Dumpy Day

Most of my day was hauling to the dump. Two loads of dirt and one of plaster molds. All max plus loads. After the last load, both cars got a light rince and vacuumed. I then prepared the toad for travel, two bikes, two chairs, kites, etc. Tomorrow, I'll rince the RV. I started the water tank draining, tomorrow it gets filled and the holding tanks need dumping. Pack the clothes. Off we go.I'm not sure what caused the cars to be so dusty, the dump visits or the stripping of the roof off the neighbors house. In any case, it's usually more difficult to wash on the road so we'll start out clean.

Lou and Dawn have done the shopping and stocked the RV for Lou and I and the house for Dawn.


Today, Lou installed a plastic door to her pottery shed. It's always just been open but now has a lot more molds stored in it, as if filling the garage with molds weren't enough. She also wrapped up some that are still outside on the deck. Dawn was having "fun" studying.

Today was overcast all day. Nice weather for outside work but hopefully not a hint of things to come too soon. We want to get to Cheyenne or Denver as needed before any storms, and then get out, as well.

Another Diversion

Thursday:

Well, I thought I'd just be cleaning up and getting ready to go, but, of course, another diversion arose. Before we left on our summer trip, I installed a drain pipe across the front yard. At the same time, I broke out some concrete (an old driveway) in the backyard. I finished the front but we had to depart on our adventure and I didn't want to leave a hazard so I patched the rear yard up by setting some bricks in sand. Yesterday, I decided to finish that before we head out this time. The day was spent digging the trench, about 15 feet to receive a 4" drain pipe and some rock for a french drain. Fortunately, since it's an extension at the end, It only needed to be 18" deep. Unfortunately, it still was in our treacherous clay. Most of the day was just digging but I did get the pipe and rock in before I quite for the day.

Friday:

I got up early today, just like back in those horrible days of a job. I dashed off to my old workplace to see a coworker who will be retiring soon. His luncheon will be as we are away so I wanted to see him before I left. The workplace looks the same. It was nice to see everyone else as well.

Since I was in San Jose, I went by Dawn's apartment for some chores. I swept up the remains of the tree trimming debris in the street that was left after the garbage company picked it up. Even though it was mostly just tiny pieces of cedar leaves, it made a big pile. I cleaned up the side yard and added that to the pile. I also cleaned the rain gutters and changed the furnace filter as well. I then went by Sheldon's Hobbies for a new higher voltage battery for the Slo-V RC plane. Should give it more umph.


On the way home, I picked up 16 bags of sand. That kind of fills the Volvo. When I got home, I backfilled the drain trench and reset the bricks. I also added a few more bricks to eliminate a muddy spot nearby. Sand all gone. Project done, except, that the junk dirt pile is much bigger. Tomorrow, that pile, about a yard of bad clay dirt, goes to the dump with a few other items. Should take at least two loads. If I'm lucky, and I finish, that leaves Sunday to pack.

It's going to be nice to relax soon.

Lou and Dawn have been shopping and banking in prep for our departure. Dawn will be stocked up with the heavy items so she only needs to grab a few items when she goes to the market.

Greenhouse Floor

The floor in the greenhouse is now finished. It's actually part of the sidewalk on the side yard. I used less than half the bricks we picked up from the neighbors a couple of weeks ago. That was fast. We enjoyed our afternoon tea on the new floor. There is always a nice breeze going through there and it's always cool. All that changes when the doors are installed for the winter.


Here's a picture with the Green House doors on. You might ask why we consider this a green house when the doors and walls are opaque. That's because the roof isn't, it lets the light in quite well.

Now to finish cleaning up and putting things away so we can leave.

Dawn is attending an employment conference at the Microsoft Conference Center in Mountain View today and tomorrow. Lou's been finishing up some projects in the house and started to get things ready to leave as well.

Tree Trim Day at Dawn’s Place

The brave tree trimmers start the climb to trim the cedar tree.


The tree has been dropping limbs recently. There were a lot of dead limbs and many branches were too heavy. The tree was thinned and trimmed. This reminds me, I need a haircut. The debris was left in piles for the city to pickup on garbage day.


The tree looks much better now. $750 for two hours work. I'm not tempted at all to do it myself. I must be growing up.

Dawn headed off to school.

Dawn’s TV Is Finally Fully Setup

Dawn's new TV hangs nicely on the wall and can be swung to the right for viewing in the kitchen. The old TV and Stand took up about four times the room.

Today Lou and I went down and installed the lower shelves and added some Velcro to secure the VCR to the top shelf.

Dawn's living room/bedroom is only 9 feet wide so there isn't much room to spare.

Wrapping Up

Friday was cleanup day. I made a dump run.


The last section is formed ready to pour. Yesterday and today, I poured the last of the concrete from the three pallets I had delivered. Next spring, I'll probably get a couple of more pallets to finish the last 15 feet of the side yard and for a sidewalk in the rear yard. Now to lay the bricks in the green house floor. Then we'll be ready to fill the green house for the winter when we return at Thanksgiving time.

Current plan is to head out toward Cheyenne to see my sister Virginia next week. It will take 3-5 days to get there. She's currently in the hospital in Denver, so we might be going there instead. Then we'll mosey around Colorado and Utah if the weather is nice. There is a 13% chance it won't be nice, not bad odds.

Dawn went up to San Francisco to the Maritime Museum with her history club today. Lou was working in the house finishing up cleaning the carpets and hanging pictures and other tasks.

Dinner was at Whole Foods again. Still a big crowd due to the recent opening.

Enough Fun

Lou and I walked down to California Avenue, Our nearby village, for breakfast at Joanie's. We shared a nice omelette and each had a nice fresh peach muffin. Ummm! Thus sounds like work, right?

We then loaded up the car with stuff to return to the Home Depot and Orchard Supply Hardware. We made about $125 for our efforts, better than our garage sale efforts and didn't take as long. Lou picked up a carpet cleaner and went down to San Jose to Dawn's apartment cleaned the carpet and returned to Palo Alto. I was busy loading the dirt and debris from the sidewalk, about 1/2 yard of stuff into bags and into the car, along with some other stuff for the dump and recycle center.

The day was topped off with a visit by us all to the new Whole Foods Market in Mountain View, supposedly the largest of their stores now. Very nice. We often drop by the deli and get dinner. Better than most restaurants and a great variety of stuff. It's a bit closer and more convenient than the one in downtown Palo Alto.

Brother and Doggies Depart

Lou and Dawn headed down to San Jose early for another doctors appointment.

Ernie got a load toward Seattle from Brisbane this morning. Very convenient. He and the doggies left around 1030 am.

I finally got my act together and headed down to San Jose to install a shelf for Dawn's VCR and Nintendo Game. I dressed the cables in some wiremold. It all looks good now, and it even works. I also tried to change her networks wired router to a wireless router. The new router wouldn't work so back it went to Fry's. Wires will do for a while longer.

Ernie Cooks

One of the nice things about Ernie's visits is that he likes to cook and he can cook. Pork, sauerkraut, and potatoes, tart apple pie, rice meat balls, omelettes ummm good. Even the doggies Wolfie and Walter thing so. They also enjoyed some good bones that Lou got them.

Ernie Visits

Brother Ernie called Friday to say he could drop by for a visit. He was on his way to Southern California. He arranged for a load north toward use rather than to his home base Las Vegas. We were holding a garage sale, so we were planning on being here any way. We would have had a slight problem of where to park his big truck during the garage sale but that wasn't a problem because he didn't arrive until just after the sale ended.
His doggies Walter and Wolfie always like their visits. Walter was looking for Mr Milo. We had to explain the bad news of his demise.
As to our garage sale. We made a little money, we figure about $4 and hour per person. Not bad for junk. After the sale, the remains went to goodwill, the friends of the library, and the Computer History Museum (nobody wanted the Apple III?). So now there's a little more room here.

Short Visit At Home

We're back home for a while. A few things to be done before we take off for a while. A garage sale here this weekend. Have to get rid of more "stuff". More work on the sidewalk and then move stuff into the green house for the winter. And some doctors appointments.

We hope to get away again before the end of the month.

Pismo Beach and Cool

Tuesday:

We left Bakersfield around noon after a nice breakfast and Doug at Helen's. We fueled up both the car and the RV because the gas was so cheap. The car really didn't need it yet. Prices dropped to 2.75, 7 cents cheaper than when we arrived but were already cheaper than at home (3.19). On our way into town, we noticed that the price out on Hwy 5 was 60 cents higher (3.40 something) than in town (2.82). I hope the prices stay low since we'll be out on the road a while starting next week.


We moved here to Pismo Beach for some cool at North Beach Campground, our regular hideout. We're at site #83 by the meadow at the south end of the campground.

Wednesday:

Easy morning. It's foggy/overcast and a bit cold. We are parked next to another Sea Breeze RV. We exchanged tours of our RV's with each other this morning. Their's is a 1996 limited 33' and our's is a 1999 ordinary 29'. Very similar. With all our chatting we didn't get off to breakfast until after noon. Lunch at the Girls restaurant in Grover Beach. We then toured Arroyo Grande's shops.

In the early evening we walked the beach north to downtown Pismo. Still overcast and cool. We stopped off at Brad's restaurant for a bowl of chowder on our way home. "Busy" day.

Thursday:


A bird seen on a Pismo Beach walk


This cat was found at one of the garden shops in Pismo Beach.

We enjoyed our morning walk in downtown Pismo Beach and then headed home.

Bakersfield Garage Sale

Thursday:


I finished the sidewalk up in front and a ways down the side yard. Above are the before views of side yard.


Above, some of the sidewalk has been finished. After we return from this short trip, I'll do some more.

Before leaving Thursday, I had a dentist appointment to get a couple of fillings repaired. After the appointment, we hit the road about 3:20 pm toward Bakersfield. We stopped for dinner at Harris Ranch on I5 East of Coalinga. We arrived in Bakersfield a little after 9pm and went over to Walmart's for a walk. It's air conditioned. We were going to take a walk around Harris Ranch but the manure smell was hanging in the air all the way from their cattle feed yard all the way to Kettleman City.

Friday:

Lou, Aunt Helen, Aunt Mary, and Cousin Maryjane are setting up for the garage sale tomorrow.

Saturday and Sunday:


Maryjane tutored Doug ad Helen with the PC. They now are Internet and email users.



Uncle Doug needed some room in his RV for his dialysis machine. It needed about 24' x 24" of clear floor space. Something had to give and the bed lost. The original king bed was modified to accept a queen mattress by cutting a notch out of the corner of the bed stand lid and shrinking the under bed storage area. The entire bed couldn't be reduced because of the water tank under the bed. This should provide enough space to allow more convenient travel.


Aunt Helen's big garage sale. Sales clerks Lou and Maryjane.

A Little Progress

Dawn's back at school.

Lou's been busy cleaning out her pottery shed. Lots to organize.

I've been busy pouring the concrete for the side walk. Another pallet of cement gone. Eventually, this project will be completed. But not right away.

Tomorrow I'll pour the last section in the front yard and that will be it for a while.

Thursday, we head South to Bakersfield to help with a garage sale at my uncle Doug's house. I also need to do some modifications to their RV in preparation of their going back to Minnesota for a while. Then we'll stop by in Pismo Beach for a couple of days, then back home for a while to finish the sidewalk and then we'll be leaving for a few weeks on a still to be determined route.