September 1, 2013

September 1, 2013

Dear Friends and Family – 

I didn’t need a calendar this spring to tell me when we’d been here a year; the spindly Ocotillos waved their fluffy orange hands to remind me.  In that year, we completed our basement and added a 10 X 24 addition which greatly expands our tiny living area.  While Chuck and Travis (our neighbor/helper) work on painting and other finishing touches, I’m haunting the thrift and Habitat for Humanity stores for cabinets and other furniture. 

My other interest is in gardening and the guys made a large elevated container with screen shading for me on top of a cement slab in back of the garage.  Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that the full-timers start their produce gardens here in February – so the few things I tried to establish by seed pretty much burned and died under the scorching sun.  I learned that the type of gardening which works here is called xeriscaping.  Xeriscaping refers to a method of landscape design that minimizes water use.

Cacti are one of the low-water-consuming plants used in Xeriscaping. Almost all plants are planted in a depression that is lower than the surrounding ground to maximize the water they receive and rocks are often placed around them to deter animals. 

I was advised to look for plants that have a silver colored cast to them; don’t know why that makes them better candidates but it seems to be true.  Also, to my surprise, cacti for transplant come with directions.  By that, I mean that before a cactus is transplanted, they mark the direction it faced as it grew.  When you move it (usually with an old piece of hose wrapped around it to avoid the needles), you plant it facing the same direction.  I bought a huge Ocotillo from Home Depot and read that the twist in the wire (that held the limbs together) indicated that side should face South.  Oleanders and Bougainvillea offer colorful relief with much more of a mid-west feel.                                   

One of the things that mystified me for a long time was the pervasive smell of the land, which became really noticeable when it rained.  Via the internet, this was eventually explained as the odor of the creosote bush.  http://phoenix.about.com/cs/desert/a/creosote.htm

“The leaves of the creosote bush are coated with a resin to prevent water loss in the hot desert. The resin of the creosote bush also protects the plant from being eaten by most mammals and insects. It is believed that the bush produces a toxic substance to keep other nearby plants from growing. Creosote bushes are very long lived, many of them existing for one hundred years, and can grow to a height of 15 feet. There is one living creosote bush that is estimated to be nearly 12,000 years old!...

The creosote plant was a virtual pharmacy for Native Americans and the steam from the leaves was inhaled to relieve congestion. It was also used in the form of a medicinal tea to cure such ailments as flu, stomach cramps, cancer, coughs, colds, and others.”

I think that I’ll wait for any end-of-time events to try that cure. 

We’ve seen a lot of animals that are new to us as well – from the scorpions, to tarantulas, a variety of lizards, gila monsters and snakes to the larger hawks, coyotes, javelina, and a few wandering free-range cattle.  The animal has caused us the most joy/frustration, however, is our adopted Weimaraner daughter, Madison (Maddie).

We had fully intended to be home this summer but I had a full-blown case of sciatica and was in too much pain to travel.  My right knee, which has now been diagnosed as “crumbling” from osteonecrosis (same problem I had with the left) has also slowed me down.  I’m actually happy to be having surgery this month at Mayo in Scottsdale.  I’m thinking about going to a rehab center afterwards so stopped in for a tour.  Clean? check; good rehab dept? check; nice atmosphere? check; coffee? Free Starbucks throughout the day! Where do I sign up?

It was a good thing we decided to stay put as – much to his surprise - they found that Chuck had a heart “flutter.”  He underwent ablation where they froze a tiny section of his heart and he was out the next day.  He seems to have stabilized and I’m thankful that the risk of tachycardia is, at least for now, resolved.

Even Maddie had a trip to the ER.  I was in town with the truck when Chuck called to say that Maddie wasn’t responding normally.  I raced home like a madman (notice that I retain the gender for this word) and we both were concerned that there was something neurological going on.  We then raced back into town with her (a 45 minute trip) to the 24 hour veterinarian clinic.  Of course, about 10 minutes before we arrived she perked up and became her obnoxious self.  We decided that we should go ahead with the exam anyway, and a hundred plus dollars later got the “everything checks out” report.  We wondered if she could have gotten into the poisonous oleander leaves.  Someone else said she might have encountered a Colorado River Toad. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_River_toad   Eeek!  Another hazard to watch for.

Even though we didn’t make it home, we want you to know that we are thinking of you and enjoy seeing your updates on Facebook and e-mails.

All our best –

Vicki and Chuck

October 9, 2012

Don’t turn the Coffee on…until the Antenna is Down! Some of my friends are urging me to write a book. “You could make a lot of money” they say. Ha ha…Really? It always seemed to me that this is just the way my life is. But now I’m flirting with the idea and possible titles come to mind such as “Don’t turn the Coffee on…until the Antenna is Down” referring to our never-ending electronic issues or “Coup de Gracie (Allen).” Don’t hesitate to forward your suggestion if you feel inspired. The time we spent at home really flew by. We reconnected with Judy and Andy Herr, Jan and Vince Martin and Karl Redell as well as Chuck's cousins Carol,Cindy and Outlaw Jack Weigel. Chuck was pretty much sidelined by sciatica due to spinal stenosis - the same problem that drove me to surgery. He was able to get in two cortisone shots before we left which helped greatly. In the meantime, I was able to catch up with: my sister Jessie; two neices - Carm and Jaimie; friends Barb Schmidt, Carol Ketter Rosen and Dianne Schabarker Michael among others. The October 2012 RV trip back to AZ was far different from earlier travels. For one thing, Chuck wanted to take a work table and two work stations back to “the bunker.” These were disassembled, and the RV dining table was cleared and lowered to accommodate all of the heavy, awkward pieces. We also packed extra dehydrated foods and another most unusual category of items - reloading equipment. The powders, primers, casings and specially manufactured device used to fill almost every type of bullet. This is a top trade item according to Prepper Modlin. In addition, we loaded Chuck’s favorite (massive) chair which was retrieved from the basement by dividing it into two sections. The chair and numerous other items filled the couch. While Chuck was making the all-important last trip to Costco prior to departure, I was trying to secure all of this with clothesline which wasn’t easy - as the handles on the upper and lower compartments were about all I had to run the line through. With all of this extra weight on the left side, I was concerned about using our slide. If we put it out, would we be able to get it back in? and, if we couldn’t get it back in.…then what?? I made the executive decision that we would leave the slide in place for the entire trip – knowing that this meant that I would have to twist my neck watching TV from the front seat for a week. The first incident occurred when I drove into a gas station to fill up. When my Dad was teaching me to drive, he always said don’t worry about the back end…it will follow where the front end goes. It doesn’t quite work that way with RVs. I DID clear that steel stanchion with the front end. Just didn’t look back and down. Never even knew there was a problem until Chuck went out to pump and started shouting my name to come look. What was his problem? The problem was that the middle of the RV was smack dab against the stanchion and the stanchion was winning. Fortunately, we’ve had so many bigger issues that this teeny tiny little crease in the compartment was like spit in a bucket - even if it did spoil our momentary dent-free status. The next issue that arose was that gauges showed no oil pressure. I would never have noticed it and would have driven on without a care. As my father used to say, “you girls would drive a car until the tires fell off.” So true. When Chuck took over driving, however, he zeroed in on the problem immediately. We’d had the oil changed right before we left so there was a concern that some mishap had occurred in that process. All of the other gauges read normal (which Chuck confirmed with our Cummins QC1000 diagnostic device) however, so we knew that we weren’t overheating. We pulled into the old, and sadly familiar, garage in Gallup, NM where they inspected it and couldn’t find the cause. So – Chuck called the Fleetwood folks and learned that either a wire was broken or the gauge was bad. We could continue without repair or worry for the time being and the mechanics finished up just in time for us to have a quick lunch with Navajo Ranger Stan Milford, a dear friend that we met through our MUFON work. After lunch, we continued on to the Meteor Crater in AZ – something we’d kept missing as we criss-crossed the West. This gave us a day of leisure prior to meeting another great friend, former Navajo Ranger, Jon Dover, in Flagstaff. This led to the next disaster which apparently – even though I wasn’t at the wheel at the time – was ALL my fault. We’d had lunch with Jon and his family at the very nice America Inn in Flagstaff – which Jon had picked as there was room for RV parking. Unfortunately, I left my credit card there and this is where things started to really go South. We went back to pick the card up and as we were leaving, Chuck approached the portico at the entrance – the entrance which held a dirty little secret. The sign over the portico gives the heighth clearance BUT what it doesn’t say is that the next overhead beam is lower than the first one. Advancing because he felt confident that we’d cleared, we were shocked to hear a very loud and distinctive WHACK! made by our satellite dish hitting the second beam. It took approximately a half-hour to back the RV out, borrow the Inn’s ladder to get up on the roof and inspect the damage. The dish was loose but still connected to the wiring. Liberal amounts of duct tape and clothesline were applied to secure the dish. We weren’t very far down the road before it was clear that the dish had escaped -despite all of Chuck's efforts to fasten it down. That roadside scenery pull-off sure was welcome but now what? Without a small ladder to get him up to the point where the ladder starts on the back of the RV, it was too difficult for Chuck to go up. With one foot on the dolly and Chuck’s shoulder to gain stability, I was able to get on the ladder and very, very gingerly climb to and across the top in pretty solid winds. I now needed to cut the wiring to the dish. Despite my personal EE’s advice that there was no way I could get shocked, I closed my eyes as I cut each wire. After that, all that was left was to (not so) gracefully lower it over the side on clothesline. Gee – those things are pretty heavy! We stashed the dish in the car and were ready to get back on the road. The Coup de Gracie of our trip was, however, still ahead. We pulled off the road where we were to meet our friend/helper Travis. The plan was to transfer the heavy/bulky items to Travis' truck before we started the trip in on dirt roads/trails. As we left pavement, we went over what seemed like a moderate bump and all hell broke loose. I hadn't yet taped down the cabinets and something (a pickle jar or who knows what) went flying...marked by a loud crash. I went back to look and absolutely could not comprehend what I was looking at - hundreds of pieces of what looked like black glass...couldn't figure out where it came from until Chuck noted that the glass front of the oven was gone! That's a part we'll never ever find again. We transferred the desired items and continued in on the road that Travis had gone over with a backhoe. We thought it went pretty well until - to our surprise - we surveyed the RV body at the end of the trip. Once again, part of the back bumper had ripped out. In summary: We’ve landed in AZ. Total damage this trip....satellite dish, couple of broken cabinet doors, crease in lower compartment, wrecked oven door, back bumper realignment. Number of days of life left in the RV = dwindling!

August 19, 2012 - Chuck's Birthday!

The plan was for us to complete work on the house and return in June….so I’d set up a June MUFON meeting in Wisconsin, featuring Richard Dolan – famous for his authoritative writings on UFO historical events. The plan and reality, however, didn’t mesh so I left Chuck behind and flew home. This gave me time to visit with Barb Schmidt, Mareta and Bob Prill and Pat and Richard Olson – so nice to catch up. It also gave me time to have my dentist analyze the botched dental work I had done in AZ – which caused an opposing tooth to crack in half. The tooth will have to be pulled and an implant installed in its place. I just HATE it when I lose original parts. . Chuck was still in the cement-pouring process when I left. Whenever we have services come onto “the Ranch” (as the area is called), one of us has to drive out to the paved road (20 minutes) and lead them back out to our property. One time, after leading a new cement truck driver in over the bumpy roads and trails, he gave us a studied look and asked “Are you two in the witness protection program or what?” On one occasion, the guys had a blow-out on one of the walls causing cement to seep out – an expensive and messy event. I was out leading a second cement truck in when it happened and hastened to the edge of the bunker to see for myself. I looked down and didn’t recognize the figure in the hat, up to their calves in cement – shoveling like mad. It was our good friend Marsha (Travis’ mother) who’d rushed over to help. I couldn’t believe it; Marsha is almost our age…what a woman, what a good friend! . I really thought I was going to stay home in Wisconsin for the summer. When Chuck told me that a production company was coming out to the desert to film him, however, I couldn’t miss that and flew back. We expected that the interview would take place in the house. To our surprise, they spent 6 hours outside, in the bunker and in the RV (where they didn’t want to run the air conditioner due to the sound). It was 106 degrees out! They kept handing Chuck paper towels to dab the sweat from his face. The chief cameraman was from Waukesha and he was struggling with the heat as well. We hope that at least some of the footage makes it to TV – will definitely let you know if it does. I felt like the “water boy” running glasses of cold water back and forth. One of the first items Chuck bought for the house was a water cooler, which I thought was totally unnecessary. Proved to be invaluable - as our water from the almost 800 foot well comes out of the tap at 81.7 degrees! . The annual MUFON Symposium was held in Cincinnati this year and since Chuck was teaching, I was finally able to pull him away from AZ. The trip was not uneventful. On the second day of driving, Chuck noticed a truck driver’s signal for us to pull over. He hadn’t even realized it but one of the tires on the car dolly had blown – leaving only shreds of string remaining. We were in nowheresville and the issue turned out not to be getting someone out to help us but getting someone out to help us that had that particular tire. Having the internet onboard is invaluable in this type of situation! Chuck’s ESP must have been working because he tried to buy two tires but they only had one. On day three, I was driving and noticed for a second or two that the car dolly wheel seemed to be wobbling more than usual and poof…the other tire blew in a puff of smoke, taking the fender with it. We cooled our heels in nowheresville#2 for three hours while waiting for help. We think that the months of sitting out unprotected in the AZ sun must have harmed the tires and will take precautions against this when we return. Our big tires cost about $600 so you know we’re going to be covering those. . The Symposium is always a good time to connect with people that we talk to and e-mail throughout the year. Travis Walton was one of the main speakers, and even though this was the third time I’ve heard him, I was impressed and moved again by his story. Travis is the logger that was out in the woods in 1975 with 6 other guys when they saw a light. They thought it might be a fire or hunters and drove towards the light to investigate. To their amazement, they found an unidentified craft hovering over the forest. Travis, the intellectual of the group, got out of the truck to get a better look when he was struck, picked up and thrown backwards, by a beam emanating from the object. His companions were scared to death and took off. They went down the road a ways until their conscience got the better of them, then went back to see if Travis was dead or needed help. When they arrived back at the site, Travis was nowhere to be found. Travis was gone for 5 days. The local police suspected foul play and that he had been murdered by his fellow loggers. Five days later, Travis awoke at the side of the road outside of town. He and his companions have taken and passed two sets of polygraph tests which showed no deception. Travis’ remarkable story is found in the book and movie “Fire in the Sky.” And where, you might ask, did this event take place?ARIZONA! . The trip to Wisconsin from Cincinnati was further complicated by lengthy stops at two truck garages and over $4,000 of repairs. I don’t even want to go there except to say that Chuck always seems to be the one who has to contact the Fleetwood RV expert and obtain schematics in order to diagnose the problem. ARRGGH#@!$$%# . We finally made it to the Wisconsin State Fair RV Park where we hope to sit, without incident, for at least a month. Although we miss the desert, it’s so great to be home!

May 10, 2012

As the orange fluffs on the Ocotillos started fading, the stately Saquaro took center stage. Short, pudgy finger-like protuberances started to appear at the ends of the Saquaro’s head and arms. The “fingers” eventually produced the Saguaro’s magnificient white, waxy flower. (I made several attempts to photograph them – but it’s just not possible to get good pictures unless you’re willing to haul a ladder around.) After about a month or so, the abundant flowers on the end of the “fingers” started to develop into ruby red buds. They remind me of the hooked, painted fingers that you see on turntables in so many nail salons. The buds will turn into fruit but again, without a ladder….. …we’ll have to settle for fruit cocktail! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saguaro On the harsher side of desert living, we’ve seen quite a few tarantula hawks. These insects, with bright orange wings, have nothing whatsoever to do with birds. It’s a wasp that paralyzes tarantulas in order to lay an egg in it. The sting of the tarantula hawk is considered one of the worst possible – fortunately, they usually leave humans alone. Ugghh…don’t read this over dinner: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_hawk I knew attitude adjustment day was coming….and it finally arrived. Travis, our neighbor across the mountain, is our right-hand man whose special expertise is operating a back hoe. Very handy! In any event, I had asked him where the broom was and he went to find it. With the pouring of the cement for our back porch, we’d slipped into a false feeling of security out there. When I heard Travis’ urgent call for Chuck, however, I knew something was up. I ran to the door where I could see Travis pinning a huge, bad-ass snake up against our barbecue station with the broom. This was the day I’d been practicing for - so I grabbed my Beretta and headed out the door. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed; Travis reminded me that the interloper was near a propane tank so snakeshot definitely wasn’t the preferred mode of execution. Travis told Chuck to get the garden spade but by the time Chuck made it back, Travis had done the deed with a piece of iron pipe (in the conservatory). I tried not to think too much about it during the rest of the day…don’t think about the rattle of the tail…don’t think about the huge gaping mouth with needle sharp fangs…don’t think about what you’d have done if you were alone…don’t think about the fact that Travis’ mom, my friend Marsha, said it was the largest snake she’d seen in her 23 years of desert living. \ The Western Diamond Back rattler…don’t even think about it. Disclaimer: There was absolutely no connection with this incident and my departure for home two days later. You can still come out to visit – we have “off-snake” season here. Vic

April 3, 2012

Poof! Overnight, the Ocotillo have bloomed and when the wind stirs the stems, the orangeish blooms wave. Exhibiting their spring finery, they seem to be saying "Hey,look.... I'm here."



http://aneyefortexas.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/the-splendid-ocotillo

I ordered 500 Ocotillo seeds as they're used as a type of hedge. I'll get some grown plants too but the 6 footers go anywhere from $20 to $125 so the hedge won't be complete in my lifetime.

Another first this month was the sighting of a javelina, mistakenly called a wild pig and a/k/a the collared peccary.



The one I saw was out for a stroll on Patton - a paved road. As I sped along at 65 mph, the little stinker got the lead out and gallumped across the road quite smartly. He looked pretty funny but I hear that they can be aggressive so I was glad I was in the car.

That was not the most exciting part of my day though. Chuck was going to be taking the RV out for repairs and I was concerned about a part of the road that would cause a side to side rocking. Out here, if you don't like something about a road, you go around and forge a new one....which I did. I was on my way to Big O tires as we found a nail in one tire and when I got there, they asked what the heck I'd been driving through!. Well hey, it was just a few Cholla Cacti that I drove over...requiring two new tires. Guess people forge these roads using something other than a low-slung Chrysler convertible. We've been looking for an old workhorse truck but until we do, the convertible will continue to take a beating. Like the RV, I'm glad the car was old to begin with.

Chuck now has our solar totally up to speed and is happy that we don't have to continually make runs into town for propane. We should start drilling our well tomorrow and will be overjoyed to discontinue water hauling...this will enable us to take long showers and be able to install a clothes washer! Wahoo!

Our other news has nothing to do with the desert. I was recently voted on as an Intern Board Member (no voting rights yet) for MUFON. I'm honored and excited. MUFON's new Headquarters is in northern Kentucky so I'll be flying there four times a year starting the end of this month.

While installing our new solar panels, Chuck started thinking about how to protect them from EMP (electromagnetic pulses). This led to the filing of a provisional patent which would have an amazing number of applications if his idea works as he thinks it will. So - now I'm involved in trying to find a company or companies to align with that would assist in testing, manufacturing and sales. The largest solar panel company in the world is right here in Tempe so we've contacted them and are holding our breath to see if they get back to us.

We feel, at 65 years +, that we're reinventing ourselves....using our minds and having fun. If only our bodies were going along with the program.....

We won't be doing anything special for Easter but will thinking about all of our friends and family.

Happy Easter -

Vicki and Chuck

March 6, 2012 Addendum

Per our realtor:

"It's very normal behavior for the Gila woodpecker. He's marking his territory by hammering on anything metal. It's even more entertaining when you are in a neighborhood and there's more than one hammering on the metal chimney caps.

Isn't nature wonderful at 5 am??" Elaine

Chuck says he doesn't think it's cute, entertaining or any of that crap that the Gila Woodpecker is marking his satellite dish!

March 6, 2012

The Wacky Woodpecker

Every once in a while, in an early and otherwise totally silent morning, there’s a vibrating, staccato sound that is felt as much as heard in the “house.” It seems to come from over the bedroom area. Chuck, who always sleeps in, hears nothing and continues to snooze – he doesn’t have his “ears” in. If I didn’t know better, I’d wonder if I was picking up some kind of radio wave through my newly crowned and very pricey molar. Then, not knowing anything about pipes, I assume it has to be the pipes…but we’re not running any water. Could it be something the Feds are doing?

After considerable thought – having few other pressing issues out here in the desert - I come to the conclusion that it could be a woodpecker. And, yes, there it is on the internet. The Arizona Woodpecker….a brazen little guy with a bright red band on his head, the females more elusive and subtle in their attire. http://birdfotos.com/birdfoto/woodpecker/arizona.htm

This morning, armed with my camera, I was out with the dozen or so paint chips that we picked up at Home Depot yesterday. With my back to the sun, I hold the chips up so that I can compare the color on the chips with the desert vegetation. We want to pick a new color for the exterior of the “house” that will blend in with our surroundings – making us even less visible. This IS ISNAS you know (It’s Survival – Not A Spa). Using one of the very few skills I acquired in Art 101 at UWM, I squeeze my eyes shut…is it chip A or B, B or C? I’m amazed at how dark the green is that I eventually select…we thought it was going to be Behr Outback but it’s Crocodile instead!

In the midst of the great paint chip selection process, I hear that vibrating sound; now I have a chance to investigate further. And – it’s a dang woodpecker pecking on the TV antenna for all he’s worth. No wonder it’s vibrating. Really, does that behavior serve as a type of knife sharpener and he’s honing his beak or what? As I’m trying to capture him on film, he senses my interest and flies….to the satellite dish on top of the RV. More rat-a-tatting. This would not please Chuck. So now I have another question to ponder. Is this normal behavior or do we have a wacked out Arizona Woodpecker on the loose?

February 1, 2012

Solar flares. Michio Kaku. Mayan Predictions. Erich von Daniken. Magnetized car cases. Food as the most valuable commodity in a disaster. Global recession. Weather instability and massive animal die-offs. My Chuck, the electrical genius, aware and concerned about the power grid. These thoughts swirling around, seeping in over time.

And so, we begin our Arizona adventure. If the power grid were to go down, Phoenix, AZ has one of the most survivable climates. Chuck’s solution, go to Phoenix and set up an off-grid station – a place we could live on solar power doubling as our winter get away. It needs to be remote…and economical.

As we often do – we went to Craigslist – and found a remote, tiny 800 sq. ft. home powered by solar. Met the owner - a synthesized music artist – who lived there until he met his wife – through Craigslist! Per usual, there are issues. We worked it out so that we can rent for two months to see if we really want to pursue a purchase.

In the Southwest, water runs over the land leaving channels called washes. During heavy rains, areas without a sewer system flood and deepen the washes. In rural settings, you may come across a barrier that’s been swung across the road to prevent you from driving any further. In less populated areas, those who have to drive through a wash may leave additional, huge ruts. Sort of like “mudding” or “bajaing” as Nicky calls it. That would be where we are. Six miles off of paved road. Few street signs. Routes that have become impassable because of deepening washes. You’ll be driving along and all of a sudden realize that there is a deep wash in front of you that you’re probably not going to make…no, no, no….time to back up and go around. There are long trails established by the locals to avoid the washes – right across someone’s private property. No matter. If there’s no fence, feel free to go on through. If the property is totally abandoned, it may also become a dump for old tires, etc. On one occasion, Chuck told me to turn right; we hadn’t gone very far until it started to feel like we were driving in snow, slipping and sliding in addition to sinking! Turned out that we were driving right down a wash and were sinking in the sand (Note: “quick sand” when retelling). I had visions of spending the night stalked by snakes and coyotes but we were able to back out. We drove a route a couple of times, marking it with stakes, before attempting it with the RV – but got stuck in a wash anyway. Although the car wasn’t on it, the car dolly dragged the rear end down - effectively wedging us in. Chuck’s solution, put the jacks down to lift the back wheels and pile stones under the tires to lift us up. This worked - but not without a lot of damage to our newly dent-free RV.

Our neighbor on the other side of the mountain wandered out to see what the heck we were doing. Good things sometimes come out of a disaster and this was one of those times. Marsha, who has lived here for 23 years has been a lifeline…she’s amazing but the one thing I found most interesting about her is that there is a gila monster living under her porch! She has a tiny dog named Sweetie that they found wandering the desert. I’d be worried sick that Mr. Gila would use its venomous bite to bring Sweetie down but Marsha says Gila’s slow and doesn’t bother them. According to Wikipedia, if a gila gets you, you should submerge your hand in water but where you gonna find a horse trough here in the desert?

In addition to the gila, we’ve seen lizards and a large, as yet unidentified, beetle. From inside of the house, we watched a coyote – perhaps 25 feet away outside the fence. We’ve been told to watch for wandering cattle, deer and donkeys as well. Marsha mentioned that she had recently seen the tracks of a mountain lion. Now that caught my attention. I make Chuck accompany me on any night-time excursions between the house and the RV. We also brought the guns out. This IS the Wild West.

To our surprise, we’re beginning to actually enjoy watching the desert. Seguaros fascinate us since we learned that it can take up to 75 years before they start growing an arm. Marsha also pointed out the slight bulges that represent good rain years. Sunsets are stupendous.

On a day to day basis, it’s been a bit like camping. The solar panels weren’t functioning adequately in the beginning. When the sun went down, so did the power and it gets pretty cold at night. Chuck didn’t want to run the heater, but we did use a few amps on the electric blanket to make it tolerable. He’s improved the system and hooked up the propane generator now – so that’s all good.

Water remains an issue as there is no well. Folks without a well haul water from town in big 300 gallon containers. We got lucky as Marsha’s son is happy to do that for a modest sum. Still, we have to watch our use of water very carefully. Putting in a well would be the first priority. We’re also driving in to our nearest town – adorable Wickenburg – to do the laundry. Serious shopping “Costco” and Michaels (for beads) requires a trip to Surprise! We took out a mailbox. Apparently because of the Patriot Act, this required two forms of identification and a copy of our rental agreement. Hard to hide out these days.

Send mail. It’s post office box 2147, Wickenburg, AZ 85358.

Love,

Vicki and Chuck

April 3, 2011

Gosh, where were we? We left California and headed towards Arizona with two goals in mind. We wanted to go to our first UFO Congress and I was able to secure an appointment at Mayo, AZ for the new gnawing pain in my "good" knee.

The UFO Congress had a lot of good speakers and was interesting but as usual, it was the connections we made there that were most important. I also spoke briefly with James Penniston, the individual who investigated the Rendelsham Forest incident in the 80s. The binary code which he felt compelled to write at that time has been decoded:

EXPLORATION [of ] HUMANITY
52 09'42.532" N 13 13'12.69" W
CONTI [NUOUS]
FOR PLANETARY ADVAN [CE ]

The longitude and latitude cross over at a point in the sea off of Ireland, over a submerged island called Hy Brasil. So interesting.

We were staying in an RV Park in Casa Grande, AZ. Two plants of interest which were new to me were the "Jumping Cholla" and the large Seguaro Cactus. The Sequaro is unique to the Sonoran Desert. Friends explained how early explorers would twist the arms of the Seguaro along trails to point the way. A warning sign for the Jumping Cholla tells of the pain caused by its needles - that look soft but definitely cause discomfort - when they seem to leap from the plant to your body. We also spent a little time skywatching, to no avail.

The trip to Mayo didn't reveal much. If I have osteonecrosis again, it hasn't shown up yet. A cortisone shot to the knee did wonders.

We were on our way to do an investigation when we got word from Chuck's son that his 43-year old wife, Bobbi, had a 99% blockage of the "widowmaker" artery and had had a stent placed. Since they advised her to have two weeks of bedrest, we decided to head back to California. We did make a quick stop to exchange some film with an experiencer who lives in a remote area - so remote that we left the RV on a dirt road and took only the car in. Along the way, we saw many run-down, dilapated shacks without electricity or sewer - reminiscent of a third world country - dotting the desert. Hard to believe people live like this in America.

We stayed with Bobbi and Charles for almost two weeks and then headed for Texas. We started noticing that the RV didn't want to start when it was warm...and started right up when it was cold. We spent a day at Freightliner in El Paso but at least in the end, it was a cheap and easy fix. An eroded wire that was easily replaced. Elated at this news, Chuck tipped the mechanic who made short work of it. Of course, it didn't last long. Two days later, the RV wouldn't start....one of the new connections that had been put in hadn't been secured properly. Another $100 down the drain.

Back on the road, the RV parks were few and far between. We decided to pull into a "picnic site" for the night. I was worried that the highway patrol might not be happy with us over-nighting there but knew that another truck pulled in before I went to sleep. In the morning, I was amazed to see 15 or so large trucks parked all around us. I remember when I could tell who was up at Chateau in the night by their footfall or the squeak of their walker. Now I seem to sleep through everything.

The next day we were treated to the sight of the wildflowers that were popping up along the roadside, including the now familiar bluebonnets - yep, we're back in Texas! Our destination was Houston where we met up with Derrel Sims a/k/a "The Alien Hunter." Derrel has presented information about alien abductions all over the world. Chuck did a radio program with him and then did a presentation re equipment at a Houston meeting. We were also fortunate to sit in on a meeting with a highly credible witness and to actually view luminescence on the hands of another abductee, viewed under a black light. Whatever this is,it's fascinating stuff.

Vicki

Dedicated to the long-handled back scratcher/shoe horn

Years ago I came across a sturdy,long-handled back scratcher/shoe horn at a Dollar store. I bought ten of them for Chuck's Christmas stocking. We have three of them with us in the RV. Why in the world, you ask, would we carry them along with us? Pay attention full-timers!

Three days ago, we got back on the road, heading towards Vegas. Not our best day. We were driving along and it seemed to me that there was a slight change in the sound the wind makes as you're driving. I looked up and there was a two foot long crack in the front windshield. It hadn't been there before...we'd had no collisions...and had absolutely no idea what caused it. There are reports, you know, of invisible objects (UFOs?) colliding with cars but we'd felt no impact. We did take a torque-ing type turn, as sometimes happens, and I'd heard a thump in the back but didn't see anything untowards from my computer seat. Add the window to the list of things we'll fix when we're home.

Upon our arrival at Sam's Town RV,LV, I put the boards under one of the wheels and Chuck finished the leveling process. He then went to put out the slide. As he did, it appeared as though the rubber seal around the slide wasn't functioning properly. He sprayed the heck out of it before taking it out any further. Amount of damage there remains to be seen.

We then began the process of setting up the table, taking out the laundry basket and putting up the heat shield that we use for the front window. It didn't take long before we discovered that our feet were wet - wet with a sticky fluid ....that smelled really good. Source? A FULL 64 ounce bottle of clothing detergent had fallen out of the bathroom sink, the cap had splintered, and there was detergent covering the bathroom floor, seeping into the rugs, under the wall and between and under our linoleum squares. What a colossal mess!!!

Here's where the back scratcher comes in. We have a sliding door in back of the living area. Detergent had seeped into the narrow slit where the door is housed. How to clean? Solution: Tie a wet rag to the end of a back scratcher to make a mini-mop!

The back scratcher has 100 uses and has saved us again and again. You can fork stuff out from under the seats and behind the wheels, activate the "on" button on top of the computer which is hard to reach, get down in back of the couch (sometimes requires two back scratchers and a bit of co-ordination), and when desperate, check for clogs in the toilet (WARNING: Do not let go of the back scratcher).

Honestly, I could go on the road selling these things.

The LONG HANDLED BACK SCRATCHER/SHOE HORN.... don't leave home without it.

January 21, 2011

We have ants...guess we've been in LA way too long. Some of the "only in California" experiences I've had here are: feeding the parking meter with a credit card, having the seat stolen off of my bicycle which was strapped to the back of the RV, sitting in TRAFFIC, sirens and helicopters, and helicopters and sirens. There have been two shootings at schools this past week. One morning I was awakened by the sound of a street person digging through the garbage bin at 5:00 a.m., collecting items for his version of a mobile home - the stolen supermarket cart (speaking of carts,they have a two-story Target store here that pulls your cart up alongside you on the escalator. Why can't they do this at the airport?)

On the other hand, we've had some quality time with Charles, Bobbi and the kids, and experienced the perfect day at the Malibu Bluff Park which lies between the Pacific and Pepperdine University. I also spent some time at the fantastic Getty Art Center. I was amazed at how most of the very, very old paintings have retained bright colors and even more amazed that these absolutely priceless works are exhibited without any kind of shielding. Of course there is a guard (mostly old and harmless looking) in each room but aren't they worried about people sneezing or stumbling and falling into the fragile canvasses?

Our only MUFON experience of this time period was an early morning call from the Director of Investigations. Chuck was still sleeping and I assumed that I would be asked to pass on a message; my adrenaline level shot up in an instant when they asked if I would wake him. An individual in law enforcement arrived home and was opening a sliding door to let his dogs out when he very clearly saw an orb outside, at close range. The dogs went nuts and started peeing all over....this was the first time I've seen that in a report but yeah, makes sense. The exciting part was that there appeared to be some trace evidence left behind in the form of burn marks. The bad news was that this was on the East coast and here we are on the West coast. This conforms to the Modlin Theorem..."if they're there, we aren't." Fortunately they had some excellent investigators in the area so we're anxious to hear if anything shows up in lab work. Events like this, reported by highly credible witnesses, keep us intrigued and involved.

I submitted an application for us to have a MUFON booth at the Wisconsin State Fair. Sites are tough to get but we've made a reservation for the entire month of August at the RV park there in case we're successful. We'll be in town way before that but not sure exactly when - all we know is that we're not taking any chances of driving the RV in snow.

In the meantime, we're sending "warm" wishes your way.

Vicki

December 23, 2010

Rain, rain and more rain. We're in California, near LA, and it seems like monsoon season. Fortunately, we think it will be clear for Christmas with Chuck's son and family. A very bright spot for me has been reconnecting with one of my college roommates, Sally. She's the one who imported Ripple from NY at $0.33 per bottle. It was so interesting to catch up with her. She's an artist and specializes in painting animals, including pets. A great idea for next Christmas. See Sally's website at http://www.natureartists.com/berners.htm

Merry, merry everyone. Vicki

December 14, 2010

I have very warm feelings for Moab,UT and our friends there - Ron, Dar, Renee and Craig - but true to Modlin tradition, our return was not without incident. I was driving as we entered our site, with Chuck in the passenger seat. "PLENTY OF ROOM ON THIS SIDE," he kept on repeating as I inched forward. But - it was dark. We didn't see the picnic table that made a long scrape mark and broke the molding over the back right wheel. My first collision. Fortunately, we've had so many that it didn't seem all that disastrous.

Like attracts like, I guess because Ron has numerous smart, interesting friends. This time around, we met Chris O'Brien. Chris is a co-host for paracast.com which covers paranormal events. We were fortunate to spend a day with Ron, Dar,Chris and Susan, including a visit to Sego canyon. The Indian writings here are up to 9,000 years old. The only thing that protects them is a fence and a sign. Even the oil from hands can be detrimental to these sacred works so we all got agitated when we saw two boys scrambling up the rocks. Ron yelled out to get down and the father of the boys yelled back "don't pay any attention to him, you're not doing anything wrong." We walked en masse towards the father to confront him and things definitely got heated. I just couldn't believe that a parent would encourage that kind of disrespect. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed - the women's - and the fact that Darlene is a National Park Ranger seemed to persuade them that they were in the wrong.

There are a number of other writings just across the road. Among them, there is a very satanic looking figure. We all stood in silence as Chris took an EVP reading (like they do on ghost hunters) before it. Haven't gotten any feedback on this so assume that nothing came through.

We decided to forge forward on an unpaved road; our Sebring had the lowest clearance so we went first. When it rains there, rivulets of water cause washes and it was these areas that caused the most concern. I got out and looked at a couple of them before we crossed; if too steep, the car could get hung up in the middle. One of these definitely looked dicey to me but Chuck decided to cross anyway. We hit hard on the front bumper but Chuck gunned it, plowing up dirt as he went. When we came to a rest on the other side, a piece of something hung down under the front bumper. A plastic mud guard - Chuck pulled it off and we continued on. We were heading towards a Ute reservation where many UFO incidents occur. Non-Utes are not welcome...very definitely not welcome. The end of the road we were on is the closest you can get by car. WE didn't see anything but Ron said something was probably seeing us - if only the mountain lions. There were two, very old hovels dug into the side of the hill, held up by huge center logs, as well as an ancient community oven. It was easy to imagine the presence of the departed walking alongside us.

We had to return the way we came - so all pitched in to pile small rocks across the wash to lessen the depth of the dip....making the way back far less eventful. Sort of sorry we didn't buy an old jeep for our tow car. A couple of days later, we departed Moab, knowing that we will return.

We stayed one night at Nellis AFB in Nevada, then on to California where we went our separate ways. Chuck traveled on to Chuck Fetterman's(our best man) near Brentwood and I took the tow car down to Charles and Bobbi's place near Burbank. Bobbi's mom has been very ill; Chuck's X-mas present to her was the flight home and my present was staying with the three kids for a couple of days in her absence. Thank heavens I remembered how to make salt dough cookie ornaments - kept the kids busy for hours. Also took them to my first 3-D movie, "Tangled." On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I drove back to join Chuck - through the Central Valley where so much of the produce we enjoy is grown. What should have been a 5-6 hour drive became 8 hours because of all the holiday traffic.

One of the interesting things I did while in that area was to meet with Eleanor Haspel Portner and a woman who claimed to have been abducted by ET's. Eleanor is a psychologist that I met 30 years ago during my Chicago days. The session wasn't particularly compelling but it was great to visit with Eleanor and I know we'll have future connections relating to sightings.

Currently we're trying to do some filming of investigative procedures. Chuck F. lit a huge pile of brush on his property which we used to portray a landing site. The two Chucks have tried to film the use of the: Google Earth maps, thermal sensing device, geiger counter, laser range finder, compass factoring in the magnetic deviation, tri-field meter and grid lay out. At one point, one of Chuck's horses started to wander into the site and we all broke out laughing. We haven't reviewed the film yet but the out-takes may take up more time than the leave-ins.

We'll head back to Charles' home for Christmas. We feel a bit like the Cranks but feel that RVing is the perfect excuse to avoid all the demands of the season - and we're loving it!

Happy holidays everyone! Vicki

October 31, 2010

Despite their horrific experience, Nicky and Nate are on the mend. I've been amazed at their positive attitudes and drive to get things done despite crutches and casts. The only complaint I heard was that they were bored to death at home....they had enough TV and Farmville for a lifetime. My sudden plummet back into work at the home seemed totally exhausting. Fortunately, Spencer, the daughter of one of our long time employees and my niece, Jaimie, both had their CNA certifications and came to my rescue; our regular staff also pitched in by picking up extra shifts. They were terrific.

Initially, we stayed at a nice RV park in Mukwonago; later we moved to State Fair Park RV in West Allis. Not as nice but closer to Chateau. We did have a late night visitor there once - begging for beer - but it was otherwise uneventful. A small, dimly-lit bar just 1/2 block from the RV park on 76th, called "Liquid Johnny's," triggered my curiosity. We decided to check it out. Over the next couple of weeks, it became our favorite Friday night hangout. Chuck enjoyed their fish fry and I loved the "Johnny Burger" served on a delicious pretzel roll. Yumm. Watching "Cash Cab" on TV with the rest of the locals completed the experience.

One of the highlights of our time at home was a get together of 6 grade school girlfriends. I hadn't seen a couple of them for 45 years.....yikes! We had so much fun that my face was stiff from laughing by the time we left. Dianne, Cheryl, Sandy, Carol and Bonnie - it was fantastic to see all of them again. Thanks to Barbara, who hosted a wonderful get-together,I also saw a lot of my 2-20's friends. Barb always says it's going to be "very simple" but it always ends up looking elegant - like it was a lot of work.

The one totally indulgent thing I did when I was home was to meet John Stahler in Chicago to continue my remote viewing training. In one of the sessions, I felt that there was land, water and structure....kind of unusual to have all three. Early analytical overlays were "buoy," "BGB," "ship masts," and "partially immersed." BGB was a term I heard from an Army guy at Mayport Naval Station who knew almost as little about the huge ships as I did; "I just call 'em BGB - Big Gray Boats", he explained. I described complicated gauges, a long center cylinder sitting on a hard flat surface, stairs, an acrid smell, clanging sound,and a warning label. I drew a diver under a large ship. When the session ended, John showed me the target - a picture of the Battleship Texas. Interestingly, on the upper right of the page was a label titled "Protection" with an explanation of the use of Camouflage - which I took to be the warning label.

I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with John; the rest of the day didn't go so well. While I was doing sessions, what I should have remote viewed was the low-life that was stealing our laptop and GPS from the car. The first thing I did after discovering the theft was to call my sister to see if I could stay at her house if need be. Then I called Chuck to give him the dire news. Even I didn't realize what a huge loss this was. The computer was the least of it. We had thousands of dollars of software on the computer - some of it essentially irreplaceable. Chuck handled it better than I thought he would although the next few days, as he recalled additional programs that we lost, were kind of dicey.

With Nicky back to work, we needed to head out again before the snow started flying. Currently we're back in Moab, UT - doing some fun things which will be the subject of the next blog.

Love, Vicki and Chuck

August 27, 2010

With our time in Moab dwindling, Ron and his daughter, Rene, offered to take us on one more outing. Chuck rode with Ron in his truck and I rode with Rene in hers. As if our CO mountain trip wasn't scary enough, they decided to drive down "Mineral Bottom" road - a steep,rocky, unpaved road that only 4-wheel drive vehicles or ATVs can handle. I held on tight - as if that would do any good if the truck lost its grip and went over the sheer drop. I tried to focus on the variations in the color of the rocks as we drove - the Moab reds, golds and the greens caused by iron oxide. Repeat after me, "Beautiful rocks, don't look down." We finally reached the bottom and drove over to a small area which serves as a landing strip. Hard to imagine what might be flown in here - other than perhaps a rescue mission. We drove on until Ron got concerned that we might get stuck on the sandy road. We turned back and had lunch along a river bank - so we'd have something to lose on the way up? Somehow the trip back up the switchbacks was more terrifying than the way down. Rene gave a sigh of relief when we reached the top. Ha ha, she had my life in her hands and was as scared as I was. (We recently learned that the road was affected by the flash floods in Utah and is closed indefinitely)

On the way back, Ron pointed out a granary where the native Americans hid their food from animals and other tribes. Rene and I decided that the short trek up was doable and set off with her part-Dingo dog, "Max." I haven't done much hiking on uneven ground since my knee surgery but my Teva sandals seemed to grip the ground pretty well. Still I was pretty pooped by the time we got to the site. Resting next to a granary that probably hasn't changed much since it was built at least 600 years ago seemed worth the work to get there. The trip down was a lot easier and faster but I had zero energy left by the time we reached the truck. Chuck poured some water over my head thinking that I could have heat exhaustion. Very possible - after we returned, we learned that the temperature was 109.4 degrees.

After a taco night with Ron, Rene and Craig, we prepared to leave for the MUFON Symposium in Denver.

MUFON has undergone radical change this year. We lost, at least temporarily, the significant funding we received from an aerospace company, and our International Director stepped down. Fortunately, our Board of Directors met the challenge and there was a palpable, new energy at the State Directors' meeting along with lots of creative ideas for the future. Chuck gave his presentation on EMP (Electro
Magnetic Pulse) highlighting our Port Jervis, NY case during the Field Investigator's portion of the program. The next two days, we enjoyed talks by the foremost experts in ufology and reconnecting with friends - especially Chuck Fetterman - our "best man." After the Symposium, we headed towards Greeley, CO to spend some time at the new International Head Quarters.

We also planned to visit beautiful Estes Park. Very unfortunately, however, I saw a entry on Facebook that indicated that my Administrator, Nicky, and her husband were in the hospital. Eventually I learned that they had been in a serious motorcycle accident. Luckily, I was able to get a straight flight home that afternoon. Chuck followed with the RV.

Nicky has a hairline fracture in her neck and a surgically placed screw in her ankle. She'll require at least a couple of months rehab and I'm back to work until then.

We had planned to be home on the 10th anyway to attend my nephew's wedding. We had a fantastic time celebrating with Ryan and Heather and catching up with family. We also attended Court - on a motion for summary judgment against the Lang Antique Jewelry Store in San Francisco - where we prevailed. Finally.

So, we're home for a bit, let's catch up.

July 10, 2010

Chuck drove the RV out of Moab and once we got to a fairly deserted area, I began my RV driving lessons. At first I was nervous and was constantly over-correcting. Eventually, however I became more comfortable and the roads to Roswell were great. I was still having a little problem with curbs - but hey, I do that in my car! I also refrained from driving into any gas stations for fear I'd take out a pump.

I was a little surprised that there weren't more people at Roswell but we heard that the numbers were down. The up-side was that it made it easier for us to meet and talk to some of the very top names in ufology. We were particularly interested in meeting Derrel Sims (the "Alien Hunter") and were honored when he and his co-author, Pat Gray, spent an evening with us and our friend Ron. Derrel and Pat's book is filled with all sorts of information on abductions and the science of documenting them. I had heard that mutilated cattle may have marks that fluoresce under a black light but had no idea that some human abductees have marks that show up under either infra red or ultraviolet light. The fluorescence is actually under the skin and doesn't wash off. Derrel is also the top investigator of implants, which is our area of greatest interest, so we're hoping we may be able to assist on his team sometime in the future.

I was also very moved to hear and meet Travis Walton. You may have seen the movie made about Travis' abduction, "Fire in the Sky." Travis is the individual who had been out working on a logging project and was returning home with his co-workers when they saw an unusual light in the forest. Travis got out of the truck and approached the light - when he was hit by a beam from a craft, lifted up and thrown. The incident was witnessed by all of those remaining in the truck - who were scared to death and took off. When they went back with the Sheriff to search for him, Travis was gone. He remained missing for about 4 days - until he came to on a rural road and made his way back to town. Travis is soft spoken and extremely credible. He said that there have been 16 lie detector tests given and passed re this event.

Our friend, Ron Regehr, gave a great presentation on the petroglyphs and pictographs that he has studied - some of which are believed to portray flying saucers. We were sorry to have missed Don Schmitt's talk but we did get to chat a bit with him and will see him later in the month in Denver. Don, who is from the greater Milwaukee area, is one of the most foremost Roswell investigators in the world.

We decided to head right to Grand Junction from Roswell as Chuck had an appointment with his orthopedic doctor and internist on July 9th. Little did we know that this change in itinerary would take us through mountain passes on the fabled MOST DANGEROUS HIGHWAY in America.

To add to the fun, Chuck had never instructed me in the use of the jake brake. I had no idea that I should turn it off when going down steep grades. We smelled a little rubber but didn't realize just how much smoke was billowing behind us until people started honking. We pulled over and Chuck immediately started hosing down the left rear tire and brake. When the smoke dissipated, we took the jake brake off and I resumed driving. He also told me to pump the brakes instead of holding the pedal down - some turns took 15 or more pumps on the pedal. The scenery was fantastic but I didn't dare look anywhere but the road while driving. We finally pulled into an RV park in Durango to rest. My nerves were frazzled and my right foot was exhausted!

The host at the RV park warned us about the remaining portion of our trip. It was worse!

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_550,

"Though the entire stretch has been called the Million Dollar Highway, it is really the twelve miles (19 km) south of Ouray through the Uncompahgre Gorge to the summit of Red Mountain Pass which gains the highway its name. This stretch through the gorge is challenging and potentially hazardous to drive; it is characterized by steep cliffs, narrow lanes, and a lack of guardrails; the ascent of Red Mountain Pass is marked with a number of hairpin "S" curves used to gain elevation, and again, narrow lanes for traffic—many cut directly into the sides of mountains. Travel north from Silverton to Ouray allows drivers to hug the inside of curves; travel south from Ouray to Silverton perches drivers on the vertiginous outside edge of the highway. Large RVs travel in both directions, which adds a degree of excitement (or danger) to people in cars."

On the way up to the first pass, I noticed the "trans temp" light going on so we stopped and let the engine cool down. Now we had a problem going up and going down - and I kept wondering about the state of the brakes after the first day. Keep in mind that this is only the fourth day that I've driven the RV. "Pee my pants" was a phrase that kept coming to mind. When you see 10 mph road signs, you know it's not good. But - we made it and Chuck says that I am now a certified RV driver. That may be.... but I will never, NEVER, drive a 39 foot and towing RV on Hwy. 550 again.

Chuck's appointment with the ortho doc in Grand Junction went well and she removed the pins. He just has a removable splint now and will have a recheck when we get back to Wisconsin. The trip to the internist confirmed Chuck's suspicions - he had fractured 3 ribs when he fell out of the RV. Nothing to be done about it but continue to take drugs. Poor guy - no wonder he was so uncomfortable.

We are now back in Moab, UT so that Chuck can work with Ron on MUFON projects. Will head up to Denver around the 20th for the MUFON Symposium.

Warm regards - Vicki

June 30, 2010

This just in from Sylvia LeBlanc:

Instead of an old rabbit's foot, I think you need to have an exorcism on your RV. Get some Holy Water and give it a sprinkle.

June 23, 2010

Chuck just didn't seem to be himself after his fall so we'd arranged for an appointment with an internist in Grand Junction. It's approximately 110 miles to GJ with NO food or potty stops so we decided to pick up a quick snack at McDonalds. I guess I was taking too much time deciding what I wanted because when I looked up, a car had slipped in between our car and the one that had been in front of me. I yelled out "that's not very gentlemanly" and the discussion went downhill from there. Chuck got irate, got out of the car and yelled "would you say that to your mother?," when the young man jumped out of his car and rushed back to push Chuck on both shoulders saying, "I ought to break your other arm old man and give you a matched pair." At this point, I called 911. Chuck might have looked weak with his cast but I think it's a good thing that I got in between the two of them or Chuck might have clocked him with his deadly cast. The upshot was that we spent 1/2 hour talking to the police and filling out forms - and being asked if we could kindly go to Burger King so that we'd get away from the scene. I should have asked for a drug screen but I really wasn't thinking...it wasn't so much that he called me a bitch...it was the "OLD bitch" that got me going!

Good thing we had a long drive to cool down. Imagine an area so remote that they have a road sign warning "Eagles on Hwy."

The upshot of the doctor visit was that we learned that Chuck's thyroid was off and also that he probably has sleep apnea. Now, in addition to the wires that were already hanging, we've got tubing from a condenser running to the back so that Chuck can use oxygen at night. Hopefully that situation will improve when we return to a lower altitude - he'll follow up with our doctor when we're home in August. On 7/16, he'll have the pins removed from his forearm. Oh, happy day.

The second trip to the Moab emergency room took place 3 nights ago. Chuck started to exit the RV when he realized that the steps had mysteriously retracted. He had a terrible fall - imitating a flying Wollenda while trying to protect his cast as he went down. Fortunately, he appears to just be contused and abused with no additional breaks. If you still have one of those horrible old rabbit's feet, could you lend it to us?

In the meantime, we've had the opportunity to see some of the incredible beauty of this area: Arches, Canyonlands, and the Needles District National Parks and Dead Horse State Park. All breathtakingly beautiful. The RV park we're in is next to a creek and faces high red cliffs. A white Robin, considered sacred by Native Americans, inhabits our park. The dirt here is so red that they sell "Red Dirt T-shirts" - so they look cleaner longer. The smoky-purple LaSal Mountains are to our back. The mountain peaks have had snow with subsquent melting several times since we arrived. The huge cottonwoods in the park seem to drop their own snow...fluffy white seeds that are so profuse that they actually pile up in places. We've had very little rain and it does get pretty hot - so hot that McDonalds sells 10# ice bags!

We had no intention of returning to Roswell but we're not that far away and the schedule of speakers for the annual celebration is so phenomenal that we've decided to go back - leaving tomorrow. Chuck will drive in the cities and I'm going to try driving on the more deserted stretches. YIKES. The plan is to go 20 miles and if it seems like it's going to be too much we'll go back and just drive the car. In addition to the presentation given by Ron Regehr, we'll see Don Schmitt (from Wisconsin) Jesse Marcel, Jr., Derryl Sims (the "Alien Hunter"), Kathleen Marden (niece of Betty Hill), Ruben Uriarte (MUFON),Richard Dolan, Peter Robbins and Travis Walton among others.

Will report on all of that later. In the meantime, I think I'll have a sip of one of the local brews "Polygamy Porter." Here's to you!

Love,

Vicki and Chuck

June 13, 2010

Robert Bigelow is the billionaire who was funding MUFON research.....


In a recent article by the New York Times, Bigelow is quoted about the dangers of extraterrestrial contact.

"I´ve been a researcher and student of UFO´s for many, many years," Mr. Bigelow said. "Anybody that does research, if people bother to do quality research, come away absolutely convinced. You don´t have to have personal encounters...People have been killed. People have been hurt. It´s more than observational kind of data."


This is why I have told my doctor and family, if anything happens to us - insist on an independent autopsy and don't let the government take my body.

June 6, 2010

So much has happened since the last post..and things are starting to blend together but here are the highlights.

Gallup, NM blah, blah, blah... the lift transfer pump...blah, blah, blah... $1,100....directly attributed to the failure to change the main fuel filter...which we thought we had done previously in Florida - still have the receipt for parts and labor. Uh huh.

Then we heard about property back in Wisconsin that might be suitable for a group home. We decided to go on to the RV park owned by our friend, Ron Regehr, in Moab, Utah. We parked the RV there and the next day Chuck drove me to Salt Lake City so I could fly home and look at the property myself. Even before I left, I had talked to the town engineer who said he would arrange for an informal appearance before the town board so that I could determine whether there were any clear obstacles to building a group home on the parcel. The realtor, I and our architect met at the property which was a lot cut out of Western Lakes Golf Course. The property was heavily wooded and very pretty. Right before we left the property, however, the realtor advised me that the owner had taken the matter off of the town schedule. I flew all that way and he didn't have the courtesy to let me know.....GRRRR. So, Nicky and I checked out a couple of other spots but didn't find anything exciting. The trip wasn't a total waste though as it was great to plant spring flowers, see the ladies, meet new staff, visit with a few people and hug Champers.

Upon my return to Moab, Ron took us out on a petroglyph/pictograph tour of some of the local Native American works. I read a bit of Ron's writings on this subject and was impressed by the subtle signs that these works reveal. Aspects such as "relaxed ears" can be telling, for example:

Relaxed ears = figure is not afraid
Deer prints with dew claws showing = fleeing
Lack of hands = defenseless
Interlocking short spirals = friendship
Broad line above person = abode (when head partially protrudes it means he is unwilling to come out of his dwelling place)

This engaging man is also an icon in the UFO field. I have seen his name mentioned many times in various books on the subject - so there is a lot he can teach us in that area as well. Sometimes Ron is able to combine his interests - such as studying the petroglyph at Natural Bridges National Monument which is believed to depict an alien spacecraft which comes down to earth.

The next day Chuck and I drove through the fabulous Arches National Park. The immense red rock takes on a myriad of intriguing forms which people from all over the world come to see, hike and climb. I'm sure we'll go back before we leave.

Memorial day is a very busy time for the RV parks and we knew we needed to move the car dolly that we had left in a tent site. On Wednesday, Ron offered to hook it up to his ATV and they were in the process of that when Chuck tripped over the dolly and hit hard. He knew immediately (and I could see) that he had broken his arm. Off to the local ER room. They anesthetized Chuck, realigned his arm and applied a cast. He asked for green and he got it - day glo! I thought that the doctor was an orthopedic surgeon but learned later that there is only one ortho guy in town. We couldn't get in to see him for follow up so made an appointment for Friday in Grand Junction ("GJ"), CO.

The doctor in GJ tried to recast it but it didn't stay realigned. Next stop = surgery. So, on Thursday, June 3rd, Chuck underwent surgery and had 4 wires placed to stabilize the correct alignment of the arm. He could tell right away that it felt better. During that whole process, however, they also realized that his oxygen saturation level in his blood was pretty low. Since we'll need to stay in the area for about a month while Chuck heals, we'll be checking that out with a doc in GJ as well.

Stay tuned for the next blog which will cover the "McDonalds and the 911 call."