The first game of the Cactus League spring training is under our belts. It is very different this year compared to last. Aside from changes to the menu, there are some new faces to work with and some new procedures. The biggest complaint is that there are no mats to stand on for the cashiers. They have been removed because management felt that they were a danger for tripping. We had no problems with that last year, and already the cashiers are complaining because of back problems from standing on the cement all day. I tried to convince management that they would be better off using them, but to no avail. There are nineteen games to go.
We had our conversation with the Owner/General Manager of the Western Inn - Glacier Park. It was a very pleasant conversation, and very informative. There are some serious concerns that we have that are probably fatal to our acceptance of the opportunity. Our main objection is that we would not have the same days off during the week. Each of us would be "on-call" on the days we are not scheduled to work while the other of us would be working. We are wondering when we would have an opportunity to enjoy the area - specifically, the National Park. When are we supposed to do our hiking and biking? The other major concern is that that she appears to want to "micro-manage" the operation, right down to no gum chewing while on the job. Also, we would not be allowed to have friends or family stay at the Inn - she indicated that the Inn is for guests, not friends. Right now, it appears we will be returning to Jackson, WY, which is perfectly fine for us. We love it there.
I received a message from the Service Manager at the dealership where we purchased our car. He wants to get information on the tire size of the vehicle so he can replace the one odd tire brand we have - one of the two after-the-sale requirements. The other is a hitch that they will put on the vehicle so that we can attach our bike rack. I guess that means that the deal is finalized and the lender has accepted the residency paperwork.
We start work 45 minutes earlier today - a reason unknown to us as the game still starts at the same time as yesterday's game - 1:05 PM. It is shaping up to be a long month of March...
Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
TV Problem Fixed
It seems like every time we get a range of time to expect a repair person to arrive, he arrives at the very end of the time range. Yesterday, we were to expect the DirecTV tech to arrive between 7 AM and 11 AM. He showed up at 11:05. The whole morning was wasted waiting for him to arrive.
The fix for the problem - no reception of the new, replacement weather station called Weather Nation - was done in less than 5 minutes. It is a poor substitute for the Weather Channel, but is better than no weather station at all - barely. Anyway, the problem was fixed and could have been fixed by myself if the telephone support had taken me through the step that corrected the problem. It seems that the dish was slightly moved out of alignment on one of our windy days to the extent that the particular location on the satellite that broadcasts the show was not getting good enough reception. There are 3 satellites that the dish uses for the signals. A simple tweak of the dish locked onto the satellites to get maximum signal again and - the show reappeared.
We are scheduled to speak with the owner of the Western Inn - Glacier Park, in Columbia Falls, MT, tonight following our spring training game today. We have a list of some questions we need answers to, so it should be an interesting conversation.
Josie worked the late shift at the shop yesterday and that was the last time she will work at that location until the first of April. She works at the production center now on every Monday and Tuesday - our days off from spring training - to fill her weeks in March. She captured this neat photo of the sunset and balloons on her ride home last night:
There is almost always something going on along the Carefree Highway near Lake Pleasant.
Our month of spring training games kicks off today as I have to be there at 10:15 AM and Josie at 11 AM. We will take only one vehicle to see if that works for us. Josie will take her crocheting to do during the extra time I have to work as the stand lead. That involves taking inventory before and after each game, and balancing the registers to the business done each day. Play ball!!
The fix for the problem - no reception of the new, replacement weather station called Weather Nation - was done in less than 5 minutes. It is a poor substitute for the Weather Channel, but is better than no weather station at all - barely. Anyway, the problem was fixed and could have been fixed by myself if the telephone support had taken me through the step that corrected the problem. It seems that the dish was slightly moved out of alignment on one of our windy days to the extent that the particular location on the satellite that broadcasts the show was not getting good enough reception. There are 3 satellites that the dish uses for the signals. A simple tweak of the dish locked onto the satellites to get maximum signal again and - the show reappeared.
We are scheduled to speak with the owner of the Western Inn - Glacier Park, in Columbia Falls, MT, tonight following our spring training game today. We have a list of some questions we need answers to, so it should be an interesting conversation.
Josie worked the late shift at the shop yesterday and that was the last time she will work at that location until the first of April. She works at the production center now on every Monday and Tuesday - our days off from spring training - to fill her weeks in March. She captured this neat photo of the sunset and balloons on her ride home last night:
There is almost always something going on along the Carefree Highway near Lake Pleasant.
Our month of spring training games kicks off today as I have to be there at 10:15 AM and Josie at 11 AM. We will take only one vehicle to see if that works for us. Josie will take her crocheting to do during the extra time I have to work as the stand lead. That involves taking inventory before and after each game, and balancing the registers to the business done each day. Play ball!!
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
DirecTV and Other Appointments
For some reason, all of the necessary appointments we need to schedule are going to occur during our busiest month. We are expecting the DirecTV tech to arrive sometime this morning to diagnose why we are not able to get one of our stations - Weather Nation. Since DirecTV discontinued the Weather Channel arrangement over a contract dispute, their Weather Nation replacement has been a problem. First of all, it doesn't hold a candle to the Weather Channel. Secondly, we haven't been able to watch it regularly as we keep getting a "lost signal" message when we try to access the channel. They are not able to diagnose or fix the problem via telephone, so we get to visit with the on-site tech today.
Our warranty service on the fixes for the fifth wheel slideout and hydraulics has been approved, so we are waiting to schedule that appointment when the parts arrive. That should be today or tomorrow.
The potential for a new opportunity in Montana is beginning to heat up as the Owner/General Manager of the hotel/campground has asked to schedule a telephone conversation with us about the positions on Thursday, after 10 AM MST. Since we will be working our first spring training game on Thursday, we really don't know what time we will be home, but we will try to work around it somehow. The location is the Western Inn - Glacier Park, in Columbia Falls, MT, and as mentioned yesterday, sounds like a good fit for us. It would be the same hours we have in Jackson, but would be 3 days on, 2 days off, for the entire summer season, and for about $3 per hour more pay for each of us. That averages out to 38 hours per week and about $230 more per week. We would be the second shift managers which would be from 3 PM to 11 PM - the same hours we work in Jackson. It is a new area and a new experience, but one that could be a fun and rewarding experience. We'll keep you posted on that.
It was quiet yesterday from the dealership where we purchased our Jeep, so we are probably OK with the residency proof we provided. I hope that is the case, as we ordered a new GPS from Amazon yesterday to use in the new vehicle. We have one for the truck, but while we are traveling, it sure helps us to stay on the same track when we each have one of these nice units. We had a second one that we used in the old Jeep, but it was older technology and didn't include free lifetime maps and traffic info, so we gave that one to our friend and co-worker Donna in Jackson last summer.
This is my final day of "free time" before starting the spring training games, so I hope to get a lot accomplished. Josie works today, and every day until the end of March, so I hope all goes well for the next several weeks...
Our warranty service on the fixes for the fifth wheel slideout and hydraulics has been approved, so we are waiting to schedule that appointment when the parts arrive. That should be today or tomorrow.
The potential for a new opportunity in Montana is beginning to heat up as the Owner/General Manager of the hotel/campground has asked to schedule a telephone conversation with us about the positions on Thursday, after 10 AM MST. Since we will be working our first spring training game on Thursday, we really don't know what time we will be home, but we will try to work around it somehow. The location is the Western Inn - Glacier Park, in Columbia Falls, MT, and as mentioned yesterday, sounds like a good fit for us. It would be the same hours we have in Jackson, but would be 3 days on, 2 days off, for the entire summer season, and for about $3 per hour more pay for each of us. That averages out to 38 hours per week and about $230 more per week. We would be the second shift managers which would be from 3 PM to 11 PM - the same hours we work in Jackson. It is a new area and a new experience, but one that could be a fun and rewarding experience. We'll keep you posted on that.
It was quiet yesterday from the dealership where we purchased our Jeep, so we are probably OK with the residency proof we provided. I hope that is the case, as we ordered a new GPS from Amazon yesterday to use in the new vehicle. We have one for the truck, but while we are traveling, it sure helps us to stay on the same track when we each have one of these nice units. We had a second one that we used in the old Jeep, but it was older technology and didn't include free lifetime maps and traffic info, so we gave that one to our friend and co-worker Donna in Jackson last summer.
This is my final day of "free time" before starting the spring training games, so I hope to get a lot accomplished. Josie works today, and every day until the end of March, so I hope all goes well for the next several weeks...
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Lots of Activity
The main activity for yesterday was to wrap up the final details for our Jeep purchase. I went to our office when it opened at 8 AM and got some info that would help provide proof of our residency here. I also realized that one of the 1099's I received for income last year - the Wyoming Employment Services, for the unemployment benefits I received - was sent to this address and definitely proves we are residing here. I drove to the dealership in Surprise and presented the financial representative with all the details he requested. I then called the insurance company to add the vehicle to our insurance and discovered another potential glitch. The lender (who had the best rate) requires registration in AZ, and the insurance doesn't write policies for AZ residences. The best I could find in insurance for AZ would increase the insurance amount by $30 per month over the FL cost. Sheesh! So, I added the vehicle to the existing policy with a FL garaged address and will have to face the issue if and when the lender has a problem. Even though everything has been approved, we really won't own the vehicle until the loan is funded to the dealer.
I heard from the mobile tech about our next step in our slideout repair problem and finishing up on the hydraulics fix on our fifth wheel. That will be scheduled when he receives the part, but he now has the approval of the warranty company to proceed.
We are beginning a dialogue with a hotel/campground in Columbia Falls, MT, for a possible opportunity to work there this summer season. The money is more than we get in Jackson - by quite a bit - and would be in an area that has appeal to us - 5 miles from the west entrance to Glacier National Park in Montana. It is in the early stages and we would not leave our Jackson ties unless it is something we just can't refuse. So far, it sounds like a great opportunity in a new, desirable area for us. Stay tuned for more info on developments there.
We have just today and tomorrow before the start of the spring training games. We are hoping that it is a successful season and that we will enjoy it as much this year as we did last year...
I heard from the mobile tech about our next step in our slideout repair problem and finishing up on the hydraulics fix on our fifth wheel. That will be scheduled when he receives the part, but he now has the approval of the warranty company to proceed.
We are beginning a dialogue with a hotel/campground in Columbia Falls, MT, for a possible opportunity to work there this summer season. The money is more than we get in Jackson - by quite a bit - and would be in an area that has appeal to us - 5 miles from the west entrance to Glacier National Park in Montana. It is in the early stages and we would not leave our Jackson ties unless it is something we just can't refuse. So far, it sounds like a great opportunity in a new, desirable area for us. Stay tuned for more info on developments there.
We have just today and tomorrow before the start of the spring training games. We are hoping that it is a successful season and that we will enjoy it as much this year as we did last year...
Monday, February 24, 2014
Taking the Plunge
We have been talking about getting another vehicle for awhile now. The gas thirsty truck has been a drain on our budget since we arrived here in October and Josie has been working almost every day. Both of us concluded that we should look for an inexpensive addition that would relieve the truck use and save money on gas. Yesterday, we decided to stop at Moore Chrysler/Jeep in Peoria while we were on our way to Costco. We think we have this Jeep as our new second vehicle:
It is a 2012 Jeep Liberty Sport. Our plan is to drive this vehicle for at least a year or two until we save enough extra money to buy the one we really want - a new Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Eco-Diesel.
I say I think we bought this vehicle because the deal isn't final yet. There is a situation that we hadn't considered that we need to overcome. Lenders want to have a physical address for any loan they give which means we need to show where the vehicle will be garaged. Full time RVers have this problem and our PO Box for Florida is not acceptable. We are in the process of converting this space we are presently occupying at Lake Pleasant to an annual lease which will satisfy the requirement. I will go to the office this morning to get some paperwork that shows our address as a "permanent" physical address. For now, at least, it looks like we will be titling this vehicle in Arizona. I don't know how the insurance company will react to having one vehicle in AZ, and the others in FL. We'll find out today.
With the spring training games starting this week and Josie working the other days at the flower shop, it will be a welcomed addition. It also leaves the truck at home in case I need to go somewhere which is a relief. I hope it works out.
While leaving the resort yesterday morning, we saw our old friends - the burros:
They were walking along, very close to the resort. It has been a while since we've seen them, so it was a nice start to the day...
It is a 2012 Jeep Liberty Sport. Our plan is to drive this vehicle for at least a year or two until we save enough extra money to buy the one we really want - a new Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Eco-Diesel.
I say I think we bought this vehicle because the deal isn't final yet. There is a situation that we hadn't considered that we need to overcome. Lenders want to have a physical address for any loan they give which means we need to show where the vehicle will be garaged. Full time RVers have this problem and our PO Box for Florida is not acceptable. We are in the process of converting this space we are presently occupying at Lake Pleasant to an annual lease which will satisfy the requirement. I will go to the office this morning to get some paperwork that shows our address as a "permanent" physical address. For now, at least, it looks like we will be titling this vehicle in Arizona. I don't know how the insurance company will react to having one vehicle in AZ, and the others in FL. We'll find out today.
With the spring training games starting this week and Josie working the other days at the flower shop, it will be a welcomed addition. It also leaves the truck at home in case I need to go somewhere which is a relief. I hope it works out.
While leaving the resort yesterday morning, we saw our old friends - the burros:
They were walking along, very close to the resort. It has been a while since we've seen them, so it was a nice start to the day...
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Day Two of Training
The weekend training sessions are live games being held in the Aramark Big 10/Pac-12 Baseball Challenge. The tournament goes through Monday, but we were involved only with two of the games on Friday and Saturday. They were both long days for us to start off this spring training season and we were worn out by the end of yesterday's game that we worked. There are more games each day than the ones we worked, but they had other workers come in for the second and third games each day. With six teams playing in the tournament, it was a big success for Aramark as we did a huge amount of business during the time we worked our games. So far, we like the folks we will be working with this year. It seems like all the young, lazy workers from last year are gone. We'll see how it goes beginning Thursday of this week when the real test begins with the first game between the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers.
Following our game yesterday, we took advantage of the National Margarita Day at Macayo's Mexican restaurant in Surprise:
It was kind of a disappointment as the 10 oz margaritas that were sold for $2 were in more like 6 or 8 oz glasses. We should have challenged them to a measurement, but we had our mugs with us anyway, and we still enjoyed the meal. I used my mug for a second drink for a 16 oz margarita (for $3.99) while Josie had a second one in what looked like a 6 oz glass - they said they ran out of the original glasses.
The way things look now, today will be the only day that Josie has off until April 4. The days we don't work the games, she will be working at the production center for Phoenix Flower Shops. I will have Monday and Tuesday off each week through March. The good news is that none of the days should be longer than 5 or 6 hours, which provides a little time for breaks between working days.
We received a call from a Detective in Washington who informed us that Tracy was found and is in good health. We don't know any more than that but are relieved that she is safe...
Following our game yesterday, we took advantage of the National Margarita Day at Macayo's Mexican restaurant in Surprise:
It was kind of a disappointment as the 10 oz margaritas that were sold for $2 were in more like 6 or 8 oz glasses. We should have challenged them to a measurement, but we had our mugs with us anyway, and we still enjoyed the meal. I used my mug for a second drink for a 16 oz margarita (for $3.99) while Josie had a second one in what looked like a 6 oz glass - they said they ran out of the original glasses.
The way things look now, today will be the only day that Josie has off until April 4. The days we don't work the games, she will be working at the production center for Phoenix Flower Shops. I will have Monday and Tuesday off each week through March. The good news is that none of the days should be longer than 5 or 6 hours, which provides a little time for breaks between working days.
We received a call from a Detective in Washington who informed us that Tracy was found and is in good health. We don't know any more than that but are relieved that she is safe...
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Training Day
Our day started with a stop at the Hertz office near the Ford dealership that repaired our truck. It turns out that the extra charge for the rental was warranted as I signed up for extra insurance coverage (mistake) that the dealer wasn't responsible to pay. I accepted that. The other reason for stopping there was to ask if they had found a green, fleece vest in the car when they cleaned it following our return of the vehicle. It was Josie's vest from our Happy Jack workamping gig that she loves and wears more than any other jacket. She looked everywhere at work and at home and couldn't locate it, and she remembered putting it in the back seat when I picked her up from work on Valentine's Day. We had called them before, and the person we spoke to didn't see any vest. We asked again when we were there and they took another look - and found it in their lost and found. Josie is happy again.
The training game at the stadium was one of the games of the NCAA baseball tournament - between Nebraska and Oregon State - and we were slammed. Our manager, Danny, didn't expect such a large crowd and as we were the only concession stand open for the games, all of the business came our way. It took us a while to get up to speed with enough hot dogs, brats, and other foods to be able to keep up with the demand. There were long lines almost the entire game, until the 8th inning. I took a couple shots after the crowd died down to show our concession stand that we will be working again this March:
The game was won by Nebraska, 9-2, and they move on in the tournament.
This is a photo of the game, in progress, at the very nice stadium:
We get to do it again this morning but will have the advantage of having the prep work done to get started this time. It should be a better, slower pace experience for all of us.
We were ready for some good food by the time we left the stadium at 5 PM. There was a restaurant - TGI Friday's - that burned down a couple years ago and was replaced by a new restaurant - the Longhorn Steakhouse, and was just down the road from the stadium. We gave it a try last night:
There was a crowd at the restaurant and we had to wait about 30 minutes to get seated. I had a steak - what else at a steakhouse - and Josie had a bowl of potato soup and a Winter Brie Salad. We both enjoyed the meal and will most likely try it again in the future.
Our plan is to take advantage of National Margarita Day today, and have dinner at Macayo's following the game. The 10 oz. margaritas are only $2 today...
The training game at the stadium was one of the games of the NCAA baseball tournament - between Nebraska and Oregon State - and we were slammed. Our manager, Danny, didn't expect such a large crowd and as we were the only concession stand open for the games, all of the business came our way. It took us a while to get up to speed with enough hot dogs, brats, and other foods to be able to keep up with the demand. There were long lines almost the entire game, until the 8th inning. I took a couple shots after the crowd died down to show our concession stand that we will be working again this March:
The game was won by Nebraska, 9-2, and they move on in the tournament.
This is a photo of the game, in progress, at the very nice stadium:
We get to do it again this morning but will have the advantage of having the prep work done to get started this time. It should be a better, slower pace experience for all of us.
We were ready for some good food by the time we left the stadium at 5 PM. There was a restaurant - TGI Friday's - that burned down a couple years ago and was replaced by a new restaurant - the Longhorn Steakhouse, and was just down the road from the stadium. We gave it a try last night:
There was a crowd at the restaurant and we had to wait about 30 minutes to get seated. I had a steak - what else at a steakhouse - and Josie had a bowl of potato soup and a Winter Brie Salad. We both enjoyed the meal and will most likely try it again in the future.
Our plan is to take advantage of National Margarita Day today, and have dinner at Macayo's following the game. The 10 oz. margaritas are only $2 today...
Friday, February 21, 2014
Billing Issue
One of the activities that I perform religiously each day is to review our bank statements. With all of the computer hacking and incompetence that abounds today, it is a necessary action, and one I have practiced for years. Well, incompetency reared its ugly face again this morning when I discovered a double charge on our account for the Hertz car rental we had during the truck repair. We already settled the rental charges through the dealership, and we have another direct charge from the Hertz agency. We will have to stop at the Hertz office on the way to our training game today to get it corrected.
The winds finally subsided in the late afternoon yesterday. It's been awhile since we had a day like that with 30 mph gusts. It just means that we stay inside and aren't able to enjoy the nice, warm temperatures. Of course, Josie was at work anyway, but she did get home at around 2:30 PM. We did go to the DQ down the road for a treat though, and on the way there we spotted these balloons getting ready for takeoff. They were very close to the road, and it was good timing for us to be at that spot at that time:
Following our treat, we headed home and discovered this balloon that had just landed on the side of the road:
They weren't more than thirty feet off the highway and we thought it was a brave landing.
Our day today is a busy one with the training session at the stadium. There is an NCAA tournament that gives us a chance for some "live" training. It should be easier for us as returning workers, but it may be a little overwhelming for some newcomers. One week to go for the start of the real games...
The winds finally subsided in the late afternoon yesterday. It's been awhile since we had a day like that with 30 mph gusts. It just means that we stay inside and aren't able to enjoy the nice, warm temperatures. Of course, Josie was at work anyway, but she did get home at around 2:30 PM. We did go to the DQ down the road for a treat though, and on the way there we spotted these balloons getting ready for takeoff. They were very close to the road, and it was good timing for us to be at that spot at that time:
Following our treat, we headed home and discovered this balloon that had just landed on the side of the road:
They weren't more than thirty feet off the highway and we thought it was a brave landing.
Our day today is a busy one with the training session at the stadium. There is an NCAA tournament that gives us a chance for some "live" training. It should be easier for us as returning workers, but it may be a little overwhelming for some newcomers. One week to go for the start of the real games...
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Follow Up Calls
There isn't much to say about yesterday's activities except that follow up was done on a couple open RV repair issues. The mobile tech from ASAP Mobile hasn't followed up in a timely manner to schedule the rest of our repairs. Actually, the rest of our warranty work needs to be done. The one slideout still needs to be fixed so that it opens completely and the hydraulics control panel needs another fitting. Until that is done, we still aren't able to completely level our rig. I have made two calls to him to remind him and I get the same answer - I'll let you know when I talk with the warranty company. Great customer service.
We have enjoyed the last couple weeks of high temperatures and very little wind. Our friend, the wind, has returned during the night and we have a fine layer of dust on just about everything in the fifth wheel as a result of having our windows open. There were gusts this morning of 25-28 mph, and it is pretty steady right now at 12-15 mph. Yesterday also broke our string of 80 degree days - it was 78 - but it is expected to climb right back into the 80's again either today or tomorrow. For the most part though, it has been a great winter for us. No rain, still, for the last 61 days.
Josie ends her week at the flower shops today and we have our training tomorrow and Saturday. It should be busy for both of us beginning next week...
We have enjoyed the last couple weeks of high temperatures and very little wind. Our friend, the wind, has returned during the night and we have a fine layer of dust on just about everything in the fifth wheel as a result of having our windows open. There were gusts this morning of 25-28 mph, and it is pretty steady right now at 12-15 mph. Yesterday also broke our string of 80 degree days - it was 78 - but it is expected to climb right back into the 80's again either today or tomorrow. For the most part though, it has been a great winter for us. No rain, still, for the last 61 days.
Josie ends her week at the flower shops today and we have our training tomorrow and Saturday. It should be busy for both of us beginning next week...
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Taxes Done
First of all, there is still no word on Tracy's whereabouts. I will not make any more reference to this situation until we have some news to report.
The main activity for me yesterday was to complete the taxes for 2013. That job is done, thank goodness, and we will get a small refund. That's always the targeted result.
The weather is still the main story here right now, as we had another day of 80 + temperatures. That is now six straight days in the 80's, and still no precipitation in the last 60 days. It's incredible that so much of the Midwest and East are suffering through record cold and snowy weather. We know that Patty is ready for spring.
I mentioned that the warm temperatures are bringing out some early wildflowers. While taking my bike ride yesterday, I took a few more pictures of these. The first one is the Desert Globemallow that I first showed a couple weeks ago when they started to bloom. This shot is one which shows them lined all along the service road that runs behind our campground:
This next one is of a group of showy Crownbeard flowers:
and finally, this shot of one of the Creosote bushes that are beginning to bloom all over:
Along with all this early blooming of wildflowers, we heard that this year could be one of the worst for wildfires which we suspected would be the case. Unless we get some rain soon, we will have fire danger all summer long.
Josie has her late-start day today and will work from 11 -5. The business has slowed, as expected, since Valentine's Day which seemed to be a very good one for the company. We are close to our first real day of working the baseball games with our scheduled training this Friday and Saturday. We get paid for those days which makes it worthwhile.
We are still getting inquiries for workamping opportunities, but so far, we haven't been excited about any to the extent we will give up our Jackson, WY ties. That will take something really "special"...
The main activity for me yesterday was to complete the taxes for 2013. That job is done, thank goodness, and we will get a small refund. That's always the targeted result.
The weather is still the main story here right now, as we had another day of 80 + temperatures. That is now six straight days in the 80's, and still no precipitation in the last 60 days. It's incredible that so much of the Midwest and East are suffering through record cold and snowy weather. We know that Patty is ready for spring.
I mentioned that the warm temperatures are bringing out some early wildflowers. While taking my bike ride yesterday, I took a few more pictures of these. The first one is the Desert Globemallow that I first showed a couple weeks ago when they started to bloom. This shot is one which shows them lined all along the service road that runs behind our campground:
This next one is of a group of showy Crownbeard flowers:
and finally, this shot of one of the Creosote bushes that are beginning to bloom all over:
Along with all this early blooming of wildflowers, we heard that this year could be one of the worst for wildfires which we suspected would be the case. Unless we get some rain soon, we will have fire danger all summer long.
Josie has her late-start day today and will work from 11 -5. The business has slowed, as expected, since Valentine's Day which seemed to be a very good one for the company. We are close to our first real day of working the baseball games with our scheduled training this Friday and Saturday. We get paid for those days which makes it worthwhile.
We are still getting inquiries for workamping opportunities, but so far, we haven't been excited about any to the extent we will give up our Jackson, WY ties. That will take something really "special"...
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Dry Days Record
There is still no word yet on Tracy or her whereabouts.
It was the 59th consecutive day without any precipitation yesterday. The last day we had any rain was on December 20, 2013. Every day without rain just adds to the record, so I would expect this to be a bad year for wildflowers with all the dryness, and a record year for fires. Worse, we have had temperatures in the 80's each of the last 5 days, and the trees and plants are confused thinking that it is April and are starting to bud.
Our last training days for spring training will be Friday and Saturday, from 11 AM to 4 PM each day. There is an NCAA tournament over the weekend and they are combining our training with those games. That will wrap up the training as the season begins on Friday, February 27. We will again have Mondays and Tuesdays off, and will be working every day on the rest of the days during March. Josie will work about 5 hours on each of our days off at the production center to compliment the approximately 4-5 hours of spring training games each day. Even though she will be working every day in March, the hours are reasonable and will leave some time to do other things during the day.
I will try to get the taxes done today or tomorrow and that will be the priority for me...
It was the 59th consecutive day without any precipitation yesterday. The last day we had any rain was on December 20, 2013. Every day without rain just adds to the record, so I would expect this to be a bad year for wildflowers with all the dryness, and a record year for fires. Worse, we have had temperatures in the 80's each of the last 5 days, and the trees and plants are confused thinking that it is April and are starting to bud.
Our last training days for spring training will be Friday and Saturday, from 11 AM to 4 PM each day. There is an NCAA tournament over the weekend and they are combining our training with those games. That will wrap up the training as the season begins on Friday, February 27. We will again have Mondays and Tuesdays off, and will be working every day on the rest of the days during March. Josie will work about 5 hours on each of our days off at the production center to compliment the approximately 4-5 hours of spring training games each day. Even though she will be working every day in March, the hours are reasonable and will leave some time to do other things during the day.
I will try to get the taxes done today or tomorrow and that will be the priority for me...
Monday, February 17, 2014
Tracy Missing
For many, many years - around 27 at this point - we have lived in fear for our daughter Tracy. She has been a drug abuser and has been physically abused during most of those years since she was a teenager. As most of you know, we have attempted, on many occasions, to get the proper help and care for her to try to get her to live a normal life.
Recently, about two months ago, a childhood friend of hers (Natalie Morris) that she has known since the second grade arrived at her home to see if she might be able to help her. She is a self proclaimed minister and had only good intentions to help her get the care she needed to function normally in our society. She used a tough love approach, and we fear that may have contributed to her disappearance which occurred two weeks ago. She has gone through these disappearing events in the past, but we have always found out where she was staying and who she was with. This time, we are completely mystified, and fearful, for her. We wrote a letter to be used for any and all parties that could provide some assistance to Tracy, and summarizes her years of abuse.
We have released a missing persons report and the authorities in the Lakewood, WA area are all searching for her. None of her friends are aware of her location, or her well being.
Recently, about two months ago, a childhood friend of hers (Natalie Morris) that she has known since the second grade arrived at her home to see if she might be able to help her. She is a self proclaimed minister and had only good intentions to help her get the care she needed to function normally in our society. She used a tough love approach, and we fear that may have contributed to her disappearance which occurred two weeks ago. She has gone through these disappearing events in the past, but we have always found out where she was staying and who she was with. This time, we are completely mystified, and fearful, for her. We wrote a letter to be used for any and all parties that could provide some assistance to Tracy, and summarizes her years of abuse.
We have released a missing persons report and the authorities in the Lakewood, WA area are all searching for her. None of her friends are aware of her location, or her well being.
It has been a drain on us - especially Josie - and it is becoming very difficult to maintain a normal schedule of activities with this situation still unresolved. Please pray for Tracy...
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Finally Done
After nine days, the truck finally was finished and ready for pickup at 5 PM yesterday. That was after another 2 hours of waiting in the customer lounge while they used the excuse of performing paperwork.
My share of the $2465 charges was $370. That included a small share of the car rental - joke, my warranty deductible - $100, and parts that were not covered, such as gaskets, washers, clamps, seals and bolts. Also thrown in and not discovered until I really reviewed everything in detail when we got home - 3 gallons of anti-freeze for $62 that I would have tried to reject if I caught it at the dealership. Why in the world they needed to add that is a mystery since there was nothing wrong with the cooling system. Another, bigger joke. I'm sure that all dealerships attempt to bilk every cent out you that they can, but it gets so obvious and ludicrous that there needs to be some legislation preventing them from "padding" charges to customers. By the way, the labor was $1878 to install a $195 part!
Once again, I was so happy that I acquired the extended warranty as repairs to any vehicle are ridiculous these days. Needless to say, we are done with this dealership and would not recommend them to anybody. It's a real shame that customer service has all but disappeared in our society.
We watched more of the Winter Olympics yesterday and, for some reason, we are struggling to get medals in sports where we had a real presence in the past. I guess it runs in cycles as we are dominant in the new sports like slope-style skiing and half pipe snowboarding. It would really be nice to see a medal in cross country skiing for a change. Even though we are behind in medal count, they are fun to watch.
We will be starting our spring training games soon, so we will enjoy the free days we have from now until then. They start at the end of February which is rapidly approaching...
My share of the $2465 charges was $370. That included a small share of the car rental - joke, my warranty deductible - $100, and parts that were not covered, such as gaskets, washers, clamps, seals and bolts. Also thrown in and not discovered until I really reviewed everything in detail when we got home - 3 gallons of anti-freeze for $62 that I would have tried to reject if I caught it at the dealership. Why in the world they needed to add that is a mystery since there was nothing wrong with the cooling system. Another, bigger joke. I'm sure that all dealerships attempt to bilk every cent out you that they can, but it gets so obvious and ludicrous that there needs to be some legislation preventing them from "padding" charges to customers. By the way, the labor was $1878 to install a $195 part!
Once again, I was so happy that I acquired the extended warranty as repairs to any vehicle are ridiculous these days. Needless to say, we are done with this dealership and would not recommend them to anybody. It's a real shame that customer service has all but disappeared in our society.
We watched more of the Winter Olympics yesterday and, for some reason, we are struggling to get medals in sports where we had a real presence in the past. I guess it runs in cycles as we are dominant in the new sports like slope-style skiing and half pipe snowboarding. It would really be nice to see a medal in cross country skiing for a change. Even though we are behind in medal count, they are fun to watch.
We will be starting our spring training games soon, so we will enjoy the free days we have from now until then. They start at the end of February which is rapidly approaching...
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Missed the Target
The plan we had for yesterday never happened. I drove Josie to work at 7 AM and I planned to call the Ford dealer around 10 AM to make sure everything was a "go" with the truck. I called right on schedule and was told that the truck will be ready by around 2:30, following some final checks and a test drive. I thought I would get there a little early (1:30) in case they happened to finish up early, and I also wanted to turn in the rental car.
I drove away from the dealership at 6 PM - without the truck. They kept telling me it would be ready in about 30 minutes - about six or seven times. It turns out that during the last test drive, a problem was discovered with the emergency brake - the spring wasn't operating that releases the brake. Now, that was working fine when I arrived with the truck last Friday, so they owned up to the problem and will fix it this morning. According to the service consultant, it is a $250 part (sure) that he said they would "eat". That's a joke too, as they will probably pad the bill to the warranty company, somehow, so they won't have to pay for the spring casing. I mentioned to Josie several days ago that with the drastic steps they had to take to fix the fuel system problem, our truck will probably never be the same. I'm sure of it now.
As a result of the extra day required to fix the "new" problem, I kept the rental car for another day. When I go in to settle everything today (hopefully) I will insist that they pick up 100% of the car rental. I found out from the rental driver that was taking me to get the key back for the car that these rentals are actually "loaners" that the dealer has the Hertz office rent out to customers. That seals the fact that I'm not paying for any rental. It should be an interesting afternoon at the dealership.
The rest of the day didn't go according to plan either. Josie was expecting to leave early in the day to enjoy some of Valentine's Day, but the shop got slammed and she ended up working until 6 PM - and didn't even take time for lunch. It was 7 PM by the time we both got home and that was the extent of our Valentine's Day. I hope yours was better...
I drove away from the dealership at 6 PM - without the truck. They kept telling me it would be ready in about 30 minutes - about six or seven times. It turns out that during the last test drive, a problem was discovered with the emergency brake - the spring wasn't operating that releases the brake. Now, that was working fine when I arrived with the truck last Friday, so they owned up to the problem and will fix it this morning. According to the service consultant, it is a $250 part (sure) that he said they would "eat". That's a joke too, as they will probably pad the bill to the warranty company, somehow, so they won't have to pay for the spring casing. I mentioned to Josie several days ago that with the drastic steps they had to take to fix the fuel system problem, our truck will probably never be the same. I'm sure of it now.
As a result of the extra day required to fix the "new" problem, I kept the rental car for another day. When I go in to settle everything today (hopefully) I will insist that they pick up 100% of the car rental. I found out from the rental driver that was taking me to get the key back for the car that these rentals are actually "loaners" that the dealer has the Hertz office rent out to customers. That seals the fact that I'm not paying for any rental. It should be an interesting afternoon at the dealership.
The rest of the day didn't go according to plan either. Josie was expecting to leave early in the day to enjoy some of Valentine's Day, but the shop got slammed and she ended up working until 6 PM - and didn't even take time for lunch. It was 7 PM by the time we both got home and that was the extent of our Valentine's Day. I hope yours was better...
Friday, February 14, 2014
Truck Update
I didn't hear anything about the progress with the truck by noon yesterday, so I phoned the service department at Peoria Ford for an update. I was holding my breath anticipating bad news but the news was good. They expected to wrap up the repairs last night and have everything tested and OK'd by mid-morning today. It's going to be an interesting experience when I get the final bill for our share of the job. Plus, they made some commitments to us regarding the rental vehicle which will also be turned over to them this morning. Josie isn't too happy about that, as she likes the car.
I drove Josie to work yesterday for a couple reasons. There was an outside chance - actually, remote chance - that the truck would be ready to pick up yesterday, but the main reason was that she was working long hours and doesn't like to drive at night. She did work until after 7 PM, so it was good that I picked her up following work.
It will be the final round today for her, and it's hard to guess how long her day will be. There were still some orders that needed to be done for today, so it will be busy on this Valentine's Day - at least this morning. She will be wrapping up her long hours for the Valentine's rush today and will have tomorrow and Sunday to recuperate.
Our taxes may be completed this weekend after I get the final documents out of the truck on the expenses we had in 2013. Everything else is entered on the tax return except for vehicle and travel expenses, so it shouldn't take that long.
I drove Josie to work yesterday for a couple reasons. There was an outside chance - actually, remote chance - that the truck would be ready to pick up yesterday, but the main reason was that she was working long hours and doesn't like to drive at night. She did work until after 7 PM, so it was good that I picked her up following work.
It will be the final round today for her, and it's hard to guess how long her day will be. There were still some orders that needed to be done for today, so it will be busy on this Valentine's Day - at least this morning. She will be wrapping up her long hours for the Valentine's rush today and will have tomorrow and Sunday to recuperate.
Our taxes may be completed this weekend after I get the final documents out of the truck on the expenses we had in 2013. Everything else is entered on the tax return except for vehicle and travel expenses, so it shouldn't take that long.
Happy Valentine's Day !!
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Two Warranties Working
We hadn't heard from our mobile tech for over a week, so I contacted him yesterday to get a status update on the completion of the work to be done on our hydraulics on the fifth wheel. It seems he has also been very busy and hadn't called the warranty company to keep our warranty claim open for the final fixes. He called back later in the day and informed me that the offices were closed - on a Wednesday? Evidently, the horrible weather back east forced the closure, so nothing further was done on that situation.
It was quiet all day from the Ford dealership, so I am assuming that everything is progressing OK. Maybe I shouldn't assume anything, as you know the saying - assuming only makes an a__ of you. I plan to drive Josie to work this morning - early start at 7 AM - and gas up the Mustang and have it ready for returning to the dealership. If we're lucky, the truck will be done today, but I really don't expect that to happen until tomorrow.
I did a lot of work on our taxes yesterday, but I ran into a wall when I didn't have the record book for out truck expenses which are in the glove box of the truck at the dealership. I'll wait to get the truck before finishing up on those.
It was a beautiful sunset last night, and Josie captured this shot on the way home from work:
She just happened to catch the balloon that was coming in for a landing.
It's the next to last day of marathon hours at the flower shop. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, so we are almost at the end of this section of the road for her...
It was quiet all day from the Ford dealership, so I am assuming that everything is progressing OK. Maybe I shouldn't assume anything, as you know the saying - assuming only makes an a__ of you. I plan to drive Josie to work this morning - early start at 7 AM - and gas up the Mustang and have it ready for returning to the dealership. If we're lucky, the truck will be done today, but I really don't expect that to happen until tomorrow.
I did a lot of work on our taxes yesterday, but I ran into a wall when I didn't have the record book for out truck expenses which are in the glove box of the truck at the dealership. I'll wait to get the truck before finishing up on those.
It was a beautiful sunset last night, and Josie captured this shot on the way home from work:
She just happened to catch the balloon that was coming in for a landing.
It's the next to last day of marathon hours at the flower shop. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, so we are almost at the end of this section of the road for her...
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Authorization Received
There was a phone call from the dealership early yesterday informing me of the authorization from the warranty company to proceed with the repairs. It is great that this step is finally completed, but frustration continues.
It seems that the warranty will cover everything except: special clamps, nuts/bolts and coolant required to complete the fix. Can you believe that these items total around $150? They also will not cover any of the car rental since it isn't in the contract. The dealership has indicated that they will cover the amount on the car rental through Monday, and perhaps a couple more days. The job is not expected to be completed until Thursday or Friday since they had to order the parts and the labor required will take that long. The bill for the repair will be around $3,000, of which I will be responsible for about $250 plus any rental charges not covered by the dealer - and includes my $100 deductible. I told Josie I will never - ever - have any vehicle without some kind of warranty coverage, no matter how old it gets, or how many miles it has. What a rip-off! The warranty has more than paid for itself with this experience, and there are still 3.5 years remaining on the term.
I may have a tough time taking the Mustang away from Josie who is enjoying the drive to work every day. Talk about opposites. She goes from driving the one-ton dually truck to a small, sporty Mustang. I guess that would create some excitement. She will drive it to work again today, and maybe tomorrow, depending on the progress at the dealership.
I received the rest of my tax data in the mail yesterday, so that is on my schedule to complete this week. It should be straight forward and fairly easy this year, so I will tackle that beginning today...
It seems that the warranty will cover everything except: special clamps, nuts/bolts and coolant required to complete the fix. Can you believe that these items total around $150? They also will not cover any of the car rental since it isn't in the contract. The dealership has indicated that they will cover the amount on the car rental through Monday, and perhaps a couple more days. The job is not expected to be completed until Thursday or Friday since they had to order the parts and the labor required will take that long. The bill for the repair will be around $3,000, of which I will be responsible for about $250 plus any rental charges not covered by the dealer - and includes my $100 deductible. I told Josie I will never - ever - have any vehicle without some kind of warranty coverage, no matter how old it gets, or how many miles it has. What a rip-off! The warranty has more than paid for itself with this experience, and there are still 3.5 years remaining on the term.
I may have a tough time taking the Mustang away from Josie who is enjoying the drive to work every day. Talk about opposites. She goes from driving the one-ton dually truck to a small, sporty Mustang. I guess that would create some excitement. She will drive it to work again today, and maybe tomorrow, depending on the progress at the dealership.
I received the rest of my tax data in the mail yesterday, so that is on my schedule to complete this week. It should be straight forward and fairly easy this year, so I will tackle that beginning today...
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Frustration
There have been several occasions where I reported poor customer service experiences. I hit another one yesterday. As you probably know, our truck broke down on Friday and was towed to the Ford dealership in Peoria for repairs. Here we are on Tuesday morning and we still have no authorization from the warranty company to perform the repairs, and it will be at least a 2-3 day job.
By 10:30 AM yesterday I still had not heard from the service consultant at the dealership that is handling our problem. I called to get a status update and he indicated he was so busy, he hadn't had a chance to contact them yet. I gave him another hour to get back to me with some information. I tried calling him again, and he was with a customer. I waited some more. By noon, I was so frustrated I called and asked for the service manager.
After a five minute conversation with him, he took charge of the problem. His excuse for the service consultant was that several service consultants called in sick yesterday, and mine was doing work for those, plus his own. The manager promised that they would take care of the car rental up to the point that the warranty begins coverage for the rental - when authorization to proceed with repairs is given. The manager called back an hour later and told me he faxed some information to the warranty company and he expected to get an authorization after they reviewed the data. When I didn't hear anything after about 3 hours, I called the warranty company myself to get an update and they claimed they never received any information from the dealer! Sheesh! At 5 PM I again called the manager at the dealership to inform him and he promised to follow up again. What do people do to justify these high salaries that they all are getting paid these days? I'm frustrated - and disgusted.
At least at this point, it looks like we will not have to pay anything for the rental car as long as we need to use it. I'm sure we aren't out of the woods yet on this experience.
Josie drove the rental to work yesterday, and will again today and for the foreseeable future. So far, there have been no problems with that so our fingers are crossed. Could we have yet another frustrating day? I hope not...
By 10:30 AM yesterday I still had not heard from the service consultant at the dealership that is handling our problem. I called to get a status update and he indicated he was so busy, he hadn't had a chance to contact them yet. I gave him another hour to get back to me with some information. I tried calling him again, and he was with a customer. I waited some more. By noon, I was so frustrated I called and asked for the service manager.
After a five minute conversation with him, he took charge of the problem. His excuse for the service consultant was that several service consultants called in sick yesterday, and mine was doing work for those, plus his own. The manager promised that they would take care of the car rental up to the point that the warranty begins coverage for the rental - when authorization to proceed with repairs is given. The manager called back an hour later and told me he faxed some information to the warranty company and he expected to get an authorization after they reviewed the data. When I didn't hear anything after about 3 hours, I called the warranty company myself to get an update and they claimed they never received any information from the dealer! Sheesh! At 5 PM I again called the manager at the dealership to inform him and he promised to follow up again. What do people do to justify these high salaries that they all are getting paid these days? I'm frustrated - and disgusted.
At least at this point, it looks like we will not have to pay anything for the rental car as long as we need to use it. I'm sure we aren't out of the woods yet on this experience.
Josie drove the rental to work yesterday, and will again today and for the foreseeable future. So far, there have been no problems with that so our fingers are crossed. Could we have yet another frustrating day? I hope not...
Monday, February 10, 2014
ARAMARK Class
We went to our training class on time at 11 AM which was being held at the Surprise Stadium. The class was expected to last up to four hours, but only lasted one. The reason for the short class was that all of the attendees were returning from last year and all of us already had our food service licenses - good for 3 years - and we needed just a summary of the material. We all clocked in so that we would be paid for the time we were in training. There is one more class that we will take that is on-the-job training, and will take place while there is a collegiate game being held just before the start of spring training.
Our schedules and assignments were also given to us yesterday. We will work the same days as last year, in the same jobs, at the same concession stand. That was exactly as we requested so that Josie can now schedule the two off days - Monday and Tuesday - to work a few hours at the production center for some extra money. It will be a very busy month of March for us.
Following our class, we stopped at Sam's Club in Surprise and picked up a few items we needed. Josie drove the rental car home so that she would be used to the car before driving it to work this morning. It is a fast car and takes a little getting used to the low profile and smaller viewing area. We sit up a lot higher in the truck and the visibility is much better with the truck. The good news though, is that this rental car is much easier to park - and to mention, it is also much more economical to drive..
This will be an interesting day from the standpoint that we will (hopefully) get authorization from the warranty company to do the repairs. I will contact Hertz today and extend the rental for our car. It seems that the repair will take at least one full day, and perhaps longer. We should have a better feel for that sometime today. I am also hoping that the warranty company will cover the car rental.
There is a lot going on this week and Josie has full days scheduled all week at the shop. Our mail from last week should arrive today and I'm hoping that the rest of the documents I need to complete the taxes will be there. That's about it from here...
Our schedules and assignments were also given to us yesterday. We will work the same days as last year, in the same jobs, at the same concession stand. That was exactly as we requested so that Josie can now schedule the two off days - Monday and Tuesday - to work a few hours at the production center for some extra money. It will be a very busy month of March for us.
Following our class, we stopped at Sam's Club in Surprise and picked up a few items we needed. Josie drove the rental car home so that she would be used to the car before driving it to work this morning. It is a fast car and takes a little getting used to the low profile and smaller viewing area. We sit up a lot higher in the truck and the visibility is much better with the truck. The good news though, is that this rental car is much easier to park - and to mention, it is also much more economical to drive..
This will be an interesting day from the standpoint that we will (hopefully) get authorization from the warranty company to do the repairs. I will contact Hertz today and extend the rental for our car. It seems that the repair will take at least one full day, and perhaps longer. We should have a better feel for that sometime today. I am also hoping that the warranty company will cover the car rental.
There is a lot going on this week and Josie has full days scheduled all week at the shop. Our mail from last week should arrive today and I'm hoping that the rest of the documents I need to complete the taxes will be there. That's about it from here...
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Truck Woes
Since our truck was sitting at the service center in the dealership, I had to take Josie to work yesterday so that I would have wheels for the full day she was going to work. There was an outside chance that we would have to pick up the truck during the day. No such luck. The drive to Josie's work in the AM was at a good time to catch the sunrise at 7 AM:
Sunrise is always beautiful when there are some clouds in the sky.
I didn't get a shot Friday of the rental car we are driving from Hertz while the truck is in the shop. Here it is:
It may look like a neat car, but we would never buy one. I can hardly get in and out of the thing without bumping my head on the roof, or without going through contortions to get my legs in. Josie feels like a little kid sitting in her seat as she sits so low. I would probably have a different opinion if I were 25 years old again.
The news on the truck isn't good. The dealership couldn't contact anybody at the warranty company. After checking my paperwork, I discovered that they are only open Monday-Friday, so we will not get any authorization to do the repairs until at least Monday morning. I may have a fight on my hands to get them to cover our rental car, as there is no language in the contract that addresses an alternative vehicle while repairs are being done. We had AAA handle the towing which is normally reimbursed by the warranty, so maybe I'll have an argument there. The other problem is that the entire cab on the truck needs to be unbolted and raised in order to reach the bad part. I see dollar signs galore for labor costs to do the repair.
I went for my bike ride during the day and took this shot of the south ramp at the marina where there were many sailboats out on the water:
Since it is starting to warm up again, I guess many folks decided to use this Saturday to get back out onto the water to enjoy the sun.
I picked up Josie at work at 5 PM and we made a stop at the store on the way home to get our groceries that we had planned to get before the truck died. She had a long day and was happy to be home.
Today is the training class at the Surprise Stadium for our spring training gig. That is expected to last four hours, so today is pretty much planned out for us...
Sunrise is always beautiful when there are some clouds in the sky.
I didn't get a shot Friday of the rental car we are driving from Hertz while the truck is in the shop. Here it is:
It may look like a neat car, but we would never buy one. I can hardly get in and out of the thing without bumping my head on the roof, or without going through contortions to get my legs in. Josie feels like a little kid sitting in her seat as she sits so low. I would probably have a different opinion if I were 25 years old again.
The news on the truck isn't good. The dealership couldn't contact anybody at the warranty company. After checking my paperwork, I discovered that they are only open Monday-Friday, so we will not get any authorization to do the repairs until at least Monday morning. I may have a fight on my hands to get them to cover our rental car, as there is no language in the contract that addresses an alternative vehicle while repairs are being done. We had AAA handle the towing which is normally reimbursed by the warranty, so maybe I'll have an argument there. The other problem is that the entire cab on the truck needs to be unbolted and raised in order to reach the bad part. I see dollar signs galore for labor costs to do the repair.
I went for my bike ride during the day and took this shot of the south ramp at the marina where there were many sailboats out on the water:
Since it is starting to warm up again, I guess many folks decided to use this Saturday to get back out onto the water to enjoy the sun.
I picked up Josie at work at 5 PM and we made a stop at the store on the way home to get our groceries that we had planned to get before the truck died. She had a long day and was happy to be home.
Today is the training class at the Surprise Stadium for our spring training gig. That is expected to last four hours, so today is pretty much planned out for us...
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Breakdown
We had a pretty full day scheduled yesterday. The first stop was at Josie's work to get her paycheck and then go to the bank, followed by a trip to the RV show in Peoria Stadium, Sam's Club, Joann's and then home. We made it to Josie's work, but on the way to the bank (around 11:30) to deposit her check, we had a huge surprise. The truck just died on 99th Ave in Sun City going south, just short of Bell Rd. I coasted to the shoulder where we called AAA for help. It acted like there was no gas, but we knew there was fuel according to our gauges and the battery was fine as it tried to start. It seemed like there was a problem somewhere in the fuel delivery system.
The AAA tow truck came about a half hour after we called, and our "fun" day was underway:
Our truck was towed to the Ford dealer on Bell Rd - Peoria Ford - where it was placed in the queue with all the other "unscheduled" service requests. We weren't going to waste the whole day sitting in the waiting area, so we took their shuttle to the RV Show which was only about a mile away from the dealership. The RV show was a big one and is the same one we went to last year at this time. By now, we were hungry, so we stopped at the refreshment stand as soon as we arrived which was very close to the entrance:
There were lots of interesting RV's and we enjoyed walking around to see the new 5th wheels, trailers and a few motor homes. We got some good ideas from these, but really didn't see anything that grabbed us to the point where we "had to have it". The best thing we took away from the show was that there is a dealership in Anthem we didn't know about that had some quality units at the show. We will take a short drive to that dealership sometime to check it out.
Anyway, we called the Ford dealer where our truck was finally in the service bay to diagnose the problem. The shuttle came to pick us up from the RV show:
and we were back at the service desk by 4:30. At first, they couldn't nail-down the exact cause because diagnostics showed 12 different problem codes, where the normal is for about 3 or 4 codes. The decision was made that we should get a rental car from the local Hertz office and be prepared for a couple days of being without our truck. Fortunately, we have an extended warranty on the truck which we purchased following the radiator debacle a year and a half ago. As we were preparing to leave to pick up our rental car, the service technician said he discovered the problem. It seems that there was a wire that broke loose from the fuel pump harness that resulted in a short to the fuel pump. He thinks the fuel pump is OK, but the harness needs to be replaced which is a very difficult and time consuming task. Of course, they have to make their money any way they can, and bilk the customer. It appears that it will require a few days to accomplish this seemingly easy task, so we are driving a 2013 Mustang for a few days. I didn't get a shot of the car yet, as it was dark by the time we got home.
I have to take Josie to work today - 7 AM - so I can have the use of the car in case a miracle occurs and we can pick up the truck before the close of the service department for the weekend. Josie has to work a long day today - until 5:30 PM, so I guess I'll just hang out and wait for a call from the Ford Dealership...
The AAA tow truck came about a half hour after we called, and our "fun" day was underway:
Our truck was towed to the Ford dealer on Bell Rd - Peoria Ford - where it was placed in the queue with all the other "unscheduled" service requests. We weren't going to waste the whole day sitting in the waiting area, so we took their shuttle to the RV Show which was only about a mile away from the dealership. The RV show was a big one and is the same one we went to last year at this time. By now, we were hungry, so we stopped at the refreshment stand as soon as we arrived which was very close to the entrance:
There were lots of interesting RV's and we enjoyed walking around to see the new 5th wheels, trailers and a few motor homes. We got some good ideas from these, but really didn't see anything that grabbed us to the point where we "had to have it". The best thing we took away from the show was that there is a dealership in Anthem we didn't know about that had some quality units at the show. We will take a short drive to that dealership sometime to check it out.
Anyway, we called the Ford dealer where our truck was finally in the service bay to diagnose the problem. The shuttle came to pick us up from the RV show:
and we were back at the service desk by 4:30. At first, they couldn't nail-down the exact cause because diagnostics showed 12 different problem codes, where the normal is for about 3 or 4 codes. The decision was made that we should get a rental car from the local Hertz office and be prepared for a couple days of being without our truck. Fortunately, we have an extended warranty on the truck which we purchased following the radiator debacle a year and a half ago. As we were preparing to leave to pick up our rental car, the service technician said he discovered the problem. It seems that there was a wire that broke loose from the fuel pump harness that resulted in a short to the fuel pump. He thinks the fuel pump is OK, but the harness needs to be replaced which is a very difficult and time consuming task. Of course, they have to make their money any way they can, and bilk the customer. It appears that it will require a few days to accomplish this seemingly easy task, so we are driving a 2013 Mustang for a few days. I didn't get a shot of the car yet, as it was dark by the time we got home.
I have to take Josie to work today - 7 AM - so I can have the use of the car in case a miracle occurs and we can pick up the truck before the close of the service department for the weekend. Josie has to work a long day today - until 5:30 PM, so I guess I'll just hang out and wait for a call from the Ford Dealership...
Friday, February 7, 2014
February Switch
After reporting that we had almost three weeks of above 70 temperatures in January, it hasn't hit 70 yet in February. So far, we have had all six days in the 50's and 60's for our highs. That's still better than much of the country, but it sure discourages outside activities. I still ride my bike almost every day, but I have to wear a jacket when it's so cool, and that takes away a little bit of the enjoyment. It is also tough to enjoy sitting out when the air is so cool. The forecast is for us to reach the 70's again by tomorrow.
February is also my month for doing the taxes, so it really helps to justify staying indoors and working on those when it is cool and cloudy outside. I haven't received all the necessary data yet to complete our taxes, but that should be within the next week.
The agenda for today includes a trip to Josie's shop to pick up her check and a stop at some store to get groceries. It hasn't been decided yet whether we will do the RV show today or Sunday, following our spring training class. Most likely, we will go today as it would give us more time to see everything.
There hasn't been a lot of travel so far this winter as we are enjoying the relaxation on our days off and saving gas money and miles on the truck. There are some places we would like to visit before we leave again for Jackson, WY, so we will keep you posted on those...
February is also my month for doing the taxes, so it really helps to justify staying indoors and working on those when it is cool and cloudy outside. I haven't received all the necessary data yet to complete our taxes, but that should be within the next week.
The agenda for today includes a trip to Josie's shop to pick up her check and a stop at some store to get groceries. It hasn't been decided yet whether we will do the RV show today or Sunday, following our spring training class. Most likely, we will go today as it would give us more time to see everything.
There hasn't been a lot of travel so far this winter as we are enjoying the relaxation on our days off and saving gas money and miles on the truck. There are some places we would like to visit before we leave again for Jackson, WY, so we will keep you posted on those...
Thursday, February 6, 2014
RV Show Scheduled
The annual RV show which is held at the Peoria Sports Complex is scheduled for February 7th to the 17th. This is the "big" show for this area and the one that we went to last year at about the same time. We aren't sure what our next move will be - upgrade to a newer, large 5th wheel, downsize the whole RV and tow vehicle and rent a home somewhere, or try to get some property in a nice area where we can still use the RV and build something. We like to attend these shows to see all the changes in the RV's and also to keep an eye on the prices. I think if we made a decision today, we would look for a property in one of our desirable areas and use the 5th wheel as a part time residence and build a small cabin to use in the peak season, either winter or summer, depending on where it is located. We have also considered upgrading our 5th wheel and staying with the current schedule of winters at Lake Pleasant and summers in Jackson, but we also know that there will come a day when we don't return to Jackson to work at the Lodge. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there. We are always open to other, attractive alternatives. One thing we are almost certain about, and that is that an RV, of some type, will always be a part of our lives.
So far, the days have been normal for Josie at the shops where she is scheduled. She again was home yesterday by 2:30, which is her normal time. The orders are building, but not to the extent that they need more time to fill them at the end of the day. Valentine's Day is only 11 days from now, so we will see how next week goes.
Our spring training class is scheduled for Sunday at 11 AM, so we will most likely try to do the RV show following that training session since the Peoria Sports Complex isn't that far from where we will be training in Surprise. We have also talked about going when the show opens on Friday - tomorrow - as Josie has the day off and we will be in that area to pick up her paycheck. Whatever the choice, we will definitely be at the show this weekend...
So far, the days have been normal for Josie at the shops where she is scheduled. She again was home yesterday by 2:30, which is her normal time. The orders are building, but not to the extent that they need more time to fill them at the end of the day. Valentine's Day is only 11 days from now, so we will see how next week goes.
Our spring training class is scheduled for Sunday at 11 AM, so we will most likely try to do the RV show following that training session since the Peoria Sports Complex isn't that far from where we will be training in Surprise. We have also talked about going when the show opens on Friday - tomorrow - as Josie has the day off and we will be in that area to pick up her paycheck. Whatever the choice, we will definitely be at the show this weekend...
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Maintenance
Yesterday was a "let's take care of some inside maintenance issues" day. We have been having trouble with our 12-cup Mr Coffee machine for the last couple days and it finally died completely yesterday. We also have a single cup Keurig coffeemaker that we use during the day for occasional coffee and Josie uses at night before going to bed. The most important coffee for the day though, are the cups we have in the morning to get going each day. I ordered a replacement Mr Coffee machine from Amazon and it will be here on Thursday. In the meantime, our Keurig machine will get extra duty.
There has been a steady "flattening" of the center cushion on our sofa as it is the primary seat, especially for Josie while she watches TV or uses her computer. The side cushions don't get much use unless we have company or use the sofa to lie down. Anyway, I measured the old cushion and ordered a replacement piece of foam from a company - BuyFoam.com, where else - and it arrived yesterday. It was no small task to remove the old piece of foam, and then, Josie and I had to place the original cover onto the new foam as we struggled to squeeze the foam into the tight cover. We managed to get it done last night, and now the center cushion is like new again.
Some time ago I re-threaded our window shades that had some worn and broken strings. There are two remaining shades that need to have the same treatment, but I will hold those for another day when Josie can help as they are the large shades and will take both of us to remove and re-hang. Other remaining maintenance issues are a bit more serious - like a stuck valve on our grey water tank, touching up areas of cabinets and trim that have become discolored from wear and tear, and cleaning our carpet to name a few. As this fifth wheel is our full-time home, it needs to be treated as any other residence that requires constant care.
Josie starts her dedicated time at the 19th Ave store today. They need her help more than the production center for Valentine's Day, so the fun begins...
There has been a steady "flattening" of the center cushion on our sofa as it is the primary seat, especially for Josie while she watches TV or uses her computer. The side cushions don't get much use unless we have company or use the sofa to lie down. Anyway, I measured the old cushion and ordered a replacement piece of foam from a company - BuyFoam.com, where else - and it arrived yesterday. It was no small task to remove the old piece of foam, and then, Josie and I had to place the original cover onto the new foam as we struggled to squeeze the foam into the tight cover. We managed to get it done last night, and now the center cushion is like new again.
Some time ago I re-threaded our window shades that had some worn and broken strings. There are two remaining shades that need to have the same treatment, but I will hold those for another day when Josie can help as they are the large shades and will take both of us to remove and re-hang. Other remaining maintenance issues are a bit more serious - like a stuck valve on our grey water tank, touching up areas of cabinets and trim that have become discolored from wear and tear, and cleaning our carpet to name a few. As this fifth wheel is our full-time home, it needs to be treated as any other residence that requires constant care.
Josie starts her dedicated time at the 19th Ave store today. They need her help more than the production center for Valentine's Day, so the fun begins...
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Our Winter
We should be thankful that we had such a beautiful January as, so far, it hasn't been over 70 degrees yet in February. Our highs for the last four days have been 64, 64, 61 and 59. Compared to the sub freezing temperatures in the Midwest, it is probably tropical. Anyway, the low so far this morning is 40, so I guess our winter is finally here. We still haven't had any precipitation though, and the streak has now reached 45 days.
I was watching some of the post-Super Bowl analysis on the sports stations yesterday and the biggest question was whether the Broncos were insulted or embarrassed. It was probably neither, as the Seahawks play in a much tougher League. The Broncos are the best offensive team in history and averaged over 36 points per game all season, but their league is soft. Actually, the game that the Seahawks had with San Francisco for the NFC Championship was a closer game than the Super Bowl. There are probably two other teams in the NFC Western Division that could beat the Broncos. The main conclusion in the analysis is that the Seahawks, with their very young team, will be around for the next several years as a contender. The fact that the entire team is under contract for the long term supports that analysis.
Josie had a normal day yesterday, time wise. She is getting much busier, but not enough business - yet - to warrant extra hours. Those days are still ahead. She begins her schedule at the 19th Ave store tomorrow, so that will be where she works until after Valentine's Day.
Our taxes were started yesterday but we are still waiting on a couple W-2's from Aramark for our spring training work last year. It's tough doing much more than enter income on the taxes until all of it can be reported. Hopefully, they will be in our mail expected today. As we have mail delivered from Florida only once a week, it takes a little longer to catch up with us.
We're closing in on our training date - Sunday - for our Aramark training class for this year. We expect to get our schedules for the games at that time. There may also be another (second) class scheduled to review our job responsibilities before the season begins at the end of February. If we get the same work schedule that we had last year, Josie will be able to work a few extra hours at the production center each week. We will know about that in a week or so...
I was watching some of the post-Super Bowl analysis on the sports stations yesterday and the biggest question was whether the Broncos were insulted or embarrassed. It was probably neither, as the Seahawks play in a much tougher League. The Broncos are the best offensive team in history and averaged over 36 points per game all season, but their league is soft. Actually, the game that the Seahawks had with San Francisco for the NFC Championship was a closer game than the Super Bowl. There are probably two other teams in the NFC Western Division that could beat the Broncos. The main conclusion in the analysis is that the Seahawks, with their very young team, will be around for the next several years as a contender. The fact that the entire team is under contract for the long term supports that analysis.
Josie had a normal day yesterday, time wise. She is getting much busier, but not enough business - yet - to warrant extra hours. Those days are still ahead. She begins her schedule at the 19th Ave store tomorrow, so that will be where she works until after Valentine's Day.
Our taxes were started yesterday but we are still waiting on a couple W-2's from Aramark for our spring training work last year. It's tough doing much more than enter income on the taxes until all of it can be reported. Hopefully, they will be in our mail expected today. As we have mail delivered from Florida only once a week, it takes a little longer to catch up with us.
We're closing in on our training date - Sunday - for our Aramark training class for this year. We expect to get our schedules for the games at that time. There may also be another (second) class scheduled to review our job responsibilities before the season begins at the end of February. If we get the same work schedule that we had last year, Josie will be able to work a few extra hours at the production center each week. We will know about that in a week or so...
Monday, February 3, 2014
Knockout!
That picture taken from our TV after the Super Bowl and this one as the game ended say it all:
The Seattle Seahawks are World Champions and the game wasn't ever close. They dominated every aspect of the game and the Broncos looked like they didn't even belong on the same field. The first hint that it was going to be a long night for Denver came on the very first play of the game when the snap from center sailed over Peyton Manning's head for a Seattle safety. It was pure joy to watch. The other good news is that this Seahawks team tied the record for youngest team to win the Super Bowl - average of 26.4 years of age. They should be back again next year.
The day started with a disappointment yesterday as I watched the final round of the Dubai Desert Golf Classic in Europe. My favorite to win - Rory McIlroy - faded and finished out of the running. That tournament was won by a Scotsman - Stephen Gallacher. It didn't get any better as I watched the final round of the Phoenix Open where my favorite to win - Bubba Watson - also faded at the end and he lost to Kevin Stadler who won for the first time in his career.
With those two disappointments, I was holding my breath for the Seahawks, but they didn't disappoint. Josie and I both were high fiving almost every good play, and there were many.
The fun sports weekend is over and it is back to the normal routine. Josie starts her marathon schedule for Valentine's Day at the flower shop and I will get started on our taxes. Yesterday was a day I'll always remember...
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Big Sports Weekend
This weekend is filled with great sporting events on TV. The popular golf event on the European Tour - Dubai Desert Classic - is being held this weekend. Tiger Woods plays in this event every year and usually is either winning or very close going into the final round on Sunday. I am pleased to report that he has performed poorly this year and the new phenom - Rory McIlroy - is leading the event. It is televised very early in the day because of the time difference which allows us to watch the entire round just before the Phoenix Open begins television coverage.
The Phoenix open set a new, pro golfing attendance record yesterday. There were 179,022 fans there yesterday for the third round. There has not been any other pro golf tournament, anywhere, that has matched that attendance for one day. I'm glad I had a good seat to watch them yesterday even though there is nothing that can beat being there to experience the thrills in person. There were 22,000 fans at the 16th (stadium) hole alone. Talk about noise!
Today I will watch the final round for each of those tournaments before the real show begins - Super Bowl XLVIII between the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos. The only Broncos I want to see win are the Western Michigan University Broncos, and they aren't playing. I expect the Seahawks to win, but as long as it is a good game, I will survive if Denver wins. At any rate, it will be a fun day for sports on TV.
Unfortunately, Josie is not a sports fanatic. She will most likely use the day to get her nails done. At least during the golf tournaments, as she would like to watch the Seahawks win the Super Bowl. That game doesn't start until late this afternoon and the day is spent building the hype for the game. It is probably the biggest sports weekend the entire year as far as I'm concerned. I hope everybody else enjoys the day as there are Super Bowl Parties everywhere.
GO SEAHAWKS!!!
The Phoenix open set a new, pro golfing attendance record yesterday. There were 179,022 fans there yesterday for the third round. There has not been any other pro golf tournament, anywhere, that has matched that attendance for one day. I'm glad I had a good seat to watch them yesterday even though there is nothing that can beat being there to experience the thrills in person. There were 22,000 fans at the 16th (stadium) hole alone. Talk about noise!
Today I will watch the final round for each of those tournaments before the real show begins - Super Bowl XLVIII between the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos. The only Broncos I want to see win are the Western Michigan University Broncos, and they aren't playing. I expect the Seahawks to win, but as long as it is a good game, I will survive if Denver wins. At any rate, it will be a fun day for sports on TV.
Unfortunately, Josie is not a sports fanatic. She will most likely use the day to get her nails done. At least during the golf tournaments, as she would like to watch the Seahawks win the Super Bowl. That game doesn't start until late this afternoon and the day is spent building the hype for the game. It is probably the biggest sports weekend the entire year as far as I'm concerned. I hope everybody else enjoys the day as there are Super Bowl Parties everywhere.
GO SEAHAWKS!!!
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Basement Project
The main goal yesterday was to sort and consolidate all the stuff we had in the basement. We emptied everything into our gazebo in preparation for our repairs that were completed on Thursday. That is, the repairs to the one leaking hydraulic line. There are still outstanding problems that we need to coordinate with the repair technician.
We did a great job in eliminating some goods that we have been carrying around for the last year and haven't used. They will go to our regular storage unit in Surprise. Other things, like liquids for cleaning, lubricating, etc., were consolidated into single containers. Anyway, the finished job looks like this:
The main objective was to prioritize the remaining goods so that the items we use the most - laundry detergents, tools - are in the front for easy access. I think we are ready for another year.
As we kick off the month of February, I wanted to review the weather stats for January. As you already know, we have set a record for consecutive dry days this winter. Our last measurable rain was on December 20, 2013. We had lots of windy days in January - 24 days where the high gust exceeded 10 mph. The good news is that the temperatures exceeded 70 degrees on 19 days during January. The normal average high is 67 for January. As much as we enjoy the dry and sunny days, we really do need some rain. Maybe February will allow us to catch up a little bit.
It was 15 years ago today that I had my last cigarette. That's a milestone that I am thankful for and wished it were longer. At the time I quit, I thought that 15 days would be next to impossible, so it can be done. The only time I ever think about them is when we are in casinos at slot machines where the person next to me is smoking - UGH!
Among the activities for today is a trip to the store to stock up on some veggies. Other than that, I expect to watch more of the Phoenix Open on TV and watch some of the hype for the big game tomorrow...
We did a great job in eliminating some goods that we have been carrying around for the last year and haven't used. They will go to our regular storage unit in Surprise. Other things, like liquids for cleaning, lubricating, etc., were consolidated into single containers. Anyway, the finished job looks like this:
The main objective was to prioritize the remaining goods so that the items we use the most - laundry detergents, tools - are in the front for easy access. I think we are ready for another year.
As we kick off the month of February, I wanted to review the weather stats for January. As you already know, we have set a record for consecutive dry days this winter. Our last measurable rain was on December 20, 2013. We had lots of windy days in January - 24 days where the high gust exceeded 10 mph. The good news is that the temperatures exceeded 70 degrees on 19 days during January. The normal average high is 67 for January. As much as we enjoy the dry and sunny days, we really do need some rain. Maybe February will allow us to catch up a little bit.
It was 15 years ago today that I had my last cigarette. That's a milestone that I am thankful for and wished it were longer. At the time I quit, I thought that 15 days would be next to impossible, so it can be done. The only time I ever think about them is when we are in casinos at slot machines where the person next to me is smoking - UGH!
Among the activities for today is a trip to the store to stock up on some veggies. Other than that, I expect to watch more of the Phoenix Open on TV and watch some of the hype for the big game tomorrow...
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