We are back home... :)

 Sunday morning we woke up at Lakeside RV Resort in Pahrump, NV with the intention of heading for Lake Mead and  Boulder Beach.  Well, after checking temperatures we decided to head back to Death Valley.  The purpose of the trip was to find warmth and enjoy it.  

Treated ourselves to breakfast at the Lakeside Cafe on the property. It's inside the casino.  It was Sunday morning and it looked like it at the cafe.  Service started off good with coffee and water coming quickly.  Took a while for the waitress to take our orders and a lot longer to get the food! Very understaffed for a Sunday morning. I do have to say the food was delicious and prices very reasonable. We were beginning to wonder if we would get out of there before our 1100 check out time. Would we go there again?  Probably not unless we saw more people working. 

Got ourselves going and on the way back decided to head for Stovepipe Wells Campground. You can use charcoal barbecues there, but for some reason at Furnace Creek you can't.  We figured being Sunday it wouldn't be so crowded and it wasn't. 

We settled in, I put my shorts on and we just enjoyed the afternoon. Ken barbecued the burgers he hadn't been able to do before. YUM! 

Coming into Death Valley...

Motel at Amargosa Opera House :( 

Shawn Williams, a young woman who we really like her music used to play here quite a bit..

The view from our site at Stovepipe Wells..

Another view from our site...

Tuesday we enjoyed our morning and after lunch decided to take a little ride. Mosaic Canyon was just across the way about 2.4 miles up a dirt road.  It's a beautiful place and you can walk into the canyon. Would be a perfect walk if it was in the morning. Just too warm to walk it in the afternoon.  From our campsite we watched cars go up the road over and over. It's very popular. 

The beginning of Mosaic Canyon...

You don't realize in 2.4 miles how far you climb out of the valley...

After leaving there we took a drive up the road to the rest area. Put out a couple of chairs and enjoyed happy hour looking down in the valley. :) Funny while we were there a young asian man, wearing a mask inside his car by himself drives up and asked us where Palm Springs was? I talked to him a bit and he said he heard it was very beautiful there so he wanted to go.  He just drives around in his suv.  He did ask "What's there to see in Death Valley? I see Death Valley but there's nothing to see!"  Guess that's why he's looking for Palm Springs...if you can't SEE the beauty of Death Valley you better move on. 

Gotta love the traffic :) 

This was a ranger station/home built by the CCC's. One ranger who lived there was Stan Jones who wrote Ghost Riders in the Sky! Looking in the windows it was cute at one time. Unfortunately they are just letting the insides rot away..so sad. It's a beautiful building! I could live there! :) 

Across the road is the bathroom also built by the CCC's.  Gorgeous outside, inside not so much. Peeling marmlite :( 

We headed back down the hill to camp where later Ken barbecued some pork that was very tasty. I had made a salad to go with mine. Mashed potatoes and green beans for Ken. Unfortunately after a few bites I ended up with a GERD event. Only had 3 or 4 in the last several years, this was the worst.  I won't go into detail but ended up going to bed hoping to be able to sleep.  

In the morning I still felt like I did the night before and it was time to get ready to go. Made Ken some breakfast and we did our thing. We left about 0900.  

Sunrise on our last day...

All was on track to be home about 1400.  We stopped in Hawthorne for a potty break and Ken discovered a flat tire by the entry door. He got it changed and we were on the road again.  

I was still feeling the discomfort.  Figured I'd be heading for the doctor soon.  I hadn't eaten or drank anything all day as my body wouldn't let me.  Long story short we got home and I went to bed.  Close to 24 hours after eating I was able to dislodge the lettuce and tomato that was apparently stuck in my esophagus.  Once that happened I was all better! Karen brought some broth over and it was delicious. Never had anything like that happen before. 

Got a call in to establish with a new doctor and get this followed up on. We've had our bed on an angle for a year or more at the suggestion of Ken's ENT doctor.  It has made a huge difference in his GERD and snoring.  I think it probably did good for me too and the last week we've been sleeping flat. Oh the joys of getting older! 

Today all feeling back to normal so I was able to go with Ken to Walmart in Gardnerville for some groceries. We're all stocked up!  

Tried to get this published last night but our internet was slow, probably from the major winds we were having. Ken had to re winterize the Mansion as temps were expected in the teens and we are waking up to 14 degrees this morning. 

Ken will finish his stuff today and I'll do a little cooking. Got a taste for some more cabbage lasagna.  It was a great trip (other than GERD) but it's always nice to be home again! Have a wonderful day! 

Mini Vacation..

 Here we are coming to  you from Pahrump, NV!  After talking with Russell and finding he wasn't ready for Ken's help this weekend we said let's take a little trip and get out of the cold! Wednesday morning we finished packing up The Mansion and off we went about 1100.  

Tuesday morning Adam had texted wanting to come over and spend the night.  He got there around 1300. We visited a bit and then he ran to Wilson Canyon to take some pictures.  I ran to Raley's to get some wine lol.  Tacos for dinner and then a couple of movies we all watched. He left about 0900 on Wednesday morning and then we left.

Adam and Papa 💗

Death Valley was our destination and only about 5 hours from our house. We got to Furnace Creek Campground around 1600 or so. Plenty of sites available and with Ken's America the Beautiful pass it's only $7.00 a night. No hookups but there are bathrooms with flush toilets and fresh water. Barely cell service and little internet. I could comment on blogs but no way could I do my blog. 

Cool looking skies near Walker Lake, NV...

Hawthorne, NV 💙

There it is Russell...spooky!!

Of course, The Mizpah..we KNOW is haunted!!

Tonopah Brewing..

Love our Nevada roads and traffic!

A little wind....

Our view from the campground...

Unique isn't it..The car goes on the trailer too..

Got ourselves set up and then settled ourselves inside as the wind was crazy. It blew all night long, but we loved it.  

Thursday morning we awoke to a 50 degree morning.  It was 17 at home. The day ended up being about 73! We'll take it.  Ken took a walk over the hills ending at Texas Spring Campground. A nice area, crowded but no generators are allowed.  I put on shorts and read a book. After lunch we took a walk across the street to visit the other campground. They have huge sites that are reservable and some have water and electrical hookups. Campground was full. The visitor center was only letting a few in at a time, with masks. There was a line of people, but we weren't two of them. 

We sat outside and lit the Little Red Campfire and then Ken cooked some pork on the propane stove as this campground isn't allowing charcoal barbecues. No idea why. Not like there's anything to catch fire. Oh well turned out delicious.  Once dinner was cooked we  were inside watching the original Vacation until 2100. 

We stopped at Salt Creek..this creek runs year round.. not drinkable for humans but it keeps wildlife alive..

Thought this was a pretty cool tent

Texas Spring Campground...love where it sits!

Texas Spring...

Close up of the toy hauler....

Friday morning after breakfast we took a drive over to Stovepipe Wells and their campground. Sites were smaller and seemingly more cramped. We made the decision to stay where we were. 

Another beautiful shorts day :) Read and just took it easy. Ken too. A nice afternoon just enjoying the scenery and people watching. Eventually a nice Happy Hour and then Ken made turkey burgers for dinner along with tater tots for him. 

We woke up this morning to a lovely if not cooler morning.  At home we would have woken up to snow. Karen sent pics this afternoon 😱 Talking at breakfast we (he) decided it was time to move on.  Decided to head for Pahrump, NV for the night and then on to Boulder Beach at Lake Mead for two nights. Then we'll head home!  The wind was really blowing but at least it was blowing us towards Pahrump.

  We could have woke up to this....

We saw that Lakeside RV and Casino was a Passport America Park.  Pulled in and decided too stay one night. Good thing as with the discount it's still $60.00.  Not sure how that one works. It is a beautiful park though.  We got settled in, had lunch and then after a bit we took a walk around the park.  There are very few empty spaces, some long term but all awesome looking rigs. Love seeing how people set up their "homes".  

The wind has done my hair no favors..haha. Happy Camping!

Lakeside RV Park..Pahrump, NV...

This is the hugest RV we've ever seen!! 

It's a beautiful place! Too expensive, but beautiful! 

So grateful to be retired and living the life we live! Happy Hour time! Have a wonderful evening!  

A visit with Matt and Eva, progress on the motorhome :) working at home

After lunch on Saturday we headed out for a visit. Matt and Eva bought a house about 40 minutes from here and they invited us out to take a peek at it.  Matt took Ken's locker on Ken's last day of work and Matt's first.  We've seen him a few times over the years at different events. 

                    😊They have an awesome long driveway and beautiful place! 

The place is gorgeous and sits at the foot of some huge mountains along Highway 50 corridor.  It'll be a vacation spot for them for the next 10 years or so, and then it will be their home. Thinking ahead as prices are only going up in the area. 

We spent a good couple of hours visiting with them and their friends who were there to paint the interior.  I enjoyed my visit with Eva, she is so easy to talk with.  They invited us to stay for dinner, but we're not much for night driving. Next time we'll take an RV and spend the night :) 

Sunday we enjoyed a leisurely morning and then I finished up the curtains for the motorhome. Got the chalkboard primed and ready for some writing, which I haven't done yet. Ken worked on the "toy hauler". The toilet was leaking the last time we had it out so time to figure out the problem.  Just a seal, ordered it from Amazon. 

Later in the afternoon we talked with Karen and invited her over for a fire and some barbecued hamburgers.  John had sent her some beautiful flowers for Valentines Day so she brought half the bouquet to share with us 💗

Karen's flowers she's sharing with us and in a cool glass milk jug 😍

We had a nice fire, visit and barbecue! She said she's been craving a burger and she got a good one for sure! Tater tots to complete hahah. 

This morning we woke to cloudy and cool conditions, seems to be a pattern lately.  It was a clean house type of day, gotta be done. Ken got the generator going on the motorhome and a vent back in over the bed.  He also got the bed, dinette and all that stuff put back where it belongs. 

It's getting closer to being able to take out.  There is a water leak, which we knew when we got it. With weather being the way it is he doesn't want to unwinteuize it for just a day because night temps require it to be winterized. We'll wait a few more weeks until we have warmer nights. 

When we were in Carson City the other day we stopped at AAA and got their package for towing that covers RVS so that makes us feel better if something were to happen. It is 32 years old now. 

It's looking pretty good inside now, we're really liking it. Just the dinette I've got to figure covers for that.  Of course Ken says it's fine the way it is...uh no! LOL. 

The chalkboard ready to write on...

Priming the chalkboard...

Close up of the curtains over dinette, in bathroom and kitchen window...

Found this gem on Amazon for $6.00..Mountains and it says "Let me show you the way!" 

Bathroom window

I loved this material as soon as I saw it! 

Karen gave me these two pillows..I loved them because we've been every place but Acadia..

Living room..

Dining room..just the cushions need redoing..Table's wet not messy haha. 

These are the curtains for the "bedroom" bunk area...still need curtain rods..

Hopefully this next week I can get it finished..we shall see! Tomorrow is a Walmart and Raley's day so that day will go fast. I can't believe it's the middle of February already! 

Stole this from FB...Michael, Steve, Russell and Antoine..4 founding members of Sacramento Beer Enthusiasts! 💙💙

Looks like Seth made it home for the Valentines weekend. Some good looking food was certainly had there! Christina, Mason and Seth..💙💙

Happy Hour time! Have a wonderful evening!