The Ultimate Update #2 WITH PICTURES!!!

I am able to use the hubby's computer while he's working so I have been working on getting some pictures sized for the blog.

This post is, I guess, the picture half of The Ultimate Update post. If you read this blog at all, you know how much I love my pics and the story just isn't right without them, so I hope you enjoy seeing our faces again and meeting Chili Moon!

ENJOY

Me and my little Owling get tattoos

My new boots and my first pair of skinny jeans (yes I returned them and got the right size!)

We went to Tahoe

J' finally got his Metal Detector!!

We got surprise tickets to the Giants game!!

J' went riding

I'm spending more time with Claramae...and actually learning stuff!

 (Some of) J's handy work on the van

[gallery columns="4" ids="5108,5105,5106,5107"]

We played Tourist for a day

[gallery ids="5114,5117,5118,5119,5115,5113,5116,5111,5110"]

[caption id="attachment_5112" align="aligncenter" width="224"] Pure Magic[/caption]

And last but not least,

Get your giggles & awwww's ready because you are about to see one of the cutest things on this Earth...

Introducing (drum roll, please)

Chili Moon

I told you....she's stinkin' cute, isn't she!

So there you go, I hope these pics give you the same smiles and warm fuzzies they give me. We are gettin' 'er done and (this much) closer to being back on the road... refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to rock 'n' roll!

Can't wait to see you all very soon.

PEACE

We're baaaaack!!

Holy Goodness! We're back! After four full days of being 'down', arguing with Host Gator, figuring things out, J' having my computer trying to figure things out and lot of stuff in between...it looks like I'm back up and running with images and everything! Phew. It is a major load off my back and J's as well. Now I have a lot of catching up to do, so although I am posting this as today, please go back in the next couple of days to read the last of Novembers' posts into the beginning of December. I will try to get them up as soon as possible. Today, my computer went on its own little rampage and decided it wanted to put malware on it, so J' spent the majority of his day fixing it for me, after I tried for a while. Just need to get my head back in the right space to write and there will be much to read and look at and all that fun stuff...so bear with me folks.

It's soooooo good to see you all again and I want to put a HUGE thank you out to all of you for sticking around and not leaving me...and another HUGE thank you to Teri, for being there for back-up (literally). I would email you but with all of the shenanigans, your comment got deleted and I do not have your address so again, thank you. You guys and gals are the best readers a girl and her tribe could ask for. You all are so helpful and were so worried... It really made me feel good to have everybody emailing me letting me know things weren't right on the site. So for the hundredth time, thank you my loyal, radtastical readers and friends...You rock!

See you all soon, we'll catch ya on the flip side yo'!

PEACE

I'd kick the winds a$$ right now if I could!

[caption id="attachment_2435" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Brrzies & Freezies[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2438" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Nooooooooo[/caption]

We have gotten quite the cold spell coming through here for the last couple of days...with LOTS of wind! I know there are people out there that really like cold, miserable weather...well, I am not one of those people. I was not made for temperatures of 60 degrees or under...yes I am a total wimp when it comes to cold temps or Winter. I am a Florida girl, I grew up on the beach and in swimming pools with flip flops on my feet. I still don't know how I lasted in Denver for 9 1/2 years with no working heat in my vehicle, but that's a whole different life and many many stories ago.

The wind up here has been non-stop since we came back and with wind you have cold and with cold you have to stay in your van all day, until you walk the Nana bug! It's so windy out here that when I walk her, her ears stick straight up in the wind! It's pretty funny. I also feel kind of bad for her because, like her momma, she too is a Florida girl and she just stands there, shivering, looking at me like, "Why momma, why?" But she has to go potty somewhere and it's not gonna be in the van...Has anyone ever toilet trained a dog??

[caption id="attachment_2437" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cold lil' baby[/caption]

We were pretty surprised the other day when we looked down into the canyon to see that a 40 foot RV had parked right down below the van. Yep, never fails! haha There are hundreds if not thousands of acres of open land where we are and they come and park right there beneath us...so much for the privacy we came back for!!

[caption id="attachment_2434" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Excuuuuuse Me!!![/caption]

We figured they were just here for the weekend or maybe even the Veterans Day stuff in town but then another vehicle pulled up with dirt bikes and four wheelers, so maybe we're wrong...whatever.

[caption id="attachment_2436" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Our new neighbors in the middle of nowhere![/caption]

We had to get the heater out the day after we came back up here and we've had it running off and on for the last three days!! Yes, it's that chilly! Oh and I wanted to update you on our "pricey noodles" we had the other night. I think for the price and what you get it's actually not that bad of a meal, to me it tastes just like a meal from Panda Express! J' grilled up some chicken to put in it and BAM...Panda Express in the van!! haha

[caption id="attachment_2433" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Yummy Yummy Chicken Teriyaki[/caption]

We have just been grilling in the van and with the little set-up we have for J's office, it's pretty easy to put the grill up there and cook/grill anything we want.

[caption id="attachment_2440" align="aligncenter" width="225"] It's gettin' hot in here...[/caption]

Although, the day we got the grill out for the first time, J' didn't know his desk area wasn't fastened and secured like he thought it was...he set the grill on top of the boards (his desk) and everything went flying. There was coffee EVERYWHERE, along with whatever else was on the boards. It took a good 25 minutes to clean it up...another way to make us appreciate tearing the carpet out and replacing it with the mats like we did!

[caption id="attachment_2439" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Ruh-roh[/caption]

With everything going on lately and then this happening, my emotions figured it was a good time to just get it all out so even though everything was fine and nothing was ruined I cried like a little baby...release. It felt good to cry, as well as laugh with J' after the coffee fiasco...sometimes you just need to get it all out, scream at the top of your lungs, and sob like it's nobody's business. Sadly, lately I know this feeling all too well. I think 'the female' and whackadoodle hormones of mine are getting the best of me this week and anything is bound to set off the water works.... believe me...anything! Ahh, to be a woman! haha

I hope you all are having a better week than I am...this whole thing is bound to pass sooner or later. Just part of being I guess! I hope you have a happy night and if not, kick the sh!t out of that pillow!!

 PEACE

Cleaning, Grinding & Digging

I know you are just dying for an update and I apologize for being a few days behind. First things first, the torsion bar... J' ended up walking over to Home Depot a couple of days ago and got an angle grinder to take it out. The darn thing just would not come out or off any way ya sliced it...so he sliced it in half and finally got the darn thing off!

[caption id="attachment_1674" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Grinding away[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1675" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Only half of it![/caption]

Our new friend, Wayne, offered us a couple of jack stands that he isn't using.  He came to check in on us after reading about the torsion bar problems from the blog, how cool is that!? He then whisked J' away to get some fresh water...FREE Water!! He's a super nice guy with a heart of gold.

Thanks Wayne! 

During the day, while J' was walking, grinding, refreshing, grinding, etc. I started feeling not so well throughout the day but figured J' already had a lot on his plate for the day, so I thought I would help with some things. I did my first potty dump ever, probably not the cleanest of all things I could have done but it needed to be done. ..so now it's done! I spent a good hour or so spraying, wiping, rinsing, filling...all of the fun stuff! 

[caption id="attachment_1676" align="aligncenter" width="225"] So fresh & so clean, clean[/caption]

The next morning I would find out that I did a few things wrong:

1&2- I twisted off the wrong cap to pour deodorizer & water into the wrong area! 3- When I twisted the cap back on, it actually didn't twist back on but crossed the threads, so it leaked a little (good thing we have the mats like we do, they got taken out and washed). 4- I didn't put any water into the top of it. Well, all I can say is, at least I tried to help. It did get a very thorough cleaning AND all the gummed up T.P. was taken out, so I did do some good! I also cleaned the inside of the van up, it looks so purty!

 I hung curtains on the outside of Joon to make it cooler on the inside...it sure heats up in here during the day. A big thank you out to SoulRaven for the curtains!

The rest of the day, when J' wasn't gone or grinding, he was working or reading on the torsion bar. I moved from one spot to another moanin' & groanin' and Savannah dug herself into a frenzy trying to get a hold of one of those Kangaroo Mice...poor things! She sure is a good digger though...she's bound to strike oil out here!

[caption id="attachment_1679" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Digging to China[/caption]

 We all know what she would do with those little mice too...exactly what she does with everything of hers... saves it for later!

[caption id="attachment_1683" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sha-Sha's all locked up![/caption]

Let's just hope for everyone's sake she never catches up with those scared little mice but it is good exercise for her! haha

PEACE

 

Ain't no thing but a chicken wing

When you are out camping for long periods of time...months for us this time, you will probably start some kind of tradition or "fun day or item". We used to look forward to getting ice cream when going to town but Sunday will be a different day this week. It's Football Sunday so we decided to get some chicken wings and blue cheese for dipping, we would grill them and it would be a fun day full of good food and 'foosball'!

[caption id="attachment_1067" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Ain't nuttin' but a chicken wing[/caption]

And they were good....but the only game we were able to get ended about three hours before it was "wing time" for us...they were still good!

[caption id="attachment_1069" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Yum yum gimme some[/caption]

 Monday was one of those days you "plan" on doing something and the more the day gets away from you, the harder it is to actually go get that "thing" done. We needed water. Bob & Miss Cheri invited us over for dinner and we told them we would go into town to get them water too before we came over. We didn't end up leaving until about 3 p.m. or so but it always feels so good to be stocked up on fresh water!!

[caption id="attachment_1072" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Water Boy[/caption]

See we got up this morning and J' started doing something to the van, instead of sitting inside working... and I cooked up some oatmeal for breakfast and one thing led to another after seeing the grill in that condition! So a few hours later of giving her the scrub down this is my success story:

[caption id="attachment_1070" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Got my work cut out for me![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1071" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Forever later...satisfaction![/caption]

 I just wanted to take a nap and REALLY wash my hands and now I don't ever want to use the grill again! haha

Have a great night!

PEACE

 

 

 

 

 

Don't worry, we're still alive!!!

Hello out there to all of my followers! We are still alive & kicking, we've just been super duper busy and I am going to write allllll about it...I just need some time (and internet signal for more than a mili-second) to do it! So be patient with me and pretty soon here there will be a whole bunch of reading going on for all of you...you'll probably get sick of me....nahhhh! haha

I hope each and every one of you is having a great day, night or somewhere in between. Be good to those you don't know and better to those you do. We will bring you up to speed very soon and will catch you on the flip side yo!

PEACE

Fall is approaching!

I'm just sitting here trying to get my blog all fixed up, so I can take it down from the blogspot site before they do...man what a pain in the arse! I think I'm going to get half of them done today and then I end up sitting here for 3 hours fixing just ONE post! Good thing I only have like 75 to fix and not 1,000! So I'm fixing it up to make it all purty & easier to read, it's all jacked from moving it over... and I figured I haven't written in a couple of days so I thought I would bore with you those simple details! I can't be the only one that gets to sit through it...haha suckers! Really nothing much has been happening around here. Our new friendlies, Jenn & Johnny, got themselves a new ride and popped over the other night to show it off. It's pretty rad and I told them I would give them the pics I took before I put them all over the web, so this is the only one I'm going to post...

[caption id="attachment_965" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Creepin' on us!![/caption]

It's a pretty sweet van! They are downsizing from a "(bigger) house on wheels" to this so it will sure be interesting but I think once they get used to the size, they'll be super happy to be able to go on even more adventures...and places they haven't been able to go due to size! We spent the rest of the night talking about conversions, clothes and everything else in the world... we love our new friends, they fit us! 

From then until now it's really just been kind of blah out here (to me at least). We spent the weekend taking it easy. Got some Jeep visitors on Saturday that had enough respect to drive right through our camp...um, excuse me... no respect, saw me and kept on driving, (but not for long due to tree trunks in the road and a dead end). We were going to go to the 'beach' on Sunday but with so many visitors Saturday, we decided it best to stay at camp in case more people decided to Jeep through so we watched Football instead. Oh...and I took lots of self-po's, which I am now going to call Auto Ritratto's, Saturday, haha I get "bored".

[caption id="attachment_968" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Wow, I actually look clean![/caption]

We also moved around some tree trunks to make it seem more like a dead-end and then moved them again due to peoples' lingering curiosity of what's back here...

[caption id="attachment_966" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Do you think they'll get it now?[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_967" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Strong man![/caption]

We watched the sunset together and played with the Nana' Bug and hit the hay, it's starting to get dark earlier everyday...before you know it we'll be in the van for the rest of the night at 3:30p.m.! 

[caption id="attachment_971" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My tribe[/caption]

 Sunday, other than football was pretty much the same. Lots of auto-ritratto's and redressing. I always start the day out in a tank, pants or a long skirt and my flops, by 1-2:00 p.m. I'm changing into socks, mukluks, a long-sleever & my knit sweater. It's ridiculous I tell ya.

[caption id="attachment_974" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Ta-daa[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_975" align="aligncenter" width="225"] My "cold-weather" gear![/caption]

J' gets out of the van and he just laughs at me. I like to sit outside so I do and get dressed for it, he sits in the van all day mostly warm and toasty. He works in the van and I like it outside because I feel like I'm cooped up in my bedroom all day otherwise. Soon enough we'll be about 7 feet away from each other in the van a lot more often, so I'll take the cooler weather and warmer clothes until I am sucked into having to be in there all the time. I love him, but I love to be outside too...so give me my outdoors while the weather is good! Savannah, I think, would rather cozy up in our comfy comforter! She is soooo freakin' funny!

[caption id="attachment_977" align="aligncenter" width="300"] If it's soft...it's hers![/caption]

 And then today was very much of the same, although I finally got a picture of this totally amazing Blue Jay that I've been seeing in the mornings when I do my Yoga & Stretches. When he flies, he is the most gorgeous turquoise and electric blue I've ever seen...I love Nature!

[caption id="attachment_978" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Love him![/caption]

 So with that I leave you as I drink my cup-a-cocoa to warm my bones. Much Peace, Love and Light to you and yours. Snuggle up my buttacups!

[caption id="attachment_979" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Chilly Billy![/caption]

PEACE

 

Get in, Get out, get on with it

We always say, "Okay, this is going to be a quick trip 'in' (meaning into Fresno). We are just going to do these three things and be home, bada-bing, bada-boom!" As you can imagine, this is much easier said than done, but we still go for it! We had to go into Fresno to get rid of this damn Thermo-electric cooler that is sucking all of our power and we have decided we will be going with a nice Navy Blue 5-day cooler instead...at least we know what we're getting!

[caption id="attachment_849" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Out with the old...[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_850" align="aligncenter" width="225"] ...in with Big Blue[/caption]

After our very short (thank goodness) trip to Wal-mart, we headed off to Home Depot where J' got some parts to hinge up the solar and I downloaded pics to snapfish...gotta love their free wifi! Good thing I stayed and did this too, first it was 94 degrees outside and didn't want the bug staying in the van by her lonesome (I can always turn the van on) and J' was in Home Depot for an hour and if I have to stay in that store that long you might just find me at the end of one of their ropes...so I stay in the van and get stuff done!

[caption id="attachment_851" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Helloooooo free wi-fi![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_852" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Such a daddy's girl...patiently waiting[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_853" align="aligncenter" width="300"] I had to get some pic. action, too[/caption]

After our "quick stop" at T.H.D., we drove on over to Winco to stock up on a few more items since some of our meat went bad. Last time we were here, we just wanted to get in and out, this time we took the time and walked all the way to the back for their meat selection and let me tell you, it's like a meat warehouse back there. Their meat section is humungoid, they have all fresh meats on one wall and in the middle area of this section and then all bagged meats on the other side of this section. If you are a meat lover, you would never want to leave this place. J' and I talked about moving in, but we didn't want to deal with the all of the people in our 'house'! haha

[caption id="attachment_854" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Only half of the meat section![/caption]

We got meat, sodas, some veggies, and even some lunch; a nice rotisserie chicken that only cost $3.98 and this baby was big! Scrumptious in our bellies! Oh and some ice, only .98 cents for a 10 lb. bag, can't beat that. We were smart this time and re-bagged all of our meat there in the parking lot so we didn't have to go through the same mess with that again and then we were on our way home. You might think that this was a quick trip, in and out...but it was about 3:00 already. How does that happen? On our way back up, we had to pull over and fix some things in the back and pulled over to a field, I asked J' to pull up a little more than he wanted so I could talk to the cows... I LOVE Cows! I talked to them and they just looked at me like, Yeah man, totally and then loud mouth (Savannah) had to come to the rescue and scare them away, they were like, "F* this man we're outtie!" Thanks butt-head!

[caption id="attachment_855" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Holy Cow[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_856" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Gettin' dissed by the moo's[/caption]

 Then...we drove. Don't know if I've ever showed you what we get to look at when we go up and down the mountain but I think it's pretty... so here are some photos of what you've been missing. It's pretty much all dead, but I think you can find beauty in anything, so here ya go...

[caption id="attachment_859" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Going into Fresno[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_857" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Heading back up the mountain[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_858" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Going up[/caption]

When we got back up the mountain we had to stop (again) at the hardware store due to a miscommunication about a package of ours. After many phone calls for many hours and many people having no idea what I was talking about, we found our package and picked it up at the first place we went to this morning...the hardware store! There was our package all taped up and ready to be opened!

[caption id="attachment_860" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Like Christmas, except we already know what it is![/caption]

My dad & Syd sent us our comforter, that we thought we weren't going to need out here, but it's getting a little chilly so it's nice to have it back...and she even washed it for us, thanks 'rents!

[caption id="attachment_861" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Some good snugglin' is about to happen![/caption]

It does need some fixin' though and I so wish I had brought my machine, my fabric, my thread, etc... but we just don't have the room...booooo. I think we might go to the thrift store next time we go into town and get some fabric or old sheets or something so I can fix it and maybe even make Nana a toy or something...feeling domestic these days! The rest of the night, since we got back pretty close to dark, was spent lounging around. J' looked at all of his goodies he got at Home Depot and I was able to put the bed down with the door open (my fave) and snuggle with the bug while watching the boob tube.

[caption id="attachment_862" align="aligncenter" width="225"] 2 bugs in a rug![/caption]

Pretty good day, we accomplished a lot in a pretty short amount of time and things are good. We have (good) cold food and drinks, got some parts for hinging up the solar and got to get out of camp for a bit. Awesome Blossom.

Have a restful night and we'll catch ya on the flip side yo

PEACE