Little Things in Life

Sitting tight here in Oro Valley, Arizona, have no plans to head out this summer - so far.  Checked with our friends who go to Colorado for the summer - they said that they could not leave yet because the county where they stay is still locked down and not allowing outsiders to come in.  So they wait, as well as we wait to see what happens with this COVID19.  Still being very careful, some places we have gone have required face masks or no entry.  I was busy earlier in March and April making masks for friends and family - made enough for us to have a spare.  I lost count of making masks after 80.  Got hard to do since elastic was not to be found anywhere.

I made lots of these puppies - and quite colorful!

We have been busy with the place, loving the evenings and watching the sunsets.  As they say in Oro Valley - when the mountains (Catalina Mountains) turn pink, it's time for a drink.  And since the weather has really gotten hot (105 yesterday) we are out walking the streets (very friendly, have bike and walk lanes) of the complex to see how others live and what their places look like - specifically landscaping ideas, as early as 5:30am - at least we are not sweating yet.

Loved that we bought some furniture from Ohio - Amish made.

We made some really big changes already - besides painting the entire inside of the home, closets and all, but had to replace appliances that died.  Not planned on at all - but oh well, gotta do what you need to do.

View from the back yard

View looking from inside to out

We have been watching the moon rising over the mountains in the evening and was blown away by a herd - 14 of them - of javelinas (wild pigs, if there are babies they can be very aggressive but for the most part, they are happy go-lucky).  Since there were little babies, we stayed quite clear of them.

And then the other evening looking out our dining room window, a bob cat was sitting on the brick fence in the back.  And we have seen one crossing the street in front of us as we sit and stare at the mountains in the evening.

Here kitty kitty 

We are unsure if we will head out this summer.  We are not anxious to drive to a place and then just sit in the RV because nothing is open or we have to be quarantined.  We will take the RV out for rides occasionally and see how the summer progresses.  In the meantime we are enjoying tinkering and doing projects.  In the air condition!  And watching the pink mountains.

Looking up to Mount Lemmon - the observatory is up there as well
as the ski area

Javelinas 

Folks have a Southern Live Oak tree in front - they came to eat the nuts
We could hear them crunching from where we were standing

Small  baby!!!

Life Altering Changes - COVID-19

We thought we would be heading out this summer to enjoy the big ole U S of A in our RV, but not only did world events change that decision, but some personal changes came into the picture.

When we got back this past fall, we were lined up with all the normal doctor's visits and dentist visits.
Everything was going fine until Dave started to complain about pain and discomfort.  Not only was he passing kidney stones but there were bladder stones getting caught up the whirl wind and getting lodged, passed, etc. Long story short, surgery done, then an ER visit the next day to get his pain level taken care of, and then recoup time.  During this recoup period, Dave blew a blood vessel in his eye and off to the eye doctor we rushed who said - rut roh - lets get some surgery done for a rare form of glaucoma.  Both eyes!  Yikes. He said, if you don't - you will loose your eyesight in both eyes.

On top of all this, we had discussed this past summer of possibly looking for another winter hide-away place and was looking around the Tucson area and stopped into an open house near the Catalina Mountains in Oro Valley.  That realtor found us an amazing place and we put the offer in WAY BEFORE all this started with Dave's surgeries.  After some negotiation we got the go-ahead and started the wait time.  Waited and waited and waited.  We gave them extra 30 days due to health issues of the wife. The transfer took 78 days.  Sheese.  Little did we know how fast and hard the COVID-19 was coming and the snowball effects that would cause.

COVID-19 hits and we got pretty nervous about having contracts continue, things delivered, or even canceled, was a very very stressful time.  But, by March 23, we have a new winter hide-away in our name and the old one in Picacho was under contract to be transferred by mid April (he also got caught getting movers, etc.).

With this pandemic, looks like we will be laying low and not head out for the summer as planned.  The whole world is changing because of this.  We are practicing laying low, staying at least 6 feet apart with everyone, when we go into stores, have our masks on and we use sanitizer like it's candy. We have driven to see the grand girls and they stay outside at the front door and we stand on the driveway and talk - a really weird situation.  But you have to be careful.

Summer Journey 2019 Is A Wrap

We got into our winter hideaway in Picacho Monday afternoon after visiting Tombstone Territories RV Park in Tombstone, Arizona for a week.  While there in Tombstone we hiked up the top of the Huachuca Mountains in Sierra Vista which was a feat I wanted to accomplish, climbing up over 600 feet in less than a mile.  The trail was not treacherous, just steep.  The folks who maintain this trail (Friends of Ramsey Canyon) were thoughtful and put 9 benches ever 80 feet or so, just to stop and catch your breath.  Going up was hard, not only in the elevation gain but in using leg muscles you forgot you have, but coming down - a bit more harder, very tough on knees.  But we maid it, did not see Border Patrol 'up there' even though a Patrol car was parked in the parking lot.  If we would have continued on one of the 3 trails at the top of the mountain, we would be right up against the border with Mexico which is where I think they were hiding out.

I 10 westbound, near Lordsburg, New Mexico 

Railroad 'bone' yard - they scrap out cars along I 10

Dropping down into Wilcox Valley, westbound I 10, Arizona

Lots of standing water from a couple week's prior storm (we got it while in Amarillo)

Riding a bicycle on I 10 - cars going 80 miles an hour.  Wow. 

19th state we crossed this summer

Another little hike we did while in Tombstone was so visit the San Pedro River Riparian again.  There are miles of trails that go along the San Pedro and we had never hiked along the western bank northward, which we did.  Amazing that the water was still flowing after a very dry summer season.

And back to 'norm' - Check point for Border Patrol

Used the last couple of days while at Tombstone to begin cleaning out and packing up the RV to bring our possessions out.  And to sanitize the holding tanks, clean and wax the exterior, and general enjoy the last couple of days in the RV.  We were lucky in that the weather during the day was perfect - low 70's, but at night a bit chilly - got down to low 40's, had to have the heaters on.  We really enjoy that RV park, this was our 5th time visiting it in 10 years.  And to be serenaded by the coyotes at night, not just once but sometimes 3 or 4 times.  We think their den was right by us, they howled coming out and then going back in.  Many of the other campers did not like it - they all had dogs and the dogs would start up barking if they got too close.

The step-trail up to the top of Huachuca Mountains

Looking down on Mexico - very deep canyon

Trail was rated strenuous - no fooling! 

We always see deer and also wild turkeys while at Ramsey Canyon

Our summer was eventful for a couple of reasons - we put the most mileage in one summer on the RV; we got back to Ohio and saw family and friends and enjoyed a wonderful wedding; we saw new things along the way there as well as when we left and were headed to Arizona for the winter.
And we can say we have camped in all lower 48 states now, picking up Oklahoma as our last state we had not spent any time in.  We are still drawn to the mountains but have a soft spot for water.  When we were in Ohio, specifically along Lake Erie, were were astonished at the high water levels.  Streets flooded where they had not experienced it before, many many homes for sale because of the water encroachment.  Some good real estate buys if you want to deal with swimming in your front yard.

Trail down to San Pedro River

Still water, lots of animal tracks

Cadzillion of these grasshoppers all over

Pretty, very tranquil 

Huh?  Wonder what this was all about?

Lots of erosion

We are also sad we did not get to spend time with many more friends from Ohio - our time we thought we would use to visit them was quickly changed due to health circumstances of family member, helping her get back on her feet and functional again.  But so very glad we were there to help and get her spirits up and getting that positive outlook on life she always had and has again.

So, this is the last post until next time - have a great winter!