What a Glorious Day!

We don't actually start work until tomorrow, but we wanted to walk out to the lighthouse and see what might have changed. Such a beautiful day!

One view while walking down the ramp from the lighthouse...

and another.

We had supper outside, getting as much out of the great weather as we could. Now I need to look over our notes about the lighthouse...I think I remember everything I am supposed to say!

Our Anniversary in Crescent City

 Cary stretched his arm as far as it would go so he could get us and some of the surrounding water in the picture--a remembrance of our anniversary this year in Crescent City. Makes me wonder why I bothered fixing my hair....

We ate dinner at the Chart House, and just as I was taking the picture showing the view out the window where we were sitting, the folks next to us (family-style seating) opened their menus! I bet we get another chance. I hate to overdo it on picture taking when we will be here through the month of July.

Arcata Today

 Arcata is an interesting town, especially on Saturday morning in the town square. It is a farmer's market, loads of fresh produce and flowers. There is usually someone juggling, some musicians and kids running around in the grass.

 I have a hard time making up my mind about what to buy, but finallly settled on some summer squash and peas.

 For lunch I had an organic chicken mole' tamale (would have been better if I had splurged and gotten the sauce, but still yummy.

Cary wins the prize for the most interesting lunch ever--mashed potato, gravy, cheese and beef brisket in a waffle cone!

When we got back to our RV Park, which I am not sure I mentioned this year, is right next to the Harley Davidson store, something was going on so Cary went over to investigate.

Just a Harley show, the hot dogs weren't ready, but Cary enjoyed looking around anyway.

Since it is Saturday we did start the day with some yard sales. I found another book and some fabric. Cary got some cute socks. Got back from our adventures in time to do laundry--glad that is out of the way for another week, at least!

Old Town Eureka

Before we started our visit to Old Town we drove over to Target to look for a certain kind of hook, and on the way discovered a quilt store--a quilt store I have overlooked all the years we have been coming here--Ocean Wave Quilts in a cute little house with a very nice proprietor. I found a pretty piece to make an apron for Kaila when she helps me make cookies, and another piece that is just pretty (you never know)!

I picked up a free book for a friend  (an advanced reader's copy of a Kathy Reichs mystery), another book for another friend, and one called Libraries, written in 1916.

 I found two books in this bookstore, both gifts for family members.

We ate lunch at a bakery called Ramone's, went home and took a nap. I forgot to mention that it was another drizzly, cloudy day--just right for napping.

We got our schedule for the llighthouse, so we know our days off and our hours on the days we are working. It will be another fun-filled month!

Ferndale

We always enjoy a visit to Ferndale while staying in Eureka. I was disappointed that the quilt shop is no longer here (if you are keeping track, that makes two for two that are no longer around), but it was still fun to wander the Victorian town.

One of the many very nicely kept homes (look at that hedge--it could be made of cement, it is so precisely trimmed).

And another

No, Honey, the B and B is not Bentley and Birenbaum...

The Gingerbread Mansion is a bed and breakfast. If we didn't have our trailer it might be fun to spend a night here.

We learned that Guy Fieri, of the program, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," was raised in Ferndale. A few months ago he was finally able to work a visit into his schedule. He not onlly featured some restaurants from Ferndale on his show, but the cheese factory from Loleta and some restaurants in Eureka (I don't know if those have aired or not). This newspaper also mentioned some of the movies that have been made in this picturesque town, including one we really liked with Jim Carrey, "The Majestic."

Rainy Day in Eureka



The view out our back window

Here we are at Shoreline RV Park, a place we have been coming since we were traveling with the kids (back then it was called Ebb Tide and was a little more rustic). It did let up raining long enough for us to get out and hunt for a quilt shop that seems to have vanished, and browse two thrift storees where Cary found a few books. We'll be here till Sunday morning, so our plans include trips to Arcata and Ferndale and Saturday morning yard sales, plus the Old Town area of Eureka.

Willets at the KOA

Last night we stayed in Williams at the Almond Grove RV Park. A lady named Sue and her husband live on the premises and run things most of the time. She has turned most of the office area into a sewing room. I went back to get pictures this morning, but she was out. Fabric everywhere, as well as completed projects--she and I could have spent the rest of the day talking. The picture above is a decoration that our neighbor had on the trailer hitch; Cary thought it was interesting. I don't know how it stays there!

We got a good night's sleep and took our time starting out for Willets, since it is not that far from Williams. Lots of bumps in the road, as well as curves and some construction going on. Diesel fuel was $3.89 here; we bought some on the reservation near Lucerne for $3.95. Most places it is over $4. We also stopped at Safeway for some produce--I know I will be paying more than I do at home, but I am going to have to get into it gradually. So today I just bought broccoli and brussel sprouts.

The KOA is a great place for families. There are lots of  "kabins" for folks not quite up to tents or trailers, a pool, petting zoos, an outdoor movie screen and playground.

We decided it was nice enough to sit outside and read for awhile-which we did.

The temperature outside was just right for a long-sleeved shirt!

And Another Oops

I was awaked this morning by the shrill gas alarm blaring before 5:00 a.m. I quickly opened the door before shaking Cary. We had been smelling the sulfur odor for a few days, but thought it was probably related to the sewer...very scary. He turned off the gas and

searched for awhile trying to figure out why the gas was escaping, and from where. The worst of it was coming from the basement, and he finally noticed the trailer batteries were over their three-year age limit. I have no idea what the batteries have to do with the gas line, but luckily, he did.

Just to be safe, I took a picture of how they were connected and wrote down which color went to which connection (remember, he is color blind)--but apparently others have that issue too, so the lines are marked with a + and - sign. There is a Walmart nearby (we went yesterday, as I mentioned...)and we got the last two batteries with a 2014 date. We also found a True Value Hardware store where he got some more screws to really secure the facing on the slideout that got jammed yesterday.

It is 2:30, there was enough KFC left from last night, and we are looking forward to naptime here at the Almond Grove RV Park in Williams, California. The best part is that Cary has such a good attitude about the whole thing.

The daffodils? I couldn't edit until I inserted a picture, and it was too pretty to go back and delete!

Oops!

When I opened the slide here in Patterson, California, I failed to notice the little table next to the couch had fallen forward. It got caught between the sofa and the slide, causing the finished edge frame to break. It had happened two years ago in North Dakota, so it was already weak. Cary had already driven six hours today, so he really wasn't planning on repair work. We had to go to Walmart for torx bits (a new word to me), and more than two hours later he is still not happy with the results. But we are not going home to get it fixed.

On a happier note, he had been looking forward to the KFC down the street from the campground, and it was still there. Supper was easy--chicken for him and leftovers for me. It is cooling off pretty nicely and I have wifi. Yesterday at the Sierra Trails campground near California City there was no wifi at our site, but there was a very cold swimming pool, which really hit the spot! The lady who runs the campground is an active seamstress, donating lots of projects to airment at nearby Edwards Air Force Base. The library behind the office is also a rec/sewing room so I got to see stacks of quilt squares and finished lap quilts. The front office offers some of her crafts from crochet and beads to painted rocks.

Second Day in Kingman

Our first stop this morning was the Mohave museum of History & Arts. I put together a collage of some of the images (one special section devoted to local-boy-turned-movie-star, Andy Devine), and thanks to the reflections on the glass of some of the displays, not all of my pictures are even usable!

Charles Lindberg dedicated the Transcontinental Air Transport airport on June 8, 1929. World War II brought the Kingman Army Airfield to Kingman. I was able to find some interesting information here:

http://www.planesofthepast.com/kingman-airport.htm

Because we have a friend with the same name, I had to include this. Somehow Bill is connected to just about everyone or everything we know, even if it is just his name!

Next stop was the Powerhouse, which is on the National Registry of Historic Places. It once supplied power to Kingman and the area mines until the Hoover Dam was built. Now it has a Visitor's Information Center and Route 66 Museum. Cary was wearing his Route 66 shirt (I made it several years ago) and not one single person there commented on it. Until we got to a thrift shop and some guy who probably had been smoking something made a comment about liking it and Cary had a very hard time getting away from him!

By now our legs and backs were aching and we were hungry, so we skipped the last stop of our planned tour, the Bonelli House, went back to the trailer for lunch, and decided to check out the old downtown area.

The Quilters didn't do a very good job of hiding away--I still found them! But no purchase, still too early in the trip.

We have really enjoyed our visit here, will make sure we come back because we really wanted to get to Oatman too, but we have reservations for most of the rest of the trip....

Kingman, Day One

Before leaving Wickenburg, Cary set up the tripod so we could get our picture in front of the office at the Horspitality RV Park. Just as we got everything ready, the camp host drove up and asked if he could help! Part of the town is along the Hassayampa River, a Yavapai word supposedly meaning "river that flows upside down," since most of the year its waters are beneath the surface. A local legend has it that if you drink from the waters of this river, you will never tell the truth again. I am not sure where the RV park gets its water.

The drive from Wickenburg to Kingman is really pretty, especiallly if you have an appreciation for wide open spaces and the desert. It is very difficult to capture its beauty from a moving vehicle, however. But I did the best I could,.  There is a huge area of Joshua trees, more than I had seen together except in the Joshua Tree National Forest near Indio, California.

 After running a few errands we were glad to meet our friends (met while working together at the lighthouse in California two or three years ago) for a yummy Mexican dinner.They used to live in nearby Yucca and know lots of Kingman history. Bob even has a copper still that had belonged to a local whose dad made whiskey during prohibition. Revenuers hacked it up, but the man kept it in the family, eventually giving it to Bob. We had to go see it, but the picture didn't turn out because by the time I took it it was dark! Just picture a barrel made of copper with lots of hatchet marks in it!

This is very interesting. Right now it is pretty modern looking, but at one time this trap door was more primitive. It is in El Palacio where we ate dinner. Kingman built up around the railroad, and like many railroads, it depended on Chinese labor. It is rumored that the Chinese would work during the day, then go into a tunnel like this one (and many are scattered throughout town) to sleep--but upon doing some research before writing this, I found an article in a newspaper from the Kingman archives, that this probably was not completely true, but came out of the fact that perhaps some Chinese lived in basements. Hmm, I need more time to look further!

This is Willie, a macaw who lives with the owners of the Ft. Beale RV Park where we are staying. He is very smart. His previous owner died, so rather than have anything bad happen to him, they adopted him. They are teaching him to fetch and already he is pretty good, and it is amazing, because he has no claws! I missed taking his picture, but when I went back with my camera, he came down about 20 stairs when she called him and I said, "I am here to take your picture, Willie,' and he came over and actually stopped by me and posed before going to the front door to look out! He is about 15 years old, the equivalent of the terrible twos in humans, according to the vet!

Day One, Wickenburg





We got everything (I am pretty sure) loaded and were on the road by 8:15



First thing Cary had to do was make an adjustment so that the bathroom door would close properly. This is better than the year the door broke or something to do with it coming off the hinges. And maybe that wasn't even this trailer! (Tony, you are the one who helped Cary; it happened in Kansas.)
The thing that really got me today was the propane detector alarm going off so loudly that I am sure the hosts in the camp office heard it, but Cary couldn't! Apparently his implant device blocks out that frequency. Scary. I had no idea where it was coming from and since he is color blind, when I pointed out the red light, he told me it was always that way. I am learning. We had two smoke detectors as well, but upon opening the door, the noise stopped, so I was pretty sure it was the gas alarm. Sure enough, he had (I am blaming him anyway) accidentally knocked the switch that turns on the gas heater. It seems that should not have been an issue.

Cary got a water softener last year because of the problem we had with hard water and no water pressure (I had to do the dishes in the shower, remember?)--but something broke on that white thing that is shown in the orange crate. The filter should have been removed during the time the trailer sat, which has nothing to do with the breakage, but since it was pretty grimy and my hand is smaller, I got the job of cleaning it out.

Ace Hardware had the piece Cary needed, but it took him two trips to discover the right piece. A young guy in the store the first time told him, " You know you look like Tom Skerrit." But he finally got it connected to the outside faucet and all is well....

Two beers and a long nap later, he was ready to tackle some other not so important issues such as, is the fan going the right direction?