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.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
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
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
Sunday, June 13, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
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."
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."
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
May 12, 2010
Well - now we can check the Roswell UFO Museum off of our list. It was nice but I've read so much about the 1947 event that not a lot was new to me - other than some affidavits that I hadn't seen before. The exhibits are primarily framed items on the wall and my back and neck started hurting after awhile. They'll be building a new museum in the future. I hope they get enough money to put in some nice benches and AV exhibits for geezers.
As we prepare to depart, Chuck has difficulty keeping our generator running. All of our electrical appliances run off of the generator when we're not hooked up. We don't really need it when we're on the move so we depart for Albuquerque. We've experienced high, dusty winds ever since we hit El Paso. We just saw a program on the "dust bowl" problems of the 30's and now get a small taste of how it must have been. Hellacious winds buffet the RV and hamper our progress. A police car flies past us, lights flashing - and we finally see it again down the road where a trailer has tipped over in the wind.
We've heard a whistling sound in the past; now all of a sudden, it seems much, much shriller. I attribute this solely to the high winds (as my Dad used to say, "you girls drive your cars until the wheels fall off.") Chuck, however, hones in on the problem. The right side of the windshield is starting to separate from the frame of the RV and there is an open slit at least 1/4" wide. WHAT! How could this possibly happen? We tape it up but I'm on pins and needles for the rest of the trip thinking it's going to pop out. Each side of the windshield costs about $1,000. We have insurance for glass but a question lingers in the back of my mind - can you get sucked out of a moving vehicle?
The drive into Albuqerque was beautiful and I have a much better appreciation for this area than I had when I flew in to see Bill and Laureen in the past. The "box" formed by the surrounding mountains offers a unique environment for ballonists and the famous Albuqerque Balloon Festival. We park for the night and make appointments for our needed repairs. According to the glass replacement specialist, it is quite common for RV windows to become unseated. Uh huh....okay, that makes me feel better, but how can the generator be presenting problems when we've had it inspected and maintained it? The expert's opinion? The wires were chewed by rodents. RODENTS! What in the world do we need to do to prevent that from happening again? Just call me Lucy!
As we prepare to depart, Chuck has difficulty keeping our generator running. All of our electrical appliances run off of the generator when we're not hooked up. We don't really need it when we're on the move so we depart for Albuquerque. We've experienced high, dusty winds ever since we hit El Paso. We just saw a program on the "dust bowl" problems of the 30's and now get a small taste of how it must have been. Hellacious winds buffet the RV and hamper our progress. A police car flies past us, lights flashing - and we finally see it again down the road where a trailer has tipped over in the wind.
We've heard a whistling sound in the past; now all of a sudden, it seems much, much shriller. I attribute this solely to the high winds (as my Dad used to say, "you girls drive your cars until the wheels fall off.") Chuck, however, hones in on the problem. The right side of the windshield is starting to separate from the frame of the RV and there is an open slit at least 1/4" wide. WHAT! How could this possibly happen? We tape it up but I'm on pins and needles for the rest of the trip thinking it's going to pop out. Each side of the windshield costs about $1,000. We have insurance for glass but a question lingers in the back of my mind - can you get sucked out of a moving vehicle?
The drive into Albuqerque was beautiful and I have a much better appreciation for this area than I had when I flew in to see Bill and Laureen in the past. The "box" formed by the surrounding mountains offers a unique environment for ballonists and the famous Albuqerque Balloon Festival. We park for the night and make appointments for our needed repairs. According to the glass replacement specialist, it is quite common for RV windows to become unseated. Uh huh....okay, that makes me feel better, but how can the generator be presenting problems when we've had it inspected and maintained it? The expert's opinion? The wires were chewed by rodents. RODENTS! What in the world do we need to do to prevent that from happening again? Just call me Lucy!
Friday, May 7, 2010
May 7, 2010
Per Ray and Hannelore Heizer, "don't know if you have ever watched Lucy and Desi's wonderful movie, "The Long, Long Trailer," from the early 1950's, but this latest tale of yours is a near-perfect reproduction of an early scene in that movie....rent and watch it ASAP! ...be sure to have kleenex handy as you will laugh tears...;-)" GREAT ....can't wait :-P
Actually, we might be able to go one better. Our next stop was Lackland AFB but that's a whole other story for another day...or maybe not.
After Lackland, we headed towards El Paso. As we drove, Chuck started getting sporadic "check engine" lights. The Cummings Diesel folks found that the stainless steel covering on the high pressure oil hose had ruptured, spraying oil onto two separate air coolers - one for the air conditioning and transmission and the other for the engine. How the heck? It's all a long story but the bottom line is that we left 9 days later and $4,800.00 poorer. I filled much of the down time with a great page turner, "The 19th Wife," by David Ebershoff. This modern-day murder mystery was interspersed with historical information about the Mormon Church and Ann Eliza (Mrs. Brigham) Young.who became famous for her eventual campaign against polygamy. Marilyn - this might be a good book for your book club.
I also did a little antiquing and loved the SaddleBlanket (http://www.saddleblanket.com/). The owner is a bit of a character and was onsite. There is a sign outside the store advising visitors that well-behaved dogs are welcome at all times. Outside is a large trailer and sodded dog runs which serve as a showcase for abandoned dogs. Pamphlets announce that each Saturday one can shop and adopt. You gotta love someone who runs their business this way. I told Nicky that we need to have a dog party at the house when I'm home.
We finally headed towards White Sands Missile Range - where Chuck served a couple of years in the late 60's. The surrounding mountains are impressive - and provide a beautiful view from the front of the RV. Absolutely no crises here and we enjoyed an evening stroll/tour on the white dunes of White Sands Monument. This is the world's largest gypsum deposit, easily seen from space. There is a road into the park which then turns to a plowed gypsum road. It looks like snow and the kids bring their saucers to slide on. Interestingly, they purposefully did not pave a large part of the road because of the shifting dunes. The road, picnic tables and portable toilets all have to be moved periodically to stay ahead of the dunes.
I drove over to Holloman Air Force Base to see if I could find any records about balloons which were sent up or retrieved in 1947. After looking in vain for the Freedom of Information office, I drive back to the "Welcome Center" where I ask the slug behind the desk whether there is a map of the base. "Absolutely not," she responds, "we don't want anyone to know where everything is." I do understand the need for security but we've obtained basic maps at many bases (and I really think they ought to change the name of the center.) The FOIA people, on the other hand, were very friendly but inform me that one must request records online or by mail. They don't even have a form I can fill out or a computer they can consult for me. Right.
Chuck's been following a case in the East where the individuals claim to have been picked up in their car by a UFO and subsequently dropped. Interestingly, there is no damage to the exterior of the car - except to the bottom - and a broken windshield caused by the deployment of the air bags. We're hoping that the individuals involved will choose to undergo hypno-regression.
We're finally in Roswell, NM and will tell you about that in the next post.
Vicki and Chuck
Actually, we might be able to go one better. Our next stop was Lackland AFB but that's a whole other story for another day...or maybe not.
After Lackland, we headed towards El Paso. As we drove, Chuck started getting sporadic "check engine" lights. The Cummings Diesel folks found that the stainless steel covering on the high pressure oil hose had ruptured, spraying oil onto two separate air coolers - one for the air conditioning and transmission and the other for the engine. How the heck? It's all a long story but the bottom line is that we left 9 days later and $4,800.00 poorer. I filled much of the down time with a great page turner, "The 19th Wife," by David Ebershoff. This modern-day murder mystery was interspersed with historical information about the Mormon Church and Ann Eliza (Mrs. Brigham) Young.who became famous for her eventual campaign against polygamy. Marilyn - this might be a good book for your book club.
I also did a little antiquing and loved the SaddleBlanket (http://www.saddleblanket.com/). The owner is a bit of a character and was onsite. There is a sign outside the store advising visitors that well-behaved dogs are welcome at all times. Outside is a large trailer and sodded dog runs which serve as a showcase for abandoned dogs. Pamphlets announce that each Saturday one can shop and adopt. You gotta love someone who runs their business this way. I told Nicky that we need to have a dog party at the house when I'm home.
We finally headed towards White Sands Missile Range - where Chuck served a couple of years in the late 60's. The surrounding mountains are impressive - and provide a beautiful view from the front of the RV. Absolutely no crises here and we enjoyed an evening stroll/tour on the white dunes of White Sands Monument. This is the world's largest gypsum deposit, easily seen from space. There is a road into the park which then turns to a plowed gypsum road. It looks like snow and the kids bring their saucers to slide on. Interestingly, they purposefully did not pave a large part of the road because of the shifting dunes. The road, picnic tables and portable toilets all have to be moved periodically to stay ahead of the dunes.
I drove over to Holloman Air Force Base to see if I could find any records about balloons which were sent up or retrieved in 1947. After looking in vain for the Freedom of Information office, I drive back to the "Welcome Center" where I ask the slug behind the desk whether there is a map of the base. "Absolutely not," she responds, "we don't want anyone to know where everything is." I do understand the need for security but we've obtained basic maps at many bases (and I really think they ought to change the name of the center.) The FOIA people, on the other hand, were very friendly but inform me that one must request records online or by mail. They don't even have a form I can fill out or a computer they can consult for me. Right.
Chuck's been following a case in the East where the individuals claim to have been picked up in their car by a UFO and subsequently dropped. Interestingly, there is no damage to the exterior of the car - except to the bottom - and a broken windshield caused by the deployment of the air bags. We're hoping that the individuals involved will choose to undergo hypno-regression.
We're finally in Roswell, NM and will tell you about that in the next post.
Vicki and Chuck
Saturday, April 17, 2010
April 17, 2010
This post is dedicated to Ray and Hannelore Heizer - who seem to identify with our challenges.
The weather forecast wasn't good but Ken decided we should go to Mexico anyway and we are so grateful that we went. It rained before we got to New Progreso and again after we left - but while we were there, it was pleasant and we had the whole place to ourselves. First we stopped at the duty-free shop where we purchased a new kind of Tequila to treat Chuck's palate. Then we parked our car and headed for the coffee/donut shop. The streets are filled with vendors of food, leather goods, baseball caps, DVDs, tons of jewelry, baskets, etc. Then there are the mobile vendors - mostly women and school children - trying to sell their wares. My favorite, however, was the white-coated professional greeting passersby.... "senor - a root canal today?" I have never seen such a heavy concentration of dentist offices in my life. Many Americans cross the border to receive dental care at a fraction of the cost - even though most of the dentists were trained in the states. Ken and Vera have visited this town often enough that they know some of the shop keepers. They also participate every Christmas in a special volunteer gift program at the local school. Hoards of children come from many, many miles away for the only Christmas gifts they will receive. What an admirable contribution to this poor community!
We had a wonderful lunch with $3 Margaritas and live music - then headed over to a reputable pharmacy. I purchased an antibiotic which my doctor has prescribed in the past for cheap, cheap..... but then they took it out of the bottle it was in and put it into an Omeprazole bottle. ???? That did give me pause. Once back to the RV, I immediately used a magic marker to put the correct name on.... but had forgotten what the dosage was ....hmmm. All in all, it was a great visit. Ken and Vera were heading home to Wisconsin in a couple of days and we hope to catch up with them when we're back in August.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of our day. When we got back to the RV, it seemed to be tilting a bit. Whereas we had been level before, it looked like we'd have to put the jacks down to straighten it out. I have to explain here that there had been an unpredented amount of rain in this area. We never expected, however, what happened next. The back left jack went down and down and down - into at least 18 inches of soggy mud. We determined that we better put down the premium wooden boards with handle (that Chuck and Karl made before we left) and after several attempts to lift the balky, muddy jack, I was able to slide two boards (criss-cross) in. Back down with the jacks - which snapped the two boards like teeny matchsticks...crack, crack, crack...all the while I'm screaming at Chuck, who can't hear a word over the engine. Now not only are we in the mud, the matchstick halves are solidly stuck and are pointed upward towards the bottom of our rig. Will they rip something out of the bottom if we move? We went to the office to enlist their help. The woman peers over her glasses and states that there wasn't a hole there before we arrived. What...we poured water under the RV to create a hole that we can't get out of? She calls the handymen. They don't have any winches but have a few helpful hand tools and after a bit of a struggle, they pull out the offending boards. Nonetheless, when we go to move the RV, it too is now stuck in the mud. We're dirty, the floor is muddy...arrgghh. We give up the struggle and have a drink. Time to call the professionals - which we did in the morning. It didn't take much to get us going but we'd had it. We had already paid through the next day but decided that it was way past time to move on. I finally understand the attraction of cement pads.
The weather forecast wasn't good but Ken decided we should go to Mexico anyway and we are so grateful that we went. It rained before we got to New Progreso and again after we left - but while we were there, it was pleasant and we had the whole place to ourselves. First we stopped at the duty-free shop where we purchased a new kind of Tequila to treat Chuck's palate. Then we parked our car and headed for the coffee/donut shop. The streets are filled with vendors of food, leather goods, baseball caps, DVDs, tons of jewelry, baskets, etc. Then there are the mobile vendors - mostly women and school children - trying to sell their wares. My favorite, however, was the white-coated professional greeting passersby.... "senor - a root canal today?" I have never seen such a heavy concentration of dentist offices in my life. Many Americans cross the border to receive dental care at a fraction of the cost - even though most of the dentists were trained in the states. Ken and Vera have visited this town often enough that they know some of the shop keepers. They also participate every Christmas in a special volunteer gift program at the local school. Hoards of children come from many, many miles away for the only Christmas gifts they will receive. What an admirable contribution to this poor community!
We had a wonderful lunch with $3 Margaritas and live music - then headed over to a reputable pharmacy. I purchased an antibiotic which my doctor has prescribed in the past for cheap, cheap..... but then they took it out of the bottle it was in and put it into an Omeprazole bottle. ???? That did give me pause. Once back to the RV, I immediately used a magic marker to put the correct name on.... but had forgotten what the dosage was ....hmmm. All in all, it was a great visit. Ken and Vera were heading home to Wisconsin in a couple of days and we hope to catch up with them when we're back in August.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of our day. When we got back to the RV, it seemed to be tilting a bit. Whereas we had been level before, it looked like we'd have to put the jacks down to straighten it out. I have to explain here that there had been an unpredented amount of rain in this area. We never expected, however, what happened next. The back left jack went down and down and down - into at least 18 inches of soggy mud. We determined that we better put down the premium wooden boards with handle (that Chuck and Karl made before we left) and after several attempts to lift the balky, muddy jack, I was able to slide two boards (criss-cross) in. Back down with the jacks - which snapped the two boards like teeny matchsticks...crack, crack, crack...all the while I'm screaming at Chuck, who can't hear a word over the engine. Now not only are we in the mud, the matchstick halves are solidly stuck and are pointed upward towards the bottom of our rig. Will they rip something out of the bottom if we move? We went to the office to enlist their help. The woman peers over her glasses and states that there wasn't a hole there before we arrived. What...we poured water under the RV to create a hole that we can't get out of? She calls the handymen. They don't have any winches but have a few helpful hand tools and after a bit of a struggle, they pull out the offending boards. Nonetheless, when we go to move the RV, it too is now stuck in the mud. We're dirty, the floor is muddy...arrgghh. We give up the struggle and have a drink. Time to call the professionals - which we did in the morning. It didn't take much to get us going but we'd had it. We had already paid through the next day but decided that it was way past time to move on. I finally understand the attraction of cement pads.
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