Pirate & Kitty ~ The "Gypsy Rose" RV Chronicles

Regional Cell Phone Service vs Nat'l

2011-11-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

Wow...we got slapped upside the head hard by US Cellular! Seems they are only a regional carrier, and although they tout nationwide service, that only includes their voice. Oh, you can get data nationwide, but it costs them for us to use another provider's towers. We cost them $1000 last month! We've been with US Cellular for over 13 years and we checked ahead of time to make sure that keeping them would be ok. "No problem!" That's what we heard from both their toll free customer service and also their in store people. Never was it mentioned that we could not use data while roaming. And since we are always going to be roaming, this isn't going to work. To US Cellular's credit, they will NOT be charging us a cancellation fee...it's cheaper to dump us!

So, we're now with Verizon, a National company. And actually, we got free phones and also we will be getting the same service for around $10 less per month than we were paying. I'm sure that these economic times are hurting everyone, and before now, this was not an issue for US Cell. I asked them why they are making this an issue for their customers, and she just kept saying we're costing THEM, too bad, figure it out. WOW, and this is after we've been loyal to them for 13 YEARS!! Verizon was amazed we'd been with any company for such a long time, as it's pretty much unheard of in the cell phone industry. We were able to do everything over the phone, and our new phones will be Fed Ex'd to our site on Weds.

So, what does everyone else do out there for their phone/internet service? Especially those who don't travel to the same spots each year. Although we will be staying here at Leaf Verde through April, we probably won't be here next year, or if we do return, not for the seven months we're doing this first winter out. So, dear RV Family, how do you handle this? It sounds like Verizon will be our answer, but we're curious! Thank you!

Miss Tracie is doing ok, as ok as one can be dealing with death for the first time. I booked her plane tickets for Christmas, and we're anxious to get our hands on her and love and smooch her to bits. We can't even begin to express how much we appreciate all of your prayers sent her way. Poor sweet Tracer....I wish she never had to know this pain, yet we all know death is a part of life that must be dealt with. Knowing so many 'strangers' are in her corner helps more than mere words can convey.

We're getting rained on here in AZ!! Hope everyone is dry and warm!!

Love is alive at Cancer Treatment Centers of America Phoenix

2011-11-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Wow, has this been internet hell this week! Not just heck, but true Hades. We finally had to get access through the park, which wasn't too bad at $10/month. I would just like to know why my phone is so messed up. We're paying an extra $25/month to have our phones be mobile hot spots, and this last week they haven't worked for beans!!

Speaking of beans, Pirate and I went to Roman's Oasis in Goodyear, AZ on Saturday for a chili feed. Wow, was it a hoot. Roman's is one of the most eclectic spots ever! There is even a tree growing out of the building and also an old power pole that they had to build around. Everywhere you look, there is something else to see...license plates on the wall, signed dollar bills, Elvis in the corner...and the giant chicken out front goes nicely with the giant pirate on the roof!

This chili feed was to raise money for the local fire departments' Angel Network to make sure ALL the kids have presents under their Christmas tree. It was a great time, and one contestant even brought music and a microphone. We were standing around talking and having fun when we met Rosa. Rosa is an Angel!! We were talking about giving, chili feeds and toy runs...Rosa told us about another chili feed going on in Wickenburg on Dec 5th. While she was telling us this, it came out that she works at Cancer Treatment Center. Then we asked her about her job...and the flood gates of love opened. I've never met someone so passionate about their work!

Rosa told us how CTCA works, how the patients are so truly loved and cared for...and that her only wish was that she could do MORE!! Wow, I wish my words could truly capture her spirit. Her husband Bo looked on with such love in his eyes, it melted us. You can count on us being there on Dec 5th, if only for another chance to help kids and to be in the same room as an Angel again. Rosa, you blessed us with your love so deeply. Thank you! I just wish I'd been able to get on line sooner to write about you, Dear! Tell your dear husband we said to take good care of our Angel!

The park is really filling up, and the season has started! I take Scooter for a walk in one direction, come back the other way to more rigs. We still don't have any next door neighbors, and our loud Canadians boys across the road have calmed down...as has the Pirate. One ol Boy is about deaf, and I asked Pirate to have the compassion we would want if MY hearing continues to go. I'm sure they were also just excited to see each other the first few days, as now they tend to stay inside their own rigs much more. Susan, our activities director has many things planned each day for those wanting more contact with their neighbors. So far, I've been feeling so punky that I haven't even got to met Susan yet!! And, let me tell you about Leonard, one of the staff here. He not only loves dogs, he helps you spoil them rotten! He has our growly ol girl climbing in the cart with him, accepting pets along with the treats he doles out. Scooter is now letting complete strangers, even MEN!! pet her!! This is nothing short of a miracle. And Leonard went around to each site that has a dog and 'trick-for-a-treated' them while the goblins were out and about! We sure love how friendly everyone is here, but Leonard deserved special mention.

There are still several open spots here, and we are really enjoying the Valley Life. We're still tempted to buy a home here, but we're holding strong! Wow, the deals are unbelievable...and we could rent it out for a few years...but thankfully cooler heads are prevailing. I will mention that it's not all a bed of roses down here. I'd use caution in the Mesa area...it seems that every day there is an officer shooting, someone dies, is abducted or some other horrible crime happens to them. We've seen so crazy drivers down here, too. Pirate has promised me that no matter how hot it is, when he's on the Harley, he's wearing his leather. Did you know it's A-OK to make a U-turn....oh, just wherever y'all wanna make one. I'm sure that Arizona would like you to do so safely, and courteously, but all of the drivers I've seen do it don't even look behind them!! Crazy!

Okie, doke folks, don't know when I'll be online again, so stay safe and have some fun. Our big goal now is to get the RV washed and the roof protected. And for heaven't sake, get those wheels covered up! The UV rays will damage them!! I can't believe how many rigs I see without even the fairly inexpensive wheel covers. Go grab a board if you can't afford anything else...it's so important for safety's sake.

Thunder in the Desert

2011-10-26T00:12:00.000-07:00

Whoa...I have never seen anything more beautiful than the storm we had blow through around 6 pm tonight. Since "The Valley" around Phoenix is very large...basically a big flat spot ringed by mountains in the distance...you could see it coming for miles. Clouds heavy with their soggy burden, with jagged spikes of lightening leaking form their belly, lumbered across like curtains billowing in the wind. AMAZING!! The sky took on hues of red and orange like I've never seen. Then...the wind and rain! I should say Wind and Rain. The display tonight deserves capital letters. It was all over within an hour, but what a show! I really dig storms, and experiencing one in an RV was beyond my wildest dreams. The sound, the feeling of exposure, the feeling of being within the storm, yet somehow safe...I'm trying to put it into words, but my mind is failing me... grandiose $10 words just cannot describe the beauty.

Thank you all for your prayers for Miss Tracie. The service will be held on Friday, with a get together on Saturday. Luckily, she has the greatest friends, and she will not be alone in her absolute grief. Unfortunately, as it seems with almost all deaths, nastiness had taken root and there is now a burden of accusation and betrayal invovled with her step mother, with harsh, hurtful, damaging words being purposely said to my grieving child. This Momma Bear is not pleased, but Trace is handling things with more grace and courage than I've ever seen in a soon-to-be 27 yr old young woman. If I could only heal her heart...or beat the living crud out of .....sigh....no use getting my foot in it any farther. I said my piece, and things that were dishonored on his facebook page were changed, but some of the other things that were said still make my blood boil. My solace is Karma...the much bigger bitch than I could ever be. What goes around comes around.

Do YOU have your will, insurance beneficiaries current? Do you have a living will and have your final wishes spelled out? PLEASE don't leave this burden for your family to sort out on the worst day of their lives. This is especially true if you are in the middle of life changes, such as divorce, adopting a child, have step children or foster kids you consider your own. Unfortunately, there was a pending divorce, and these items were not taken care of. Don't we all think we're going to be in control of our final days? Won't we all live forever, or at least to a 'ripe' old age. We all think we're healthy and too young, don't we? Who thinks at 25 that you've lived half of your entire life?! What would you do differently right now if you knew that you'd be gone at age 50?

Time, we all think we're the boss of time. Especially our own time. One thing that I do know, is I'm thankful for each day that I'm spending living my own dream with my Soul Matey by my side. I'm so fortunate that I've met my Dream Guy and get to spend each day wondering what he's gonna do next. That's I'm loved unconditionally. We laugh every day, and I have no regrets for asking for that first motorcycle ride. Together, we're unstoppable.

On a much, much lighter note that actually does have a question regarding RV Park etiquette. The park we're in is pretty large, with 377 spots. Being this close to so many people is becoming a challenge. Our 'neighbors' across the road from us are apparently hard of hearing. These ol' boys are brothers or extremely close friends and are parked adjacent to one another. They spend most of their time outdoors on the patio sides of their rigs. And they talk...A LOT! Since one of the ol boys can't hear well, the other talks excessively loud...and excessively! We joked the first night they pulled in that he must talk in his sleep!! Pirate has been having quite a time sending love their way, to say the least. What would you do? My suggestion is to go speak to them and explain that we can not only hear their every word, but they are drowning out our television and stereo.

Thank you all, once again, for your continued prayers and love sent Tracie's way. It means the world to us.

Daddies and Daughters

2011-10-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

Rest in Peace Dale

I let those on Google + know that my daughter's father passed away Tuesday. This blog entry will have nothing to do with RVing, just so you know that up front. I'm finally able to write it out, so to speak. This one is just for me and my Daughter.

If you're still reading, I'd like for you to come away from this post feeling inspired to right any wrongs in your past, to forgive, make peace, step forward, go the extra mile...because this is a cautionary tale with a happy ending...sorta. When Trace was 4, her father and I divorced. He was very upset, and decided that to leave the area would be best for him. He would come visit Tracie, or his parents would take Tracie to Oregon, but slowly the times became less and less...by the time she was 7, she no longer had contact with him.

There is no judgement...I get it. You stay away for a bit because it's easier and hurts less to reinvent your life. Then time passes. Then more time passes, and you turn around and it's a year, it's two years, it's 17 years and you don't know HOW. You're so afraid, you just keep doing the same thing, because that's what you know. I am so glad that his new wife helped him seek Tracie out and supported him through reuniting with her. Things didn't go so great with the rest of his family, but the most important relationship went beyond his wildest dreams.

During the time he was gone from Tracie's life, I met and married that ol Pirate. He became her Daddy, her friend, her man she can always count on. Tracie is so blessed to have gotten not only a biological father, but a man who loves her unconditionally and will always be there for her in her step father. (We don't use "step" 'round here...we're all just family.) And the one person who can always make Tracer smile is her Dad Pirate. Even through the tears on the phone Tuesday, Pirate was able to ease his youngest daughter's heart with lightness and love. I love and respect that so much in my husband. See why I'm over the moon about this man?! He's just amazing....

Please take the time, right now, to comb through your mind and see if there are any regrets you can fix, any love still to give, any mistakes or choices to change....Dale died from an accident in the home...something that could happen to any of us tomorrow. Just because your health may be fine, your age may be what is considered "too young to worry about dying," don't take tomorrow for granted. You NEVER know what the day is going to bring when you wake each morning. LIVE it, do it, breathe it, accept it, make it happen, put it on the line, ask for love and forgiveness, and give it right back.

Please remember Miss Tracie in your prayers. She has so many emotions to figure out. Thank you, Friends!

Trying out a new template, so let me know what you think!

2011-10-15T00:26:00.000-07:00

I am having a hard time with it as far as ease of use for me, but as a reader, you can choose how you read the blog. My issue is the options at the top right are no longer there for me to quickly reach the dashboard.

We flirted with disaster this week...we almost bought a house down here in Buckeye. The houses are just so cheap! And we're talking luxury homes, with marble counter-tops, tiled floors, garden tubs in the master bathroom with walk in closets. Ok, it was the garden tub that got me. I miss having a bath! But we would have to furnish it, as we gave away or sold all of our stuff. Thankfully, we came to our senses before we went too far. We just know in our hearts we are supposed to be mobile. It's what fits for us.

Today is the one year anniversary of our Boone going to Rainbow Bridge. I've gotten all of the snot from my nose and wiped my tears...well, Scooter came over and licked the tears dry, but you get the idea. Boone was our 'once in a lifetime' dog. I love that saying, which I heard from another resident here at Leaf Verde. Her love was a boxer. We cried with each other out at the dog park, telling our stories and it felt so good to share Boone with someone who didn't know him. I've decided that instead of cry because I lost him, I'm going to celebrate his one year anniversary of being able to see again at Rainbow Bridge...of no longer being in the pain he so stoically hid from me...of being able to run again, to FLY thru the air! Miss you, Momma's!!

the zebra tat is the memorial

Thank you, to my Inkslinger, for helping to heal me with love when he painted the oil portrait of Boone and for going that extra mile when I requested a tattoo with B's ashes in the ink. Boone walks with Mommy Forever!

Pirate spent the day running around the Greater Phoenix area with his pal Mikey today. When we were looking towards the sky tonight to try and catch a glimpse of Sky Lab passing by, I asked Pirate if looking at the stars made him feel small. He said, "Nope! Driving in Phoenix traffic does, though!" All I know is I'm thankful he didn't buy out the Bass Pro Shop even though they spent two hours in their store. I love it when these two get together...they are so good for each other's attitude.

For my vaping friends...I'm trying out a new atty...a bridge-less atty! It has a bit of wick instead of a bridge and so far, so good. I got three, as they are often out of stock. I need to get with the exploring around here. Google swears there are three vape shops here in the Valley, but I bet they are just smoke shops that sell e cigs. Hope not!

May you all take a minute and reflect on those you love and tell them so today. Take the time, because you never know what tomorrow may bring...and tomorrow may be too late. Love to you all, RV Family! And Sandra and Ardean, please know how special you two are to us. We'll be there in March if you're serious...

Loving RV Life

2011-10-13T09:22:00.000-07:00

Leaf Verde and the staff continue to impress us beyond belief. Check them out and come spend some AZ Winter with us!!! We'll be here until the end of April, so any time you're passing thru, the daily rate is low, the monthly rate is around $10/day. Not only are more and more rigs rolling in each day, but the activities director will be coming in this Saturday. I've gotten to 'know' Susan via Facebook, and she seems like a tiny firecracker wrapped in fun. I'm looking forward to exercising in the pool to low impact aerobics with her. =)

I think we've found our groomer for Miss Scooter, too. Doggy Spa/Boarding at Pete and Mac's. Thank you, Sandy, for the recommendation. Sandy is one of the owners of LV. When you stay here, you WILL meet Winston, the owner's dog and of course, who Winston's Waggin' Ranch is named after. Sandy regaled us with Winston stories the other night at the dog park and we were all in stitches at his adventures. It seems folks wanting to gather, even those without dogs, end up at the dog park toward dusk. The grounds here are really great, and the love and care put into the dog park really shows. The grassy area is my Scooter's salvation. She's had to learn that she IS going to have to relieve herself on sand sometimes, but Momma, take me to the grass, please!

On your travels, please look for this little five year old baby. Glendale girl still missing also, if you see a black Chevy Malibu with AZ plates, please please step out of your comfort zone and call it in. The police have only this one tiny lead. Thank you thank you thank you, RV Family. Since we're on the road more than most folks, we can be the eyes and ears for these missing children.

We are planning to go the races this weekend. Phoenix has so many things to do! Not only does the Fair start this weekend, but the NHRA finals start Friday! Take a look at their raceway: Firebird Raceway We have found some great spots to eat, too. Grazie Winebar Anthony and Sean will take great care of you. For a quick bite to go of fast mex that's to die for, check out this chain Filbertos. We had tacos for Taco Tuesday, but I heard that their chili renos (sp) are the best.

No issues with the RV yet this week. Pirate did get some anchor blocks and tied down the awning. Hoping to get some bike time in, too. We're so boring this week! We'll have to go stir up some trouble this weekend!

Willie heading to his 'secret room' to attack his pink robe

Internet hell...

2011-10-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

OK, so not hell, but it sure feels like HECK! I've had a heck of a time getting my feed reader to work, so I'm behind with everyone's adventures. I did catch Michael's post that his house still hasn't sold. Michael, the right buyer is out there...God's just working out the timing. I can't wait for you to be free of the bonds and able to run around this beautiful country of ours.

We had dinner last night with our friends that moved down here, Mikey & RC. These two just make our lives so much brighter and full of laughter. It's amazing when your mate finds a good friend and then you discover you love their spouse just as much. We just all four click and play together so well. Pirate is a Scorpio and I'm a Taurus...Mikey is a Taurus and RC is a Scoprio! How cool is that?

For all of the talk about "hitch itch" here we are sitting in one spot for seven months right out of the gate. But we planned it this way to really get used to living in this space and figuring out all the in's and out's of the Gypsy Rose's workings. I can't remember now if I shared our experience with our awning? We didn't get it in fast enough one morning and it came off the rails. It also blew a fuse, so we got to find out how to take care of fuses, too. I've become the official tank dumper, although I doubt Pirate will let me actually do the hooking up to the sewer, as hand strength would be involved. I love and respect my husband so much for finding ways to make me feel 'useful.'

I'm watching my calendar leak pages like leaves falling from an oak tree...our daughters will be visiting this Holiday Season. Amy will be in Surprise for Thanksgiving, flying down with a dear friend whose parents are also down in the AZ. Miss Tracie will be flying down around Christmas time as her schedule allows. We may not get her on THE day, but she'll work it so she gets the maximum time off to spend with us. We're not sure when Tony will be able to join us; he's still in the middle of work issues due to his back surgery. He wants to go back to full duty, but is experiencing the ol run-around with L & I and all the legal issues.

We truly are enjoying our spot here at Leaf Verde. This park was started by the same family that still runs it today. You can sure tell it's a family operation, because the attention to details and how they accommodate you each and every way possible. They are on first name basis with every camper and truly care about them. I can see why so many people return year after year. Customer Service like this is truly rare, and we feel especially blessed to have LV as our first winter spot. We'll more than likely spend at least some time here each year, though not as long as this first time.

Pirate is out riding today with the boys, so I'm going to try my hand at exploring again today. I loved the comments about appearance and judging. We're all so human! God surely shakes his head at us sometimes. We got a discussion going, and that's where it starts...you cannot change what you don't acknowledge. When you recognize areas in your life that you can work on, it's very challenging, isn't it ? It's up to each of us to take those steps...or not. I admit that when I see teens or young folks being 'lazy' it does set me off. Who am I to judge?! I don't know if before they came to hang at the mall and make things uncomfortable for little ol biker chicks...did they help their Mom with the dishes? Did they babysit their little sister? Did they take food to a neighbor or clean up their elderly aunt's house for them? Remember how we all tried to 'act tough' when in a group of our peers? Ahhh...to have that time back, eh? NO! You're right! You couldn't pay me to go through those years again, lol!

I'll get this sorry excuse for a blog published before the computer gods frown upon me again. I'm having a DNS problem. Probably because of all the moving around we've done. ?? I'm using my cell phone as my mifi spot, same phone, same computer, same passwords.... I find if I go in through a backdoor, I can get where I want to go, but my bookmarks are all messed up. =(

Baby, it's cold outside!

2011-10-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

Been so nice until yesterday when the temps dipped all the way down for a high in the 70s! Brr!! I was liking those 100s...sitting in my chair soaking up the Vitamin Sunshine. It's supposed to warm again by Sunday and hit the 90s, so I'll live. We've spent the last few days just adjusting to our surroundings. It's very interesting here...

We are both heavily tattooed, but this is the first time I've ever experienced out and out prejudice because of them. The store was one of those discount stores...BeAll's, kinda like Ross, but cleaner. There were only three other customers in the store the entire hour I was there, and as soon as I walked in, I was followed. Then, an announcement over the PA said their security cameras were running...and when I walked up to pay, I was asked for ID before I even offered a card! I shoulda asked if my Platinum card would do!! Seriously, folks who are heavily tattooed have money...you can't get this caliber of artwork being a skid row bum or a thief. I wrote the company HQ, and they did nothing more than pat me on my pretty head and told me to move along....that was BeAll's y'all can boycott for me.

We've only ran into Biker Prejudice once in Montana. Seriously, if you have a Harley, you know how expensive THAT is. People, I don't care how much money you have, what color your skin is, your religion or politics...if you're a nice person, I'll be your friend. That's MY criteria..what's yours? How judgmental are we all, really? Try and stop yourself today and see what kinds of judgments you dish out.

Arizona

2011-10-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

This one is my 'lizard' in Cottonwood, AZ

Aloe growing 'wild' in Cottonwood, AZ ...he's by the bottom leaf

Scooter watching Daddy load the Big Scooter

A Lit'l souvenir from Turquoise Triangle

Unloading in Buckeye, AZ

Home for the next 7 months

This is from before they brought us our picnic table. They drove Pirate around to eight different spots so we could pick out the exact site we wanted.

Our own palm

Desert Dog

"I am learning to pee on surfaces other than grass...I miss grass!"

Our living room in the desert

Pirate & Kitty having fun in the sun!

Leaf Verde is a wonderful park. We are close to everything! Major shopping is about 2 minutes away, yet we're tucked into our own little corner of town. The freeway runs by the park, close enough to hear the traffic, but not close enough to be annoyed about it. I'm sure once the park starts filling up, the rigs will help baffle the sounds.

The amenities are awesome here! The pool area is gorgeous, there are 3 dog runs, including one section that was just planted in grass. Shuffleboard courts, basketball, heck, you name it. There is a rather large mini mart where you can buy necessities without having to leave the property. Each night the park is patrolled by two staff members, so we feel very safe.

Speaking of staff....all I can say is, "Where did they find all of these nice people?!" Everyone is beyond friendly here. Your wish is their command. Everything is so clean and there is not one speck of junk or uncared for plantings on the property.

The very best part of it all is how I'm feeling. I haven't woken up tuff once since we got down here!! Praise the Lord!! There have been two thunderstorms since we got here, but I couldn't have told you to expect them like I usually can. I didn't even have to curl up on the couch in pain! I'm loving this!

Willie is VERY happy to be staying stationary! I did use the 'calm down drops' on him last night when we left to have dinner at our friends. WillBilly does fine when it's he and Scooter alone, but does NOT like to be alone without her. The drops worked! He wasn't glued to the window treatments when we got home from dinner like I thought he would be...yay!

Today, Pirate is riding the Harley over to Mikey's house and they are going to go exploring while I take the truck and go see what stores they have here. I've found the Walmart, and saw where the PetsMart is. Now time to whittle down that shopping list. You can never have enough hooks or velcro straps in an RV! =) Hope to see y'all soon........have I mentioned how much I love my 'house?' LOL ----MUCH----

Cottonwood, AZ

2011-09-29T23:44:00.000-07:00

We found a really neat little spot here for two days. We'd tried finding a place as we came into Flagstaff, but it seemed I had trouble either getting someone on the phone, or the published number was wrong, etc. We parked at a Lutheran Church when it got dark and were up and out before 7 am. I called Turquoise last night and not only did they answer right away, but they were the friendliest folks I've talked to in some time! That's saying a lot, because I sure know lots of friendly people. They we waiting for us when we pulled in. They lead us to our spot, noticed that a tree limb was in the way and removed it on the spot so we could back out into an better spot. They moved their picnic area so we could fit our monster in! Turquoise Triangle

We're paying for two nights what we paid for one at Zion's Park. There aren't many amenities, but we don't mind. It's so quaint here. It reminds me of my mother's garden, with lots and lots of whimsical signs, lawn ornaments, flowers, trees, quite areas to relax in the shade. Not someplace for kids, as there isn't a playground. There are mainly permanent residents, some in older rigs, but everything is clean and kept up.

What impresses us the most is the customer service! They wanted no deposit via credit card last night on the phone, and when I went in to pay I was given a treasure trove of literature about the area along with the sweetest little note-pad holder with slots for the little arrows in various colors to tag pages, etc. Also two very, very nice pens. I know, some wouldn't give two hoots over these, but to me it showed how hard they are trying in today's environment. With the attitude and friendliness they show, I'd stay here even if it was just a parking lot. I just love all the little touches, and everywhere you look, you discover another hidden goodie...a gnome over here, a kitty, an eagle, oh...there's a fox and a cougar! Oh, My! This old hippy biker chick's kinda spot, for sure.

I know I'll see so many by the time April rolls around, but I saw my first wild little litty bitty lizards today! If Miss Tracie or Number One Son Tony were here, we'd have to check dresser drawers and closets for pickle jars full of new 'pets.' Tracie and I laughed about that tonight on the phone. She 'rescued' frogs and such so much as a child..you never quite knew exactly what she was up to at times. Some of the things she's told me now that she's an adult!! LOL!!

We are staying through to Saturday morning, with around 100 miles left to go to Buckeye, AZ. Tomorrow, we are going to ride to Jerome and play around the area. There are a ton of activities near, including Montezuma's Castle. Not sure where we'll end up, but I do know we will have fun!

Thanks for sharing your time with us...I'll have pictures of more than lizards tomorrow...perhaps! =)

While I've wifi access....

2011-09-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

Willie in his tube

Pirate washing windows at a fuel stop

Willie in his Go-Kitty Bag on my lap after the 100 miles of crying

No bars, no wifi...peace and solitude

Willie after we stopped...he ZONKED out! Notice how everything in the loft shifted?

Zion's Park

Shots of the rig at Zion River RV Resort

This one is my favorite

Wow, we're LONG!

just travelin' tattooed white trash! It's expensive to be white trash these days!

view from the resort's doggy run

meditation tent? That's what I'd do in there...

nice set up for kids

It's beyond beautiful here

We're glad we chose this park, even though we now have to backtrack to 14 to meet up with good road to get to Page and down to Flagstaff. We went by the other park we were looking at in Springdale on the Harley and the road down into the park is worse than some of the roads we've seen! NO WAY would we take the Gypsy Rose down there! Since we're too tall to go through the tunnel at Zion's, we have the choice of 59, which is bad road, we've heard, or going north to 14 and then hit 89 on down. I'm glad it worked out this way...God knows best!

Pirate caught up with the boys today and they are out riding. We rode by ourselves yesterday through ZP and even though I've been through there before, it still takes my breath away. I broke into "How Great Thou Art" from the back of the bike! You cannot look at this much beauty and not want to thank a Higher Power. It's just amazing! We stopped at the Thunderbird Cafe for lunch in Mt. Carmel Junction. Stop in for some of their Ho-Made Pie...quite the interesting story and worth the stop. Nice gift shop, too!

Even though Zion River RV Resort is on the spendy side for us ($55/night for a 70ft PT), all of their sites are made to order...you could stay here for much less, but we wanted all the bells and whistles for our first 'real park.' ZRR Park The folks are so friendly and nice, and we met the most wonderful couple from Houston who are part timers. They suggest that when we visit San Antonio, we go to a little German town about 30 miles out. scroll down to New Braunfels They highly recommend it for something interesting other than the usual stops and it's less expensive than staying in SA.

Willie and Scooter are beyond happy that Mommy stayed home today with them. Willie had gotten very sick yesterday when we got back from riding. He needed a bath, let's just leave it at that. Poor kitten! Traveling and we were foolish and feed him a french fry at our Walmart stop. Never again! He was probably crying because his tummy hurt and mean old Mommy made him stay in a cage. We certainly hope this was all it was, because he has many more miles in his future!

We continue to learn about our new home. We found out the reason we didn't have cooling to the fridge was because ours is a two way, not three way fridge. Judy, thank you for the ideas and advice and to Rick for explaining it all to me. We can't even put into words how much we appreciate the support and feeling of family we feel from all of you! Thank you thank you thank you!

We still haven't decided if we'll stay another night after tonight or just start heading south again. Hopefully our next stop will have communication with the outside world other than the times when less than four people are on the resort's wifi, lol. It is beautiful here, but it IS remote! The town of Virgin doesn't even have cable service. But we're liking the 'unplugged' way of life more and more....see y'all down the road and out on the Black Seas!

What a long strange trip it's been...

2011-09-26T00:54:00.000-07:00

First off, we're ok! But, we broke a shock on Utah's I-15...what a rough road through Salt Lake City. Please use caution going through...huge pot holes, uneven pavement...and of course, still few rest areas. We were stopped for fuel in Beaver, UT at the Flying J and two of the guys working out of the tire shop there noticed our front tire was unevenly worn. Then they looked closer and saw the broken shock seal. God put these guys in our path, and since Pirate was wearing a shirt from Snake Harley in Twin Falls, Idaho, they struck up a conversation. Seems we know the same guy, Chopper, who used to work there. Snake Harley really treated us like royalty when we broke down there in 2000...even loaned us a bike to ride while they fixed our starter.

We are all safe and cozy at the Zion River RV Resort in Virgin, UT. What a nice spot! The folks are super friendly and they have 70 ft pull thrus. It's expensive, but a real treat after the day we had today. Willie cried for 100 miles straight! We think because of the rough road, and he was tired, we had boondocked at Walmart the night before and he's not used to travel. He just had a bad day, right?! One thing we discussed tonight is once we're in Buckeye for the season, we're going to have to continue to take Willie for rides every now and again to keep him used to the truck. Poor kitty sacked out in his perch after a nice dish of gushy food with warm water to make gravy. Yup, I spoil my kids!!

Tomorrow Pirate and I are going to ride up to Bryce Canyon. We have friends coming up on their bikes from AZ to meet up with us, and they should get here tomorrow afternoon. Then we'll ride Zion's with them, and the cliffs...I can't wait to take pictures for you all!

We learned a thing or two today about travel. Pirate went into the garage to tighten the tethers on the Road Glide (Rosie) and some of the things on the shelves had fallen..including our BOSE! We're going to look for netting for those shelves! Also, I need more cupboard bars, and silly me forgot that my fridge would be off during flight, so I have a cleaning job ahead of me...but that can wait...

Because it's been way too long since I've really been in the saddle and my soul aches for the bike and Mother Nature. I don't regret a minute of the last two and a half years that I stayed home with Boone and tended to his diabetes and blindness. Guess what didn't fall...the oil painting of him hanging on my bedroom wall! =)

We don't have over half a bar on our cell phones, but the resort does have free wifi that works at the moment, so I'm off to publish this...thank you for following us on our dream. Today is the first 'real' day of the real dream...this first ride. Freeeeeedom!!!

Going to be a virgin again

2011-09-24T19:16:00.001-07:00

For anyone wanting to hook up for a ride through Zion or Bryce, we will be at Zions River Resort in Virgin, ut sun thru tues nights. We are st the walmart in at burley idaho tonight.

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Preparing for travel

2011-09-23T10:04:00.001-07:00

Omg, my sweet anony...you should see the Gypsy today! Total upheaval as we prepare the garage for the Harley. She would probably have a coronary!

Our adventure officially starts tomorrow. We will be staying at the Walmart Inn on Saturday night, and once we get down by the parks, we have three different spots in mind to stay for a few days. We have ridden Bryce and Zion before, but they are worth riding every chance you get. When we get closer, we will let y'all know. I'm really interested in the animal sanctuary, too. Thanks for the tip!

Hoping to hook up with anyone in the area!

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heading to Kanab, not Moab...and I think I inherited Rick's friend Anonymous

2011-09-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

So....I was totally mixed up on our route south and when we searched the map yesterday we discovered my error. I was a little disappointed, but Pirate assured me that when we head toward Colorado and my friend Teri and son GoJesse, we will stop at Moab then. The cliff dwellings have been there for hundreds of years, so I doubt they will be going anywhere in the mean time. Silly Cat!

I'm so excited...I've really made the 'big time!' I got a hate-filled anonymous comment!! Wahooo!!!!! 2 of them, even!! I sure hope anonymous doesn't click on my ads....I'll be in 'big trouble' if they do, lol! Speaking of ads, do y'all click on each other's ads when you visit a site like mine that has them? I do! I know it's not much dinero, but hey, it's beer money or cat food. I let anonymous in on the little known secret that if an anonymous commentor clicks on my ads, I'll be kicked off blogger...oh, anony-baby...please, don't do it! Don't click on any of our ads!! LMAO!!

I'd like to thank Rick for showing me how to handle anony's comments. I'll admit, the first thing I wanted to do was to disallow anonymous commenting, but where's the fun in that? Maybe I can take a lit'l heat off Rick? I'd like to think that I am...he's a great, helpful guy that we all count on in the blog-o-sphere and G+, so however I can help, Sir! We all know that someone who won't sign in to make a comment like that is passive-aggressive and probably one of those who either dominate or are dominated...you know *whispers* a bully! Anony-baby obviously has too much time on their hands and too little brains, so go ahead, I can take it!

Anony-baby should also know that often, I don't bother to even check my comments for days on end. I usually go through Feedly or Google Reader, so it's about once a week I'll remember to check for comments...unless I've asked a question here and not also on G+...then I check several times a day.

Hmmm...Anony-baby seems to think my shelves are a mess...so what?! We all know what it takes to shove, squeeze, store, shuffle and juggle things around to make room in these oddball sized storage compartments. Especially when just starting out. And I know that there is someone who NEEDS to see them! I wish someone had posted pictures as a guideline for me...it's so overwhelming! Oh, my! I just thought...I should post a picture of myself without make up on! That would be scary!! I'm old, anony-baby, and really don't care about the good opinion of other people. I know, I've given her her fifteen minutes of fame now, but it's kinda fun. See, I like the attention...never seemed to get enough of it as a child.

Anony-baby, you didn't point out that I am messy, you pointed out that you have a need to judge. You're probably jealous, as well as passive-aggressive and a bully, so you've got quite enough on your plate...I'll say a prayer for you each day, Girlfriend. I can tell you're female, because if you're male and said that, well...um...if you can't figure out what THAT says about you...you need to come on out of that closet.

So, back to Kanab, UT. We will be staying in that area for a few days to ride Bryce and Zion's canyons before heading on down to AZ. Has anyone stayed 'n played there recently? Any ideas on great parks? Your humble kitty-correspondent thanks you in advance! Now I'm off to click on ads...

So happy for a garage door in my Coach

2011-09-22T04:11:00.000-07:00

Willie can watch what's going on without escaping

I love the 'french' door..Willie can see through it, but can also be contained in the living area of the Coach. This is sooo handy for moving things in and out. Most of the Road Warrior models have the option for a slider door, but since our entertainment center is on that wall, we're out of luck.

Scooter goes for her last groom tomorrow...thankfully once we're down in Buckeye, AZ, our dear friends who have moved there will have a good groomer for their dogs. But once we really strike out on our own, we'll have to rely on locals wherever we happen to be. We have an outside shower, so we can either wash her outside or just take her in our shower with us. That may end up being what we do, unless the parks we stay at have a self doggy wash station like this one. We are going to ask Nicole, her groomer, how to care for her feet and nails ourselves. She'll need nails done before haircuts, due to her neglect before we rescued her.

Pirate is concerned about the angle of the ramp door and getting the bike high-centered. We're looking at places we can move the Coach to so we can relieve some of that angle. I'm sure once we get the hang of loading and unloading, it'll be a piece of cake, but I want spotters for the first time. I've had to pick that bike up off of my Pirate before, and nearly tore a muscle in half doing it. I don't know how I managed other than the adrenaline you get...the kind that allows mothers to pick up cars off their babies kind. It was slow motion and done without thinking...he was underneath and I was getting him OUT OF THERE! Thankfully, we were only going 5 mph when we hit pea gravel about a foot thick. The gravel just grabbed those tires and we stopped! I stepped off the bike like we'd always practiced, then flipped around and lifted the bike. I had the shoulder injury that we didn't know about and Pirate was thoroughly bruised...Rosie only had a scratch on one of her saddle bags. Our friend Mikey offered to come get us with his bike trailer, but we ended up finishing that trip, thanks to prayers and Angels.

We have a 'slight' change in plans for heading south...we didn't realize how far east Moab, UT is...it's totally out of our way, so Kitty doesn't get to go this time. =( We will be going through Bryce Canyon, Zion's Park, and Grand Canyon and will probably stay in that area for three days. More friends than I knew about are coming to meet us there and ride in. I'm not so sure how I feel about that. Seems like a lot of folks are hanging from our coattails here...with two friends uprooting their lives and moving to AZ. I'm really looking forward to some time with my husband...ahem, people! Pirate did reassure me that this is OUR journey and they can make plans around OUR schedule....I just hope that is what happens. I've waited such a long time for this and dreamed and schemed and planned for this. Hopefully the 'newness' will wear off quickly and they will settle into some sort of routine that doesn't include us every day. I'm going to be selfish with my time because like I said, I've waited far too long to let someone else infect their wishes into this. Can you sense the agitation, lol?

Big Sigh...and thanks for letting me rant a bit. We will only be in Buckeye for 7 months, and that will be the longest we stay in one spot. We're going to get the kinks worked out down there and do some upgrades to the Gypsy Rose, too. We will get our screen room and slide toppers while there (the fridge slide REALLY needs help keeping things cool). Next April/May we will head North and come see the kids, then start planning the rest of our journey. I'm going to have to get used to traveling in this big ol' Rig by then without getting so nervous. I just keep telling myself that if we can make through the Big Horn Mountain Range with the Gypsy Rose, we can make it through anything! That shakedown cruise really did prepare us.

Now I'm off to design our business cards. I'm printing up cards to hand to folks with the website on it. That way folks we meet along the way can follow us.

I had a comment on the last entry that said they couldn't live in a fifth wheel. It's not for everyone, that's for sure. Most folks have a need for the stix n' brix. That's ok, not everyone can see themselves doing Harley road trips, either. It's got to be in your blood, I think. I just have way too many things I want to see before I get my ticket to the other side. As King George said, "I ain't here for a long time, I'm here for a good time!" I am the truly independent of the good opinion of other people, I know who I am, and I really dig being me...it's great fun being a crazy old biker chick with too many tattoos!

Pictures...finally!

2011-09-19T05:49:00.000-07:00

kitchen

the portable ice maker has been a wise investment

Willie's tree fort fits perfectly..Scooter is in her doggy bed below the TV

not much fits in this cupboard above the toilet

baskets are your friend

huggable hangers...work nicely

these are the oddest sized compartments..7 x 10

the only spot for towels and linens are in the bedroom closet

this is where we keep Willie...under the bed skirt

this toilet paper stand eliminated the need to hang the plastic roll holder that came with the Coach

kitchen cubby hole

looong tall cupboards...see why my stepladder is my friend?

since we don't really use the oven

it's all about balance

island

the pink is rubber shelf liners...works great between the glass pans and lids

lil blurry...

I have a real garbage can now!

I'm sure that I'll change things around once we get down to AZ and spend more time in the kitchen. So far we haven't used the oven or stove top...or the BBQ. It's been either out to eat or microwave fare. Time is just too precious right now to cook 'real meals.' It's been cool the last two days, but has been so hot, we haven't been hungry anyway. I do plan on using my crock pot quite a bit...I love Janet Groene's recipes for the slow cooker.

This last week is going to go fast. Pirate's goal is to get the Man Cave arranged so we can load the Harley. I'm getting nervous about traveling already. Considering the mountain range we had to cross on the trip home from Michigan, you'd think I'd realize we're fine...but I suffer from a profound lack of depth perception, so I get uptight. I'm that lady that pulls waay to far away from the gas pumps and can't get the hose to reach, lol. I can't SEE where it is, darn it! Don't worry, I don't drive much, so y'all are safe...hee hee. It's also why I am of absolutely no help when we park the RV. I can't tell if it's 3 feet away, 3 yards away, or 3 miles! I'm so blessed to have married such a patient man!

Pirate drove a total of 1500+ miles this weekend. What a grueling trip it was, but once he got to Tracie's, it was all fun. They had a blast and he had so much fun with her friends. Tracie has the 'cool Dad!' She is beyond happy to have all of her things out of storage...she said it's like Christmas! Now all of her paperwork is in one spot, too. I wish I could have gone, but it wasn't a pleasure cruise. I'd have been so stoved up...bless you, Pirate! I missed getting more hugs in, but will get to see her at Christmas.

I love my home!! I'm so glad I mentioned to Christine that one little line in an email...my dream coach. She took it and ran with it and we are so glad she did. I'm still amazed at how much more the local dealers are charging for the same unit...it's called highway robbery! And everyone was so nice and so helpful...no one pushed us or tried to intimidate us...General RV has our forever loyalty!

I sure hope these pictures help someone else...I had no idea once I got my Coach how I was going to deal with the odd sized storage, and there were no pictures out there on the internet to help me. I'll do more pics once we get down to AZ and are more settled. I'll do garage pictures then, too. Right now, it's a disaster zone, lol.

Send up a little prayer for Pirate...he has to give up his laptop today. We're going to start sharing mine, plus we have our smart phones. This way, we don't have to buy Tony a new computer. I just have to set up his printer and we're ready to roll. We sure couldn't have done this without all of his help...he's really been Pirate's right hand. Oh, it's time to start the coffee pot! Now I'm off to read all of YOUR blogs! Thanks for the comments yesterday, too. I truly respect you all and value your advice and opinions.

Bubbles bursted

2011-09-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

We were sooo excited to see that the rules at Horn Rapids RV Resort in Richland, WA included immediate eviction with no refund if you didn't clean up after your pup or let it run off lead...that was all fine until the weekend and the park started filling back up. It really does just take ONE idiot, huh? Not only were his three dogs off lead, he had them in the middle court grass area and was throwing a lighted Frisbee for them. This area is ringed by sites with the expressed rules of no dogs in this area!! Just as I was dialing the number for the office, they went back inside. I sure hope it was because someone went and had a lit'l chat with them! Pirate was out on a mission this weekend (the Idaho Falls-Seattle trip) so I just stayed inside the Gypsy.

He should be home any time now! This was our last big chore, so now it's OUR time! We have appointments this week, and the papers to sign for the condo, and then it's SOUTH!! Not sure when we sign papers on the condo, but we let them start moving in. Why not?! We are so very happy for Juan and Ruby and the kids!

I have a question about etiquette, since we're on the subject: is it impolite to 'cut through' an empty site? During the week there are several empties, and I haven't cut through unless there are at least 2 empty sites, so I don't disturb any pups that may be inside a rig. I know my Scooter is very protective and I wouldn't want that. But should I just go around? I really don't want to offend. I saw the empty sites kind of like a vacant lot. Is that the wrong way to look at it? Really looking forward to hearing people's comments...and will NOT take offense...I just want to learn BEFORE I offend anyone.

There's about to be an explosion of puppy happiness...Pirate should be pulling in any minute!! Thanks for the comments, and Michael...we'll be riding with you before you know it!

2011-09-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

Rosie the Road Glide is HOME!!

Please learn from my ignorance...

2011-09-13T23:36:00.000-07:00

I have learned SO much today! I learned where my antenna boost it...in my bedroom, in the same wall plate as the cable hook up...if it's red and you want to use cable, turn it off. Thank you, Terri & Doyle for your help on Facebook today. I also just learned that you need to turn your water pump OFF when you're hooked up to water...investigate those 'funny noises!' I found my answers on the internet, because I knew I couldn't be the first person with this questions. I also properly filled my hot water tank!! I'm so thankful to the Guardian Angel that has been on our shoulders so far.

Pirate is finished with the condo...Praise God!!! He now can relax and officially enjoy retirement. He still has that trip to Idaho for Tracie, and that's going to be a looong drive. Good thing Daddy loves you so much, Kiddo! He's exhausted!! Just feed him well and treat him kindly when he's there...he will be sent off with provisions and goodies for the trip, please return him with the same love and care..I know you would anyway, but you may have to keep him in line, lol! He tends to be the life of the party...you've been warned!

I think the best piece of advice I could give someone when it gets down to the last minute rush: HIRE OUT everything you can afford to. We're wishing we had done that, because the time just slips by. Also, you're never going to remember everything they tell you during your walk-thru. Especially if you've never owned or been RVing before like us. If I could do it over, I'd spend time at dealerships asking 'how-to' questions, picking brains about how systems work. If you're like me, you can read about it all you want, but it's not until I can touch it with my paws that I really catch on. Learning is by experience, and I'm most appreciative that we haven't had to learn anything major the hard way. Praise God, again!!

Soon, it will be wind in the face time...for forever!!!! I hear the Harley calling to me, and echoes wind through my soul. Hmmm...I wonder if Willie would look good in leather?

Our first doggy park

2011-09-13T12:34:00.001-07:00

Lit'l Miss isn't too sure...they really have a nice set up, complete with self doggy wash station. This park is expensive, $210 per week, but very nice. Horn Rapids RV Resort in Richland, WA.

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It's finally here...Full Time and feelin' fine!

2011-09-12T07:04:00.000-07:00

After 2 1/2 years of planning, here I sit in the only home I own, with all my worldly possessions and my Willie Cat and write our first blog as full timers!! Wahoo!! We are at a fairly large resort, as the other two places we wanted to stay were booked up because of an event happening in town...something to do with horses and cowboys. So, it's on the expensive side...but our spot in Arizona will even things out. We're at Horn Rapids RV Resort and I think over half of the people here work at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Lots of trailers have skirting and large propane tanks out in front. Also quite a few toyhaulers and Harley's here. We even saw one of those new 3-wheelers called the Can-Am. Pretty nice looking...um...scooter? bike? car?

Poor Pirate still has to go back into town and finish up work on the condo, but I'll be staying here with the 'kids.' At least we'll be able to ride the Harley out here to load her up. There was just no way it was happening at the condo...too squished in. We have almost all of our things in the trailer now, other than the Road Glide, so now I can really get down to 'arranging and re-arranging' things.

First things first, though...cleaning! I had cleaned and vacuumed just two days ago, and I'm really surprised how much got tracked inside by bringing load after load in and just moving in the slides. A lot of 'stuff' ends up coming in on Scooter's feet and beard, too. She's a pine needle magnet, I swear! We have full hook ups and 50 amps of power, so I can run my vacuum and AC at the same time to my heart's content. =)

When we packed up Willie, I only used his transfer bag, since we only had twenty miles to travel. I'll use his tube from now on out. He did extremely well, though. He did try escaping the bag while Pirate got us all hooked up, but after only a few meow-bellows he quieted down and was very, very quiet when we were backing in and things were a tad tense. The 'helper' that was guiding us apparently wasn't used to the big rigs and had to go get help. When the other nice man showed up, he looked things over quickly and steered Pirate right in!

Twelve more days and we're officially on the Road and sightseeing begins! I think I'm kind of in shock after planning for such a long time...but I am so glad we did. I can't even imagine the stress of trying to rush through all of the necessary steps to become a full-timer. We met a couple who have been full time for 3 years, and they did the same thing as we did, taking a couple of years to plan, selling, giving, donating away the trappings of the 'good life.' The feeling of freedom...you just have to experience it for yourself. No lawn to mow, no lawn mower to own and maintain...no things tying you down with payments, insurance, upkeep, worry...just what we have, our pets and our best friend and we're good! Give me simplicity every time...I never did like keeping up with the Jones.

Two lit’l kitties, sittin’ in an RV….

2011-09-05T13:51:00.001-07:00

Hello, Live Writer…haven’t used you in a while…

I like playing with the fonts…don’t know why I always forget about this program. So, we made it through the weekend and are looking at moving to our first spot on Saturday or Sunday. That gives the new owners of the condo the rest of September to move in and get acquainted with their new home. I’m so happy for them! Since they basically had nothing, we’ve left them our King sized Sleep Number bed (none of the kids had room or need), our couch that is a sleeper-sofa, and my Daddy’s chair. We also left a few bookshelves for them.

A dear friend, new to me, but grew up with Pirate, will be coming down from Wenatchee Friday and volunteered to help Pirate clean. Berta is a great soul and says she actually likes cleaning, and if we supply the beer, she’s ready, willing, and able! That sure takes a load off Pirate, and worry and guilt from me. You’d think I’d have gotten over the guilt by now, huh?

There’s just something about watching someone you love so completely toil and work so hard while all you can do is sit there that really takes it out of a person. I don’t know if I’d still feel as bad if it was a stranger that had to do all of the work…probably!

I’m just glad we have friends and family that are such givers and have really pitched in to help our dream become possible. I’m sure we COULD do this by ourselves, but it is wonderful to have so many helpers in our lives. My TFL, Brookey, would also dearly love to help, but she’s in the same boat as me. I know SHE feels bad that she can’t help, too. I’m trying so hard to get rid of such unnecessary negative emotions in my life. I think when you grow up with a Puritan work-ethic, and then get sidelined like this, it’s a matter of overcoming yer raisin’!

That darn work-ethic is what got me in this shape in the first place…I literally worked my shoulders off my body. =( I waited to ‘complain’ about the pain until I could not possibly lift that last load of ammo. Sigh! So many years ago, so young and silly was I.

I suspect most of us will be blogging about 9/11 throughout the week…it’s so hard to fathom that 10 years have passed so quickly. My prayer is that all of our troops get to come home soon and for good. Thank you is not enough, but more than most soldiers will accept. They do it FOR us, and usually shy away from displays of gratitude…but just know we ARE thankful to you and your families! Because of you, I can sit here in my new RV and watch the birdies with my kitten! I don’t take that for granted one bit.

Cat Woman

2011-09-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

Cheep entertainment

Have you ever had the pleasure/privilege of watching a kitty 'chatter' at something, especially another animal or a bird? It is beyond entertaining! They make a fast 'mewh-mewh-mewh' noise deep within their throats and, if you're lucky, this is accompanied by frenetic tail swishing. Willie was swishing his tail so hard it was thumping and I would not be surprised if he bruised his widdle self! He was actually whipping it around like a horse whip, with sweeping arcs and a definitive pattern was involved. In all of my kitteh-owning-owned-by-kitteh days, I've never seen such drama...and I've spent most of my life surrounded by cats!

You can tell by my name that I'm a fan of cats, and most of my friends and relatives come to me with their 'cat questions.' "Why is she urinating outside her box?" "What does it mean when a cat _____?" Usually I know the answer, too! Miss Tracie has also been a lifetime member of the cat-worship club, and finds her friends doing the same and coming to her with their cat questions. I love this!!!

Cat worship has nothing to do with ancient Egyptians, although they seemed to have had their priorities straight in that regard. Cat worship is defined by cats as the act of chin rubbing, ear skirtching, and tail twining with fingers. ANY act by a human designed to show love and adoration for said kitteh qualifies as cat worship. See, they have never forgotten how revered their ancestors were...and expect the same!

I have never read a history book to any of my cats, so I don't know how they found out about Egypt, but they all seem to know, anyway. I know they watch television, and this could be the problem. Do you leave the television on for 'company' for your cat? Dust the remote for cattyprints, and I'll bet you'll find tabby-toes on the History Channel and also the Animal Planet. It's a scientific fact that cats do NOT want their MTV, so it may be the dog that changes the clicker to THAT channel.

Life is just so much more full and fun with a cat in it...unless you're a dog with prejudices. I've been pretty lucky and have never had to call my schnauzers off from one of my own kittehs...they are ready, willing, and able to chase 'stranger-cats' but never 'their' cat. Could it have something to do with the symbiotic-treat relationship they enjoy...as in, if you're giving treats to one, you gotta give treats to the other. ??

Scooter has been a little out of sorts today, and we're wondering if it's because we've been paying so much attention to Willie the past few days. The Gypsy Rose has always been her special place, with Willie only visiting. Scooter keeps trying to go back into the condo each time we walk the grounds, and when we did let her back in, she wasn't very happy to see all of 'her thangs' not there! We'd kept her out because of all the chemicals involved in the carpet cleaning...don't want something on her paws and then have her lick it.

I'm very glad that we've been able to plan for such a long time...we've been at this for about two years now. In fact, I remember thinking back then that we were jumping the gun and digging in way too soon. Those of you just starting out, please know this: There is no such thing as too soon to plan for a major life change! Scour the internet, books, magazines, etc to your hearts content...sign up or even start a blog! There's nothing like writing it down for the world to see to make it all seem more 'real.'

Two years ago, when this 'idea' was born, we'd never even been in an RV before, let alone had any idea what all was involved in caring for one. There is so much to learn and it never hurts to rent or borrow one just to make sure you really want to do this...or CAN! We didn't, but we already knew this would be the only way to take the pets with us when we ride the motorcycle...we're just kinda learning as we go! How's that for stepping out there in faith!! LOL!!

And as we finish the final touches before we can take off, we're glad we've had so much time. Hopefully, Willie will be quick to adjust to the driving/riding in the truck part, because you do NOT want to leave your animals in the fifth wheel during flight!! Can you imagine how you'd feel if when you opened the door of your RV only to find a cat with a broken leg, or worse?! I'd worry about those sudden stops and Willie jumping just as that happened. Just don't do it!! Or get a motorhome so they can stay in their spots whilst you drive.

Just ask the Cat Lady!

It's Good to be Old!

2011-09-01T00:08:00.000-07:00

Lord knows I have the body of an geriatric pretzel, but I'm just still a kid at heart. I am, however, very happy to be on the down hill slide...it comes with some pretty nifty privileges! Remember that old saying "Rank has it's privileges?" It's true, oh, so true. But the best part is the wisdom gained of experience and doing. No one can ever take that away from you..one of the few things in life that is only always yours. Miss Tracie and I have gone through hell and back a lifetime ago--sure wish I'd figured out all of this before I had to drag a child through the wasteland, so to speak. But, we made it out to the other side together. Oh, the things I have learned the hard way!

When you seek approval, you'll never get it. Once you give up caring what others think, suddenly you'll have approval in spades. The 'key,' I've found, is getting in touch with your authentic self. You know, that person you love to hate that stares back at you from your mirror? Yep, that one. The one that calls you on your 'stuff' and leads you towards things and always tells the truth. Some days, you cannot meet your own eyes in the mirror, and those are the 'gut check' days. I can tell you proudly that I now love that gal in the mirror...she's a pretty cool chick! And she has more empathy than most, tries to be kind (unless you get that stubborn streak going...oh, boy!), and loves her family, nature, animals...

I'm actually genuinely happy, you see. I've learned that happiness is something that comes from within. It's something that I create, and is not dependent on situation, station in life, bank account balance, marital status or anything else not between my ears. I've also learned to make my dreams come true. Others have so eloquently explained this better than I ever could on how to do this, but see it from the end, invest in your dream with research, deep prayer or meditation, see yourself doing/having/being whatever the desired outcome is...and it all lines up! This last year proves this to me...reread some of the miracles if you like in past blog postings.

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. This is also something I know to be true. I humbly thank my teachers and gladly pay it forward. See, that's the other end of this 'deal'--you have to pass it on. Don't worry, you'll WANT to! Wow, and here we sit on the brink of our adventure, literally, and all along the way I get to pay it forward to all of the people we'll meet!! That's exciting!! Some days, it may just be a smile...but it can make a world of difference in someone's life. My favorite is smiling and waving to kids from the back of the Harley. I so need to get back in the saddle, that my soul aches for the wind.

And, in my old agedy wisdom, I've/we've figured out how to make sure every day can be a day in the saddle and I get to take my furry pals, my entire HOUSE, along for the ride. YAY for old tattooed biker chicks!! We have all the fun!!