Our updates for all of you

We've had a lot going on the past few months and I did start a few update posts, I just never finished them to post them for you to read. So I'm not doing too well with my hopes of keeping up with this Blog better in 2012! But here we are, back in California for a few more days visiting daughter Sandy and I got to meet a little over three month old grand baby Justine for the first time. And ah, back to almost Christmas in California, too warm, too crowded, and too expensive. I probably shouldn't feel that way as most of my life was in Southern Cal after all which is just like up here in Northern Ca, but more so! On Sunday morning we went to a farmers market not too far away and later we drove the hour to see the Monarch Butterfly wintering area in Santa Cruz. Honestly Justine is at the age she could care less, but all the adults enjoyed it! But Justine did enjoy the butterfly puppets that were purchased. And yesterday we had hopes of seeing some model homes in an area ...

 Stacy was already on her way to California so I went around and took some photos around the place. I do sometimes miss the 100 mile views that we had in the high desert of California, but the evenings of spring and fall really make up and even surpass those views with all the green and clean air of this area.  The view of what we have across the street, no houses, no track homes, no booming music from houses or cars (usually!), also no trash or nothing but brown dead weeds like the old area of California had this time of year. Often in the field across the way are Deer, Geese and Turkeys. I'll take those 'neighbors' anytime!

9/06/2012- I'll start with the new grand baby. As I am writing this she was born about an hour ago via cesarean section at the Hospital in San Jose. Last weekend Sandy had called and talked to Stacy and basically she wanted her mom there! Sandy has been having some health concerns due to the weight gain of the pregnancy and although not due until the 15th, her doctor had decided that the baby would be born the 7th or 8th because the baby had gotten out of the proper position as the baby was moving around inside. So Stacy got the ticket, the car rental and was on her way Tuesday afternoon for an early flight out Wednesday to go to San Jose via Portland. While watching the progress of Stacy's flight with the online site "Flight Aware" Sandy calls me to say that after a doctor exam her and Erik are rushing home to get her things and returning back to the hospital to be admitted and that the baby was being born that day! So when Stacy lands at San Jose and calls me I ...

So earlier today I posted some of the California trip photos after figuring out exactly how to accomplish that task. Since with Google+ taking over all things Google like the Picasa Web Albums, direct uploading to those albums no longer possible and I didn't see how I could get those, or any photos, to this Blog. I think it used to be easier, but turns out while different it still is pretty easy, photos just go to the Google+ albums instead of Picasa and then get imported to the Blog through those albums or photos. So I'll be back to adding photos on occasion again. I'll start off with the big news for daughter Sandy. Last Monday, the 13th, she took the final test required for California Certification to be a licensed Architect........... and she passed!! She had graduated with a Masters of Architecture and lighting design from USC in 2007 and had been working since then. She had been stressing about this test, the last in a series that she's been taking over the...

 All of the photos in this group were taken on the way there and on the way back on the San Jose, California trip in July 2012. Top photo was our first rest stop after crossing the border Inspection Station on I-5 in Northern Calif. It was SO HOT!!!!!!!!!!!! Below is a photo of Mt. Shasta as we get closer.  Above was the morning view at the RV park we stayed at in Redding, Calif. It was over 100 degrees when we checked in the evening before, and was already in the mid 70s when I took this photo the next day. The Sacramento River runs right behind the RV park and it was a place I wouldn't mind staying at again, if it's cooler!  Above and below- STUCK in Winnemucca! The truck was towed to the shop and since we weren't going anywhere Stacy and I decided to check out the small pool they had at the RV park that afternoon. It was very hot there and the trailers A/C unit ran constantly the entire time we were plugged in. Below is a photo from the pool area showing th...

 Above and below photos are of some of the handmade items Stacy had made for Sandy's baby shower. Top photo is of two of the diaper covers she'd made. Put the diaper inside and then Velcro it closed on the baby. Stacy's planning on getting back to making different sizes.  The photo above are the clever place mats Stacy made. They include a place to put the 'silverware' then roll them up for a all in one solution. Grab a rolled up place mat and a plate and go to it.  Our last day in the San Jose area and we all went to a nearby town to their Farmers Market for breakfast and to buy some fruit and veggies. Actually very good prices and some excellent tasting purchases! And since we don't have to deal with the border inspection stations like California has we could take some home too! Below is last photo of this group is Sandy (back to camera) and Stacy waiting in line to  pay for their purchases at this vendor.

 All of these and the following posts photos were taken on the trip to and at Sandy's baby shower July 21, 2012. Top photo was while doing the finishing touches of setting up with Stacy getting the fire pit started.  The next three photos are of the table centerpieces that Stacy had made for the party. "Cakes" made out of diapers with other baby accessories like the jelly bean filled bottles looked very nice, and the settings were often commented on by the guest on how cleverly they had been made.    Last photo in this group is the water pistols that Sandy had gotten for the party. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Stacy had also brought activities and games for the party should they be needed, but with the guests coming and going during the day and with the almost 100 degree temps the only things that all got used were these water pistols! By kids and adults alike!

Test driving true 4G: In our rural area, our AT&T cell service data is 2G, forget all those constant TV adds for the wonders of 4G, it's not happening in our neck of the woods! Or even any area around unless you drive at least 30 miles to get HSPA +, or 3.5G. But with this trip to California, I got to see and actually live with 4G service, I loved it!! The best 4G, of course, was in the San Jose area. I could use data on my Galaxy S II with response as quick or often quicker than even our Wi-Fi at work. Stacy's iPhone 3GS only goes to 3G speeds so she did see some better and way more consistent speed but my phone is the only 4G capable phone we have at the moment. I also take care and monitor data usage so I was really curious how I'd do with the 4G availability as for the week we'd have to primarily use our phones for Internet. Now it was true, just about every RV park we stayed at said they had 'wireless Internet access', but most places we could ne...

Back a week from our trip to California for daughter Sandy's baby activities and recalling a week ago today when we were in fact still over three hundred miles from home after our extra day delay in Winnemucca due to problems with our Silverado. I had started this post while in Winnemucca so I will add to and complete it. So over a week into our trip to California for daughter Sandy's baby shower and to help her get their apartment set up and ready for the new baby when it occurs in September. Stacy and I spent the week there making trips to Ikea and assembling the furniture and using our truck to take stuff away etc. to make room for the baby. First day out on this trip and we have a problem! At our first fuel stop in Pasco, Washington, as I'm filling up the truck I notice several tufts of pink insulation showing on top of our trailer. I climb up on top and find that apparently the factory didn't properly fit the front or the 'cap' on the front of the ...

We have been without any Internet at home since last Friday. That was the second and final time the old Hughesnet modem stopped working. After talking with India a few times a repair order was set up, I thought. Seems that if a tech says it's dead it won't cost us the $200.00 for a new modem.  We were supposed to be contacted within two days. This morning, 4 days later, I call and find out that our service call is still "in progress" because they can't find an area company that still works on or sells Hughesnet. Because of that and the problems with getting us back online, I called the two area radio signal Internet services that weren't available in 2007 when we had gotten signed up with Hughesnet.  Later today I find out that a company had been arranged to fix the problem. Except they can't be here for a week or more longer.! This tech also says that our older system is being phased out and we should upgrade anyway, and to call and get the best deal ...

So yet again time has been zipping by and I have failed to keep up with my posts. We're all into Spring but still not so much in this area yet. I recently found out that on average June is the wettest month overall for our part of the great North West. This June is keeping with that norm. Rain and lots of it over the past few weeks. A few sunny days and even a very few sunny and WARM days too. But again, mostly just rain and fall type of temps, 30s at night and 40s or 50s during the day. As I'm typing today Stacy is on her way back from a three day trip to Pocatello, Id., and has to travel most of next week too, to Lewiston, back for a day and then Boise. She has been recently nominated for a place on a state level commission and although it seemed like a slam dunk, another person has come out saying they want a shot at it too at the last minute. Should Stacy 'win' she'll be making even more trips to Boise, we'll know in the next couple of weeks I believe. ...

My Uncle Died On the morning of April 22nd I had gotten a call on my phone but didn't find out till the evening as we had been working outside all day with one of the first springlike days so far. It had been from a close friend of my uncle telling me that he had died earlier that day, about 5 am their local, Virginia time. About a month and a half before was the last time I had talked with him. He called me to tell me he was in the hospital and from how he felt at that time, he thought he'd "never walk out of the place on his own two feet". He was really angry about everything and so I couldn't talk too long to him because he just got that much angrier as I talked with him. He wound up going home after about a weeks stay and did alright for a few weeks then went downhill again. His health problems, as with many of my family on my mothers side, were directly related to a life time of cigarette and tobacco addiction. He wound up having most of one lung removed s...

April 15, 2012 As I write this post, Stacy and I are at the Coeur d' Alene Casio near Worley, Idaho, or about two and a half hours from where we live. We are here for Stacy's birthday in a couple of days. Last couple of years we had gone to Kalispell, Montana for a couple of days for her birthday. This year since there is a lot going on for her at work she wanted to stay a bit closer to home to make it an overnight trip and back while still taking a bit of a vacation. At the moment Stacy is off somewhere in the Casino having fun, I hope! I did just come back to the room from trying to find her and ask how she's doing but with so many people and such a large gaming floor it wasn't going to be possible unless she had seen me first. We have come here off and on over the years as it is a first class place to stay, very nice quiet rooms, and with it being a resort, various things to do even if you aren't a gambler, like me. Stacy enjoys gambling every once in a while. My...

Yes, winter is supposed to be the time in this part of the world that most people do all things indoors for a few months. This winter has been literally one for the books though. Very little snow and when it did snow, after every snow storm this winter came the 'warmer' temps and then rain. So, not much snow overall, still cold though! But even then we didn't get any of the usual week of at or below zero that should normally occur. Then right at the start of Spring, almost a week straight of Snow! And right when Laura and grand baby Tyler came out from Iowa to visit during his time off from school. The week just before they came out, almost no snow left at all. The week they're here almost 4 inches of snow twice and too cold for it to melt until a couple of weeks after they've left. So sorry for Tyler since it's mostly too cold to be able to play outside except for one day between storms. And now almost two weeks of rain have made the area like a marsh area f...

So, time for a bit of an update, now that I can use this iPad app again. The holidays have come and gone and we hope everybody that reads this had a great holiday! For us it was a nice and quite time. For our area it has been the warmest winter even the lifer residents can recall. It started out like another record winter was going to happen like last year with almost two feet of snow over 4 days in November. But then just a few days after all the snow the temps warmed to the low forties and much of it melted causing quite a bit of springlike flooding in November! Since then though, with the exception of a bit of snow here and there, usually an inch or so like on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, it has stayed very warm for this area with rain but no snow. It has become more of a long fall or spring than winter. Last night on the news out of Spokane it was reported that for that area there has been only nine inches of snow of what should be twenty-three inches of an average wi...