October 5 - 27, 2021
Tombstone - Wickenburg - Kingman, Arizona
With ongoing work on the house damage, our contractors soon become part of the family, part of our everyday life. When we asked Billy and his crew to take on our rebuild we understood they already had a full schedule. Very full. Great for them, and once the missing wall and front door are replaced there's no real urgency on our part.
Doesn't mean we don't look forward to having it all done :-)
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| We're very happy with our pretty new door and keypad door knob! It also has a new color in its future. |
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| One day a lot of secret work is completed. |
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| One of the things left by the previous owners was a stack of roof tiles, so our patched roof is seamless. With no chimney for the new ventless fireplace, the holes are no longer necessary. |
Consistently great weather gets us out and about. Even after two years (gasp!), it's hard to believe we own property in this pretty corner of Arizona. With so few people, and such never-ending natural beauty, we continue to love our winter home!
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| Ghost Town Road |
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| High clouds make a light brush over the Dragoons. |
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| Looks like nothing is open any longer in the crossroads that is Pierce, Arizona. |
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| We get out for breakfast a couple times, laughing at this public service notice in the restroom :-))))) |
So happy that our pals Michael and Rebecca (fulltimers we met on the road who now winter in Sierra Vista) are back in the area! They suggest lunch in Bisbee at their favorite Mexican restaurant - now ours as well.
A cozy patio under old growth trees, with views of the unique hillsides of the little mining town, add to the fun of getting caught up. Following our delicious meal and cucumber-jalapeno margaritas we return to our place to continue our first visit of the season. Of course I fail to get pics of humans or dogs :-(
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| Finally, a good Mexican restaurant in our area!! |
On Bill's return drive from Fresno, California, the Jeep got a rock chip in the windshield which becomes a 9 inch crack after a couple days. Our local Safelite gets us in and out quickly with a new only-for-Jeeps windshield. While we've been fortunate in finding services on the road, it really is nice to have a "local town" for getting things done.
With cooler temps we're back to enjoying more time on our back porch, enjoying many spectacular sunsets. It is Arizona after all!
The fireplace is the biggest piece of the puzzle that will be our repaired living room. A couple changes in the design set us back a day, but soon it's framed with the firebox installed, cement board up, and the surrounding wall completed. Stacked stone veneer and hearth stone are ordered for delivery while we're in California. It's getting easier to see how the space will look.
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| 53 year-old drywall behind the paneling. |
COVID has postponed and moved our annual reunion more than once over the past 18 months, but we're on our way to Laughlin, Nevada, the last week of the month for our first gathering of high school classmates since 2019.
On our way there we make two stops to see friends and their new homes. First stop is to see Sue and Dave (Beluga's Excellent Adventure) and Mona Lisa and Steve (Lowes Travels) who now have lovely homes in the pretty area of Wickenburg, Arizona. We stay at Horspitality RV Park again with 30 amp FHUs on a level dirt and gravel site.
It's a very fun evening (can't remember the last time I laughed that much!) with a progressive meal starting with happy hour at ML and Steve's, followed up with dinner at Sue and Dave's . It's amazing how many of us who met on the road over the last several years have ended up with full or part-time Arizona homes!
Thankfully Sue remembers to get pics of our visit which I've shamelessly stolen to share here!
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| Fun times with good friends enjoying the outdoors before the temps drop. Dave, ML, Pam, John, Jodee, Bill and Steve. |
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| Sue and Dave are pre-furniture, but with a little improvisation they provide a delicious dinner with lovely ambiance :-) Same people, different order! |
The drive on Wednesday starts out with some highway drama as we're delayed through town for a fatal pedestrian vs vehicle accident. Disconcerting to see the victim still lying under a tarp as we pass by. Beyond that we enjoy a beautiful drive north on Highway 93, catching up with high winds for the last 10 miles on Highway 40.
Jim and Maggie moved to Kingman last year and spend their summers traveling in their 5er. We last saw them in Idaho in August! Jim went to high school with Bill and I, and wife Maggie is a very dear friend. This is our first visit to their new home. Arriving a day earlier, our Tombstone pals Donnie and Anna have their own 5er parked along the house. I pull in and there's just room for both of us with the gate secured behind!
Jim's sister Polly who was in my class is also here, and we all have a nice visit watching the birds and eating lots of yummy food! We'll all caravan to Laughlin on Thursday for the reunion.
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| Quail and dove and mountain views. |
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| All tucked in for the night. |
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| Jim takes us for a ride in the ATV to see their large desert community north of Kingman, Arizona. |
Back in SoCal newest grand baby, Penelope Anne, is getting to know her family. We can't wait to meet her in a few days!!
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| Sisters! |
We're bummed to miss Halloween with the grands, but it's fun getting regular updates of their local activities and wonderful costumes.
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| Elliott and Ezra and parents. |
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| M & M |
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| Reese and Penelope with their parents. |
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| Henry and his parents. |
So fun to see ML, Steve, Pam, John, Sue and Dave! We’ve yet to meet the last two, perhaps on a trip west. :) Your “In the road abode” is looking great, especially without bricks strewn about. Love the Grands costumes!
ReplyDeleteLOL in the road indeed!! Not something we noticed when we bought it :-)))
DeleteIt was so great to see you, Bill, and Tessa. It has definitely been too long!! I'm glad we decided to make the short journey over. Love your new front door. The fireplace is really coming along. Can't wait to see your "new" living room! The Halloween photos are awesome. Love that the parents all dress up, as well. The sister photo is just too dear. Hope you had a great time in Laughlin.
ReplyDeleteWe're so happy you two made the drive down for our little reunion!!! Reminded us how blessed we are to have met great friends on the road.
DeletePretty tough way to get a house makeover but it looks like its going well. Your kids and grands really know how to do Halloween. Wonderful costumes. It is amazing to see the group of 4 couples all ending up in Arizona.
ReplyDeleteThere are actually six fulltime couples who ended up here, with a seventh having been here but now moved to California! I don't recommend the car-through-the-wall method, but it's worked for us getting a big re-do!
DeleteIt's hard to live in a house while a remodel is taking place but yours is looking great!! Thanks for checking in--I was just telling Mike it sure had been a long time since we heard from you!
ReplyDeleteTime seems to be moseying along until I see how long since my last post! You know better than most about living in a remodel :-)))
DeleteWhat a great catch-up post. Love your new door and can’t wait to see the new color! I have always had “a thing” for doors with windows! And a big “wow” on the fireplace! Sitting on the back porch (patio for us) is just about the best thing ever about having an Arizona home. What a fun visit with great friends. I always enjoy seeing the photos and big smiles of folks we also call great friends. Penelope is a beautiful name as is Reese…what a beautiful photo of them…definitely one to be framed! It’s so neat to see these young parents with their precious babies. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving the new door with "just enough" window - I think you're going to like the color :-) I'm already looking forward to seeing all these faces along with yours and a couple more in a few months!!
DeleteUs too Jodee!
DeleteWe were so glad you reached out and made a great time happen here in Wickenburg. We're looking forward to seeing the rest of your "unplanned" remodel, as you know we're trying to get a fireplace installed here too. I hope the next time you come it won't be just a cardboard replica! Love the Halloween photos....
ReplyDeleteWe had the best time - and I'm so happy you remembered to get pics!! It's really fun to be able to do these unexpected updates even if everything takes longer than we'd like. More fun getting to watch yours at the same time.
DeleteNice to see the remodel moving along. It’s going to be bright and beautiful! Fun to see friends on the road on your way to the reunion. Love those grands!!
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely going to bring the place into the 21st century!
DeleteGood to hear the repairs are moving along smoothly. Getting to see friends along the way makes traveling that much more special. The PSA sign is too funny... Your family photos are cute!
ReplyDeleteI always appreciate businesses that give me a chuckle - even in the bathroom :-))
DeleteWas just thinking of you the other day. Glad to see the house coming along. Really nice to get a reunion meet again and then on to family.
ReplyDeleteNice to hear! Gatherings are even more precious this year.
DeleteHow great to see so many of our favorite RV buddies getting together!! I know you had a fabulous time catching up. Dang it, I wish we weren't so far away!
ReplyDeleteLiving in the midst of a remodel is not so much fun, but you have a great attitude. I'm just glad it was a boo-boo that could be fixed. And it's so rewarding when you see progress, like that beautiful front door. I can't wait to see your new fireplace! Very cute family photos, as always. :-)
You and Eric would have been a very welcome addition to our happy gathering!! We're hoping for lots of progress in the weeks after our return - no matter what, it never happens as quickly as we'd like :-))))
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