters for water skiing, fishing and pleasure boating.

Marina Fish House at River Place (floating)

Image by Barbara Torris
iphone
This last Saturday my husband drove downtown for dinner. We had chosen a restaurant in River Place before hand so we were not faced with all the choices for dining once we arrived. It was not the best restaurant I have ever eaten at but the location....WOW!! We sat outside on the sidewalk so we could watch people and the parade on the river. On a warm summer evening it is the perfect place for outdoor dining. In the winter month indoor seating allows for almost the same view at most of the restaurants up and down the promenade.

Mccormick and Schmick's has a wonderful restaurant here with outdoor seating under umbrella and is a very popular place on the weekends. Even though this is a chain, the restaurant originated in Portland so the menu reflects the food available locally. AND they have a wonderful happy hour which appeals to senior's for obvious reasons. It seems we like smaller portions, would prefer to eat a little earlier and the prices??? ...ridiculously low.

We have driven over the freeway that you see in the background many times. I have always wondered if the noise was deafening down below at the marina or the promenade that follows the water front. I was surprised when I realized that we could not hear it at all...at least not on a conscious level.

Marina at River Place, Portland, Oregon
Image by Barbara Torris
iphone

There are two hotels in this location. RiverPlace Hotel is located at the north end of the promenade. Residence Inns is probably the more affordable of the two and is located at the south end...under the freeway that flies across the sky in the background of the picture above.

I just thought you would want to know!

b

Death Panel = Advanced Care Documents Requirement? Not a chance!!!

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:07:00 +0000

I recieved an email the other day from a person with very good intentions. It was a letter written with another persons interpretation of H.R. 3200, the health care initiative. It is being circulated in the Catholic community so be careful if you get one of these letters. I am selecting just one line to give you an idea as to the tone of the letter:

Page 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3: Govt provides approved list of end of
life resources, guiding you in death. (assisted suicide)

It was the assisted suicide comment that caught my attention.

FYI

If you are a talk show host follower you might need to know if you don't already that the "death panel" part of the health care initiative being discussed in congress actually was an opportunity for doctors to discuss your Advance Care Document. And it was set up in such a way that doctors could do this with you every 5 years. The wording went like this:

SEC. 1233. ADVANCE CARE PLANNING CONSULTATION.
16 (a) MEDICARE.—
17 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1861 of the Social
18 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended—
19 (A) in subsection (s)(2)—
20 (i) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of
21 subparagraph (DD);
22 (ii) by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end of
23 subparagraph (EE); and
24 (iii) by adding at the end the fol25
lowing new subparagraph:
VerDate Nov 24 2008 12:51 Jul 14, 2009 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00424 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 C:\TEMP\AAHCA0~1.XML HOLCPC
July 14, 2009 (12:51 p.m.)
F:\P11\NHI\TRICOMM\AAHCA09_001.XML
f:\VHLC\071409\071409.140.xml (444390|2)
425
1 ‘‘(FF) advance care planning consultation (as
2 defined in subsection (hhh)(1));’’; and
3 (B) by adding at the end the following new
4 subsection:

‘‘Advance Care Planning Consultation
6 ‘‘(hhh)(1) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), the
7 term ‘advance care planning consultation’ means a
8 consultation between the individual and a practitioner
9 described in paragraph (2) regarding advance care planning,
10 if, subject to paragraph (3), the individual involved has
11 not had such a consultation within the last 5 years. Such
12 consultation shall include the following:
13 ‘‘(A) An explanation by the practitioner of
14 advance care planning, including key questions and
15 considerations, important steps, and suggested
16people to talk to.....

You can down load the H.R. 3200 for free at Buy the Bill.

As senior citizens or just plain citizens it pays to check before you forward emails or believe talk show hosts or even former vice-presidential candidates. They have in this case done us a real disservice.

b

RV Travel...Tucson, Arizona...the short stay!

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

I found a journal yesterday. It was one I wrote back in the days before my computer was a permanent part of my travel baggage. Reading a few of the pages brought back a time when I was figuring it all out. I had forgotten how basic things simply stymied a me upon arriving in a new city or even a small town. Wouldn't it be nice to just know everything right from the time you check into the motel or park the RV? I think it would!

After traveling up and down the Interstate I-5/I-10 corridors for 10+ years I have learned a thing of two. So let me share a few ideas with you...over the next few days.

TUCSON

RV PARKS IN TUCSON

There are two large RV Resorts in Tucson owned by Rincon Country . The westside resort is very large and has everything you could possibly want in that type of facility. It is located off Mission Road, close to A Mountain and the sunsets are sensational because the park is close to the Tucson Mountians. It is not close to downtown though. Their other park, Rincon Country East, is located on the east edge of the city and getting down town is a pain. But Rincon Country Resorts are not the only show in town. There are a number of smaller RV parks in Tucson. Just be warned that key words used to describe the park like "easy access from I-10" means you can see the freeway from your motor home and the noise on this very busy interstate highway will make a difference in how much you enjoy the view of the sunsets. Prince of Tucson RV Park is just one of the parks with a location like this.

Located on the north side of Tucson, Prince of Tucson does have some real advantages. Some of the best restaurants are close by, the University of Arizona and Desert Museum are all on the west side of town and that easy off the freeway also means it is easy on too. We avoided this type of location because we were in Tucson for long periods of time and we wanted a quieter atmosphere associated with a resort life style. But if we had been just passing through this would have been great. A quick, easy visit to a big city that has a small town feel can be a wonderful experience. So lets talk about what is available on that side of town.

RESTAURANTS

Tucson has some wonderful old standbys that should not be missed. El Charro's in the downtown location just happens to be one of them. From Prince you will get on the freeway, travel south to the Broadway exit, travel east to Granada, turn left and travel one block north to W. Alameda, turn right and continue east to N. Court Ave. Turn left on to N. Court. You will find a large parking lot across the street from the restaurant. Located in the barrio part of Tucson it features Sonoran style food. This kind of Mexican food is unique and for the adventurous eater, the perfect evening meal. PLUS a stroll around the neighbor hood is wonderful. There are several classic adobe type buildings in the area. This is the core area of the historic old Tucson barrio.

Remember, not only is Tucson a place where you can get a taste of Mexico it is also the home to a very large university. U of A is located just north of downtown Tucson and the stadium is visible from a considerable distance. If you are staying at Prince, you can get on the freeway and go south to Speedway, exit and go east and follow it east to 4th Avenue. The University will be to your right (south) off Speedway.

Caruso's

Here is where the fun begins. This huge campus is home to some really good places to eat. Caruso's, a wonderful old Italian restaurant is located on 4th Avenue and the neighborhood is a the place to visit late in the afternoon. Quirky shops line the street and a college atmosphere prevails.

University Blvd. is the main street that will enter the core of the campus. Park as close as you can get and pick a lunch/happy hour place. Anything will do I guess but I always go for out door seating if the weather is good. It is just fun to hang out late in the afternoon with college students. Friday night is especially busy...something I love a lot.

Arizona Inn

If you are up for a real dining experience find Arizona Inn located off Campell Avenue north off Speedway. Follow Campell north to Elm. This is a very old neighborhood and Elm is definitely not a main street so watch carefully. Turn east (right) and just drive slowly down the street, take in the old charming villas that line the street and find a parking place as close to the Inn as you can (on the right hand side of the street). Reservations are a good idea and you can eat in the charming old dining room or on a beautiful patio that has a view of the gardens. Or, if you just want to look, wander around, take pictures. Better yet book a room and stay in the great location. Arizona Inn is not a huge hotel so the atmosphere may be just what you want.

There is one last place I want to mention...The Hotel Congress in downtown Tucson. The Congress is an old hotel located near the Amtrak station on Congress Street. Since the center of the city has fallen on to hard times most of what happens in that part of Tucson has to do with business and government. The Congress is a quirky yet wonderful place for lunch. Exit freeway at Broadway going east you will need to go to 5th Ave, turn north, cross Congress and go to 10th Street, turn right and park in back of the hotel.

ARIZONA-SONORAN DESERT MUSEUM

The Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum is located on the west side of Tucson and believe me it is worth your time. Not only is the drive to the museum a treat, the museum in and of itself can take the whole day. Just when you think that desert is dry and empty you, you discover the wonderful wildlife and plants that live in this glorious place. You can get up close and personal with Javelinas, snakes and Hummingbirds. I absolute recommend that you take the time to visit this park. The Saguaro National Park is on the east side of Tucson and if you follow the freeway headed toward El Paso there will be signs to direct you there.

HOTEL/MOTELS
I am not going to go into the motels in the Tucson area other than to say that I would recommend that you find something near the University, near one of the big malls or in Marana north of town. There is a Four Points Sheratin and a Marriot less than a mile from campus. The motels located near downtown and the freeway are noisy and more likely to have problems with the clientele. Cheap is not really a good thing in this city. Remember, Tucson has one of the highest crime rates in the nation and you can just avoid that part of the scene totally by getting away from seedy motels.

These are just ideas if you should choose to stay in north Tucson. If you are in a motor home and just want to spend a few days this might be perfect for you.

Related Links:
Tucson Pubs

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Choices in Retirement Locations...ARIZONA VS FLORIDA

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:16:00 +0000

ARIZONA VS FLORIDA (not a football game)

If you are looking for a retirement locations, here is some information you may find interesting.

Florida it seems has fallen under the cloud of pessimism. Retirees from all over the nation have flooded the state with their presence and their money for heaven knows how many years. But when our country fell into a recession, seniors could have been the first to pull back and cover their losses. It could be that it has influenced Florida's real estate market causing a big bust and unemployment has risen to over 10+ percent. I am thinking that Florida is not where I want to be...but then it never was! You may decided differently.

Arizona, the state I fly away to in the winter, has an unemployment rate at a little over 8 percent. But then Arizona could be a little bit more down to earth. There are some very high rent districts but for the most part, it's people are not rich. For those that migrate in the winter to warmer climates looking for sunny weather and affordable living this is the perfect location. People from as far away as Scotland and Nova Scotia, Canada think our RV resort is the answer. And this resort is one of many many spread through out the state. In Tucson the small park models sell for anywhere from $5,000 up. Not bad for a place that you can live in for 6 mo. out of the year.

We are selling our RV and being paid in part with a trailer in Mesa. The units is 12 ft wide and 55 ft long. It is very old but in great condition. It is valued at about the same as the park models but has 2 bedrooms and two very large awnings. These places should last forever if they are cared for and they only need occasional cosmetic changes to make them into winter "doll houses". They are actually Arizona's version of a cottage at the lake. Nothing fancy but located in parks with activities to fill the days and nights. Cards, dancing, swim exercise classes, art facilities, woodworking shops, photography clubs....and the list goes on...are enough to keep everyone occupied. I have found that residents don't really want to go home when the season ends...it is pretty boring back home they tell me!

In the end, it is about trying a few places out and finding the state and community that works for you. If you are thinking that Florida is the place for you, there may be some great real estate deals for you. But if you are looking at Arizona, I know for sure that, even with a limited income, you can have lots of fun and keep a little change in your pocket.

No matter what happens in the "real estate" market, snow birds can live in a world all their own. Sunshine can always be found...optimism keeps everyone healthy and the life span of happy retirees should be longer than those that live in places that are filled with gloom and doom. This particular segment of society has learned to keep it simple. The boomers are going to learn a lot from them.

Just thought you would want to know.

b

Top Retirements.com
Arizona's Golden Corridor
Retire Net

Sold the RV....holy cow martha...did you know what a loss you take on those things!

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 17:53:00 +0000

Moonrise over the RV resort
2008
iphone

Image via Wikipedia

How to Sell a Motor Home
in the know information
(from a RANK amateur)

We have sold our motor home, a golf cart, given away a refrigerator, sold a park model and donated a pick up load of books to the library...all with in the last year. The things we gave away were things we absolutely could not sell. Believe me we tried.

We sold the RV by putting a listing on Craigs List...with almost no information!!! It said simply 35' RV for sale NADA price...$55000. We had two calls in one day. I have had it on Craigs list with a complete description forever and NOTHING!!! Very interesting. We sold the golf cart in one hour. I may sell my husband...we are on a roll!

The books were just a truck load of memories so we did not miss them...not yet. The refrigerator was older than God so we figured all we needed was for it to find a good home. The park model went to a 80 something woman that loved it...and we had bought another for the same price so it was a good trade...no extra money out.

But the RV...how cow Martha...did you know what a loss you take on those things. I feel like we have been sucker punched. Now I don't blame the buyer. I do blame the seller AND I blame myself. That had to be the dumbest thing we have ever done!!!! We are a whole lot wiser (notice I didn't say smarter) but there is no was to get it back.

But do I regret it...not one little bit. We traveled all over this country and saw things from the ground that we had flown over countless times. The experiences were worth every minute of it. The money would have been spent in other ways if we had not bought it and we would not have done all the things we did. When I say "life is not what happens, it is how you see the journey" that is what I mean. We shared experiences with our children and grandchildren, friends and we pleased ourselves! It was so much fun.

The deal will be completed within a week or two. There is still more money to be spent by us before we can complete this part of our lives. Then we are moving on to another adventure.

Oh, by the way, we will probably have a trailer (55/12, two awnings and a shed) to sell in a Mesa resort. And so it goes....sigh!!!

b

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It Was As Big As a Car...Great White Shark in Oregon

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:15:00 +0000

It Was As Big As a Car...Great White Shark in Oregon

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FREE Travel Idea...Tour Guide/Friend

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:12:00 +0000

Image by chad davis via Flickr

I mentioned the other day that I learned to travel independently by taking tours. It occurred to me that even a retired teacher could do what I did and get their trip free. You hear what I said....FREE.

My husband was a principal at a small school in eastern Oregon and he felt that the students needed a chance to "see the world" and at a reasonable price. So he proposed the idea to me that he would see if he could get a group of students together, find a tour company for students and I would accompany them as a chaperon. Not only would the student get to see the world...so would I. Now I had never been on an airplane ever. A huge city was Portland, Oregon or Boise, ID. I was an innocent in the travel world. But I was game.

The short version of what turned out to be a great adventure is we did it. I went alone the first time with eight students and the wife of a teacher that needed to get away for a while. She was my ninth "student" and my responsibility. We flew into New York City, stayed in a small hotel just off Broadway and had a wonderful time doing all the things any tourist needs to do. We saw Broadway Shows, ate Italian food, walked at night to the Empire State Building. But we also learned to use the subway, bus lines and taxis. We traveled by bus to Washington, DC, then on to Williamsburg and made other stops along the way. We walked long distances (by choice). We were gone for most of a week. It was so much fun.

I noticed that Edu Trips.com has the same program available now. They provide tours to Europe, Hawaii, Canada, the east coast of the United States and Los Angeles. They will pay the chaperone's travel with 6 paying students. It could just be the chance of a lifetime for a church leader, scout group or even just your child and their friends. Check into it if you are interested.

Just thought you would want to know.

b

Other tour companies:

Educational Tours
Mariden Educational Tours
EF Educational Tours

Technorati Tag: Travel

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More (the magazine) + Travel Cheap at Christmas

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:44:00 +0000

Magazine Recommendation

I have a new favorite magazine...it's for women that are 40+! So here is the deal...my old "old" is now my new "young"! (or something like that!) That is why I love More magazine. It is designed for women who are over forty ("Celebrating 40+" is the byline). The articles are pertinent to my life style even though I am in my late 60s and are a very good read. In a recent edition Phyllis Le Chat wrote an article called "How Not to Act Old...RAVE". And boy did she RAVE with gusto about a subject I find interesting!!!

We all tend to do this once in a while, rave that is...even those of us that are guilty of some of the sins she described. We don't "keep going" at the grocery store and tend to block the aisles while we try to find the right hair dye color, we don't text with our thumbs and well, we probably all still leave voice mails. Most of us wear watches and if we leave it at home, aren't smart enough to just check our cell phones for the time. Many of us are walking office or cocktail hour "archives", spouting more information than anyone ever wants. La Chat was just plain irritated by all these things and thought that, if you were still working, you should avoid doing these things...especially in front of your co-workers. In her mind, they just made you appear older than you really were.

I had to agree with her in that we do tend to do things that are "old" acting. The walking "archive" is a sure give away as is the stopping in the middle of the aisle at the grocery store (I do that and need to stop stopping in everyone's way!). After all the place is not a museum and if I can't find it, I should keep walking and ask someone standing in a corner.

Now this is where the new "old" is the new "young" for me. There was a time when I thought 50 was old. But not any more. I am 67, I don't work and all the people that I know that do are much, much younger than me. A working 50 year old woman seems a very youthful person to me. I am very interested in what they do and how their world works. They don't want to talk about it or anything in their lives for that matter, at least not with me...hence my interest in More. Many of the articles and features show clothing for women over 20, hair styles for a grown up woman, models my age and so much more (no pun intended). It is just good to see something, anything in a magazine that does not talk about getting older in a "wheel chair" tone of voice. You just might want to check on it.

FTI: More.com has most of the articles from the last issue.

Travel

We just purchased our tickets home from

Image via Wikipedia

Arizona for Christmas the other day...wow were they cheap. Going through Expedia we scored seats on Delta. We will travel round trip from Tucson to Portland for about $240 each. We will travel on Dec. 16 (Monday) returning on January 5 (Tuesday). We have an American Express card that gives us airline miles money that we can apply toward the charge for our airline ticket. We like to use them for big trips but we could have done this on this trip too. We would have had a free ticket.

Just for Fun

I think it was Steven Cobert from The Cobert Report that said "aarp" was what old people groaned when they got out of a chair. Or was that me? I am just not ready to belong to an organization with that name. When I get old maybe! (smile)

Have a wonderful day.

b

Tour Company VS Independent Travel

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:49:00 +0000

People's Square
Shanghai, People Republic of China

Guided Tour vs Independent Travel???

FYI...Nomadic Matt posted a blog about a guided tour company called Contiki Holidays. The article, Would You Contiki?, targeted travel mode choices, specifically back packing vs a tour company. He pointed out that we need to beware of tour companies claims that they are cheaper than independent travel. Back packing is probably not going to be my mode of travel. But I still find independent travel to be inexpensive and...well...independent.

Here is where I add the caveat. I have traveled with a tour company and it was just the perfect thing at the time. I was innocent and inexperienced. It would not have worked for me to travel independently in anyway. But, after doing the tour thing a couple of times on the east coast, I learned how to do it myself. A little research and a lot of common sense has allowed me to travel in a some exotic places.

So don't get rid of the travel pamphlets...you could take a trip with a tour company, learn what their tricks are (pick their brains folks) and then do it yourself. Go back to that wonderful place you didn't get enough of the first time and just hang out, doing things at your own pace and enjoy!

b

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Shanghai, China A Bloggers View

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:27:00 +0000

My son, his wife and our two granddaughters flew back to Shanghai, China today. They spend about six weeks in the states in the summer and have jobs in Pu Dong, Shanghai, PRC. They have lived in China for four years. So, as a result of this wonderful son's job, my husband and I have spent about six weeks in China over the last three years. When I say we have "been there and done that", I mean we really have been there and done that. AND I want to be there and do that again really soon.

Shanghai is just a wonderful city in every regard. It has been dubbed the "Paris of the Orient". Charming neighborhoods, interesting shops and just enough of the ancient city remain to make it very charming. The Chinese do not speak English fluently but they are very welcoming and helpful. Expats and tourist collect business cards for their favorite restaurants or locations and hand them to the taxi drivers. Usually you will arrive where you intend to be. The Metro subway system is absolutely wonderful and getting better all the time.

People Park
Originally uploaded by Always at Home

In the year 2010 Shanghai will the hosting a Expo 2010 Shanghai (上海世界博览会) on the water front near the down town. On May 1 the Expo will open to what is expected to be the largest crowds the World Expo's history. The are expecting 60-70 million people at a rate of about 400,000 per day. While this sounds like a huge number of people, we need to keep in mind that Shanghai is one of the largest if not the largest city in the world. Local people and return visitors might increase the count.

Preparations for this have been going on for years and, when they are done, they will have restructures a very large part of the water front on the Nan Pu River that divides the city. The Chinese have moved the shipyard out to an island and torn down some horrible slums to make way for the event. The city will put on a very big show for people around the world. (Widipedia information)

When China hosted the Olympics last year they doubled the size of the airport in Shanghai and over the last couple of years, they have also upgraded their subway system. We found it very easy to get to the center of the city from the east side, (Pu Dong). While shopping downtown is very expensive, you can still find bargains by asking about markets. There are fabric markets, eye glass markets, children's markets and even a wonderful knock off market. This knock off market is located in a subway station on the eastside and inquiries will lead to the location. While the government doesn't want to appear to be breaking international rules on selling knockoffs they don't totally shut this sort of thing down. The market was at one time in the open air in down town Shanghai. When the Olympics drew near they moved the market to it's new location.

Some of the best restaurants can be found in the French Concession. Just wander up and down the street and choose what looks good. You will not be disappointed. I can personally recommend Azul. By going to Frommers restaurant guide you will find the best of the best. I believe Fodors even has a listing in the back of all the restaurants in Chinese and we had a lot of success in showing the Taxi drivers this information.

For the ultimate dining experience, a trip to Pu Dong and the Grand Hyatt would be my choice. You will dine in a restaurant that is unrivaled. The food is magnificent, the view is...words fail me...and the service will spoil you forever. Your table will over look the Pearl Tower and the old city across the river. The evening we dined there the fog made the city look like a fairy land. Located in the Jin Mao Tower, (a building that was at one time the tallest building in the world and according to one website still the tallest in China), the Grand Hyatt has lived up to its name.

There are not many places in the world that I would go to again and again. Shanghai is the exception...I don't think we have even begun to understand and explore this city. We will definitely "be there and do that" again.

b

Portland Oregon Vacation...stay in the suburbs!!!!

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:09:00 +0000

Yesterday's answers: Barnes and Noble, Waterfront Park, Brew Pub in St. Helens, Ore., McTarnahans Brew Pub, Countryside view near Carlton, Oregon.

I have a wonderful suggestion for you if you are heading to Portland, Oregon. Go out to one of the suburbs and stay in a bed and breakfast or hotel near the Max line. It is our life style for everyday. We live in a Hillsboro neighborhood called Orenco Station. The planned community as it's very own grocery, restaurants, Starbucks and even a store that features pet supplies. A manicurist, Oregon Hazelnut store and foreign import shop round the services out. There is a Marriot Suites hotel as well as a small hotel called Orenco Manor Hotel Suites. I walk by these browns stone homes that now house the hotel daily. I cannot imagine a more luxurious accommodations.

My son and his wife fly in from China, rent a car and drive out to Orenco Station. They can then take Max to downtown Portland and spend the day. Or they can take the drive to the Oregon Beach area in a little over an hour. Wine country surrounds the area and so a short drive can take you to very small wineries like Helvetia Winery or the small wine shop, Renaissance Wine & Cigar, on Orenco Station Parkway has outdoor seating for a late afternoon wine tasting very near your vacation accommodations. We love a drive out to the site of the old Rock Creek Tavern. McMenamim's has rebuilt an exact replica of the original tavern after it burned several years ago. The feature live music on Friday and Saturday nights. It is situated in the countryside and the outdoor seating is hard to top.

I just thought you would want to know. The adsense ads in the sidebar might have something for you or just follow the links.

b

Where in the world am I? Hint: Portland, Oregon Metro Area

orencoopinions@gmail.com (b) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:42:00 +0000

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