Getting ready for the Lake Havasu trip

Beautiful day today here in Santa Maria. I'm up baking my 30 day cakes because I won't be here to stir them. They were ready to go anyway. I learned to make these cakes in the 70's when I first moved to Pismo Beach, when it was more of a community rather than a city. The women made these 'Friendship' cakes with fruit that you stir in a glass jar for thirty days before it's ready to bake. It's baked in a bundt cake pan, and an icing is poured over it till it drips. YUMMY! I'll see about getting a picture of the one in the oven before anyone gets a slice.

I made one last night. It was Laurie's first taste of a fruit cake. She didn't think she'd like it but turns out she loves it! So did Leon. To tell you the truth, I've not met anyone that didn't like my 30 day cake. It's expensive to make with all the ingredients. But well worth it. In the 70's they were sold for $25.00. That was quite a lot of money for a cake in those days. 

Once I have the cakes done, (I have one more to bake) a total of three, then I will concentrate on what to get rid of in the fridge that would spoil while we are gone. 

Need to pack for Pickles as well. I know it's going to be hot so I'll pack accordingly. 

Yesterday I went to the thrift shop locally and found some overall shorts for me and Laurie. She loves hers. I'm glad because they are so comfortable to take a drive in. Nothing binding. That is important to me. 

I used to wear my jeans so tight I'd get ingrown hair in my legs. Not anymore. Comfort is my first thought when buying clothes. Fashion second.

I'm so excited about our trip. We are going to pick up the van at the airport in Santa Maria, then load up, and off we go. I love adventures. Especially when we have a couple of days to play.

It will be exciting to see what we left behind. Of course I remember much of it, but when your things have been in a boxes for over a year and you've not seen it, sometimes you forget. Especially me with my bad memory. So this is fun. And of course, we are going rock hounding.

Hopefully next time we will take the RV and be able to take our time. But we have unlimited miles on the van so we are gonna have a blast.

We are going today to Wal-mart to get the food that feeds your fish while you are away. We only have three at this time, so that shouldn't be a problem. 

I checked the RV last night while it was raining to see if it still leaked in the closet area, and thank the dancing pigs it was dry! So my friend Ron fixed a problem I've been tackling for about three years now. No more having to cover the roof with tarps! Yipee! That is such a load off my mind. One less thing to have to worry about.

After this road trip, I'll be getting ready for the Camping Women camp out. That will be so much fun. It will also be the first time I've taken out the RV since getting a new floor and carpet. Nice! Laurie is gonna come alone as well. She'll have a blast. These are some good women that have been there seen that. 

We both finally have all we need concerning, money, food, medical and everything else for that matter. We are so blessed. We love our mobile home, our life, friends, and family, and we are at peace. This is a good time to be alive.

Leon our neighbor has said he will water our vegetable garden. I think he's just as excited about our garden as we are. This will be Laurie's first garden ever. Hard to believe she has never planted anything or watch it grown. I get most of my peace from gardening and pleasure of watching my food grow. 

When we return I'll concentrate more on our home. There is a group of people that are coming to wash our mobile homes, and do repairs, and they've picked Laurie and I to help as well. Love it. So after they wash it good, perhaps we will have a paint party and paint the trailer. The park where we live will give us $200 toward paint. They like everything to look spiffy. I've already bought the $25 in flowers and planted them. They look so sweet.

When everything around you is beautiful and you've worked hard to make it that way there is a certain satisfaction that can't be beat. That's the kind of tired at the end of the day that feels the best. A restful sleep follows.

Gonna go get things ready for tomorrow. Hope everyone had a great Easter.

All my Relations!                

Algodones Mexico

Warm weather welcomed Marilyn and myself into Algodones, Mexico. The border crossing closest to Yuma Arizona. 

Our drive from Santa Maria, CA was uneventful and pleasent. We talked about camping and listened to the radio to let the time pass. My friend Marilyn said she'd drive because she had just gotten a new Fiat. What a cute car. I love it and hope to maybe someday get one like it. You can't beat the gas mileage of 40mpg. That's my kind of car.

We stopped to eat and ended up getting there around 5pm. We checked in to the Hotel Algodones, then decided to walk around town a bit before everything closed. 

We found ourselves in an open cafe' with a lounge type singer. Lots of other Grindo's there having a great time, singing along, having a margarita. My kind of crowd. 

The food was fabulous, and lots of it. The drinks were a little watered down, but good just the same. But you can't beat the entertainment. I've always preferred live music to a juke box. 

Laurie wasn't able to go because we couldn't get her passport in time. But we are hoping to get it by fall and go together again, now that I"ve been there and know what it's all about. I feel safer taking her there. Sure missed her while I was gone, as well as Pickles. 

They were both glad to see me, as I was them when I returned. We are rarely apart, so it feels strange not being together anymore. When Laurie and I met on July 4th, 2011 we have been together 24/7 since. It feels better the more we are together. Although we are very different in many ways, we come together as one at the end of the day. It's very nice to know at the end of the day you have a friend, companion, and someone that truly cares about your well being. I'm so grateful for her.    

 

 This is pottery row. It's not as large as it once was covering blocks and blocks, now there are just a few places like this one that carry pretty much anything.

 This is my dentist. He was so nice and helpful telling me step by step what he was going. Almost pain free.

 Marilyn and I having our first meal and Margarita. Yummy! The gentleman behind us sang to us while we ate. Lovely time to relax before the dentist.

 This is Hotel Algodones courtyard. Beautiful Hotel and the people that work there are very nice and helpful. They have a shuttle that will take you into town anywhere you want to go and pick you up for free. Of course, there is a tip jar.

 This is Isrial. He is usually all smiles so it's funny he's not smiling in this picture. He was a lot of help to us while we were there, directing us to what we needed. Taco's yum

I have been looking forward to going to Algodones for a very long time. I used to go there 10 years ago when I lived in Blythe. It was very different then, but basically it's the same I suppose.

I found I couldn't get the same meds I was once able to get. Even with a prescription I couldn't get Vicodin or any of my other pain medicine. I've also noticed they no longer sell perfume as they once did. Now days, it's all about the dental work and glasses. 

I got a lovely pair of glasses, with bi-focals, and turn dark outside for the wonderful price of $135.00 including the exam. Can't beat that with a stick! I am very pleased with my trip there.

 I was also able to get myself and Laurie a new purse. I got a backpack and got just the perfect purse for her as well. I got 4 cigars for my neighbor from Cuba, and a few other little trinkets that made me happy.

I look forward to going back in the fall and getting more dental work done. It's starting to get humid and hot. Not bad, but enough to tell me I don't want to go back until it cools off again.

Now Laurie and I are getting ready for our trip to Lake Havasu Arizona. Laurie lived there when I met her in 2011. I lived there with her for 6 months before we moved into the RV and on the Colorado river.

We've got to pick up the stuff we left in a storage unit there. Hope we never do that again. Leaving things behind and having to go back and get them is a bigger hassle that we originally thought. It took us a year to be able to get back there to pick it up and that cost us a little bit over $750 in storage fee's. Hate it!  

It will be nice to be back in the area. We have friends we are going to try to go see while there, as well as try to see a couple we met while traveling. They are staying at The River Lodge, and hopefully we will be able to connect and get caught up. 

The one good thing about being on the road, is meeting people that become fast friends. Since changing my phone and number, I'm going to have to get on the ball and let others know of my new number. 

Today we are going to get things sewed up so we can be gone for a week. We have the neighbor that will water the garden I've just put in. In fact, last night I finished planting all I have room to plant at this time. I'm going to work more on the garden when I return. It's hard to concentrate on things when you know you are going out of town.

We will have to go through all our stuff once we get to Lake Havasu. I'm not sure if we will be able to get it all in the mini-van we rented. We've decided what doesn't fit will be left behind.

But in the meantime, it's nice being home and not having to go anywhere for a couple of days. 

I had a gig Saturday as a clown and it went very well. It was a large party and I mainly did balloons, and everyone was happy. I was tired, but managed to dance and have a good time anyway. The money will help with all that was spent in Mexico. I have a few more gigs this month, thank goodness.

 Clowning has taken a different direction for me lately. Not only have children changed throughout the years so have the parents. It doesn't hold the same spark as it once did. When you know you aren't really appreciated and loved, it's hard to get into it anymore. I know there are certain children that still have the innocence and for them it makes it worthwhile. But anymore, children are little adults. They grow up so quick, no time for childhood anymore. With all the technology in their lives they don't seem to relate to one another as we did as kids. 

I have to admit I'm so grateful I brought my kids up in the era I did. My kids didn't even mess with computers yet. They were in high school by the time they cared about any of that, and they spent most of their time outside. Those days are gone for many kids now days. When you see commercials telling kids to go out and play on TV you know somethings wrong. It saddens me.

  Today is a bit gloomy, so I'm not sure what I'll get done today. Perhaps nothing. I'm trying to learn to do nothing and it's ok. Being disabled is a process I'm learning. I keep thinking I can do what I used to be able to do, I'm so wrong. Laurie has watched my process of learning what NOT to do anymore. I get reminded with pain when I do something I'm not able to do when I was able bodied.

Learning to be disabled isn't an easy road when you are used to doing everything for yourself. Having someone else do things for you is hard, but necessary. It's all a learning curve. The thing is to be grateful instead of resentful. I'm now on the other side of the coin, where I must learn to let others do for me. I was the caregiver all of my life, so now it's time to turn that job over to someone else. Since I have trouble walking at the end of the day, I must rely on a cane, or some type of walker. Wow, that came into my life sooner than I ever thought.

I did get my disabled fishing license. I'm thrilled. My surf fishing pole is in Lake Havasu, and I look forward to bringing it back and doing some fishing. Nothing like fresh fish caught and eaten that day. When I lived in Oceano a block from the  beach I'd get up at 4 a.m. and surf fish, and come home around 8 a.m. with a bucket of surf perch.  Wonderful memories.

Hope everyone's Easter was fun and full of family and friends. Hopefully this year we as humans can find a way to get along, and realize we are all wanting peace and happiness in our lives. It's possible.

I've found when I live in gratefulness I'm peaceful and happy. I lack nothing. 

But when I start thinking in the way of lack is when I find myself feeling badly, so I'm trying to focus on my wealth of blessings. I wish this for you as well.

Namaste'