Just Resting and a timely repair

We did not do very much this week other than rest and read. 

During our first two weeks in San Diego we had a flurry of visits, appointments, grandson activities, and shopping. I felt a bit overwhelmed by all the traffic on the roads, and noise constantly assaulting us. I thought I didn't mind, saying the trade-off of being near family was well worth it, but once we were back in a quiet park setting I felt much better.

Typical of many parks, the Summit Campground in Sweet-water Regional Park is fairly empty during the week. It is too far from the San Diego attractions such as Sea World and the Zoo for out-of-town tourists, but fills up with more local weekend campers on Friday through Sunday. 

My ankle is healing nicely and I have been riding my bike for short times at least twice a day. I don't agree that you "never forget how to ride a bike". I have had to relearn how to get started, when to shift, and most importantly, how to stop. The last being something I was just out practicing this morning.  Since the park is fairly empty, and the roads are very smooth, this is the perfect place to refresh some of those long-forgotten skills. The grade of the road is also excellent for using the leg muscles that have grown weak over the years, with short easy ups and downs.

I have only fallen off once. I do have a helmet!

Some of the other bloggers have had unfortunate mechanical problems with their rigs or tow cars this spring.  Breakdowns are a fact of RV life, and sometimes they can be a major headache.

We were very lucky this week.

Picture from Web, our jack looks like this though.

One of the leveling jacks has been a bit "fussy" from time to time. We knew from a previous occasion when one of the other ones failed, the extended warranty we have would cover the replacement in part, but not until there was a complete failure.

How were we lucky? It failed to work when setting up at this park site. It was a Saturday afternoon, but because we had a two-week reservation we knew we had time to deal with it. Good thing we were not out boondocking with a weak or nonexistent phone signal.

On Monday after calls to our warranty company and to our roadside service provider, we were put in contact with a Mobile RV Repair company that is also an Atwood authorized dealer. They came out to look at the job on Tuesday, and returned  to install a new jack on Thursday.  Total bill was $1480, of which we had to pay $433. Nice! When we had one of the other jacks replaced last year we had to pay the full bill up front, and wait for several months for reimbursement from the insurance company because the repair place would not bill them. 

It is so nice when things go smoothly.

We are looking forward to another nice weekend with our daughter and the boys. I'm going over to her house this afternoon to do my wash and cook dinner. Nice to be able to give her a little after-work break while we are here.

Time Flies

Our first week in San Diego has been very busy with many get-togethers with family and friends.  Plus taking care of annual business like establishing a new medical home and consulting a professional tax preparer for the first time.

As a general practice I don't post many pictures of my family in my blog, but here they are!  One good looking group, don't you think?

This was taken a few blocks from their home in Sunset Cliffs when we went for a Sunday morning walk with the dogs. 

Food is always a big part of our lives. We enjoyed these Eggs Benedict at the far end of the walk.

It looks like it will be a long time before I will allow myself to indulge in a yummy dish such as this again. The outcome (which I totally expected) of my doctors visit and blood work was the advice to lose weight, stop drinking wine, and get more exercise. 

Those of you who followed this blog in 2012 may remember how hard I worked to lose 50 pounds and get healthier. Well, three years later I have to do it again. I did manage to keep the weight off for most of a year, but in the last two I have eaten my way to health problems once again.  

I know I can lose weight. I know I can eat in a more mindful way. I have made a new commitment to myself and my own health. 

My goal is to lose 50 pounds again by November when I come back to see the same doctor. I can do it! I think I will start by reviewing all the 2012 posts. I know they were very positive.

In keeping with that goal I bought myself a new toy.

A spiffy new 3 speed "beach cruiser" bike. Jeannie Sparks has been an inspiration to me with all of her posts about the things she sees on her rides. I intend to start slowly with daily rides around the parks we visit. When my legs get stronger I will be able to farther afield. I think this is a good "before" picture. Look at those fat thighs and puffy arms!  Eight months from now I WILL BE THINNER!

Good intentions? 

Yes.  

But this plan of action have been delayed.

Why?

On Sunday I was in a hurry and I fell while going down the Alfa stairs.

I was holding a bag of trash and talking at the same time. I am usually very careful, but not this time, and I fell. 

Sprained my ankle.   Ouch!                                                                                                                                           

It is not a really bad sprain, but it will take some time before I can ride.  Right now I'm just looking forward to being able to walk again.

This too will be a memory someday!  But for now it is a bummer.

Catching Up

Craig said I really should put up a new post because it has been a week since his birthday.  So here goes...

Our month in San Diego is almost over. It has been a whirlwind of family activities and good times.

We have played games:

 

Cooked together:

Had a yard sale

This guy bought a necklace I had made in the 70's

Decorated the tree:

We got together with our extended (not related) family:

We enjoyed some beautiful weather and gorgeous skies:

We took some walks along Mission Bay just steps away from our rig.  I should have walked more, but I was just too busy!

We also went to two school band concerts, a Boy Scout awards ceremony, Ender's Game, did lots of shopping, had a little car trouble, and worried about selling the house.

I mention the last because it is always there. We are glad we had this time with loved ones to distract us from the process.  In another week we will be heading back to Camp Driveway and wintery weather.  In the Santa Cruz Mountains, freezing is rare, but it does happen. We are more likely to have heavy rains and/or wind.

Our emphasis for the first few weeks of January will be to clear out as much of our remaining stuff as we can. We will do better if we pressure ourselves to get it done.

Extra bed!

I am sitting here in my kitchen waiting for my daughter and her family to arrive from San Diego.


A cold front is coming thru, but a nice fire is laid and ready to light.


The maple trees are heavy with bright gold leaves that are fluttering down in large numbers.


We are changing the sleeping arrangements a bit this year.


Our daughter and her husband will be in our room, the two grandsons will sleep in one of the guest rooms and the Au Pair will be in the other. 


Craig and I will be in the Alfa. 


Our house just got one room bigger!


The feasting will begin tonight with homemade pizza. 

Friends and Family

Life is Good!  


Especially when you can spend a nice weekend meeting new friends and visiting with family.


Chores around the house got away from us Saturday morning such that we were late arriving at Laurie and George's wedding.  Craig didn't realize how long it would take to get from our house to Salinas, and then we  ran into some unexpected slow traffic.  


 Actually we were so late that we missed the ceremony completely, but we did get to meet Laurie and George, enjoy a piece of cake and punch, and wish them well in their new life.


We have invited them over for dinner on Thursday, so we will have a chance to get to know them a bit.


Funny how everything seems to happen all at the same time!  I knew my brother, from Wisconsin, and his wife were planning on visiting our area on a trip thru California this fall, but I didn't know when they would be here.


They have a very nice 32' class A National RV, and were taking the long way from Wisconsin to their winter home in Arizona. It turned out they found a campground about ten miles from our house, and after the wedding we connected with them and had a nice evening together.

I haven't seen him for a couple of years.  We talk on the phone once in a while, but it's been several years since I've been back to Wisconsin. 

  On Sunday morning they came  here for coffee and to see the Alfa.


Then we all went down to a Sports Bar in town to watch the Packer Game, then back to their camp to have a little cookout.


It was so good to see him.  And to hear his "big brother" tease about my toy RV and white spotter gloves.  Although I let my family know I had a blog, I didn't think they read it very often because none have signed up as followers nor ever left a comment.  It turns out that both my brothers and my kids DO read my posts!  He finds it amusing.  


The weekend ended to soon and we had to say good by for now.  They are off to Yosemite in the morning.  


Life IS Good.

One more box sorted

My daughter and family were here for Thanksgiving.  For 22 years I have had a large "dish pack" box of her things  in our attic.  I asked her to go thru it and set aside what she wanted to keep.  We are driving down to San Diego for Christmas and I will take it to her.  I have decided to just seal up the box and put it out with the trash on Thursday.

One more box gone!

I have some art work to get out this week, and I am meeting Levonne on Tuesday.

I just might start stripping wall paper on Wednesday!  I have the stuff to do it, and it's about time I got back to work on the house.  I had told myself I should complete the sorting of the two front hall closets before I started on the wall paper, but maybe doing the walls will get me motivated to do the closets!

I have been doing a lot of blog reading and thinking about our alternatives.

  At the moment there  many options to think about!  If and when I figure it out, I'll write a post.

Hope you all have a good week, I will be reading.

I'm Still happily sitting in front of the fire every night with my laptop.


Hope you are keeping warm and dry as well.