'18/#32 Feliz Navidad

This is my Merry Christmas blog from the Rio Grande Valley. it is that time of year when everyone is getting into the spirit of the holiday. While some the spirits of the holiday may be getting into them (LOL). Anyway the office in the park is overflowing with decorations and the rest of the building is decorated with Christmas trees, lights, and garland. Christmas dinner in the hall is coming together nicely and those of us who want a quieter celebration are getting things ready for our holiday meal at home.

Last week we drove down to Hidalgo to see the Annual Festival of Lights put on by the city and local businesses. The stores are all dressed up and Christmas music is playing everywhere. The crowds haven't been too bad. It is just the usual Winter Texan congestion just like the Snow Bird situation in Florida.

In our home we have put up our flat Christmas tree, strung some garland with a number of ornaments, and have several music emitting decorations and animated items. we are starting to watch all the Christmas shows we have saved to our DVR and of course there is Christmas music playing. Sometimes Mary even joins in and when she belts them out....well lets say she should keep her day job. I love her and wouldn't dream of stopping her but sometime I have to find ways to deal with the excess (ahem) noise.

We have decided that on Christmas eve to go to the office and make sure all the last minute packages that show up get delivered to the residents in the park. It is not something that we have to do, but in the spirit of Christmas and as retired postal workers we feel it will be our contribution to making sure that everyone has a Merry Christmas.

Well I am going to end this blog now. We are volunteering in concessions for tonight's dance so we have to eat a little early. This may or may not be my last blog before Christmas so we are sending out our Merry Christmas wish to everyone now from our home in Pharr TX because......

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/31 We Scaled The Wall

We have been here in the Rio Grande Valley now for a month and it was time to go to Mexico. The park bus was going so we joined the party instead of driving. As we approached the border we kept an eye out for the troops that were stationed down here to keep the South American caravan from crossing into the US. Since the city of Donna is just a few towns from where we cross in Progresso we expected to see some build up of troops but none were to be found.

At the bridge crossing, the Mexican check point was the same as before. A fifty cent pedestrian toll and welcome to Mexico. When we go by bus we usually have about four hours to spend in Progresso so we just strolled down the main street and checked out the stores to see if anything had changed. Not all of the shops were open but for the most part it was business as usual.

Like most Winter Texans we picked up a few trinkets and some OTC medicine that is considered prescription medication in the USA. These medications are also at a substantially lower price. That tells you something about the pharmaceutical business in the US.

Last year I finally got Mary to eat lunch in Mexico and since she survived we decided to have lunch before we headed back to the bus. Two lunch plates, two margaritas, and a beer for $15 and it was delicious. Apparently the margaritas were a little potent and hit Mary a bit harder than she expected. Needless to say she was enjoying herself.

Well it was time to get back to the bus. A 25 cent toll to get back to the good old USA, a check of our passports, and we were on our way home. No soldiers, no barbed wire, no invading horde. All a bunch of baloney to scare the American public.

The bus was ready to leave and Mary was already closing her eyes. It was a quiet trip back to the park with our fellow travelers tired and Mary with a little buzz.

Once home Mary continued her nap in her own bed in our home in Pharr because...

Home is where we park it.
Frank and Mary


..

'18/#30 'Tis The Season

We are well into our winter season here in southern Texas and are getting back in the rhythm of the park we are staying. It is getting close to the end of November and that means the holiday season is kicking off. First and foremost Mary and I would like to thank everyone who wished us Happy Birthday. To quote Clarence Oddbody of It's a Wonderful Life, "no man is a failure who has friends!". By that account Mary and I are way beyond successful in life when looking at the list of people we count as friends. Thanks again for all the well wishes.

Now on to the holidays.  First up is Thanksgiving. This year we are going to keep it simple and have a Thanksgiving for two. That means we will sleep in, watch the recorded Macy's parade, get a start on all the holiday programming on TV, and of course eat too much delicious food. We will probably stay in our PJs all day and make phone calls to friends and family before falling into a food induced coma.

The rest we get from the previously mentioned coma will come in handy since Mary has found a few Black Friday sales she wants to go to. Fortunately Black Friday is not the insanity it was years ago thanks to Internet shopping and Cyber Monday. Our holiday shopping is going to be curtailed this year.  We are planning ahead for the next couple of years and need to enhance our financial status if want to take on the adventures we hope our future holds for us.

The next holiday we celebrate is Chanukah. This a celebration of the miracle of the rededication of the temple. The story goes that one day's worth of oil lasted eight days during this time. We will celebrate it like most Jews with the lighting of the menorah but we seem to have started our celebration a  little early... only with propane instead of sacred oil.

We have a propane cylinder that needs a new valve and the propane tech told me to use up the full cylinder so we didn't waste 9 gallons of propane. For the last 3 plus weeks we have been using propane for everything even though we get our electricity for free. We heat our hot water, heat our house, cook, and even run our generator all with propane instead of electricity which is our normal procedure. And still the propane cylinder is not empty! In West Yellowstone where we used electricity for everything, and propane only to supplement the electric heat, we used a cylinder once a week. I am not one to believe in miracles but....... Anyway, it has lasted way longer than we thought it should. We are glad that we will be able to get by on less propane when we go back to normal but we also would like to get the defective valve fixed.

Well the laundry is done and needs to be folded so I will end this with a "Happy Thanksgiving" to everyone from our home in Pharr because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#29 It's Winter Texan Time!

Our summer season is over and West Yellowstone is behind us. We left before the temperatures dropped and the snow started to pile up. That is why we are full time RVers and our houses are on wheels. That and the fact that Mary didn't know what a snow shovel was! HAHA. The trip south was relatively uneventful and we were welcomed back to Texas with open arms.

This first week back we got the rig set up for a long term stay. The truck was washed and de-bugged and we got caught up with the laundry. Then we drove around checking out some of our favorite stores and doing a little shopping. We also went to the office to get a bit of a refresher and updates on the office procedure. My mind is at that age that if I get away from a regular routine it just seems to fall out and get lost forever.

Part of our reintroduction to the area was reintroducing our stomach's to some of our favorite foods. Six months in Montana and we forgot what seafood was. Also Mary had to get her Whataburger fix. We are looking forward to some real Italian, Chinese, and Mexican food. The Mexican food is especially good being only a few miles from the Mexican border.

Speaking of the border, we are also looking forward to our trips into Progresso and enjoy the Mexican welcome for the Winter Texans. We are officially Winter Texans which is very different from Florida's Snow Birds. Snow Birds are tolerated while Winter Texans are overtly welcomed. Not just the winter communities but the towns all around us have special events and promotions aimed at the Winter Texans.

Well this is our first day back at work in our Winter Texan home here in Pharr Texas because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#28 Ours Is A Different World

With Montana behind us and Texas somewhere down the road our adventure continues. It was a great summer in West Yellowstone. We got to meet some wonderful people and make what we hope will be lasting friends. Yellowstone National Park did not disappoint and we found some hidden gems in the surrounding countryside. But now we have other things to do.

If you have been following us, you know we had an eventful trip northward bound in the spring. Some damage was incurred on the rig and we are stopping in Arizona to have it repaired. We will be there for a few days and hope to be back on the road to our winter destination in the Rio Grande Valley.

Yes we drove past the turn-offs to Bryce Canyon and Zion National park. We also kept the wheels rolling as we left Salt Lake City and Las Vegas behind us. Many of you are saying that we are driving too fast and missing many things worth seeing. Well that may be true if we were on a vacation like most people who travel the country. But we are NOT on vacation. As I have mentioned many times, this is a lifestyle and not a vacation. We have places to go and people to see and things to do just like everyone else does in their life. Ours is different than most and it maybe hard to understand but every drive is not a sight seeing tour. Just because a trip to the grocery store or the mall may take you near a museum or beach or other attraction doesn't mean you have to stop. It just means you live near places that other people would love to see.

I grew up just outside NYC and went into the city many times. Sometimes to work with my Dad, sometimes to visit family, and even sometimes to see a show or museum...but it wasn't until I moved to Florida and was well into my 40's that I went to the top of the Empire State Building. Why? It was always in my own backyard, so to speak, and that was what "tourists" did. Mary went to Disney a gazillion times, mostly when friends or family visited from out of state and that was what they wanted to see. As Mary puts it, "she doesn't have to see that #@#$% mouse again...EVER!". Why? Again it was in her own "backyard" and we tend to take things for granted that are just "there".

I know that we will go to many of these places that we pass on the road at some time, and we have seen many of them already. But right now we have places to be and people to see and things to do and that is the life we live. As a friend once said, "the RVer's neighborhood is 3000 miles wide". That makes everything in this country right here in our backyard.

So for now we are just rolling on down the road taking care of business in our home in Golden Valley Arizona ( just for one night) because.......

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

18/#27 It's NOT Jello And It's Frozen!

There are only 5 more days on the calendar until we leave West Yellowstone. We and all the other work campers are getting anxious about hitting the road and moving on to the next adventure. Like everyone else we are starting to get the rig ready to travel. Things need to be stored and secured, final loads of laundry are being done, and food is being prepared so we can travel without having to spend too much time cooking.

All this time we are still working our jobs here and dealing with the cold weather. The last 3 days the high temperatures have not gotten above freezing. Water hoses have been disconnected and we have been working off our on board fresh water supply. We have also been keeping an eye on our propane supply and make good use of electric heaters, blankets, and mattress pad. The last was a recent purchase and it is wonderful on these cold Montana nights.

Everything was going smoothly so we knew that somewhere we were going to run into our "jello" moment. After the cold spell had broken I went outside to dump our waste water tanks. I pulled the handle and glug, glug, stop. What the .....! I checked the sewer hose and lo and behold (always wanted to use "lo and behold") it was frozen solid in a couple of spots. I hadn't payed attention to the low spots that had developed and the water there froze solid in the shape of the corrugated hose. Well that wasn't good. Now I couldn't dump my full waste water tanks!

Soon Mary was out there with me trying to solve this dilemma. First we tried a blow dryer but the ice was too thick and hard so we got nowhere fast. Then we thought we might be able to disconnect the hose, hold it vertical, and maybe the ice would slide out. Nope, not happening. Finally we boiled water and Mary poured it down the hose while I held it vertical and eureka! (Always wanted to use "eurika" also.) The ice started to break free and all the nasty sewer water and frozen waste water flushed down the campground's sewer connection. That was great but there were 2 more hoses to do so more hot water more frozen poop water and finally the hoses were clear. Mary called them "poopcicles". Did not sound appetizing.

But were we done? No! Now I had to get back to dumping the full grey and black tanks. As I pulled the handle to empty the tanks we had a little geyser of waste water squirting through a hole the ice had punctured in one of the hoses. Out to the hardware store ( which by the way has a decent RV section) and one new hose later we were able to dump our tanks without creating a bio-hazard situation.

This could have ruined our whole day or put us in a lousy mood but like I always say "there goes the jello". Patience and a sense of humour may be the best tools an RVer can carry with them on the road. You never know what will happen next but whatever it is you just have to deal with it. Later on it becomes another story to tell around the campfire.

Well we are tired and don't feel like cooking after our poop water ordeal so we are treating ourselves to dinner out. Tomorrow we go back to work to finish our commitment and earn a substantial bonus. It may have been the only thing keeping us here the last few weeks. So I will sign off with empty poop tanks and a brand new sewer hose in our home in West Yellowstone because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#26 Counting Days And Watching Weather

We are still in West Yellowstone and checking the calender every day. It has been a lot of fun here but as I've said in the past, our house is on wheels and wheels are meant to roll. After today we have 10 more days before we get those wheels rolling. We made a final trip to the big city of Bozeman for our last big shopping to prepare for our journey south. We always try to pre-cook some dinners that will be easy to heat up on the road and we will be doing that over the next week or so. Also we are doing some major laundry before we have to close up the bath house and laundry for winterizing. In other words, we will soon be on our way.

Over the past couple of days we have also been watching the weather. First of all, like everyone else, we have been following Hurricane Michael. With a lot of family and friends all over Florida it is a concern to us. Fortunately none of our extended family is in the panhandle and all are doing OK as far as we know. Some wind and some rain from the outskirts of the hurricane is all that has impacted them we are happy to report.

We have also been watching the weather here in Montana and checking the long term forecast. All the work campers are hoping for clear skies and roads when we leave West Yellowstone. No one likes to drive in inclement weather and coming down the mountain with a 40 foot RV is, well.....more excitement than any of us want. For two days we have had rain, sleet, and snow in small amounts. Nothing has accumulated but it has been a little sloppy out there. This morning we woke to about 3" of snow on the ground. It is pretty and we are enjoying the views but hopefully it will all be gone when we are ready to leave.

Now is a good time for me to sign off and get on with my day in the campground that is home for us for the next 10 days because......

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#25 Short Timing And Full Timing

We have been doing this work camping thing for a number of years now and have found that there is one thing that has been consistent with every work camping job we have had. There is a point somewhere around the 3/4 mark of the season, and it doesn't matter how long the season, that attitudes change. Everyone is already looking down the road to the next adventure. We are all wondering how soon can we leave and get those wheels rolling. And almost without exception we are finding reasons to and not to stay.

The group we have been working with is great and we all get along but little things are starting to bother everyone. Some times it is the weather or maybe the camp site we are on. Work campers have even been known to turn on each other. The little quirks that we all have may have gone from endearing to annoying. Fortunately we haven't seen any of that here and hope not to through the end of the season.

It is now October here in West Yellowstone and that means the weather is changing. We have had several nights with below freezing temperatures. That means we have to get all the campers to disconnect their water hoses overnight. There was some grumbling but for the most part everyone understood. On a personal note we have been making good use of our new electric mattress pad. That and a couple of blankets keeps us nice and cozy all night. The furnace and a couple of electric heaters warm things up nicely for our morning showers and we start our day. There is talk of snow and/or freezing rain in the forecast so we will stay inside and try to keep warm and dry.

With 3 weeks before we leave our hope is that there won't be any snow on the ground or at least the roads so we can safely get out of West Yellowstone and head south to warmer climates for the winter. For now we are counting the days as short timers while living the full timers dream here in our home in Montana because......

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#24 Ho Hum It's The RV Life For Me

I have been negligent in my blogging but sometimes there really isn't much to blog about. Time and time again I have said that this is not a vacation but a lifestyle with all the trappings of everyday life. There is cooking and cleaning and laundry and everything that goes along with taking care of a household. We also have to deal with the joys of living in a vacation area.

The past couple of weeks have marked the ending of family tourist season. School is back in session in most of the country and the families visiting the area have dwindled. We now are getting the empty nesters and retirees who are taking advantage of the "shoulder" season when there are less tourists on the road. It doesn't make it any less busy here, just a different clientele. Labor Day weekend was crazy here and in the park. We really haven't gone into the park much after Memorial Day and will start going back in now that Labor Day is past. It sounds a lot like "Snowbird" season in Florida when the locals just stay away from beaches and restaurants until the tourists head back north.

During this time we were able to take care of a number of things I wanted to fix around our home. Like I said we are home owners and have to maintain our home. Last month I replaced the fresh water pump. These past couple of weeks I had a list of things that I wanted to do before it got too cold. We had to swap out our spare tire from our trip north and replace  a center hub on the wheel. One of the shock absorbers had broken during the trip and was replaced. We also found a couple of lug nuts that had frozen in place and will take care of that soon. And finally the macerator needed replacing. If you have followed us from the beginning you know that I installed a macerator in July of 2009 and have affectionately called it "The Poop Shooter". After 9 years the pump failed and this was as good a time to fix it as any.

Well that is the excitement here in our neck of the woods. We are planning some excursions into the park now that the crowds have thinned and Mary will post more pictures. We have just 5 1/2 more weeks before we head south and I'm sure there will be more to do around our home here in West Yellowstone because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#23 We Can't Hide, And That's A Good Thing

We just got back from our two days off and are exhausted. The daily routine of work will let us catch our breath. Now I am not complaining because we had a great time the past two days. On our days off we normally make the trek to Bozeman to do the bulk of our shopping. We love where we are but there is no place to grocery shop in West Yellowstone. We make the 1 1/2 hour drive to Bozeman and make a day of it. We take our time, go out to eat, and just make it a relaxing day. This time was a little different.

On Monday friends that we worked with in Zephyrhills had made it to Teton National Park which is a little over an hour away from us. Well, when you travel thousands of miles to get someplace and then 50 or 100 or even 150 miles separate you from friends......well that is what we consider in the neighborhood. Wendy and Charlie agreed to meet us at Old Faithful for lunch so we could catch up. Little did we know that most of the caravan they were traveling with had decided to tag along. It was great to see Wendy and Charlie and it was fun to meet some of their travel friends.

After a good time with everyone and promises to keep in touch we did a little sight seeing before we went home. It took us over an hour to travel the 30 or so miles each way with the "animal jams" stopping traffic. This is when a buffalo or elk or bear or eagle is spotted and everyone stops in the middle of the road to see and take pictures. The thought of pulling off the road never seems to cross their minds but that is what we have to deal with during the height of tourist season.

The next day we got up way to early, for a day off, to go to Bozeman but with good reason. More friends just happened to be passing through our area and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to see them. It had been a number of years since we were neighbors in Florida. With us hitting the road and them moving to Georgia social media was our main connection so an in person meeting just had to happen. Scott and Peggy met us in Yellowstone with their 5 kids ( 3 of whom we have never met) and spent almost 2 hours just reminiscing and catching up on what was new in everyone's life. They were in the middle of an adventure of their own, moving from Georgia to Alaska to start a new life. They were all excited and doing well and we couldn't wish any more for them but to be happy with everything the future holds for them. Of course they want us to come see them in Alaska and who knows?

Back home after another "critter jam" it was dinner time. We were too tired to cook so we snacked and wound down and called it a day. Tomorrow we would go to work and slow things down and maybe get around to putting the rest of our groceries away in our home in West Yellowstone because......

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#22 It's Nice To Get Back Home

Since the last blog we did head home from Cody Wyoming and we did come through Cooke City. Cooke City is the North East Entrance to Yellowstone. That means that this summer we have gone through all 5 entrances to Yellowstone. The west gate is right where we are staying so that is home base. The north gate is through Gardiner and was very disappointing. The south gate was coming up through Teton National Park and if you saw the photos you know that the mountains are picture post card ready. Going out the east gate was muddled by the construction at Fishing Bridge but it meant we were going to Cody so that was OK. And finally Cooke City at the north east gate drops us into my favorite part of the park, Lamar Valley.

The ride from Cody to West Yellowstone via Cooke City is a roundabout way to go but for scenic views it shouldn't be missed. The Chief Joseph Highway crosses the Shoshone National forest through the Absaroka Mountains and is an engineering marvel. Steep climbs, hair-pin turns, and dangerous drop offs keep you on your toes as you try to safely enjoy the views.

Cooke City is a little town in Montana that thrives off Yellowstone tourists in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter and has that small western town feel. The usual gift shops, and food establishments many with wooden walkways out front add to that feel. Most important is it is the last stop before entering Yellowstone after almost 2 hours of driving from Cody.

Entering the north east gate we drove through forests with creeks and rivers keeping us company. And then the forest opens up and there is Lamar Valley. I get goose bumps because the valley looks like it must have hundreds of years ago. Thousands of acres dotted with thousands of bison, it is just awe inspiring. We stopped several times to take pictures. Then we found a large and active herd of bison. We are into the "rutting" season when the buffalo start their mating rituals. We parked the truck and just sat there for almost and hour just watching. We finally decided to move on just as the National Geographic film crew showed up to start filming for the 4 night Yellowstone "Live" that had started the day before on the Nat Geo channel. We were recording it at home so we just moved on.

After 6 hours of relaxed driving and wild life sight seeing we made it home. It was a good couple of days seeing friends and getting to see some more of this wonderful country. For now we are just glad to be in our own bed in our home in West Yellowstone because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#21 Since We Were In The Neighborhood...

In this RV lifestyle that we live we travel thousands of miles at a time. Often we settle in places where shopping is 50, 75, or 100 miles away. So when we are less than 150 miles from friends we haven't seen in a while we take the opportunity to see them. Just 101 miles and 3 hours through Yellowstone National Park and we have returned to what I like to refer to as "the scene of the crime". Back in Cody Wyoming, after 6 years of travel, we came to see some of the people we worked with back then.

In the morning we stopped by the business office and caught up with Shandi and Angela. They were at work so it was a brief visit. We still got to catch up and reminisce a little. We found out that our boss, Judy, was not in town so hopefully we can catch up with her another time. Never the less it was good to see the girls.

Later we had dinner plans with Pernille and her family. We worked with her and saw her son a number of times at work with her. Her husband we only met once or twice and her youngest wasn't even born yet. Still we had a great time and wound up just sitting and talking for 3 hours. Again it was good to catch up.

Now, how do we cap off such a wonderful day? Why not a trip to Libations? What is Libations you ask? Well it might be the best liquor store ever. In addition to a large assortment of beer, wine, and alcohol they have booze based slush drinks. Think Slurpees for adults. Tonight we chose strawberry daiquiri and "pain-killer". Mary says the strawberry daiquiri tasted great and .... well the rum based pain-killer lived up to it's name. Two more features of Libations is a classy sitting area to enjoy your adult beverage and a drive through for your beverage on the go. Who new such a place existed?

Tomorrow we will hit the Walmart here in town for a few groceries and head on back to West Yellowstone. We will take the scenic Chief Joseph Highway and avoid the construction at Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone. It is a longer trip but it is such an awe inspiring drive.

Tomorrow it is back to the old workcamping grind in West Yellowstone. It will be good to be back in our own beds in our rig in Montana because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#20 Just Another Day In Yellowstone

Today was the day we decided to fix our RV water pump issue. The new pump was delivered last week and it was time to install it. Anyone who has owned an RV knows that everything is not necessarily readily accessible. The pump was no exception. It is located in the lower storage compartment, behind the water heater, and blocked by the shower "P" trap. After emptying the basement storage I contorted myself into the space with assorted length phillips head screw drivers. The whole thing is held in place by four screws, only one of which was both easy to reach with a regular length screw driver and visible. The others either required a "stubby" phillips head screw driver or was reached blindly around and behind assorted obstacles. Finally the old pump was out and I was freed from the basement... for now.

Next the new pump was prepped with a clean strainer, new electrical connectors, and teflon tape. Then it was back into the basement or should I say dungeon? I made  the water connections first so they would help hold the pump in place. Then I had to get all those screws back into their original holes. The first one was relatively easy since I could see what I was doing but the rest....well my mumblings were not PG13. Eventually the job was complete and the pump works great. Good water flow and minimal noise which is saying a lot for an RV water pump.

It was still early enough in the day so we decided to take a little drive into the park. As soon as we entered the park, traffic was backed up for almost a mile. The ranger warned us there was a buffalo jam so we were prepared. What we weren't prepared for was a lone buffalo laying in the weeds taking a nap. Usually a buffy jam is caused by several buffalo in the roadway. This was just a ridiculous amount of rubber-necking.

Once past the "jam" we drove up to see the Virginia Cascades. The road is narrow, winding, and in need of some serious repair but once we got there the view was worth it. After taking enough pictures we headed home.

On the way out of the park there were a bunch of cars pulled over and people looking across the river with binoculars and cameras. We figured another buffalo or maybe an elk. We were glad we stopped because there on the far shore was a bald eagle just chillin' and having a snack he probably caught in the river. I was sorry I didn't have my good camera with me but still got a good shot of our national bird.

We arrived home and we will have some dinner. Maybe we will go to the movies tonight or maybe just an early night in our home in Montana because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#19 Just Keeping In Touch

It has been a while since my last blog, but there has been very little to talk about. Mary is finally getting over the crud that has been tormenting her the past month. My post illness cough is easing up enough that I can say complete sentences without coughing my brains out. Now I just wish the pain in my rib cage from coughing so much would go away. Mary keeps saying we are allergic to Yellowstone but we know that can't be true. There are a lot of things blooming that might not be helping though.

Now that we are feeling better we are going to get out some. The other day we headed out to find Mesa Falls in Idaho. It was a beautiful day and a nice drive just 45 minutes from our location. The falls were well worth the trip. At 114' high and with access right up to the edge it was quite impressive. On top of that the sun was shining and creating rainbows in the mist from the falls. It was another one of Mother Natures masterpieces.

Now you see a rainbow...

                                                            and now you don't!

Since we were out that way we drove another 40 minutes to Rexburg to do some shopping. The Walmart there is so much nicer. There are people working there and merchandise on the shelves. Any decent shopping is 1 1/2 hours away from West Yellowstone so when the opportunity presented itself we took advantage.

On another topic, I had to do some work on our trailer. Like I have said in the past this a lifestyle not just a vacation and just like in real life things break and need to be fixed. Our water pump for the fresh water in the trailer died on us and I wanted to get it replaced before the cold weather comes back. When the temperature drops below freezing, and it will, we have to disconnect our water hose so it doesn't burst or do damage to the parks water system. The fresh water holding tank is enclosed in the floor of the trailer so it won't freeze and we just turn on the pump to get water to all our faucets. It also comes in handy on the road when we stop to eat or use the bathroom.

On top of that our ice machine decided to give up the ghost. These portable counter top ice machines are great but they don't seem to last more than a few years with constant use. Freezers in RV refrigerators are small enough as it is, so there is no room for ice cube trays. We have resigned ourselves to the fact that the ice machine will have to be replaced every so often.

Well that should bring everyone up to date. A few more days of work and then we will be off again. Soon we will be heading over to Cody Wyoming to see some friends that we worked with about 6 years ago. So until the next blog, so long from our home in Montana because...

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

"18/#18 A Finish To The Last Blog

OK, where was I on the last blog. Oh yeah, we had left Fishing Bridge and went over to the West Thumb Geyser field and Lake Yellowstone. It had been a long day so far. Remember we started out at 5am and it was now close to 2 pm. We were tired and hungry and in need of a pit stop ( wink,wink).

Our next destination is the one thing that visitors to Yellowstone look forward to seeing more than anything else. You guessed it, Old Faithful. The most famous geyser in the world. It may not be the largest geyser in the world but it is the most regular. No it does not erupt every hour on the hour like some myths would have you believe, but the rangers can predict the eruptions for the next 24 hours to plus or minus 15 minutes. We arrived at the Old Faithful Visitors Center and realized the next eruption was only 20 minutes away. We went out to the truck, made ourselves some sandwiches and headed back to the viewing area for a picnic lunch.

True to form Old Faithful started to erupt 2 minutes earlier then predicted and finished 4 minutes later. Not perfect but there are some airlines that could take lessons from Mother Nature as far as on time performance. We walked down to the gift shop near Old Faithful Inn and treated each other to an ice cream cone before heading back to West Yellowstone.

It had been a long but wonderful day and we were tired so we headed back to our home in West Yellowstone Montana because...

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#17 An Early Start To A Day In The Park

The weather forecast for our days off this week was ideal for tourism. Even though we work here, on our days off we consider ourselves tourists. Mary has decided that we should get up before dawn and get into the park to see the sunrise over the falls. Sunrise is at 5:30am, we need to get up and get dressed, and the ride to the falls is at least 30 minutes so the alarm was set for 4:30 am. A snooze or two and we were on the road by 5:20. Oh well, like I say our plans are written in jello.

After a couple of wrong turns we made it to Artist Point for the best views of the lower falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Dozens of pictures later we wandered over to the upper falls that feed the lower falls. Between the snow melt from a very snowy winter and the heavy rains of the past weeks the water flow was at a 14 year high. The water was, as Mary put it, very angry. It may have been angry looking but it was also very impressive and awesome.

We continued our tour of the park by heading down to

Fishing Bridge. While crossing the bridge we spotted three male elk swimming across the river. Pretty cool sight. Next stop the gift shop and while waiting for it to open I met the cutest park ranger ever.

A trinket or two latter we headed over to West Thumb Geyser Field to see some of the hot springs and look out over Lake Yellowstone. It is always an awe inspiring sight.

I am at work right now so I have to cut this short. I will continue this later from our home here in West Yellowstone because......

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#16 Just Hangin' And Thinkin'

Here we are in West Yellowstone, our home for the summer. This past two weeks the weather has been... let's say less than optimal. We have had rain, sleet, wind, and snow. Except for getting out to do some errands we haven't done much sightseeing lately. We did get a lot done as far as servicing the truck and getting some shopping done.

Work is getting easier as we become more proficient. The buses with all the Asian tourists still keep us hopping and the campground is becoming more routine. Being routine allows us to take more breaks and not be tethered to the office so much.

One thing we have learned in the campground is that many people are narcissistic and/ or clueless. Here we are in the middle of tourist season and approaching the 4th of July holiday and people can't understand why we don't have vacancies for them. Have they never heard of making reservations in advance? Some of them get indignant or belligerent when we tell them that our sites are all full because other people made their reservations four, five , and 6 months in advance. I just don't get it.

It looks like the weather is going to be getting better next week just in time for our days off. Right now I am sitting in the office minding the phone while Mary is taking a break back in our trailer. I'm sure she will put some dinner together and we will eat here in the office.

The phone is ringing again so I will sign off now at work near our home in West Yellowstone Montana because...

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#15 Another Day Exploring

The whole reason we live this life is to see this amazing country so on our days off we head out to explore all that the area has to offer. This week we took a drive through Teton National Park. The local recommendations all said to go south through Idaho and come in from Jackson Hole. An easy ride down the main highway and then across the scenic byway into Jackson Wyoming. Driving through Teton Pass was an adventure with winding roads, blind curves, and steep grades I was glad not to be towing the trailer. At the top of the pass we were welcomed to an awesome view of Jackson Hole which is just that, a giant hole in the middle of the mountains.

At the bottom of the pass we entered the city of Jackson and all the traffic associated with a tourist town. After jockeying our way through town we entered Teton Park. That is where the mountains and jaw dropping views begin. Hundreds of pictures that will be shared on line do it no justice. Everywhere we turned it was like

looking at a post card. In fact we couldn't stop saying how none of it looked real.
                      

Exiting the north end of the park it was just a short drive to the south entrance to Yellowstone Park. This is a part of the park we have never seen before. We just drove through to get back to West Yellowstone. We will come back to explore that part of the park at a later date. It had been a long day and we were hungry and tired. After a nice dinner in town we headed home and called it a night in our home in Montana because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#14 Starting To See Our New Neighborhood

The reason we live this lifestyle is so we can see the country. We picked this location so we could see more of Yellowstone National Park. On our days off we drove into the park with the goal of seeing some of the things we didn't get to see when we stayed in Cody Wyoming 6 years ago. We also went back to some of our favorite places from our last trip. Mary took so many pictures that we could put them together and make an old fashioned "flip-book" of buffalo.

As close as we need to get!

Japanese tourist looking to get gored!

This trip we finally got up to Mammoth Springs and the Gardiner entrance to the park that is marked by the Roosevelt Arch. Gardiner itself was kind of disappointing A couple of blocks of homes and a row of tourist shops does not make a town. Inside the park is the site of Fort Yellowstone which has a little more historical significance and is a bit more scenic. We didn't spend much time there but we have all summer to go back.

Of course there is the wildlife and the majestic scenery. We drove through the newly plowed and opened Dunraven Pass and out to Lamar Valley. The valley is, I feel, the most unspoiled part of the park. If there was no road there would be no sign that man had been there. It is what I imagine the west looked like 300 years ago. Herds of buffalo, numbering into the thousands, sharing the valley with bear, wolves, deer, and elk. With the Lamar River meandering through and the wide open grasslands it is a very peaceful and serene place that I never get bored seeing.

No trip to Yellowstone would be complete without a stop at the Old Faithful Geyser. We opted not to stick around for almost an hour to see it spout but we will another time. We will also head to the south entrance that takes us to the Tetons and the Grand Teton National Park. This is another road that has just recently been cleared of snow and opened for travel. So much to see and all summer to see it. Ours is a wonderful life.

I am actually on the clock right now in the campground and have some things to do. So I am signing off from our home in West Yellowstone because....

Home is where we park it,
Fran and Mary

'18/#13 Settling In

It has been a week since we arrived in West Yellowstone and today is day four of work. Everyone has been real nice and it looks like we will have a great summer. Our schedule is still in flux until training is completed so days off are kind of random. We will have one day off, work one day and have two more days off before we are in our regular schedule.

Saturday we will head into Idaho Falls to do some shopping and try and see some waterfalls along the way. Then during the week we will head into Yellowstone National Park. Our current location is just 5 minutes outside the park's West gate. In fact just over the fence behind our trailer is Yellowstone National Park.

Our guests have been coming back from the park telling us about buffalo, elk, and bear sightings. There have been quite a few babies with their mothers in the buffalo and bear sightings. We have seen baby buffalo before but not bear cubs with their mothers...at least not in the wild. 

Some of the roads in Yellowstone are still closed and there has been an avalanche or two reported on the east side of the park. The northern side of the park is reporting 8-12 feet of snow off the roadways. The roads themselves are clear but hiking any of the trails is not possible at this time. We will check in with the park rangers when we head into the park. 

Well I will sign off for now since we are at work in the RV park we are calling home for the summer because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'18/#12 Welcome To Our New Home

The trek is over. We made it to West Yellowstone and will be here for the rest of the summer. The weather has been clear and cool but the temperature still drops below freezing at night on occasion.That means we still have to keep an eye on our water lines. There is quite a bit of snow still piled up on the side of the roads and at higher elevations but it is melting. The rivers in Yellowstone are running heavy with all the snow run-off.

We went into Yellowstone our first full day here looking for wildlife. Of course we found buffalo everywhere there was grass not covered with snow and we came across an elk munching on the grass along side a river. Mary is determined to find a moose this year but none on this trip. At the Old Faithful visitors center we saw snow piled up all around the parking lot and there was a snow bank that reached up to the eaves of the building and beyond. There were not a lot of people here but the season is just getting started.

The next day we decided to take a drive into Bozeman MT since that is where all the bigger stores, malls, and restaurants are. This summer that will be a scheduled trip to get supplies that are not as readily available here in West Yellowstone. The population here in town is only about 1300 so the big stores aren't found anywhere nearby. There are couple of independent grocery stores, a hardware store, gas stations, and a few other small businesses for the locals to shop. As for the tourists there is an abundance of small restaurants and souvenir shops. A number of them aren't even open yet but that will change soon.

Speaking of tourist shops and attractions....we start work  this Monday. Our duties will be in the RV park, gift shop, and I-Max theater. The day we got here they had just gotten a delivery and I'm sure the empty shelves will be full of t-shirts and souvenirs in no time. Several tour buses have been here the past few days and from what we understand that is our "bread and butter" for the gift shop. The theater shows a movie about Yellowstone and then the buses head into the park. Of course to get in and out of the theater you have to go through the gift shop. This layout is no accident as anyone who has traveled to a tourist destination knows. I'm sure we will have fun and stay busy during the season.

Anyway, today is our last day before we start work. We will put the final touches on setting up the trailer for our stay for the summer so it feels like home here in our rig in West Yellowstone Montana because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#11 Another Day To Relax

Our home has moved again and we are in the east end of Idaho, just outside of Idaho Falls. We could have kept on going into West Yellowstone and arrived at our final destination on this trip, but why? We still have time before we have to start work, we have been doing better on the road not pushing ourselves, and we had some things to take care of here in Idaho Falls.

We found a nice county campground and decided to just relax before moving on. The weather has turned a little for the worse so we will stay here for a couple of days. Right now there is a mix of snow and rain with the temperature just below 40 degrees. A cold wet day is perfect for just hunkering down and keeping warm.

The weather cleared up some so we took a drive just to see the area a little. A brief trip into Idaho Falls for some business and a rise out into the mountains to find a waterfall. The roads were pretty muddy so we didn't get as close to the waterfalls as I had hoped but it was a nice drive. The weather started to take a downward turn  so we headed home. Shortly thereafter hail started to come down. Nothing too big or anything to worry about. Just enough to make it miserable outside.

Today we plan on heading out and getting to West Yellowstone by this afternoon. That will be our home for the next five months. So goodbye for the last time from our home in Ririe Idaho because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

"18/#10 Last Days In Utah

One of the things Mary wanted to see while we were in the Salt Lake City area was the Mormon Temple and Temple Square. Her family had connections with the Mormon religion many years ago. This is like going to the Vatican for Catholics and a point of interest for us regular tourists. I, as a non-believer, am considered a tourist at any church we see in our travels. It doesn't mean I can't appreciate the art and architecture.

The buildings, paintings, and sculptures were something to see and the landscaping, gardens, and fountains made for a pleasant and peaceful setting. The Mormons are known for their missionary work and there were a number of missionaries around the complex to help and inform the guests about everything in Temple Square. Contrary to some of the rumors these missionaries were not trying to convert everyone who comes along. They were very pleasant and helpful. Of course they asked where you were from and did you belong to the church but those were just conversation starters. They treated everyone with kindness and respect regardless of ones beliefs. It was an interesting and worthwhile stop on our adventure.

The next two days we planned on getting ready to hit the road once more. Having stayed a week we had plenty of laundry and cleaning to do. I also decided to do a little modification on the rig to prevent a repeat of the gas line incident we had recently. That project took most of the day and while I was working on the rig I decided to change out an outlet that I had been meaning to do for some time. See, we are not on vacation. This is our lifestyle which includes cooking, cleaning, and home maintenance just like in any stick and brick home. Instead of going to Home Depot or Lowes we go to Camping World or another RV supply company. It is different but yet it is still the same.

This is my last blog from our home here in Ogden Utah because......

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#9 On to The Next Adventure

Southern Utah was pretty cool. We spent some time checking out Bryce Canyon and some of the other surrounding areas. Sights you see in pictures take on a whole different perspective in person. Mary has shared many pictures on Facebook but they do the canyon and rock formations no justice. After some snow in Panguitch we moved on down (up?) the road, north toward Salt Lake City.

We found a place to stay just north of Salt Lake City in Ogden and opted to stay for a whole week. As said in the movies, "it was an offer we couldn't refuse". One of my oldest and dearest friends, Linda, was following us on Facebook and sent us an OMG message. Her brother was living in Salt Lake City! You have to understand that I grew up with these two since I was 2 years old but haven't see Bill in between 30 and 40 years. We made plans and got together not knowing if we would have a lot to talk about. Well all I can say is 4 hours later we had to say our goodbyes. It was good to catch up and reminisce the good old days.

The next day we drove out to the Bonneville Salt Flats. I have read about it for years and knew it as the home of World Land Speed Records. It was quite drive and for some it might not seem worth it, but it is something to see. Acres and acres of flat hard packed salt makes you feel like you are on another planet. Spring time is the wet season so there was no racing on the "Flats" but maybe I will come back one year when they race late in the summer. I think that would be neat to see.

Well, that is all for now. There is more to see and I will share more later from our home in Ogden Utah because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#9 Signs You Are A Traveler

There is no doubt that we are travelers or nomads or Gypsies. Just look back through our blogs. But signs that we are on the road are sometimes interesting to share. There are the usual stack of fuel receipts and receipts from various campgrounds. And then there are the signs that say "we're not in Kansas anymore!".

First there was the weather. Two weeks ago we had 90 degree weather and now I am looking out my window at 1 to 3 inches of snow. The terrain was another give-away. Leaving flat desert and now driving the red mountains of  Utah at elevations around 9000 feet is a different experience. Lastly there are the everyday things like going to the store. Hellman's mayonnaise is known as Best Foods west of the Rockies and what

do I find in the local market? As you can see we must be west of the Rockies!

Now that we are in the little town of Panguitch we took a ride and did some exploring in and around Bryce Canyon. A thousand pictures later we are once again amazed at the handiwork of Mother Nature. Being a quite a bit north of South Texas and at about 9000 feet the temps had dropped drastically and the winds had picked up. We were bundled up but still had enough of the cold. Today's weather is going to be nasty so we will be staying in and just relaxing for the day.

Tomorrow we will check out Zion National Park. After that we will head on north to Salt Lake City and the Bonneville Salt Flats. For now we are just staying warm in our home in Panguitch Utah because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#8 Same Jello, Different Flavor

The two days we spent in Congress AZ were much needed. Saw some friends and just relaxed after all the excitement of the past few days. We got up Monday morning and got on the road at the reasonable hour of 8am. While traveling Mary called ahead to check on the campground we were planning on staying at. Guess what? As they like to say, there was no room at the inn. So Mary started calling around and there were no places in the Page AZ area with openings. We did find a place for the next night but what about tonight. What to do, what to do?

Well we were near Flagstaff and looking for a place to fuel up and realized how close we were to Williams. It was only around lunch time so why not spend a night in Williams? And since it was early enough why not take a drive up the road and take a peek at the Grand Canyon? Well why not shake the jello for a good reason for a change?

We checked in at the Canyon Motel and RV Park, unhooked the truck, packed a lunch, and took off for the south rim of the Geand Canyon just 52 miles away. We've been here before but being this close it was worth the trip to see it again, even if only for a couple of hours. We walked around a little, took a bunch of pictures, and were once again amazed at the majestic sight that is the Grand Canyon.

Tomorrow we will head out for Utah and we will try to see as much as we can in the Bryce Canyon area before continuing our trek north. The weather is changing as we head north with temps tonight expectd in the mid 30's and winds around 25mph. We will try to stay warm in our home here in Williams because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#7 Things Are Settling Down

The last three days have been less than ideal but we survived. With all the tire problems and the wind related issues we needed a break. It seems that one of the tire blowouts caused a little damage under the trailer. I was able to fix an electric line going to the fridge but there was a crack in a propane fitting that I would rather have a professional do the repairs. The morning of our third day on the road Mary made a few phone calls and found an RV repair company that absolutely would not let us go without getting the gas line fixed. They said to get to them as soon as   possible and we would be taken care of.                                                                           

Three hours down the road we arrived at On The Road Again RV repair in Glendale Arizona. The place was packed with RVs in different stages of repair. I figured we weren't getting in any time soon. Within an hour they juggled RVs, got us in, and immediately started working on our rig. They tried to make us as comfortable as they could and ensured us that everything would be just fine. They had some of the parts needed and had to get one part made. They also helped deal with the insurance company and had us "On The Road Again" in four hours. These guys will be put on our list of RV "good guys" and shared with the rest of the RV community.

We traveled an hour down the road to our next destination in Congress AZ. Friends that we work camped with this past summer were there to greet us and after hearing about the trials and tribulations of our journey they presented us with the gift you see above. How funny. touching, and appropriate. It's good to have friends.

Well this may be our home for a few days just to recharge our batteries, in our home in Congress AZ because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#6 Exploding Jello!

If you follow our blog you know that I always say our plans are written in jello. That just means that whatever we plan anything can happen, we just have to go with the flow. This time it was a tsunami that got in the way.

We left Pharr at 5am and made good time to San Antonio. Mary took over the driving and got us through the city and shortly after that the tire pressure monitor(TPM) started screaming and other drivers were pointing at the trailer. By the time we got off the road the tire was shredded. As we have done in the past we found a safe place to park and changed the tire. Not too far down the road we found a tire dealer and got a replacement because we DO NOT drive without a spare. We made it as far as Fort Stockton and stopped. We were about 120 mile short of our intended destination but like I say, the jello got shaken.

Day 2 we hit the road by 4:30am. About 2 hours into our travels the TPM started screaming again. This time we got off the road before the tire blew. Again we made the tire change like a couple of pros, just this time it was in the dark and just off the interstate. We drove to a little truck stop that had a tire dealer to get another replacement. Of course the the jello had been shaken now it needed to be stirred. The tire shop wasn't opening for another hour so the plans changed again. We decided to sit and have breakfast while we waited for the tire shop to open. Of course once they opened they didn't have the tire we needed. Shaken, stirred, and now into the blender! On to El Paso to get a tire from a dealer that had them in stock. But wait, upon arriving we were told they were mistaken and didn't have the tire! OK the jello just got thrown through the fan.

Fortunately there was another tire dealer that had the right size tire just not the brand we wanted. Not optimal but it will do. While we were getting the tire Mary decided we should get an extra just not mounted on the rim. We have the room for it and since our tires seem to be getting hard to find, why not? Back on the road and looking forward to putting some miles behind us, and then ....BOOM! Another tire blows up. The jello is now all over the floor. Enough is enough. We are tired of changing tires so we call our road service through Good Sam Club. Apparently the people who work for the road service can't read maps or understand directions. We were right on I10 west between exits 151 and 155. Easy, right? After 45 minutes of trying to explain where we were stuck we gave up and changed our third tire in two days in less time than it took for road service to find a provider. The jello is now getting slopped all over the walls.

The next town up the road we found a tire dealer to mount the extra tire and he didn't charge us at all. Ok, something has finally gone right. But we still had to get through New Mexico. No more tire problems. Now we are experiencing high winds and dust storms. Not bad enough to close roads or for us to stop but there were a couple of white knuckle moments. We stopped for fuel and a snack and got on the road. 30 to 45 mph winds while traveling at 60 mph and our awning starts to come unraveled. Another stop. This time in the wind and the dust to reroll the awning so we could continue down the road. I am now loading the jello into a confetti cannon!

Tires, idiots, wind, and dust and we find our way to our destination for the night. After a shower and a light dinner two exhausted travelers are ready for bed in their home for tonight in Wilcox Arizona because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#5 Running Away From Home?

Today will be our last day in Pharr Texas. Everything that needs to be stowed for the trip is put away and the rig is starting to look a little less like home. That isn't a bad thing. It just means that the pictures and trinkets we put out when we stay in one place for a while are not out. It also means that the rig looks a lot cleaner and neater than usual. As my Mom used to say "My home is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy.". Another way of putting it is it looks "lived in".

We were contemplating leaving today but we were tired from all the pre-travel preparations. Also the forecast was rain most of the day. We don't mind breaking camp and traveling in the rain but if we don't have to, we won't. Another case of plans being written in jello. Flexibility is a necessary tool when living on the road. Today is just a lazy day of resting, reading, and internet activities so we can start fresh first thing tomorrow morning. First thing could be as early as 4am so tonight will be an early night.

We have said all our goodbyes to the residents in the park who are still here and also the staff who we worked with all winter. After being here for five months it feels like home. We will miss the friends we have made here but we will be returning next year so there were no tears this time.

We are looking forward to the summer in Montana and are sure the time will fly by soon to find us heading back to our home here in Pharr because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#4 And The Wheels On The Bus Go 'round And 'round....SOON!

We have really loved our time here in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), so much that we have decided to come back next year. We don't generally return to places we have stayed. The reason we live this lifestyle is to see the country and we stay in one place for several months and use the time to explore the area. Once we have seen the area we want to move on and see new parts of the country. This park we are in has welcomed us and the area has so much to offer that we didn't see everything we wanted. So we will be here one more season before we move on to explore a new winter destination.

These past few weeks we have made lists and remade lists and remade them again. We have also been checking things off those lists in preparation for our departure to our next adventure. There is a serious case of "hitch itch" in our home and it is time for us to hook-up and move on down the road. This summer we will be in West Yellowstone Montana.

Our summer jobs are all lined up and we will have a place to park our rig while we are there. Yesterday we planned our route from Pharr TX to West Yellowstone and since we have several weeks to get there we will do some sightseeing along the way. RVing is still our favorite way to see things as we travel. Anytime we see something along the way we can stop and know that everything we need to enjoy ourselves is in our home right behind us.

Some of the things we will be exploring are Carlsbad Caverns, Bryce Canyons, Arches National Park, and (just because we can) a side trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats and Salt Lake City. Along the way we are planning to see some friends in Tucson AZ and maybe some near Flagstaff AZ. Our travels have allowed us to make friends from all over the country and friends, who like us, RV all around this land. We know that wherever we are or wherever our friends maybe we can always find time to get together.

I have to cut this short because there is a list that needs attention here in our home in Pharr TX because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#3 Do My Eyes Decieve Me?

This blog is not so much about our RV adventures as it is about things we observe. I'm not saying these things are traits unique to the area or that it is anything worth noting. These are things that just start conversations. They are oddities, quirks, or any other thing that might have you scratching your head and saying "what the heck?".

This first thing I noticed when we first arrived here in the Rio Grande Valley(RGV). In our travels and over many years we have observed that most state and local laws prohibit certain lights on motor vehicles. Usually they are red and blue which I understand are reserved for emergency vehicles. I personally was stopped in Florida for red light-up valve stem caps on my motorcycle tires. No ticket but was warned and told to remove them. Researching this later I found out about the red a blue light restrictions. Now here in Texas just about any vehicle that is meandering down the road has flashing blue lights on it. Tractors, farm trailers, utility trucks (both public and private), construction vehicles, etc. Too many times I have tried to avoid what I perceived as an emergency situation just to find the local yard crew rumbling down the road. Lack of consistency can cause confusion. Maybe it's just me, but I am starting to get used to it.

I know I talked in the past about what many of the women wear just going to the grocery store. Clothing that leaves nothing to the imagination and teetering on 5 and 6 inch heels. Mary's latest observation is the seemingly acceptable trend of walking around in public in your pajamas. I'm not talking about little children riding in a grocery cart, these are adults with their children. We've seen it at gas stations, grocery stores, department stores, and most other places where we frequently shop. We have even seen it in restaurants! Where has common sense gone? I'm not asking everyone to dress up just to leave the house, but is it too much to ask that they not wear their PJ's out in public?

I know I am starting to sound like a cranky old man but I guess that is what I am. I know I'm old but I try to be accepting of other people and their personal choices. I just don't understand them. Maybe it is like when I was a little kid and we only wore our sneakers to gym class and not during the rest of the school day. I may not be as old as dirt or have been around since the dinosaurs roamed the earth but things have definitely change during my life time.

Well thanks for letting me vent a little from our home here in Pharr because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#2 Quirks Of The RV Life

Here we are in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) for the winter. As Winter Texans we are here for the warm weather just like the Snow Birds in Florida. The only problem is that the weather has not been very nice or very warm. The propane truck is a regular visitor here in the park and we have filled 2 cylinders since October which is quite a bit for us. I can't really complain seeing the winter nightmares that the northern states have been experiencing. No matter how bad it gets down here we still don't have to shovel the white stuff!

Lately the sun has started to poke out a little more and the temperatures have been rising so we are getting out more. Yesterday we spent the whole day running around the RGV. I finally got Mary to the flea market in Donna TX that she had been wanting to see. Not like bigger flea markets we have become accustomed to in Florida but not bad. The produce, like it has been all over the area, was awesome. 5 lbs of Super Sweet Texas onions for five bucks and cauliflower the size of your head for $2. Got home and weighed the cauliflower and it was over 4 lbs! 

While walking around the flea market we heard someone yell out "I know you!". We turn around and there is Stacey who we worked with at Amazon in Campbellsville, KY a few years ago. We chatted for a while and caught up before heading on our way. This is one of the joys of RVing. An old friend once said that the RV neighborhood is 3000 miles wide and it seems to be when you run into friends months or years later and hundreds or thousands of miles from where you met.

We were done early so decided to head out to South Padre Island. The park bus was going to Port Isabel near by so we thought we would try and hook up with them. It was really just an excuse for Mary to see the lighthouse again and this time climb it. Well we pulled into the parking lot and our timing couldn't have been better...here comes the bus! We joined the group and had lunch with them. It gave us some time to sit with one of the other work camper couples and get to know them a little better. Talking to them we realized that we had worked the whole summer in South Dakota just over the mountain and one town away. Odds are we saw them in passing well before we got to know them. What do you know, another RVing moment!

Mary got to do the lighthouse thing, with pictures on Mary's Facebook, and we went to the beach on South Padre Island. Walked along the beach, collected a few shells, and waved across the Gulf of Mexico to our friends in Florida. Then it was time to head home.

We had a great day and got to meet some new people, catch up with some old friends, and spend time with our new friends. I know this was a long blog and I need to blog more often but for now this is so long from our home in Pharr because...

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'18/#1 Still In Texas, I Think

Yes, I have been negligent in blogging since this is my first blog of the new year. Our calender is very full and has kept us pretty busy. The New Year celebration was reasonably calm this year. We volunteered to help out in the concession counter in the hall. We sent New Year wishes to everyone on the east coast at 11pm Central time and to everyone here in Texas an hour later. When we got home we watched a couple New Year celebrations we had recorded so in total we celebrated New Year four times. Happy 2021? Just joking.

The weather has been less than ideal. As with the rest of the country Mother Nature is screwing around with our heads. With near freezing temps just spitting distance from Mexico and winds that are 40, 50 and close to 60mph, and our home being a trailer, it rocks quite a bit in the wind. Some mornings we have to look outside to make sure we are still in Texas. Also like other parts of the country Mother Nature is being fickle. Some days the highs don't get out of the 40's and a day or two later it is close to 80 degrees and then it goes back. Oh well, at least we don't have to shovel the white stuff in record amounts like some of our friends. You know who you are (wink, wink).

On another note, this weekend is the Tampa RV Super Show. We haven't missed it more than once or twice in the past 20 years and wish we could be there. Instead we went an RV show here in the Rio Grande Valley. It was less than a tenth of the Tampa show but we still got to look at a few new RVs. Nothing we would consider but saw some new features that looked promising and some that were NOT!

Toilet with a view? NOT!

One of our first RV friends once said thatRVers live in a neighborhood that is 3000 miles wide and I believe him. While we were walking around we met a couple that just happen to have worked in Zephyrhills for the same company we were at for the last 3 years. We knew all the same people and chatted for a while and now have new friends on the road. You never know when or where you will meet new people in the RV community. One of our first RV friends told us that

Well it is time to go to work. Today is our half day so Mary slept in. I am going to roust her out of our bed, in our home here in Pharr Texas because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary