Yosemite National Park

 We stayed in Mariposa, California a quaint little village about 27 miles from the entrance to Yosemite National Park. When I made the reservation the receptionist told me that I would love the ride as it was quite beautiful. She was right. While we both took many pictures, the few following are just a small sample of the majestic scenery that nature provided. The first picture is of the Bridal Veil falls. The second picture was taken near the bottom of the falls and the spray was being carried on the breeze. It was a bit of an uphill trek to get there and it was well worth it. My clothes did get damp but dried by the time I arrived back in the parking lot.

The following picture was taken a bit down stream from the base of the falls.

 The next three pictures are just a sampling of the sights that are abundant in this spectacular national park.

The road that we used to enter the park took us through the mountains leading into the entrance. Mid way we had to wait as a one lane detour required that traffic had to be stopped to allow the other side access. The reason was that a massive slide had occurred and wiped out about 200 feet of roadway. A one lane bridge was constructed over the Merced  River and a short one lane road built to go beyond the slide and then a second one lane bridge to put us back on the main road. The forces of that slide must have been massive as we could see the twisted and mangled guard rail jutting out of the stone and gravel in several places. We both were awed by the vistas that we were exposed too.

Mojave Desert

 Once we left Las Cruces, we drove until we reached the Arizona California border and stopped for the night in Ehrenberg, AZ. We did some shopping in Blythe, CA. for Pillo our Chihuahua. We needed a piece of chicken breast to cook so it could be mixed in with his boiled rice. Pillo has a sensitive stomach and Carol makes a batch every few days.

I had been looking at the suggested route from Ehrenberg to our next stop in Mariposa, CA. The route was taking me by the outer ring of LA. I had no desire to take this route and get into the LA traffic. I decided to take the first exit in California and drive to Needles and then head to Mariposa. I did not realize that I would be driving for over 200 miles in the Mojave Desert. The roads were in varying degrees of disrepair but the scenery was awesome. The only issue was there were no scenic overlooks to take pictures. The pictures below were taken from one of the few road side rests that we found. The first picture shows a black tar like surface that has to be natural. We had observed this material along side the expressway for several miles.

 The extra miles to avoid LA resulted in a pleasurable experience for the both of us,

LaPosta Restaurant in old Mesilla

 We stayed in Las Cruces, New Mexico while we visited Carol's son's family in El Paso. Las Cruces is only 30 miles from El Paso and we both like to eat at La Posta which was the main reson for staying there. I called for reservations two weeks before we left as I knew we would be there on May 5Th. La Posta has been in the same location for about 175 years. The food and service is outstanding and it was very festive while we were there. I took a picture of the short history of the restaurant.

 Below is a side view of the restaurant. The construction is original.
 

 While we waited for our dinner, I took Carol's picture.

 After dinner we went for a walk because it was May 5th several streets had been closed and we walked towards the sound of the Mexican band playing in the square. I discovered another building dating back to the same period as La Posta.

Below is the painted poster on the side of the building noting its claim to fame.

 I was not aware of the Butterfield Overland Trail before stopping here. I plan on doing some research when we return home.

In the background you can see some of the local folks who were enjoying the music.

Going West

 I originally wanted to blog daily during this trip. The temperatures have been unbelievably hot. Over a 100 degrees one day.  By the time we get bags in the room, I have been too hot and too tired to write. Our first day we stopped in Beaumont Texas. I asked the lady in the welcome center the distance between borders on I 10. It is 885 miles. The second day we stopped in Fort Stockton. Yesterday we continued through Texas. Again HOT_HOT. The picture below was taken at a rest area in Texas.
 

 I built my budget back when gas was rapidly rising. I budgeted $5.00/gallon and average mileage at 22 mpg. Gas has been well below budget and I was getting a little better then 22mpg. Once we passed through San Antonio the speed limit became  80 mph. I drove between 80 and 90 and my gas mileage dropped to 18.5 mpg.

On Saturday we went to White Sands National Park. We had been there before but Carol did not slide down the dunes. This time she did. Here she is gliding down the sand.

Northwest roadtrip

We managed to leave home by 8 AM yesterday May 3 RD, a major effort for us. The house was prepared for our absence. Less than ten miles from home we saw a sleek large cat like creature streak across four lanes of highway. It had a long tail and was a shade of brown. We discussed this for several miles trying to determine what we saw. Tonight I researched pictures and we are sure this was a Florida Panther. We took this as a symbol that our trip would be a good one.
We had a great dinner in Beaumont. Neither of us slept well. Beaumont is a very busy city and we were in a noisy part. Day 2 began at 8:30 AM. The day went well but was long and hot. We are staying at a motel where we have stayed before in Fort Stockton. At 5PM the temperature was 99.  Two days done and 1100 plus miles under our belt. Looking forward to taking many pictures in the days to come.

Flowers

 This morning I took some pictures of flowers and my King Sago palm tree.

First is a Hibiscus that we planted last fall. I counted over 20 buds.

 Nest are two pictures of Magnolia flowers on the tree in my next door neighbors yard.

 Below is a flower on a type of heather that we planted in a large tub.

We planted this last fall and it was not suppose to survive the winter. We did have a milder winter than normal but we had a few nights that were in the low 20's. I did protect the Hibiscus but nothing else. So whatever this flower is, it survived. We can not remember the name.

Finally the pictures below are not flowers, but of my little palm tree that was planted last fall. It has produced new growth recently. In the last picture a little of the crepe myrtle can be seen. Both trees are thriving and are not expected to bloom for another month.

We are about to leave on an adventure that will check off a number of "bucket list" items. We have arranged with neighbors to supplement the sprinklers if needed.

Pillo's Travelin' Pet Seat

Pillo, Carol's almost two year old Chihuahua has gotten used to riding in her lap. A practice Carol began immediately when she got him. We are planning several long road trips this year. Carol decided that she did not want to hold him all the time. Easter Sunday we went to Tallahassee for Easter dinner. Carol decided that Pillo would ride in his crate bed there. He screeched and howled for the first 40 minutes before he fell a sleep. Probably from exhaustion or maybe he understood when I told Carol that the two of them could be standing on the side of route 20.

Carol did research on the internet and purchased a seat / bed with a 3 point harness. It arrived today and we took the boys for a ride, Pillo in his bed and Gizmo loose in the back seat next to Pillo. It was much better than the crate and his displeasure was not as loud and was short lived.

Pictured below is strapped in his new "travelin'" bed. Carol wants him to get used to being in it. He will get several rides in the local area before we head out for our spring adventure.

Window Treatments

When I met Carol she was a self employed seamstress. Occasionally she will still do a window treatment for some one. They usually provide the materials and some direction and some times she is just told to do something with the materials. Following are two examples that Carol created recently.


The following treatment is an example of a pleat with an accent color. This is one of my favorites that Carol has done recently. Note the buttons on the pleats.


These examples are about the size that she can do here. When she had her business she had an over sized table and would do very large treatments. Carol has made several throw pillows for our home here.

Severe Weather Day

One of the local TV stations here in the Panama City area declared today a "severe weather day". Parts of the south and mid west have suffered heart breaking weather that has taken life and destroyed property these past two days. The local weather guy mustered up all the drama possible last night regarding the possibility of severe storms here today. I am sure that this was designed to have viewers tune in today and listen to the periodic weather updates.

This triggered memories of the northeast blizzard of February, 1978. The forecast was for a moderate amount of accumulation for the Rhode Island area where I lived at the time. I paid no heed as I readied to go fly to Toronto for my week long visit to a sister company. After all I was from New England. My flight left on time from Providence to LaGuardia in New York where I would change planes. I was on the last plane to land at 9AM and the airport closed. Hotels filled rapidly and I was about to be stranded at the airport. I called my wife and told her to get the kids out of school. She protested that it was not snowing. I said first snow flake go get them. There was already over 20 inches of snow at the NY airport. I also got the phone number of her aunt who lived nearby. I did get to the aunt's house and was there for 3 days until the airport reopened. I also called the CFO where I worked and told him to get the people out early. The storm stalled over the Providence and the Southeastern Massachusetts area and dropped anywhere from 4 feet to almost 5 feet of snow. I had a 4 foot fence around the yard and it would be over 3 weeks before the fence started to poke through the melting snow. My wife did go get the kids early and bought bread and milk.

The schools waited too long, some children were stranded in local churches, fire stations and police stations. Some children did not get home for three days. Factories including where I worked also closed too late. The snow was coming down faster than it could be cleared. The late influx of cars on the expressway soon ground to a halt. Many left their cars and walked to a shelter. Many commuters also did not get home for several days. The day after the storm, police walked among the stranded cars to see if anyone was inside. The mess of stranded cars created such a challenge that the Georgia National Guard was sent in with heavy equipment and began towing cars before they could plow the highways.
I finally got to my destination about 4 am Thursday. I finished the week and could not get home as the Providence airport was still closed. My wife was confined to the house with three active kids. Our garage was part of the house. She would open the garage door and shovel for 20 to 30 minutes alone. Then she would go in bundle them up, open the garage door and let then out to play. She then closed the garage door and had a quiet cup of tea. The snow was so high they could not go anywhere. After 30 minutes she would open the door and they could come in when they were ready.

The airport opened the following Sunday and I was on the second plane to land that afternoon. I managed to get my car out of the parking spot and normally it would be a 20 minute ride home. Route 95 through Providence was still closed. It took well over an hour as I went looped around the Providence area. As I went up a local main road to get to my street I noticed a cop following me. He followed me right to my driveway. I had to show my plane ticket to avoid a summons for driving during a restricted period. For several years after this storm every hint of snow would cause panic, bread and milk shelves would be empty. TV stations would announce weather updates through out the day. They has cutesy names for their coverage. My favorite was "OPERATION SNOWFLAKE".

I will pay attention to the weather listening to the wind, stepping outside to feel the temperature, and taking precautions if I hear thunder. So far it is just windy and muggy warm. We have had a couple of brief showers. I have not turned the TV on yet.

My Dad

Today, December 6, 2011 would have been my dad's 100Th birthday. There was a time that he was positive he would live to be 100.

He was born on Fayal, one of the several islands that comprise the Azores, December 6, 1911. When he was 8 years old he and his parents emigrated to the United States. World War I prompted my grandfather to move his family to New Bedford, Massachusetts. They came into the port of New York aboard a steamship. My father remembered that their stateroom had windows. There was a large population of Portuguese people living in New Bedford. My father was put in the first grade because he could not speak English. He was so embarrassed at being the biggest student in the first grade that he learned English in 6 months and was then put in the third grade with his age group.

My grandfather worked in a mill and when my dad finished high school, he worked in the same mill for a year until he saved money to go to what is now the University of Rhode Island. During his four years he dug ditches for one of FDR's programs. When he graduated with a Chemical Engineering degree, there were no jobs, so he stayed in his frat house, dug ditches and took mechanical engineering courses. He eventually got a job at American Silk Spinning. While there he took textile courses at what is now the Rhode Island School of Design. While there he met my mom under dubious circumstances. One of the exhaust fans bound up clogged with lint. My mom was the first aid gal for the plant and she was told to go see the bright college boy who stuck his finger in the fan to spin it to see if he could clear whatever was binding the fan. He lost the tip of one finger and found his soul mate.

At some point my dad went to work for the U S Rubber Co. When WW II came he was transferred to Ankeny, Iowa to work in a munitions factory as a executive on loan. I was a baby when they left for Iowa. My dad worked a lot of hours and we lived in Des Moines. Near the beginning of 1944, we moved back to Rhode Island and dad settled in the U S Rubber plant in Providence where his career flourished over the years. We moved to Greenville, RI where we were the first family whose last name ended in a vowel. He stayed there until the plant closed and moved South. He chose to take early retirement and promptly went to work selling SRO supplies. He finally retired when he was 72.

Earlier I mentioned that he was certain he would live to be 100. He had several aunts and uncles who easily surpassed the century mark. They all lived in the Azores, where I am sure the quality of air, etc was much healthier than the industrial environment of the Northeast. Dad was 86 when he passed.

My dad was a good man, good husband and a good father who wanted what he thought was best for both of his sons. It was his desire that I study to become an engineer. I did start engineering at URI, but my heart was not in it, nor was I ready for college. After one semester I joined the Navy. I eventually went back to college after the four years in the Navy. I went eleven years at night ending with my MBA. When I graduated he told me that he was proud of me and that I did it all on my own. Yet I know my dad was always disappointed that I was not an engineer. I was well into my 40's when he told me, "I am constantly amazed that you support your family as well as you do without being an engineer." I decided that I would accept that as a compliment.

Happy 100Th birthday Dad!

Coupon-ing

Last week Carol and I went to the local Publix market to pick up a few items. We entered a check out aisle and noticed that the order ahead was about done. Then the woman handed the cashier a stack of coupons. The manufacturers coupons went quickly. Then I noticed that the cashier was scrolling through the screen looking for product purchased. After a good five minutes of watching this, I said to Carol, lets go. What about the stuff on the counter. Don't care, they can put it back. Nope we are not leaving. After another few minutes I went to the store manager and told him something was wrong. Either their computer system sucked or the cashier was poorly trained and I was leaving. I had noticed him watching and ignoring the problem until I spoke up. He immediately moved my stuff to the next aisle. The woman looked at me and said I don't care who I hold up, I'm getting $100.00 of free merchandise. I had no comment. Once home, I called the store manager and told him that my Rhode Island market had a much better computer system. He said the problem was that the internet coupons the lady printed off had no bar code. I asked him which customer was more important, one with a lot of free stuff or me who never uses coupons and lets you make a profit. The next day I was having lunch at the local restaurant and telling my story of aggravation. She laughted and opened the local paper ( I cancelled it after one too many times of finding it under the truck where I could not reach it) and showed me the ad for "couponing classes". Oh joy! Rocky the owners husband told me that when he worked second shift he joined a coupon club. One goal was to get $100.00 off an order. A second goal was to buy over $100 worth of merchandise and pay less than half of the total. Great! Carol and I decided to try the local Winn-Dixie. They have a great store, better looking meat and almost everything we wanted. When I got home I noticed that the register tape had a code and a web address for my comments. Also unlike Publix, Winn-Dixie has self check out aisles similar to Stop & Shop. I did fill out the questionnaire and then found Publix website and wrote them a long message with my experience and concerns and my recommendations. Three days later, A regional manager called me and we had a nice conversation. he told me that they needed to service all customers. My suggestions were:
Require all coupons to be given to the cashier before the checkout process begins. That way the cashier can determine if she should shut off her light and notify manager that another aisle should be opened.
Maybe if this coupon-ing become so prevalent that they should have coupon only aisles.
"No bar code no coupon".

He did tell me that some of what I recommended they had not thought of. I will still do some shopping at Publix, but the vast majority of our shopping will be done at Winn-Dixie. I think it is a better store and I can check myself out.

Snow birds are coming - SNOW BIRDS ARE COMING

Over the past couple of weeks, I have noticed a smattering of license plates from Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. Now that November has begun, the numbers of "snow birds" plates are increasing. We have been in a "tourist" drought which is normal for this time of year. The waitress at our favorite lunch place said that business will pick up soon as the "snow birds" will be here. Last Wednesday I went to my local barber for a hair cut and beard trim. I went at a time that I have determined results in minimum wait time. I do enjoy the time listening to the local "good ole boys" talk about solving world problems. As I left Tommy said to me, I don't know how well I can take care of my local customers, you know the "snow birds" are arriving. Yep, I replied I know. I smiled to myself as I left. Only a few years ago I was a "snow bird".

"Gilligan" Hat

It took some searching, but I finally found a primary care doctor here in Panama City Beach that was not only taking new patients but also accepted Medicare. Last Tuesday I had my first appointment. I was and still am impressed with how much time she spent with me. She echoed the Rhode Island doctor's directive to have my mole removed. I made the appointment and saw the dermatologist last Thursday. I also had two "age" spots that I wanted them to remove. All of the above were normal spots of no consequence. Almost as an after thought, I mentioned that every morning when I brushed my hair that I knocked the scab off a sore. She gave me a long name of what it was that I don't remember. The bottom line is that it is a form of skin cancer that can be invasive. It was removed and I must wear a hat in the sun. No more breezes flowing through my (thinning) hair with the top down on the convertible. I have plenty of baseball caps, but they make my head sweat. I have a Tilly hat, again it makes my head sweat. I told Carol that I wanted a hat with a small brim that was kind of floppy. I went to several tourist shops - no luck. I went to J C Penny and was told that they were on clearance as summer was over and they were sold out. Hmm, I thought, it still 80 + outside. I stopped at a place that sells golf clubs. He said you want a "Gilligan" hat. Yesss I said. He sent me to the Holiday Golf Club clubhouse. I found what I was looking for there. They actually call them "bucket" hats. Whatever they are called did not matter. I bought two. I will now wear a hat in the daylight. I am pictured below with my "Gilligan" hat.

Our typical week in Panama City Beach

We started the week by going out for breakfast at our favorite place, The Pickle Patch.
It is as much a social event as it is breakfast. I have been accepted as a local and Carol and I always sit at "the" table. It is usually the same cast of local characters. Donna is the Sunday waitress and Carol's coffee was poured and my diet coke was delivered without being ordered. It was good to see Mitch who has been working on a project and has not been around for lunch in a while. He was enjoying a lazy Sunday morning. The weather has stayed unseasonable warm and we had been in the high 80's and actually slipped into the low 90's on Monday. We all were looking forward to Tuesday. The weather folks were forecasting an all day rain event. Our area so badly needed this rain. It seems like the scattered showers always seem to skip over the beach. We put Tuesday to good use and completed house hold chores. In the afternoon we rode out to Destin to Barnes & Noble. I had bought Carol a color nook when her eye sight was poor. I decided that I would get a nook also. I chose the original black and white nook. It works just fine for me. I have already read Stephen J. Cannell's Vertical Coffin. He is one of my top five favorite authors. The weather cleared and we drove back home in sunshine.Wednesday the cool front passed and we now have day time highs in the 70's. Its great, no A/C and no heat. Low energy days.

The boys all got baths this week. They hear the "bath" word and they all look for a place to hide. Below, Gizmo is getting his chin whiskers scrubbed. He gets a little wild eyed during this part. I think it would be easier to wash a rattlesnake than to brush his teeth. He is due for his yearly checkup and I think I will have the Vet clean his teeth.


Pictured below is our little rascal being dried. Carol has said that it was easier to wash a nine pound cat than to wash him. For a little guy, he is amazingly strong.



Tiny and Pillo are enjoying the Florida sun after their baths. Tiny is over 18 now and really showing his age.



This past Thursday, Carol had her last quilting lesson. She is making a "picket fence quilt". We picked out the fabric together (2+ hours). I eventually went and sat in the truck. These places should have a "husband" sitting area. We wanted something that represented our lifestyle here on the beach. Below is her work in progress. we met for lunch at the Pickle Path after class. Mitch was there again and I gave him two Cross pencils. He seems to be one of the few people that I know who likes a 5mm mechanical pencil. When we left, Janet's Caddy would not start. Its old and tired. She called a tow truck and I drove her home. Apparently they are used to Janet calling and she left the keys on the floor and I drove her home. She called me the next day to thank me. She told me the mechanic delivered it to her home and she was once again mobile.




Close up of the center section.



We drove with the top down out to Freeport, Florida yesterday. We found this neat fabric place off the beaten path. Carol had signed up for another class in two weeks to make a hanging Christmas tree quilt. She needed reds and greens. It was a great day and I enjoy helping to pick out the colors. It was also great riding with the top down.

I purchased a grill late last week. The local Lowe's had some nice looking ones all made in China. Their delivery charge was quite expensive in my opinion. I went out to Ace hardware and found a nice grill with more features made in Canada and they offered free delivery. We have grilled every night this week except for our ravioli night. This was our week in what we call "paradise".

Sam's Porch

Sam's Porch designed by Hugh constructed by Hugh with support from Ed, Manuel, and Roy. Pictures by Ed.

Sam's Porch is a fulfillment of a request that Samra made of her husband Hugh. Earlier this year Carol and I spent two weeks with them as our home was remodeled. At the time, I said I would come and help. I really have no experience with power tools, but I could be a good helper and gofer. The project was slated for October. We headed there October 7Th from Florida, Manuel and Zella came from Louisiana. Manuel was also a Navy buddy from long ago. We arrived mid afternoon. Manuel and Hugh had two walls up by then. Roy is a friend from church. He was there Saturday morning. The remaining wall was quickly erected as pictured below.


Hugh and Manuel admire the progress.





Manuel attaches the supports for the rafters.


Roy and Hugh discuss the project below .

The rafters are in place below.



Another view of the rafters.

Sunday morning we started to install the stringers. The metal roof would be screwed to them. They also provide additional strength to the entire porch.


Once all the stringers were in place, Hugh made final measurements for the metal roof. We all sat down to an excellent mid day meal. Manuel and Zella left shortly after dinner for home.


Early Monday morning Hugh and I left for the approximate 100 mile round trip to the plant that would produce the metal roof panels. Roy and I would pick up a 36 inch by 25 foot 6 inch panel and guide it over the edge of the roof and give it a good shove so it landed on the rafters. Hugh on the rafters would systematically guide each panel into place. It was important that each panel was exact. We did not want the trailing edges to be uneven. Below Hugh is drilling starter holes in the tin so the metal screws could then be driven into the stringers.


I am pleased to say that I was up on the roof driving screws for awhile until Roy returned. He was more adept at it than me and thus the roof was finished quicker. I must also say that my leg was cramping badly and I was very happy to see Roy return. This phase of the project was complete Monday afternoon. Hugh will bring electrical out for a ceiling fan and light. Hugh has to build the support for the two screen doors and Sam will be painting all the studs. Hugh is planning on installing a bead board ceiling. The final item will be to completely screen in the porch.










Every part of the project was completed precisely. All walls are square, level and aligned. You can see the trailing edge of the metal roof. Perfect. We remained an additional day to relax and visit before leaving Wednesday morning. It was not all work. We had a roast over an open fire, good conversation with dear friends. We talkedabout where our next get together should be. I was pleased to be a part of the project.

Crepe Myrtle Trees

We were walking our dogs one morning when Carol said she would like a crepe myrtle tree. We see them quite often. They line a good portion of I 95 in the Carolina's. I have never really liked the shrubs that came with the property. I contacted the landscape company that has the contract for the community that I live in. below is the before picture.



Crepe Myrtle come in various colors and Carol wanted the red. It was decided that we would get two and also a King Sago palm tree for me. I have wanted a palm tree since I moved here. Carol and I went to Lowe's and bought several types of flowers. The picture below does not do the color in the flowers justice. The trees will not flower until next year. It will also take about a full year before they start to take shape. My little palm is a hardy variety and will do fine. Its not a catalpa but it will do!



In the spring we will again plant additional flowers that will bring more color to the garden. Some of what we planted may not survive the winter. I believe this is the last project for this year. We replaced the rugs and the existing tile with porcelain tile throughout. Our central air needed to be replaced and that was completed.

A/C Issues

We have a combination air conditioner / heat pump. The heat pump is used to heat the home in colder weather. I have had the process explained to me several times. As such, this unit works through out the year. We are also affected by the salt air which causes corrosion on the outside compressor. The life span seems to be 10 to 12 years. Our home was built in 2002. I am aware that several of the neighboring homes have already replaced their unit. It seems like every time we leave for a trip, we come home to A/C issues. The first time was a year ago and the compressor unit had failed due to short in the cable and we needed to check into a local hotel for a night while we waited for service. Recently we left while the house was being re-tiled. The A coil leaked and the drip pan was rusted. The contractor soldered the leaks. The system could quit at any time. I contacted several places for quotes. I was pleased to learn that if our unit failed an efficiency test that the local power company would contribute $600. towards a more efficient model. Yep, the unit failed the test and we qualify for the contribution. We must install a unit that is minimum 14 seer. This we will do. If we had waited until the unit failed completely it could not have been tested and we would not have qualified. I believe we will have the new unit installed before the end of the month. This unit will be considerable more efficient and we should notice a decrease in electricity usage. Time will tell.