Enjoying Being Here, Preparing to Be Some Place Else

 February 8 - March 5, 2021

Tombstone, Arizona

We're enjoying our late-winter days with temps between 50 and 75, appreciating that we're in one of the best places to spend the coldest months of the year. It's one of the main reasons we decided to make this our winter base. That it's also become a full time home for the last 16 months is definitely an unexpected bonus. 

But boy are we ready to be some place else! We spent much of the past month getting repairs done on the motorhome, and most recently, reorganizing the space to reflect taking much less with us now. 

We luck out replacing the microwave/convection oven when our wonderful Camping World crew finds a replacement for $400 less than we're expecting!! The handle ends up being covered by the wall beside the refrigerator, but the tech assures me he can do a small modification that will work fine. I tell him if his wife would approve to go ahead and do it - I agree with her, it looks great! 

Also in the lucky-us category, Progressive figures out a way to cover our windshield replacement even though there is no glass damage (air and water leaks across the whole top is the issue). After five years we have zero deductible so double yay! The "glass guy" picks up the rig from Camping World and takes it to his place where we pick it up a few days later. And it looks better than it has in years with all the yucky sealant all cleaned up. Apparently there was a ten inch section with no contact at all, no wonder it was so loud on the highways. Perfectly quiet now. So happy :-)

Just the satellite left and instead of a repair, its a replacement - there goes the tax refund :-( We're just glad to get all of this done before we head out next month. Next month!!!!! Sounds wonderful.

And at least one of us will be vaccinated when we leave. Bill had his first Moderna shot last week with no side effects. Even the arm pain is one day and very mild. I'm hoping to get my first one before the 16th or I'll have to make on-the-road arrangements. Availability is increasing so I'm confident it won't be long before we're both covered. 

A very efficient process in Bisbee at the community hospital. Lots of friendly volunteers and shot done through the car window - easy peasy!

Donnie and Bill are still playing Cribbage here every day and Anna comes with him often to visit. Otherwise it's just the three of us, and we stay home.

One fun exception has been a couple get-togethers with our Olympia-based friends who are in Sierra Vista for the winter. We met Michael and Rebecca when they were camp-hosting in their Tuscany in Colorado several years ago. Other than a few days together in Olympia we've missed them too many times - so it is great fun to find out they're neighbors for a few months.

They come for happy hour with their big boys Brutus and Russell Wilson on a lovely weather afternoon. Tessa is a perfect hostess and follows Russell around and shares the shade. Rebecca is a fabulous artist and brought a special surprise that fits our space perfectly. 

Brutus and Bill are buds.

Rebecca, Brutus, Michael and Russell Wilson

So much dog!! We love these gentle giants.

Combining natural and handmade materials, Rebecca's pieces are unique and beautiful. This one, "Desert Sunrise" had this spot just waiting for it!

We make plans to take a Jeep ride the following week. The drive to Sheepshead and into the Dragoon Mountains is one we've done a couple times, and it's fun to share it with other Jeep peeps. It's a great day of views and dogs and short hikes under clear blue, sunny skies.

Sheepshead

Piper's happy to spend the day with one of her tribe.

Brutus loves exploring all the rocks.

Tessa tries to keep up....

.....she goes around when Brutus goes straight up the rock face.

Rebecca and I enjoy hiking among the boulders with the three pups.

Tessa and Russell take a break.

Big trees and tall peaks at higher elevations.

Back from the shop, the motorhome is parked in the driveway so we can clean and organize in preparation for our travels. Bill empties and scrubs all the bins before returning much less "stuff". I've finally added bins and dividers to the overhead cupboards hoping they will lessen the "shift" of items in those long spaces. We'll see.

Moving back home.

Almost as exciting as preparing for our initial launch, it's a kick getting things ready!

Even with the pending trip, we still work on projects around the property. Gathering rocks for the yard gives us a reason to get out in the surrounding desert, finding new-to-us trails. Not far from the house, out in the gold plains, we find some ranch land with the perfect spot! Even better views than our place, because there are zero houses, it's added to our "when we win the lottery" list :-)

Sheepshead to the north.

Huachucas to the west.

South end of the Dragoons to the east.

Mules to the south.

Spun gold grasses blowing in the wind.

As is always the case for me, time is slow looking forward and fast looking back. We're anxious to be back on the road and to having COVID no longer dictating our lives (all of our lives). At the same time the grandkids are growing way too fast and deadlines are getting closer.

Elliott, our giggle-puss, already four months old.

"Say what?"

All the kids and grands are healthy and doing fine. School opening safely can't happen soon enough for some of them, including two of the parents who are teachers! 

This month marks one year of COVID. Not a happy anniversary, not one I want to celebrate. Too many lost, too many damaged, too many exposed for their idiocy. Like Katrina, history will not reflect well on how we handled this crisis. I continue to hope we have learned enough to avoid the same mistakes in the future. 

I hope you are all doing well, staying healthy, getting your vaccines, making fun plans, remaining positive.