My annual physical exam was done yesterday. It has actually been two years since my last physical so it is hardly annual. I knew before I went that the doctor's office should have scheduled a Lab appointment for me to have results of the blood tests to review during my physical. They forgot to ask me to come into the office during the week before my appointment to have that done. So, I had to give blood following my exam and I also went to the Radiology location in Sun City West to get a lung x-ray. That was something I requested as I haven't had one in many years and I wanted to make sure everything was OK in my lungs. When you have been a heavy smoker like I was for so many years, you can't be too careful about making sure there are no abnormalities. All of my results will be known sometime this week. There should be no surprises because there is nothing that is bothering me that would signal any problems.
I spent a lot of time yesterday afternoon surfing the web for appliance deals. It seems that the Phoenix Craigslist has many options for us to get our refrigerator and washer and dryer. If we only look at newer units, say, up to two years old, we should get some pretty good deals. There were lots of appliances being sold by folks that were moving. We will check again as we get closer to our move-in date.
We also heard back from Judy, our manager in Jackson. She was very sad that we weren't coming this year but at the same time she was happy about our new home. We are to email her in January next year if we are interested in returning in 2016. There are many changes taking place at the lodge, so it will be interesting to see what happens...
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
Outdoor Expo
Our busy day yesterday started with a visit to the Outdoor Expo at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility about 8 miles down the road from us. The goal was to arrive early so that we could get a parking space close-up and see everything in a couple hours so that we could leave and do our other, scheduled, fun stuff.
The show was very similar to last year's with many booths for outdoor activities including shooting - rifles and pistols - and conservation, hiking, wildlife and other different outdoor clubs and organizations. We took several shots of some of the wildlife that was on display. This is a shot of a giant lizard that was staying cool in a swimming pool:
Close by, there was a huge tortoise:
along with many snakes and other desert animals.
There were many other desert animals there, but also some that are better known for being found in the more timbered areas of the state - such as this world record elk that was taken in Arizona in 2003:
It was about one hour after arriving that Josie had a problem with her glasses - one of the lenses fell out as a screw that was holding it just popped out fell to the ground. That ruined the rest of our stay at the Expo, so we left as soon as we walked to the end of the grounds and turned around to leave and get to Costco to have her glasses repaired.
Costco fixed her glasses and since we were already there, we ate some lunch - hot dog and drink - and headed to the model home to take some measurements that we needed before shopping for furniture pieces.
Our target for the day was The Roomstore which we have been hearing a lot about, and saw some nice furniture that was on sale. We spent a couple hours there and even put a deposit down on several pieces of furniture that we need right away when we move into our home. All we need now is a guaranteed move-in date, and we can schedule delivery for those items. Our next target for goods will be the most urgent acquisitions - refrigerator, washer and dryer and TV. We will shop for those as we get closer to our closing date...
The show was very similar to last year's with many booths for outdoor activities including shooting - rifles and pistols - and conservation, hiking, wildlife and other different outdoor clubs and organizations. We took several shots of some of the wildlife that was on display. This is a shot of a giant lizard that was staying cool in a swimming pool:
Close by, there was a huge tortoise:
along with many snakes and other desert animals.
There were many other desert animals there, but also some that are better known for being found in the more timbered areas of the state - such as this world record elk that was taken in Arizona in 2003:
It was about one hour after arriving that Josie had a problem with her glasses - one of the lenses fell out as a screw that was holding it just popped out fell to the ground. That ruined the rest of our stay at the Expo, so we left as soon as we walked to the end of the grounds and turned around to leave and get to Costco to have her glasses repaired.
Costco fixed her glasses and since we were already there, we ate some lunch - hot dog and drink - and headed to the model home to take some measurements that we needed before shopping for furniture pieces.
Our target for the day was The Roomstore which we have been hearing a lot about, and saw some nice furniture that was on sale. We spent a couple hours there and even put a deposit down on several pieces of furniture that we need right away when we move into our home. All we need now is a guaranteed move-in date, and we can schedule delivery for those items. Our next target for goods will be the most urgent acquisitions - refrigerator, washer and dryer and TV. We will shop for those as we get closer to our closing date...
Sunday, March 29, 2015
No Wyoming This Year
We decided yesterday that, with all of the new home related activities and requirements to make sure everything is OK with the construction and other must-do activities, our planned trip to Wyoming for the summer should be cancelled. I sent and email to Judy, our manager at the lodge, outlining the decision and the reasons we are asking for a "bye" this summer. It just turns out to be too many things that have to happen, and happen flawlessly, in order for us to arrive in Jackson about a week after we are scheduled to close on the home. It was a very tough decision, and we hope to be able to return next year.
Spending the hot summer in AZ is not exciting, but getting the new home all set up is. We are fortunate to have our jobs that will carry us through the summer even though we would have made more money in Jackson.
I took a couple of nice shots yesterday during my speed-walk for the day around my one mile track. This first one is of increased activity on the lake:
and this one, that shows one of the beautiful, blooming trees in the resort:
We received our first landscaping plan and estimate for our new home yesterday. It was from the landscaper recommended by the construction manager and he incorporated all of the nice things that we wanted. This first estimate was to include our entire wish list of hardscape and shrubbery. The estimate for our wish-list design came to just over $22K. That isn't going to happen. We will take the affordable parts from the estimate to do immediately, and slowly incorporate the rest of the design. Of course, we are getting other estimates from other landscapers to compare.
We have a busy day scheduled today for Josie's day off. We will start at the Outdoor Expo that is being held again this year down the road from us at the Ben Avery shooting facility. Then, we plan to go to our model home to take some measurements of different areas that we will be filling with new furniture, area rugs, etc. Following that stop, we will go to The Roomstore furniture store that is located in Glendale. It should be a fun day...
Spending the hot summer in AZ is not exciting, but getting the new home all set up is. We are fortunate to have our jobs that will carry us through the summer even though we would have made more money in Jackson.
I took a couple of nice shots yesterday during my speed-walk for the day around my one mile track. This first one is of increased activity on the lake:
and this one, that shows one of the beautiful, blooming trees in the resort:
We received our first landscaping plan and estimate for our new home yesterday. It was from the landscaper recommended by the construction manager and he incorporated all of the nice things that we wanted. This first estimate was to include our entire wish list of hardscape and shrubbery. The estimate for our wish-list design came to just over $22K. That isn't going to happen. We will take the affordable parts from the estimate to do immediately, and slowly incorporate the rest of the design. Of course, we are getting other estimates from other landscapers to compare.
We have a busy day scheduled today for Josie's day off. We will start at the Outdoor Expo that is being held again this year down the road from us at the Ben Avery shooting facility. Then, we plan to go to our model home to take some measurements of different areas that we will be filling with new furniture, area rugs, etc. Following that stop, we will go to The Roomstore furniture store that is located in Glendale. It should be a fun day...
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Lots of Activity
Our day began at a very leisurely pace with a light breakfast and watching the Today Show. As we were watching the TV, we noticed lots of activity in the parking lot behind our location. There were portable carports, picnic tables, speakers and lots of chairs and tables being placed around:
It almost looked like a reception of some kind was being set up. I went up to the office to pick up our mail and to get some information on what that was all about. It turns out that a Poker Run and Bike Fest was scheduled for yesterday and about 800 motorcycles were expected throughout the day. Mmm. That was a clear signal for us to get out of Dodge as quickly as possible.
We both got ready to go out and we were gone by10 AM to do some fun stuff. Our day was kind of planned on the fly, but we made some stops at a couple of furniture stores in the Peoria area. We made stops at the J C Penney Home Store, Arizona Oak and Oasis Furniture all in the same area. We saw lots of nice furniture and even some pieces that we will follow up on and perhaps buy for our new home. We also stopped at Costco for a few items and to get the car washed at their auto-wash.
There was a new subdivision of homes being built not too far from where our new home is located and we drove by the models (they were not open on Friday) and saw that they looked very similar to ours. We found the subdivision online later in the day and discovered that the homes - built by Woodside Homes - were about the same as ours except they were priced $100K higher. Interesting.
We arrived back home following a drive-by of our new home and saw that there were lots of workers around so we didn't stop. The afternoon was fun and we made it home in time to see the action behind us with the motorcycles coming and going the rest of the day. This is another shot of the Rally as it appeared late in the afternoon:
It was loud, and it was non-stop bike traffic the rest of the day. The music was blasting all afternoon and didn't stop until around 8:30 PM.
It's back to work today for Josie while I do some computer work and follow up with some landscapers and contractors we are lining up for the house. We hope to do more on our furnishings search tomorrow as we plan to go to The Roomstore in Glendale and check out their stuff. It is only 7 weeks until we close on the new home...
It almost looked like a reception of some kind was being set up. I went up to the office to pick up our mail and to get some information on what that was all about. It turns out that a Poker Run and Bike Fest was scheduled for yesterday and about 800 motorcycles were expected throughout the day. Mmm. That was a clear signal for us to get out of Dodge as quickly as possible.
We both got ready to go out and we were gone by10 AM to do some fun stuff. Our day was kind of planned on the fly, but we made some stops at a couple of furniture stores in the Peoria area. We made stops at the J C Penney Home Store, Arizona Oak and Oasis Furniture all in the same area. We saw lots of nice furniture and even some pieces that we will follow up on and perhaps buy for our new home. We also stopped at Costco for a few items and to get the car washed at their auto-wash.
There was a new subdivision of homes being built not too far from where our new home is located and we drove by the models (they were not open on Friday) and saw that they looked very similar to ours. We found the subdivision online later in the day and discovered that the homes - built by Woodside Homes - were about the same as ours except they were priced $100K higher. Interesting.
We arrived back home following a drive-by of our new home and saw that there were lots of workers around so we didn't stop. The afternoon was fun and we made it home in time to see the action behind us with the motorcycles coming and going the rest of the day. This is another shot of the Rally as it appeared late in the afternoon:
It was loud, and it was non-stop bike traffic the rest of the day. The music was blasting all afternoon and didn't stop until around 8:30 PM.
It's back to work today for Josie while I do some computer work and follow up with some landscapers and contractors we are lining up for the house. We hope to do more on our furnishings search tomorrow as we plan to go to The Roomstore in Glendale and check out their stuff. It is only 7 weeks until we close on the new home...
Friday, March 27, 2015
Adding to Furnishings
We had an opportunity to pick up a nice bedroom set at a good price as George and Cheryl are planning to remodel their spare bedroom. The bedroom set is a queen bed with two night stands and a nice Armoire, all made from solid oak. The bedroom set is like brand new as it has had very little use since they originally purchased it new when they moved into their present home. Below are a couple shots of our new bedroom set that will be placed in one of our spare bedrooms:
We also enjoyed a nice dinner with them last night and we thank them for both the furniture and the delicious meal.
We drove past the house on the way to their home and saw that the drywall was just about completed. There were still some small areas that needed covering and, of course, the taping and finishing of the drywall. The house is taking shape nicely.
Josie decided to postpone her procedure today to resolve some insurance issues, so that will be rescheduled. That means that she will work tomorrow instead of having the three days off in a row. That will happen when she can reschedule the needle biopsy for another Friday.
There are a couple of stores that we would like to visit while we are still looking for the best place to find pendent lights and fans for the house. Also, there are some major items that we will need and would like to get a line on prices and stores where we might go to pick up those items. Today could be a chance to check out some of those stores...
We also enjoyed a nice dinner with them last night and we thank them for both the furniture and the delicious meal.
We drove past the house on the way to their home and saw that the drywall was just about completed. There were still some small areas that needed covering and, of course, the taping and finishing of the drywall. The house is taking shape nicely.
Josie decided to postpone her procedure today to resolve some insurance issues, so that will be rescheduled. That means that she will work tomorrow instead of having the three days off in a row. That will happen when she can reschedule the needle biopsy for another Friday.
There are a couple of stores that we would like to visit while we are still looking for the best place to find pendent lights and fans for the house. Also, there are some major items that we will need and would like to get a line on prices and stores where we might go to pick up those items. Today could be a chance to check out some of those stores...
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Progress
First of all, happy birthday to our beautiful and wonderful daughter, Patty. We are very proud of the woman, wife and mother she has become. Have a great day Patty, we'll see you in about a month!
Following a full day of work for both Josie and I, we met at the house to check on the progress. They have completed installation of all of the insulation on the exterior walls:
and the drywall is all placed around the house ready to be installed:
That will most likely begin today or tomorrow.
We met another of our neighbors while there. His name is Pete, and he and his wife live in the house across the street which is owned by his son and family. They moved here from Sacramento, CA in December and share the 5 bedroom house which is the largest model in our subdivision.
Josie will work today and have the next three days off. She scheduled a procedure for tomorrow to have a needle biopsy taken of a calcium deposit in one of her breasts that was discovered during her recent mammogram. There is no alarm, and it is more of a confirmation that there is no problem.
Other than that, it looks like a normal Thursday...
Following a full day of work for both Josie and I, we met at the house to check on the progress. They have completed installation of all of the insulation on the exterior walls:
and the drywall is all placed around the house ready to be installed:
That will most likely begin today or tomorrow.
We met another of our neighbors while there. His name is Pete, and he and his wife live in the house across the street which is owned by his son and family. They moved here from Sacramento, CA in December and share the 5 bedroom house which is the largest model in our subdivision.
Josie will work today and have the next three days off. She scheduled a procedure for tomorrow to have a needle biopsy taken of a calcium deposit in one of her breasts that was discovered during her recent mammogram. There is no alarm, and it is more of a confirmation that there is no problem.
Other than that, it looks like a normal Thursday...
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Heading for Summer
I mentioned last week that we were about to hit the 90 degree mark. That will happen by this weekend when it is expected to reach the mid 90's. That's a harsh reminder of how it is going to be almost on a daily basis before too long. That really helps make any decisions on whether to leave AZ for the summer or stick it out in the oven. It's the only thing I have against Arizona - baking in the summers. We like to get out and hike and bike in the summer which is one of the main attractions in Wyoming. It works a lot better in 80-85 degree temperatures versus 110-115 degrees.
That brings up another point in favor of Wyoming. Josie and I get the same days off and have the same work schedule - together. It sure beats the willy-nilly schedules we have had this winter when we occasionally get more than one day off together each week. It makes it difficult to plan anything or to schedule something together when we only have one day a week - maybe - to do other necessary things. As I said before, it is never easy.
We are only about 7 weeks away from closing on our house and we are beginning to get a little nervous about finalizing our plans. There are lots of things we need to do to coordinate everything. It is going to be interesting, to say the least.
I have a full day scheduled at Sam's Club today while Josie works her normal 8 to 4:30 schedule. At least now we have two economical vehicles to use for daily travel...
That brings up another point in favor of Wyoming. Josie and I get the same days off and have the same work schedule - together. It sure beats the willy-nilly schedules we have had this winter when we occasionally get more than one day off together each week. It makes it difficult to plan anything or to schedule something together when we only have one day a week - maybe - to do other necessary things. As I said before, it is never easy.
We are only about 7 weeks away from closing on our house and we are beginning to get a little nervous about finalizing our plans. There are lots of things we need to do to coordinate everything. It is going to be interesting, to say the least.
I have a full day scheduled at Sam's Club today while Josie works her normal 8 to 4:30 schedule. At least now we have two economical vehicles to use for daily travel...
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Getting Close to Decision Time
The final decision on whether or not to go to Wyoming this summer is getting very close. We will need to decide soon so that if we don't go, they have sufficient time to find replacements for us before the busy summer season. The money is much better in Wyoming. The holdup is due to several factors.
The main factor is whether or not Josie can get full time hours over the slower summer season at the shop. She keeps hearing that she will have the full time hours, but they have to be in excess of 30 hours per week. So far, she has heard no guarantees.
I have to also get a feel for the hours that I can work this summer at Sam's Club which should be in the 20 to 25 hours per week range. I have also heard about an across the board raise for all employees which will help in making that decision. Should we go to Wyoming, I would have to resign from Sam's Club and re-apply in October when we return. That would mean starting over as a new employee in the Fall.
The fifth wheel is also a concern. If we go to Wyoming, we would have to have the rig transported to the RV park behind the Virginian Lodge. We would also have to make arrangements to have it "permanently" located at that RV park through the winter, if possible, to avoid another transport charge and storage fees in AZ. It is not cheap to have it transported - approximately $1500 each way.
Other considerations are: Concerns about leaving the brand new house locked up for the summer, mail forwarding issues from the new address, determination of how much money we can make if we stay, and coordinating all of the above with a required date to be in WY by around the 22nd of May. Our scheduled closing on the house is May 15. The underlying result from not going to Wyoming this summer is that we have no guarantee that we could return, especially with the seniority we have now after three years.
It is never easy, is it?
The main factor is whether or not Josie can get full time hours over the slower summer season at the shop. She keeps hearing that she will have the full time hours, but they have to be in excess of 30 hours per week. So far, she has heard no guarantees.
I have to also get a feel for the hours that I can work this summer at Sam's Club which should be in the 20 to 25 hours per week range. I have also heard about an across the board raise for all employees which will help in making that decision. Should we go to Wyoming, I would have to resign from Sam's Club and re-apply in October when we return. That would mean starting over as a new employee in the Fall.
The fifth wheel is also a concern. If we go to Wyoming, we would have to have the rig transported to the RV park behind the Virginian Lodge. We would also have to make arrangements to have it "permanently" located at that RV park through the winter, if possible, to avoid another transport charge and storage fees in AZ. It is not cheap to have it transported - approximately $1500 each way.
Other considerations are: Concerns about leaving the brand new house locked up for the summer, mail forwarding issues from the new address, determination of how much money we can make if we stay, and coordinating all of the above with a required date to be in WY by around the 22nd of May. Our scheduled closing on the house is May 15. The underlying result from not going to Wyoming this summer is that we have no guarantee that we could return, especially with the seniority we have now after three years.
It is never easy, is it?
Monday, March 23, 2015
Stores Visited
We took advantage of Josie's day off yesterday by going to a couple places looking for furnishings and a few personal items. The first stop was at Lamps Plus in Peoria where we gathered information on some pendant lights, lamps and fans for our new house. There were some real nice choices for each, although the prices seemed a little high to us. At any rate, we picked up their catalogs and were placed on their mailing list for sales and catalog updates.
Our next stop was at the Tanger Outlets near the Glendale Stadium to look for some personal items for Josie. We didn't have any luck finding those, but I picked up a couple shirts to make the trip worthwhile. We still think that these outlet stores are just another location for these stores to sell their regular merchandise. It seems to me that the original purpose of these outlet malls was to offer a place where seconds, or irregulars, of items could be purchased at rock bottom prices. It still is nice to have all these stores in one location though.
The last stop we made yesterday was at our house to see if any more progress had been made. We didn't see any, but at this stage, we wouldn't notice much change on any interior work until the drywall is installed or either the siding or roof installation was done on the outside.
Another week begins today with Josie working the next four days before getting a break and I have a full day scheduled Wednesday at Sam's Club. I will begin working more days in April, so I will enjoy the extra days now and try to get some things settled for our busy month of May that promises to be both exciting and stressful...
Our next stop was at the Tanger Outlets near the Glendale Stadium to look for some personal items for Josie. We didn't have any luck finding those, but I picked up a couple shirts to make the trip worthwhile. We still think that these outlet stores are just another location for these stores to sell their regular merchandise. It seems to me that the original purpose of these outlet malls was to offer a place where seconds, or irregulars, of items could be purchased at rock bottom prices. It still is nice to have all these stores in one location though.
The last stop we made yesterday was at our house to see if any more progress had been made. We didn't see any, but at this stage, we wouldn't notice much change on any interior work until the drywall is installed or either the siding or roof installation was done on the outside.
Another week begins today with Josie working the next four days before getting a break and I have a full day scheduled Wednesday at Sam's Club. I will begin working more days in April, so I will enjoy the extra days now and try to get some things settled for our busy month of May that promises to be both exciting and stressful...
Sunday, March 22, 2015
More Reading and March Madness
This year the NCAA Basketball Tournament is very exciting compared to years past. There have been more upsets and more close games and I watched a couple of those yesterday. The best games were won by Wildcats - Arizona and Kentucky - where each team got big wins to move on to the Sweet Sixteen. I believe that nobody will beat the Kentucky team and they will go undefeated for the entire year. They are clearly the best team.
I also did more reading of my American Sniper book and also watched some of the Arnold Palmer golf tournament on TV while Josie worked until 5 PM. The bigger day for us will be today when we go to look at more home furnishings at a couple different stores and go to the Outlet Mall near the Stadium in Glendale to pick up a couple of much needed items.
It is not too long before we will get caught up in preparations for the summer and putting together all the logistics for everything that needs to be done in a short time frame. It will be exciting, but is also a little scary at the same time...
I also did more reading of my American Sniper book and also watched some of the Arnold Palmer golf tournament on TV while Josie worked until 5 PM. The bigger day for us will be today when we go to look at more home furnishings at a couple different stores and go to the Outlet Mall near the Stadium in Glendale to pick up a couple of much needed items.
It is not too long before we will get caught up in preparations for the summer and putting together all the logistics for everything that needs to be done in a short time frame. It will be exciting, but is also a little scary at the same time...
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Problem Getting Motivated
Yesterday was a good opportunity to get some things done around the fifth wheel that we have been putting off for a long time. I find that getting motivated to do anything around the trailer is getting tougher and tougher. With the new house on the horizon and the fifth wheel taking a step back in our priorities, it is easy to live with any small problems that need attention. I have a list of things that need to be done, but my mind is just not with it.
I used the day to do some cross stitch and to read a little more of a book I started a few days ago - American Sniper. It is one of those books that is difficult to put down once you start reading and it substantiates all the attention it has received in the movie industry. It will definitely be a must-see movie for us. What a sad sequel to this brave American soldier's life to have it taken the way it was at a rifle range a couple years ago by a crazed lunatic.
Josie has to work today for her final day this week. Her schedule has been a little crazy this week and will be again next week as one of the girls is on vacation. We have been spending much of our free time together looking around at things for the new house and we will most likely do more of that on Sunday...
I used the day to do some cross stitch and to read a little more of a book I started a few days ago - American Sniper. It is one of those books that is difficult to put down once you start reading and it substantiates all the attention it has received in the movie industry. It will definitely be a must-see movie for us. What a sad sequel to this brave American soldier's life to have it taken the way it was at a rifle range a couple years ago by a crazed lunatic.
Josie has to work today for her final day this week. Her schedule has been a little crazy this week and will be again next week as one of the girls is on vacation. We have been spending much of our free time together looking around at things for the new house and we will most likely do more of that on Sunday...
Friday, March 20, 2015
Hitched
This time we were successful getting the hitch installed on the Escape.
The mystery was solved as to why they had parts for an Explorer instead of the Escape. The person taking the order over the phone also had a call from a friend of Bob Reed who wanted a hitch installed on his Explorer. Bingo! They wrote the Explorer order on my work order. Also, what are the odds for having two Bob Reed's having a hitch installed on a Ford product at the same time? The real sad part of the story is that I didn't get any compensation for their admitted error and the fact I had to come back a second time and I live one hour away. Where is customer service?
Following the hitch appointment, I went to Josie's shop which wasn't that far away to have lunch with her. It turned out she was able to leave work early. So, we followed one another on the way home. We stopped at a grocery store and then at the house. The house already looks a lot different from the day before when we had our pre-drywall orientation. This is the new and current look:
The mystery was solved as to why they had parts for an Explorer instead of the Escape. The person taking the order over the phone also had a call from a friend of Bob Reed who wanted a hitch installed on his Explorer. Bingo! They wrote the Explorer order on my work order. Also, what are the odds for having two Bob Reed's having a hitch installed on a Ford product at the same time? The real sad part of the story is that I didn't get any compensation for their admitted error and the fact I had to come back a second time and I live one hour away. Where is customer service?
Following the hitch appointment, I went to Josie's shop which wasn't that far away to have lunch with her. It turned out she was able to leave work early. So, we followed one another on the way home. We stopped at a grocery store and then at the house. The house already looks a lot different from the day before when we had our pre-drywall orientation. This is the new and current look:
Even the roof tiles were laid out ready for installation.
At 3:45 this afternoon, local time - if we can see the sun - it will be over the Equator bringing in Spring. The rain has stopped - for now - and we had about .4" from this latest storm. It should now heat up again and we will be seeing 90 degree days consistently beginning next week...
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Pre-Drywall Orientation
Our meeting with the Field Construction Manager was very good yesterday morning. The meeting lasted for over an hour and he took us through the entire house to review everything about the construction, features and plans for the rest of the project. Gabe is a very conscientious individual and is on top of everything that is happening. He pointed out a problem in the laundry room where the washer/dryer connections panel was vandalized and stolen by someone. That will be replaced immediately and he talked about the vandalism problem that is always present at construction sites. The home is presently a couple days behind schedule, but he indicated that it will still close on time as they will catch up on the schedule. That is important, as it impacts our summer plans. The next step is to place the foam on the siding to prepare for stucco and the roof tiles need to be installed, and of course, the drywall. We were surprised to see the roof paper and slats have already been installed and are ready for the tiles.
I went to work on schedule at 3:30 PM while Josie had her hair appointment and did some laundry. A fairly normal day.
This morning I try again to get the hitch installed on the Escape. This time, I'm hoping for the right parts and can get in and out in about two hours. We'll know tomorrow...
I went to work on schedule at 3:30 PM while Josie had her hair appointment and did some laundry. A fairly normal day.
This morning I try again to get the hitch installed on the Escape. This time, I'm hoping for the right parts and can get in and out in about two hours. We'll know tomorrow...
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
The Pottery Place
The construction - or re-paving - on Carefree Highway has ended - at least for now. They have completed the re-paving of the westbound lane on the highway from I-17 all the way to the New River turn off just down the road from us. I'm sure we will go through the same mass delays once they begin the project on the eastbound lanes.
Josie had a short day yesterday and was home by about 2:30. We took a drive to the Wittman area, towards Wickenburg, to check out the blooming cactus on the desert and to visit a place we haven't been to in many years - The Pottery Place. We purchased some nice desert and western pieces for our house in Sun City Grand and wanted to check out the inventory for our new house. It hasn't changed much:
except that they were having a sale of 20% off everything for their moving sale. They are moving closer to Surprise to a much larger area that is only about 1/4 mile south of the existing location. Many years ago we talked to the owners of this store and they told us how, each summer, they travel to Mexico to purchase their inventory and bring it back to this location. They are obviously doing well with that plan. We didn't buy anything yesterday, but will return at some point after we get into our home.
Our meeting at the new house is this morning at 8 AM with the Field Manager to do our pre-drywall orientation. Everything is done inside and is ready for the final stages of construction. That includes the drywall, roofing and siding. We are about 8 weeks away from closing which will be here before we know it. Josie is off today, and I go to work at 3:30 at Sam's Club and work until 9 PM. It should be a good day but there is some rain in the forecast which we hope holds off for most of the day...
Josie had a short day yesterday and was home by about 2:30. We took a drive to the Wittman area, towards Wickenburg, to check out the blooming cactus on the desert and to visit a place we haven't been to in many years - The Pottery Place. We purchased some nice desert and western pieces for our house in Sun City Grand and wanted to check out the inventory for our new house. It hasn't changed much:
except that they were having a sale of 20% off everything for their moving sale. They are moving closer to Surprise to a much larger area that is only about 1/4 mile south of the existing location. Many years ago we talked to the owners of this store and they told us how, each summer, they travel to Mexico to purchase their inventory and bring it back to this location. They are obviously doing well with that plan. We didn't buy anything yesterday, but will return at some point after we get into our home.
Our meeting at the new house is this morning at 8 AM with the Field Manager to do our pre-drywall orientation. Everything is done inside and is ready for the final stages of construction. That includes the drywall, roofing and siding. We are about 8 weeks away from closing which will be here before we know it. Josie is off today, and I go to work at 3:30 at Sam's Club and work until 9 PM. It should be a good day but there is some rain in the forecast which we hope holds off for most of the day...
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
More Incompetency
First of all, the re-paving project on Carefree Highway has caused mass delays. Josie got stuck for 10 minutes when she left for work in the AM, I got stuck for 35 minutes when I left an hour later to get the hitch work done on the Escape, and I waited one hour on my return trip from Glendale at noon. The problem is that there are no alternate routes and we are at the mercy of the construction project for as long as it lasts.
My experience at the B & M Hitch company in Glendale with the Escape was totally forgettable. I arrived at 10 AM and waited until after 10:30 before they took the vehicle in to have the hitch installed. 20 minutes later they called me to the front desk to inform me that they didn't have the right parts. The individual that took the order over the phone wrote "Explorer" on the work order as the model instead of "Escape". He tried to tell me that it was I who gave the wrong model information and that pissed me off even more as I told him I never had an Explorer and would not mistake it for the Escape. I didn't argue and just made another appointment to try again on Thursday when they can get the right parts in stock.
Josie had an especially long day at work yesterday as one of the girls is on a two week vacation and traveling to Iceland. That sounds like an unusual choice for a vacation but, evidently, there is some kind of rare eclipse that is only (totally) visible from that area of the world. Hmm. I'll take 80 and sunshine if you don't mind.
It should be a normal, quiet day today as Josie has a regular day scheduled and I will hang out at the fifth wheel to avoid all the construction headaches...
My experience at the B & M Hitch company in Glendale with the Escape was totally forgettable. I arrived at 10 AM and waited until after 10:30 before they took the vehicle in to have the hitch installed. 20 minutes later they called me to the front desk to inform me that they didn't have the right parts. The individual that took the order over the phone wrote "Explorer" on the work order as the model instead of "Escape". He tried to tell me that it was I who gave the wrong model information and that pissed me off even more as I told him I never had an Explorer and would not mistake it for the Escape. I didn't argue and just made another appointment to try again on Thursday when they can get the right parts in stock.
Josie had an especially long day at work yesterday as one of the girls is on a two week vacation and traveling to Iceland. That sounds like an unusual choice for a vacation but, evidently, there is some kind of rare eclipse that is only (totally) visible from that area of the world. Hmm. I'll take 80 and sunshine if you don't mind.
It should be a normal, quiet day today as Josie has a regular day scheduled and I will hang out at the fifth wheel to avoid all the construction headaches...
Monday, March 16, 2015
Wickenburg
Well, Bill Luke Bass Days is over for another year. The rides were all being taken down late yesterday afternoon and the boats and trailers were moving out to leave a once again quiet resort.
Our activity for the day was a trip to Wickenburg where there is a very nice western store that was recently featured on the Arizona Highways TV show. It is on the main drag in Wickenburg and was very easy to find:
It is a terrific place to buy anything western - apparel, furniture, jewelry and accessories and the basement level contained everything for the local ranchers - tack, saddles and anything needed to satisfy your horses. We saw lots of interesting and good values in furniture. One of the items we were interested in were the many different styles of bar stools. Here is one example of bar stools you don't find in too many places:
It reminded us of the bar stools in the Silver Dollar Saloon in Jackson, WY, where the stools are saddles. We saw some very good and reasonably priced tables and chairs, sofas and wall hangings that have us interested in returning as we get closer to the move in date of our new home.
We then stopped at the new Trilogy at Wickenburg Ranch model homes to check out the new development. It is going to be a beautiful development even though it is in the very early development stage. The clubhouse is not completed yet, and the sales office was in a huge tent. They did have several models available for walk-through, but the homes were all decorated in modern furniture and furnishings. That turned us off a little bit, but there were some nice features that are being incorporated in new homes. One was the patio access. Each of the models - there were five - had the patio access doors that opened along the entire wall. This shot shows how the patio is brought into the home:
That makes it very desirable for entertaining, but is probably a bad thing when the bugs are out. Anyway, it was nice to see the models and to see where the development is located. Actually, it is about 8 or so miles north of town on the way to Laughlin on Route 93. You really have to be totally retired to live there as it is not very convenient to Phoenix on a daily basis.
Today begins another work week for us. Josie has Wednesday off and that's the day I have to work, although not until late in the day. Our important meeting with the Field Construction Manager at our new home is scheduled for 8 AM on Wednesday. In the meantime, I will take the new car to B & M Hitch in Glendale this morning to have our trailer hitch installed. That hitch will only be used to haul our bikes and light utility trailers and will haul up to 3500 pounds. That should be plenty for our purposes...
Our activity for the day was a trip to Wickenburg where there is a very nice western store that was recently featured on the Arizona Highways TV show. It is on the main drag in Wickenburg and was very easy to find:
It is a terrific place to buy anything western - apparel, furniture, jewelry and accessories and the basement level contained everything for the local ranchers - tack, saddles and anything needed to satisfy your horses. We saw lots of interesting and good values in furniture. One of the items we were interested in were the many different styles of bar stools. Here is one example of bar stools you don't find in too many places:
It reminded us of the bar stools in the Silver Dollar Saloon in Jackson, WY, where the stools are saddles. We saw some very good and reasonably priced tables and chairs, sofas and wall hangings that have us interested in returning as we get closer to the move in date of our new home.
We then stopped at the new Trilogy at Wickenburg Ranch model homes to check out the new development. It is going to be a beautiful development even though it is in the very early development stage. The clubhouse is not completed yet, and the sales office was in a huge tent. They did have several models available for walk-through, but the homes were all decorated in modern furniture and furnishings. That turned us off a little bit, but there were some nice features that are being incorporated in new homes. One was the patio access. Each of the models - there were five - had the patio access doors that opened along the entire wall. This shot shows how the patio is brought into the home:
That makes it very desirable for entertaining, but is probably a bad thing when the bugs are out. Anyway, it was nice to see the models and to see where the development is located. Actually, it is about 8 or so miles north of town on the way to Laughlin on Route 93. You really have to be totally retired to live there as it is not very convenient to Phoenix on a daily basis.
Today begins another work week for us. Josie has Wednesday off and that's the day I have to work, although not until late in the day. Our important meeting with the Field Construction Manager at our new home is scheduled for 8 AM on Wednesday. In the meantime, I will take the new car to B & M Hitch in Glendale this morning to have our trailer hitch installed. That hitch will only be used to haul our bikes and light utility trailers and will haul up to 3500 pounds. That should be plenty for our purposes...
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Bill Luke Bass Days
The annual bass fishing contest is in full swing this weekend. There are boats everywhere, people everywhere and noise everywhere. We had forgotten about the impact this event has on the resort for the weekend it is being held. I was home all day as Josie worked, and I can tell you, it was non-stop noise from ATV's that people bring into the resort - not to ride off-road as they are intended, but to drive them as golf carts around the resort. Most of them need mufflers, and they all need common sense drivers. I could hardly concentrate on my book that I was reading because of the noise. I did take a walk at midday and got a couple pictures. The first is of the area where all the carnival-like activity is taking place:
This next one is of the south ramp where boats were lined up - probably the whole day - to launch. In addition to all of the bass boats, there were, of course, pleasure boats. This last shot shows the activity at the ramp along with a couple bass fishing boats on the water near the dam:
As mentioned earlier, there is a $10K first prize for the largest bass caught this weekend. There is a total of $50K in prizes which includes hourly weigh-in prizes during the Fri-Sun tournament.
Josie is off today and we are going to go to Wickenburg to check out a western store that we saw on the Arizona Highways TV show last night. They have all kinds of apparel, but also have western furniture and décor in this 24,000 square foot store that we want to see. While we are there, we will take a look at the new Trilogy at Wickenburg Ranch homes that we had a brief interest in before we contracted for our new house in Peoria. It should be a fun day - and a hot one, with temperatures expected to reach 90 degrees for the first time this year...
This next one is of the south ramp where boats were lined up - probably the whole day - to launch. In addition to all of the bass boats, there were, of course, pleasure boats. This last shot shows the activity at the ramp along with a couple bass fishing boats on the water near the dam:
As mentioned earlier, there is a $10K first prize for the largest bass caught this weekend. There is a total of $50K in prizes which includes hourly weigh-in prizes during the Fri-Sun tournament.
Josie is off today and we are going to go to Wickenburg to check out a western store that we saw on the Arizona Highways TV show last night. They have all kinds of apparel, but also have western furniture and décor in this 24,000 square foot store that we want to see. While we are there, we will take a look at the new Trilogy at Wickenburg Ranch homes that we had a brief interest in before we contracted for our new house in Peoria. It should be a fun day - and a hot one, with temperatures expected to reach 90 degrees for the first time this year...
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Mammogram
Yesterday was Josie's turn for a procedure at the hospital. I forgot to mention yesterday morning that she had a mammogram scheduled for yesterday at the Del Webb Women's Center in Surprise at 2 PM. We hung out at the fifth wheel until it was time to leave for her appointment. The mammogram went well except that they discovered a calcium mass of some kind in one of her breasts and will have to return in a week or so to have a needle biopsy performed. It shouldn't be anything to be concerned about according to the medical assistant. Ouch!
We made a stop at Walmart on the way home and also stopped by at the house to check on the progress. Lots of work is being done inside as they are installing the electrical system, completing the plumbing, finishing up on the A/C and heating ducts, installing the gas lines and pretty much preparing the inside for the pre-drywall inspection. Our roofing materials are also on site, so we expect to see the roof completed any time now.
It wasn't a very nice day for the start of the Bill Luke Bass Days as it was windy and overcast most of the morning. Josie took this shot of the nice sunset though, as the clouds made for an interesting scene in the eastern sky:
Today is a workday for Josie and I expect to get some planning done. One thing we haven't thought much about was moving our goods out of our storage unit into the house and setting up that move. I will research that move with movers today to get an idea on costs to perform that aspect of our transition to the house...
We made a stop at Walmart on the way home and also stopped by at the house to check on the progress. Lots of work is being done inside as they are installing the electrical system, completing the plumbing, finishing up on the A/C and heating ducts, installing the gas lines and pretty much preparing the inside for the pre-drywall inspection. Our roofing materials are also on site, so we expect to see the roof completed any time now.
It wasn't a very nice day for the start of the Bill Luke Bass Days as it was windy and overcast most of the morning. Josie took this shot of the nice sunset though, as the clouds made for an interesting scene in the eastern sky:
Today is a workday for Josie and I expect to get some planning done. One thing we haven't thought much about was moving our goods out of our storage unit into the house and setting up that move. I will research that move with movers today to get an idea on costs to perform that aspect of our transition to the house...
Friday, March 13, 2015
Quick in and Out
We arrived right on time at 6:30 yesterday for my Colonoscopy procedure. The paperwork and preliminary stuff was all completed and I was in the prep room at 7 AM where they connected me to all the heart and blood pressure monitoring stuff and plugged the anesthetic needle into my hand. I was in the "operating" room at 7:10 and they put me under me under for the procedure. I woke up at 7:40 in the recovery room and Josie and I were out of there by 7:50 AM. That's the fastest I ever had that done and the doctor said everything looks good, but he took the usual precautionary biopsies to make sure and I will hear back on those next week some time. I'm sure everything is OK as I have had no complaints or discomfort. We had a nice breakfast at the 40th St Café around the corner immediately following the procedure at 8 AM. Chalk that off for another two years.
I was not allowed to drive all day, so I spent the day at home, catching up on computer stuff. I also took a picture of the setup for the Bill Luke Bass Days which begins today. Here is a shot of the area where the weekend celebration will be held:
I guess I could have gotten a closer view of all the rides and concessions, but you get the idea. It looks like a carnival, and probably will be. We may get to go later today.
Josie is off today and since our meeting at the house is next week instead of today, we will probably just hang out and do some things around the fifth wheel. There is a major highway resurfacing project on the Carefree Highway which is causing huge backups, so we will try to stay away from driving anywhere...
I was not allowed to drive all day, so I spent the day at home, catching up on computer stuff. I also took a picture of the setup for the Bill Luke Bass Days which begins today. Here is a shot of the area where the weekend celebration will be held:
I guess I could have gotten a closer view of all the rides and concessions, but you get the idea. It looks like a carnival, and probably will be. We may get to go later today.
Josie is off today and since our meeting at the house is next week instead of today, we will probably just hang out and do some things around the fifth wheel. There is a major highway resurfacing project on the Carefree Highway which is causing huge backups, so we will try to stay away from driving anywhere...
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Empty and Hungry
As expected, it was a long and mostly unpleasant day yesterday. I prepared the laxative formula at noon and put it into the refrigerator until 4 PM. I had no solid food all day and only drank water and the mix that I had to drink before the fun began. That started at 4 PM, and my regular trips to the john started at about 5:30 and lasted all the way through the night. I'm empty and very hungry. I lost about 7 pounds over the last two days and it is probably a good time to start any diet that I may have been thinking about.
Josie had a balloon experience similar to the one I had last week. On her way home from work she spotted these along the road in about the same spot I saw the ones last week:
There were only three there last week and she was able to get five of them preparing to lift off.
It's about 5:15 AM and I'm getting ready to leave for my Colonoscopy. I need to be there at 6:30, so I'll see you all tomorrow with a report...
Josie had a balloon experience similar to the one I had last week. On her way home from work she spotted these along the road in about the same spot I saw the ones last week:
There were only three there last week and she was able to get five of them preparing to lift off.
It's about 5:15 AM and I'm getting ready to leave for my Colonoscopy. I need to be there at 6:30, so I'll see you all tomorrow with a report...
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Closing in on Procedure
I have been slowly removing certain items from my daily diet to prepare for the Colonoscopy that is scheduled for tomorrow AM. Today is the day before the procedure which means liquids only - a tough day ahead. Worse, I begin the laxative medication at noon today so I'm not looking forward to the next 24 hours.
I stopped by the house in the afternoon yesterday on my way home from work and saw that the windows have been installed, more of the water lines and some of the gas lines were installed and they were working on the ductwork in the rafters. I also discovered that I had written down the wrong date for our pre-drywall orientation. I thought is was this Friday, the 13th, but it is next week on the 19th. It turns out we have to move the date anyway to accommodate the Field Construction Manager's schedule so it will be on Wednesday, the 18th. Gabe, the Manager, has indicated that everything is still on schedule and we expect to close on May 15. Below are a couple shots of the windows that I was able to get on my short visit:
I'll be checking in on the progress most days so that we don't get any surprises if there are mistakes made like the den #2 option that we discovered was missing in the beginning. They are moving along at a brisk pace, so every day presents a surprise of some kind...
I stopped by the house in the afternoon yesterday on my way home from work and saw that the windows have been installed, more of the water lines and some of the gas lines were installed and they were working on the ductwork in the rafters. I also discovered that I had written down the wrong date for our pre-drywall orientation. I thought is was this Friday, the 13th, but it is next week on the 19th. It turns out we have to move the date anyway to accommodate the Field Construction Manager's schedule so it will be on Wednesday, the 18th. Gabe, the Manager, has indicated that everything is still on schedule and we expect to close on May 15. Below are a couple shots of the windows that I was able to get on my short visit:
I'll be checking in on the progress most days so that we don't get any surprises if there are mistakes made like the den #2 option that we discovered was missing in the beginning. They are moving along at a brisk pace, so every day presents a surprise of some kind...
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Prep Started for Bass Days
The annual Bill Luke Bass Days fishing tournament and celebration is only a few days away and the work has begun for the rides and concessions that always pop up for the 4 day celebration and tournament. There is a lot of cash handed out during this tournament with hourly weigh-ins for the largest fish and an overall prize of $10K for the largest catch of the whole tournament. The place is overrun with bass boats and fishermen for this event. This is a shot of the start of the setup:
I'll put in another shot when all the concessions are done and they are ready to start the tournament.
I met Josie at the house after she got off work and we see that most of the plumbing has been installed. They will still do the electric wiring and the gas hookups before our meeting on Friday. The house next door is now making huge progress as the two story home is being framed.
I work today from 9:30 to 3 PM and I have already started the special eating requirements for my Colonoscopy procedure that is scheduled for Thursday. I had to stop all nuts, seeds and red meat beginning yesterday, and I am on a light diet the rest of the way. It doesn't hurt to go through this cleansing of the system every once in awhile...
I'll put in another shot when all the concessions are done and they are ready to start the tournament.
I met Josie at the house after she got off work and we see that most of the plumbing has been installed. They will still do the electric wiring and the gas hookups before our meeting on Friday. The house next door is now making huge progress as the two story home is being framed.
I work today from 9:30 to 3 PM and I have already started the special eating requirements for my Colonoscopy procedure that is scheduled for Thursday. I had to stop all nuts, seeds and red meat beginning yesterday, and I am on a light diet the rest of the way. It doesn't hurt to go through this cleansing of the system every once in awhile...
Monday, March 9, 2015
Enjoying Warm Sunshine
It was a picture perfect day yesterday and one where we had to get out and take a walk somewhere. It has been a challenge getting the time to do any regular exercising and we miss that. We took a walk using our measured one mile track and walked outside the parameters to make it around 1.25 miles. One stop along the way was at the south ramp of the lake where I took this photo of the harbor:
The spring flowers are starting to show their beautiful colors and the temperature reached 80 during the day. It gets a little warmer in town, but 80 is a nice temperature for us. Preparations have begun for the annual Bill Luke Bass Days which begin on March 13 and runs for four days. This place will be jumping next weekend.
We sat outside and enjoyed our gazebo for the first time in a few weeks and talked about some of the logistics for our plans this summer. We have just about decided to go to Jackson again this summer for a couple reasons. The main one is because it provides the perfect escape from the hot Phoenix summer. The second one is that we may be able to move the fifth wheel there and keep it on site for no charge, the year round. With very little left inside the vehicle, the cold winters would not be so bad on it with a cover and after having it winterized before we leave to come back in October. That means closing on the house and almost immediately locking it up for the summer. That gives us something to look forward to in October. There is a lot to work out yet as far as coordinating everything, but that seems to be the most desirable solution. We love working there for the good money and the beauty of the area, so why not continue doing that gig as long as we are able to physically handle the job.
A new week begins today and should be normal except for my scheduled Colonoscopy on Thursday. We stopped at the CVS Pharmacy yesterday and I picked up my medications - or, laxatives - to get ready for the procedure. Ugh!!!
The spring flowers are starting to show their beautiful colors and the temperature reached 80 during the day. It gets a little warmer in town, but 80 is a nice temperature for us. Preparations have begun for the annual Bill Luke Bass Days which begin on March 13 and runs for four days. This place will be jumping next weekend.
We sat outside and enjoyed our gazebo for the first time in a few weeks and talked about some of the logistics for our plans this summer. We have just about decided to go to Jackson again this summer for a couple reasons. The main one is because it provides the perfect escape from the hot Phoenix summer. The second one is that we may be able to move the fifth wheel there and keep it on site for no charge, the year round. With very little left inside the vehicle, the cold winters would not be so bad on it with a cover and after having it winterized before we leave to come back in October. That means closing on the house and almost immediately locking it up for the summer. That gives us something to look forward to in October. There is a lot to work out yet as far as coordinating everything, but that seems to be the most desirable solution. We love working there for the good money and the beauty of the area, so why not continue doing that gig as long as we are able to physically handle the job.
A new week begins today and should be normal except for my scheduled Colonoscopy on Thursday. We stopped at the CVS Pharmacy yesterday and I picked up my medications - or, laxatives - to get ready for the procedure. Ugh!!!
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Home and Garden Show
Our morning meeting with a landscaper went well considering that workers were pounding nails and cutting boards all around us during the meeting. Actually, there was only one person working on the roof of our house but the rest of the noise and work was next door to us. Anyway, we discussed several options for front and rear landscaping and he will contact us when he has plans drawn up and figures to discuss with us. We went with our wish list to start, thinking we could either eliminate or delay features that are too expensive to install at the beginning. None of that stuff is inexpensive, so we are preparing ourselves.
Following the meeting with the landscaper, we went to the Home and Garden Show at the University of Phoenix Stadium where we worked at the Super Bowl. It was a typical show, with the usual booths of floor coverings, windows and window coverings, landscapers, nurseries, pool companies, spa companies, bedroom furniture, doors and just about everything else you can imagine. Below is a shot as we walked into the show:
We got lots of information that we will use during our selection process for items and most of the information has discounts associated with any purchase. Of course, we are too early in the selection process to take advantage of any sale, but the ideas and contacts we made are very useful. There were a couple items we didn't see or were disappointed that they were not well represented - appliances, furniture and wireless systems come to mind - but over all, it was terrific and worth the ten bucks we spent to get in at half price with our online discount coupon. That was the first one of these that we have attended in at least 7 or 8 years.
I need to pick up my prep materials for my Colonoscopy today. That procedure will be on Thursday this week, but the fun starts on Wednesday by taking all the liquids and "cleansing" medications that are required. I was also informed by the doctor's office that the insurance will cover 100% of the procedure. That is always good news.
Nothing else is planned for today so I guess we will just play it by ear as we go along...
Following the meeting with the landscaper, we went to the Home and Garden Show at the University of Phoenix Stadium where we worked at the Super Bowl. It was a typical show, with the usual booths of floor coverings, windows and window coverings, landscapers, nurseries, pool companies, spa companies, bedroom furniture, doors and just about everything else you can imagine. Below is a shot as we walked into the show:
We got lots of information that we will use during our selection process for items and most of the information has discounts associated with any purchase. Of course, we are too early in the selection process to take advantage of any sale, but the ideas and contacts we made are very useful. There were a couple items we didn't see or were disappointed that they were not well represented - appliances, furniture and wireless systems come to mind - but over all, it was terrific and worth the ten bucks we spent to get in at half price with our online discount coupon. That was the first one of these that we have attended in at least 7 or 8 years.
I need to pick up my prep materials for my Colonoscopy today. That procedure will be on Thursday this week, but the fun starts on Wednesday by taking all the liquids and "cleansing" medications that are required. I was also informed by the doctor's office that the insurance will cover 100% of the procedure. That is always good news.
Nothing else is planned for today so I guess we will just play it by ear as we go along...
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Planning Mode
It will most likely turn out to be a monumental coordination effort to move into the new house. Yesterday was spent mostly trying to plan out the logistics for our move. We have the fifth wheel - loaded with most of our personal possessions - sitting on the site that expires on May 15. Our projected close on the house is May 15 and our expected arrival - should we decide to go - in Wyoming is the week after that. Whew! There are so many factors to consider - moving our stuff out of the storage unit in Surprise into the new home, figuring out what needs to stay in the fifth wheel for summers in Wyoming, do we pay to have the fifth wheel hauled to Wyoming and kept there for every summer or do we just put the fifth wheel in storage here and bag the Wyoming summer this year? We are hoping that it all gets sorted out as we get closer to the time we have to commit to Wyoming, which will be in a couple weeks.
The only other activity yesterday was a trip to Costco to return an item and pick up a few other sale items.
We have a busy weekend scheduled, starting with a meeting this morning at 10 AM with the first landscaper to provide a quote for the new home. We hope to use this as a comparison for several other quotes we expect to get from other landscapers for both the front and rear landscaping. The front needs to be completed within 90 days of move-in. It could mean having the landscaping done before we go to Wyoming (?). The rear can be done later.
Josie wants to get her hair done and we also have the big Home and Garden Show scheduled either today or tomorrow. We are looking forward to that show so that we can get information on other much needed items for the new house. We are entering an exciting, and perhaps tense period, so the next couple months should be very interesting...
The only other activity yesterday was a trip to Costco to return an item and pick up a few other sale items.
We have a busy weekend scheduled, starting with a meeting this morning at 10 AM with the first landscaper to provide a quote for the new home. We hope to use this as a comparison for several other quotes we expect to get from other landscapers for both the front and rear landscaping. The front needs to be completed within 90 days of move-in. It could mean having the landscaping done before we go to Wyoming (?). The rear can be done later.
Josie wants to get her hair done and we also have the big Home and Garden Show scheduled either today or tomorrow. We are looking forward to that show so that we can get information on other much needed items for the new house. We are entering an exciting, and perhaps tense period, so the next couple months should be very interesting...
Friday, March 6, 2015
Construction Back on Track
We signed the change order early yesterday morning to "officially" add the Den #2 in-lieu-of the 3rd Bedroom on the house. Even though we thought that was the situation from the beginning, the Pulte paperwork showed the original #3 Bedroom to be in the plans. Josie and I met at the house after she got off work yesterday at around 5:30 PM and the fix was already made on the house. Not only that, they made more progress on the framing to where the trusses were in, and the framing is moving right along:
Our meeting to review the construction with the Field Manager is still on schedule for March 13.
On the way to meet Josie at the house, I passed these balloons that were preparing for take off. The one on the right was being inflated the fastest:
These balloons were not more than about 100 feet off the highway which is as close to the main road as I've ever seen them.
TGIF and today is Josie's final work day for the week. We have a few fun things planned, including a meeting with a landscaper at the house tomorrow and a visit to the Home and Garden Show at the Stadium either tomorrow or Sunday...
Our meeting to review the construction with the Field Manager is still on schedule for March 13.
On the way to meet Josie at the house, I passed these balloons that were preparing for take off. The one on the right was being inflated the fastest:
These balloons were not more than about 100 feet off the highway which is as close to the main road as I've ever seen them.
TGIF and today is Josie's final work day for the week. We have a few fun things planned, including a meeting with a landscaper at the house tomorrow and a visit to the Home and Garden Show at the Stadium either tomorrow or Sunday...
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Small Bump
The problem that we spotted on Tuesday when we visited the house to see the construction progress was a real problem. The wall that was in the front of the second den should not have been there and the contract had no language to make it a den in lieu of a bedroom. We were never asked the question and our sales person knew from the start that we wanted that room as a den to use as an exercise room. Anyway, the problem was discovered early enough in the construction so that we could add the den configuration with just a minor adjustment. I say minor, but the wall needs to be removed in the front and the closet removed that was framed out inside the bedroom. Whew! We will be watching all of the construction closely - especially from now on.
Our fifth wheel will not be refinanced through the new credit union because, as it turns out, they can only go back to the 2009 model year and ours is a 2008. Oh, well, it was a good try.
I worked the late shift again yesterday and Josie stopped by at work to fill the tank for the Escape following her work day. She did some shopping and we were able to walk around Sam's Club a little bit on my break.
As Josie was driving home at around 6:30 she captured this neat shot of the sunset - actually, the moon:
The desert sure makes for some nice photos.
I am all set now for my Colonoscopy as I received a message that everything was approved by the insurance company. That is scheduled for next Thursday and I'm not looking forward to the preparation the day before...
Our fifth wheel will not be refinanced through the new credit union because, as it turns out, they can only go back to the 2009 model year and ours is a 2008. Oh, well, it was a good try.
I worked the late shift again yesterday and Josie stopped by at work to fill the tank for the Escape following her work day. She did some shopping and we were able to walk around Sam's Club a little bit on my break.
As Josie was driving home at around 6:30 she captured this neat shot of the sunset - actually, the moon:
The desert sure makes for some nice photos.
I am all set now for my Colonoscopy as I received a message that everything was approved by the insurance company. That is scheduled for next Thursday and I'm not looking forward to the preparation the day before...
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Taking Shape
Among the other chores I did yesterday was a drive by the new house to see if they started the framing. When I arrived there in the early afternoon, there were people working all around the house and there was some heavy equipment being used so I didn't stay to get a close look. Instead, I returned in the evening with Josie to check out the progress. We have the start of the framing and enough of it was done to see each room and visualize how it was going to look. Below are a couple shots of the status:
They did a lot in one day. Everything looked good to us except for one potential problem. The second den that we are planning to use as an exercise room had a wall constructed in the front of the room where it is suppose to be open to the hallway. I sent an email to the construction manager to ask if that was normal and if the wall was going to be removed later. Interesting.
I showed a photo yesterday of one of the burros that Josie spotted on her way to work. Well, coming home from our house visit we spotted the whole herd - or what appeared to be the whole herd - on the side of the road as we turned onto the road that fronts the resort. Another shot of the whole group is below:
We counted five in this group and that is what we remembered for this local family. Sometimes we go weeks and maybe months without seeing them and then we see them on consecutive days.
I have a work day scheduled today so we won't be home together until probably 9 PM tonight. In a way, I like the late schedule for my shift because it still gives me most of the day for other activities. On the other hand, it messes up the day for both of us. Oh well, it is what it is for now...
They did a lot in one day. Everything looked good to us except for one potential problem. The second den that we are planning to use as an exercise room had a wall constructed in the front of the room where it is suppose to be open to the hallway. I sent an email to the construction manager to ask if that was normal and if the wall was going to be removed later. Interesting.
I showed a photo yesterday of one of the burros that Josie spotted on her way to work. Well, coming home from our house visit we spotted the whole herd - or what appeared to be the whole herd - on the side of the road as we turned onto the road that fronts the resort. Another shot of the whole group is below:
We counted five in this group and that is what we remembered for this local family. Sometimes we go weeks and maybe months without seeing them and then we see them on consecutive days.
I have a work day scheduled today so we won't be home together until probably 9 PM tonight. In a way, I like the late schedule for my shift because it still gives me most of the day for other activities. On the other hand, it messes up the day for both of us. Oh well, it is what it is for now...
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Downpour
The big story yesterday was the storm that went through - all day - and was headed east to create more snow and treacherous travel for everybody on the east coast. It has been a really tough winter for most states from the Midwest all the way through the east.
I did the paperwork to send to my Gastroenterologist so that he could do my bi-annual Colonoscopy, scheduled for March 12. This time they will perform the Colonoscopy without an office visit, so the paperwork needed to be done and sent out today in order to get things rolling in time. I don't anticipate any problems with that, although I don't look forward to all the prep required for that procedure.
Josie spotted a couple burros on her way to work yesterday and they were the first ones she has seen this year. She was able to stop and get a couple photos, but by the time she snapped the photos, one of the burros had disappeared behind the bushes:
They still roam the area even though it seems like the local herd has shrunk.
The rain should be ending today and we expect to get back into the 80's with lots of sunshine by the weekend. That is good weather for home construction...
I did the paperwork to send to my Gastroenterologist so that he could do my bi-annual Colonoscopy, scheduled for March 12. This time they will perform the Colonoscopy without an office visit, so the paperwork needed to be done and sent out today in order to get things rolling in time. I don't anticipate any problems with that, although I don't look forward to all the prep required for that procedure.
Josie spotted a couple burros on her way to work yesterday and they were the first ones she has seen this year. She was able to stop and get a couple photos, but by the time she snapped the photos, one of the burros had disappeared behind the bushes:
They still roam the area even though it seems like the local herd has shrunk.
The rain should be ending today and we expect to get back into the 80's with lots of sunshine by the weekend. That is good weather for home construction...
Monday, March 2, 2015
Furniture Search
As it was another rare day off together, we took advantage of the day to do some more searching for furniture. Before heading out to a furniture store on the west side of town, Josie did some laundry to be ready for the coming week at work.
The store we went to visit is named Furniture Ranch, and is a custom furniture store that specializes in Western and Southwestern decor. That is what we want to use as a decorating theme for our new house, but we know it is very expensive because it is all custom built stuff. If we do any major decorating using this theme, it will have to be a piece at a time and would take a long time to furnish the home. So, we most likely will do a partial western decor until we win the lottery and do the whole house with that theme.
Since we were already near Cave Creek and Carefree, we decided to take a look at the many shops in downtown Carefree. By the time we got there at around 2 PM, it was raining so we took some time to eat at one of our favorite restaurants that is in Cave Creek - the El Encanto Mexican Restaurant. It was very crowded (although we saw lots of empty tables) and we had to wait to be seated, but it did not disappoint. Josie and I enjoyed delicious Mexican food and, of course, a couple margarita's:
The rain continued so we headed home for the rest of the afternoon.
Another week kicks off today and we expect to see some major changes in the home construction. Of course, we'll also throw in some working days...
The store we went to visit is named Furniture Ranch, and is a custom furniture store that specializes in Western and Southwestern decor. That is what we want to use as a decorating theme for our new house, but we know it is very expensive because it is all custom built stuff. If we do any major decorating using this theme, it will have to be a piece at a time and would take a long time to furnish the home. So, we most likely will do a partial western decor until we win the lottery and do the whole house with that theme.
Since we were already near Cave Creek and Carefree, we decided to take a look at the many shops in downtown Carefree. By the time we got there at around 2 PM, it was raining so we took some time to eat at one of our favorite restaurants that is in Cave Creek - the El Encanto Mexican Restaurant. It was very crowded (although we saw lots of empty tables) and we had to wait to be seated, but it did not disappoint. Josie and I enjoyed delicious Mexican food and, of course, a couple margarita's:
The rain continued so we headed home for the rest of the afternoon.
Another week kicks off today and we expect to see some major changes in the home construction. Of course, we'll also throw in some working days...
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Signed Up
We had an early morning appointment at the Credit Union to sign the paperwork for our Jeep refinance. It was located just off the freeway near Mesa and took us about 45 minutes to drive there. The Credit Union has about a dozen offices, but the closest branch to us was this one off Roosevelt Street near 52 ST. They - TruWest - are one of the largest in the Phoenix area but have not expanded into the West Valley because of federal mandates that limit their areas of business. Anyway, we are very impressed with the company and they have the best vehicle financing rates in the Phoenix area. We are going to try to move our fifth wheel financing over to this credit union so that all of our vehicles will be handled by them.
We left the credit union and decided to stop at a few furniture stores on the way home to begin getting ideas - both design and costs - of items we need for the new house. We stopped at Ashley Furniture, Thomasville and Drexel Heritage. There are some super buys, but we are not in a position to buy anything until our house closes. We also stopped at a lighting store to see about pendant lights for our kitchen and fans for the house. Following that, we stopped at Home Depot to get paint samples and look at their appliances and fans. It is going to be fun - and expensive - to furnish our house with the things we need, but it will be fun...
We left the credit union and decided to stop at a few furniture stores on the way home to begin getting ideas - both design and costs - of items we need for the new house. We stopped at Ashley Furniture, Thomasville and Drexel Heritage. There are some super buys, but we are not in a position to buy anything until our house closes. We also stopped at a lighting store to see about pendant lights for our kitchen and fans for the house. Following that, we stopped at Home Depot to get paint samples and look at their appliances and fans. It is going to be fun - and expensive - to furnish our house with the things we need, but it will be fun...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
