Quiet Days, A Visit With Friends, and A Happy Birthday!

Wednesday, March  29th through Friday, March 31st, 2023

These last days really have been quiet ones for us. Tom has been slowly washing and waxing the Stinger "B" and I have gotten all our wash caught up and organized a few things inside.

On a not so fun note we had a gentleman come by to check out our airbags. When we were getting ready to leave the Justin's Diamond RV Park in Tucson Tom could hear air coming out from underneath the front of the motorhome. He knew right away it was probably a hole in one of the airbags. We have experienced this once before and knew they would stay up while the motor was running so we headed to our next stop here at Quail Ridge. Once we got set up he started looking for an RV repair place. The bottom line, there is a small hole in the driver's side airbag and it will need to be replaced. We have been able to extend our stay and hopefully a new airbag will get here early this coming week. If not we will deal with that then. For now we are going to enjoy our stay here and possibly take a couple of rides. One thing we know is there is no reason to stress about something we cannot do anything about. Living in a motorhome is no different than living in a sticks and bricks house things break and need to be fixed. 

The Stinger "B' is looking all nice and shiny. 
Bottom right: Tom said something about that was enough for
today and it was time for Happy Hour...lol

Thursday the wind joined us and the temperature dropped. Tom took the day off from waxing the rig and went for a haircut in the morning. Then I went to pick up a few things at Walmart in the afternoon. That was as exciting as the day got.

Friday was a day we were looking forward to our friends Melissa and Lyle decided to come for a second visit. We had talked about meeting halfway but they decided to drive the distance down to us. Not only that they brought lunch and it was delicious. If I could remember to take pictures there would be one of the lovely spread Melissa put together of shrimp salad and egg salad sandwiches with vegies and dip. Plus add to that there was a desert of cake, fruit and sherbet. It was a wonderful second visit that went by way to fast. In no time we were getting hugs and saying see you soon.

I had a moment and remembered to take a picture before
they left and as luck would have it we are all smiling.

Today was our brother-in-law Perry's 61st Birthday and he celebrated in Heaven. 

We love and miss you always! 

Happy Birthday Perry!

I love this picture of my sister Chris and Perry.

We are glad you stopped by!

If you have time to leave a comment we would enjoy hearing from you.

Tombstone for Lunch Plus Yesterday and The Day Before

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

After having our mugs of coffee this morning we decided today would be a perfect day to take a ride over to Tombstone and have lunch at Big Nose Kate's. Looking at the pictures below you will see that is just what we did. 

Tombstone Hills 

In the distance we can see the green cottonwoods which

means we will be going over the San Pedro River.

Tombstone Hills from AZ-80

and behind them in the distance the Huachuca Mountains.

We took a walk up and down Allen Street.

Lunch at Big Nose Kate's always good and always fun.

Yes, that is us.

I just had to add this picture.
If you have been to Tombstone you know what a good parking space this is.
The "Little Black Limo" is on 6th Street just off of Allen Street.

A trip to Tombstone is not complete, in our opinion,
without a trip up the hill to see the Linear Garden.  

Looking down over Tombstone
with the Dragoon Mountains in the distance.

Tombstone Courthouse

On AZ-80 with the Huachuca Mountains off in the distance.

Mule Mountains

Mustang and Whetstone Mountains

It was a relaxing day and we enjoyed our time in Tombstone and the ride there and back.

Monday, March 27, 2023

Up at around 7:15am and the sun was already up in the sky. Tom made coffee and I chatted with my sister as I drank that first mug. Later I headed into Huachuca City to pick up two packages I had sent to the Post Office and then into Sierra Vista for a little shopping. While I did that Tom spent sometime washing two sides of the Stinger "B" he is working on getting rid of a few months worth of desert dust. 

Today's pictures were taken at the top of the hill just as I was leaving Huachuca City and yes I did pull over. It does not matter how many times I have looked at this view as I head back to Quail Ridge RV and home it still fills me with awe at the beauty of the mountains each and every time. 

Whetstone Mountains

Mustang Mountains

When I got home I finished the blog and posted it. After dinner this evening Tom went over to the club house to play some poker. While he was gone I did some blog reading and a couple batches of wash. It was a pretty ordinary day in our lives like most are. Still a day we enjoyed.

Sunday, March 26, 2023

This Sunday we attended Mass at St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Sierra Vista.

Arriving a few minutes late I realized I could take a picture
without people in it. The top picture is the door and the statues
on either side of the door.

It is the the 5th Sunday of Lent and all the religious images
and crucifixes have been veiled.

You may ask or be curious as to why the veils, here is a short answer:

The custom of veiling the images hails from the former liturgical calendar in which the Fifth Sunday of Lent was called "Passion Sunday”. The custom of veiling crosses and images ... has much to commend it in terms of religious psychology, because it helps us to concentrate on the great essentials of Christ's work of Redemption. The duration of such veiling varies from place to place. The custom in many places is to veil from before first Vespers or the vigil Mass of the Fifth Sunday of Lent, while others limit this veiling from after the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. Crosses are unveiled after the Good Friday ceremonies. All other images are unveiled shortly before the Mass of the Easter Vigil. Neither the Stations of the Cross nor stained glass windows are ever veiled.

While it may appear counterintuitive to veil statues and images during the final weeks of Lent, the Catholic Church recommends this practice to heighten our senses and build within us a longing for Easter Sunday.(from St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church website and internet)

After Mass we had a couple of stops to make then we headed back home. While I did wash, sort of a theme in my life right now, catching up on all the things I would rather not bring to a laundromat and the regular weekly wash. Tom took the Jeep, aka the Little Black Limo, for a much needed wash. Nothing to exciting but that is just fine it is another day we enjoyed living as full time RVer's.

We are glad you stopped by!

If you have time to leave a comment we would enjoy hearing from you.

We Moved Twice and Two Days In Between

We are presently at Quail Ridge RV Park in Huachuca City, AZ. 

We could see snow on the Huachuca Mountains as we
got closer to our destination Saturday.

Saturday, March 25, 2023 (How we got where we are. Tucson to Quail Ridge RV)

While I was doing dishes this morning this dove
was fascinated with trying to attach to the Stinger "B".
Since it could not it decided to walk around on the 
Little Black Limo. (Picture is through the screen.)

This was our view sitting at our table.
Bottom left closeup of nest.

We pulled out of our site around10:30 this morning and began our ride East then South to Quail Ridge RV Park.

I have taken pictures of these Saguaros several times and

always for the same reason. When we are heading East on

AZ-86 towards I-10 and this will be the last time 

we will see these guys for this adventure.

Goodbye for now Majestic Saguaros we will miss seeing you.
 Hope to see you again in the near future. 

Tucson in the distance.

Tucson does have some nice fences on their overpasses.

We have done the ride on I-10 at least once a year between Tucson and Whetstone some years twice going East and West. I have taken hundreds of pictures and today I decided to just enjoy the ride and the views. Today's ride was a short one only 74 miles. 

Going by the Whetstone Mountains on AZ-90

Another view of the Huachuca Mountains as we got 
 close to our destination.

It was about 12:30pm when we arrived at our destination, Quail Ridge RV Park. No one was in the office but our paperwork was outside the door. Like we have several times in the past we unhooked the Jeep just past the office and then drove to our assigned site. This is a very nice RV park and we actually started staying here in 2015 when we still had our 5th Wheel. Since then we have stopped here at least once a year. This is not a fancy park but the staff is always friendly, the grounds are always clean, and the price is excellent. It is a quiet place and our type of park. It has always been an enjoyable stop.

Thursday and Friday, March 23 & 24, 2023 (The Two Days In between)

We spent three nights at Justin's Diamond RV Park in Tucson; it was right around 2:30 on Wednesday when we arrived. After getting checked in and the Jeep unhooked we drove over to our site which Tom backed into amazingly well. Unfortunately, I had directed him in to our patio area, I have no idea what I was thinking,  a simple pull forward and another back up and he was in place. I set up a few things inside and headed over to the Walmart to pick up a curbside order I had placed a couple days earlier. Then a quick stop at Fry's and home to get it all put away. 

I had given Nancy, Kissack Adventures, a call to let her know we had finally made it to Tucson. More about that below. She very nicely decided she would take the time to make the drive over to see us on Thursday. We had not connected all winter so we were really looking forward to this visit and were grateful, that even with her plan for leaving the next day, she took the time to come our way. A fun visit that flew by way to fast. All to soon we were getting hugs, saying safe travels, see you down the road, and she was off.

You will notice this section of the blog is devoid of pictures. The reason would be I did not take one picture on either Thursday or Friday. I did think of it after Nancy left but then that was a little to late. I have included the picture of the beautiful quilt she gave us but I must admit it is "borrowed"  from her blog.

So pretty, Thank You Nancy!

Nancy, also, willingly took some material I had brought with us this trip. This was material I had found when going through my Mom's material and it included a quilt top my mom had sewn. I am looking forward to seeing what she does with it.

Friday was another day we were really looking forward to.  Our friends Melissa and Lyle from Canada where back in the states after their winter adventures overseas. The last time we saw them was almost three years ago in March of 2020 so we were truly looking forward to this visit. I had just said to Tom I thought they would be here by now when we heard car doors open and there they were.  After hugs all around the talking started and continued throughout the afternoon. We did some catching up and talked about to many things to remember. Without missing a beat we fell right back into the easy conversation that has always happened when we are together. It was a fun afternoon with special friends that ended all to soon. Hugs and see you again soon and they were off. 

Now you would think after not remembering to take a picture with Nancy the day before I would be better at remembering to do so today. I need to write on my hand when we are getting together with friends, Take A Picture! Because the answer would be no, again, I did not remember until they were gone. Pictures or no pictures the memories of these two days visiting with friends will not be forgotten they have been placed in our memory book.

Tom and I were down the road a ways before I remembered I had not taken any pictures of the RV Park not even our site. It is a nice RV Park and we would definitely stay here again if we decide to stop in Tucson. The hope is to do so, maybe next year, but for a longer visit.

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 (Our First Move From Why To Tucson)

The plan if you read our last post was to leave Why for Tucson on Tuesday but the wind had a different plan and we did not leave until Wednesday. When we got up Wednesday morning it was raining and the wind was still with us. The weather predictors said it would end around 10 o'clock so trusting that we started to finish getting ready to leave. The wind did stop but it was still raining at 10 though around 10:30 it was just misting and we decided it was time to go. Tom pulled over to dump our tanks, we hooked up the Jeep, and turned onto AZ-86 heading East at a few minutes after 11 o'clock. 

Pulling out of our site at Coyote Howls East.
Most of the mountains around us where lost in the mist.
One tiny purple flower as I stepped into the Jeep.
Bottom picture: I could see the dry spots where we had been.

Still misting as we hooked up the Jeep but the mountains 
in the distance had reappeared.

We are on AZ-86 heading East and below are some of our views along the way.

Even on this day with no sun shining we could see the
yellow and green on the mountains.

Our Border Patrol on the Job.
Thank you for the job you do!

I do not take pictures of a lot of water towers 
this one stood out and looked so pretty 
against the dark of the clouds and mountains.

The road ahead and as you can see does not look smooth.

We went by a lot of these guys

and these guys.

For about half of our 112 miles today this is
pretty much what the road looked like.

Did I mention not smooth?

Clouds were hanging over what I believe are the 
Quinlan Mountains.

These mountains were looking more to the north and east.

AZ-86 did get better around Sells, AZ but as we got
closer to Tucson you can see what it looked like.

The sun trying to make its way out into our day.

Our destination and the sky did start to clear of clouds.

The comments and pictures about AZ-86 are for us to remember what it was like when we took it this time. Would we take this route again with our motorhome towing the Jeep? Going back up to I-8 it would have been 190 miles versus the 112 miles it was to Justin's Diamond RV Park. Would it be worth the the extra miles? Everyone has to make that decision. We know what our answer is.

I will admit these four days were hectic ones but I, and Tom agrees, would not change one moment we spent during this time. It was so nice to connect and spend time with friends as that is the best part of this lifestyle the friendships we have made along the way.

It is a good life and we are still lucky to be enjoying our Retirement Dream! 

We are glad you stopped by!

If you have time to leave a comment we would enjoy hearing from you.