Oh how I miss the solitude of the Steps. The dogs, on the other hand, love it because entire area is paved.

The magic of Skype

While I was posting my story about our new neighbors we got a call from son Jason and grandson Aiden on Skype. Seems that Aiden wanted to show Grandma how well he can put his puzzles together. We often hear from Aiden and Cameron and Abby. It still blows me away; these conversations from computer to computer cost nothing, but are worth so much.
It’s time for breakfast so I gotta go. Yes, this morning breakfast will include milk.
Thanks for the read.

Heading Out For Adventure

It’s a Friday morning and the Vanstones are out looking for adventure. We are definetly tired of city life, we’ve had it with pavement, parking lots and shopping centers. We bring water, snacks and of course the dogs and head out to see what we can see.

We travel west of Yuma on I-8 them turn north on California S-34. Our goal is to find the old mining town of Tumco. We are warned that there is not much left of the old gold mining town, warned that anything of value from the once proud town of 3,000 people is long gone. But in it’s hey day, in the early 1900′s it boasted a school, a church, a hospital and four 24 hour a day bars, at least two of which featured “sporting gals”.

Here, coincidentally is the foundations of  one of those bars, the most substanial of any foundations in the whole town. Pardon the pun, but it’s obvious that the people that built this bordello weren’t screwing around. For my part I’m sorry I was late. We know I like old bars. We also know I’m always  packing my own Sporting Gal  and  it looked like a fun spot.
Isn’t it ironic what part of the bar/bordello still stands after all these years?

We could only find one remaining inhabitant of this old town and he wasn’t talking.

Is that snake a Rattler?

After about an hour the dogs were really happy to get back to the truck. Mar and I flipped down the tailgate, dug out a couple of crisp delicious apples and and enjoyed the sun. All in all, it was just shaping up to be a beauty day and we were in no hurry to rush through it.

The story takes a turn

Back at S34 the signs say there is more to this old town’s story straight ahead, so off we go to Gold Rock RV Resort.  As we near the historic sight/RV park we can see old mining equipment. We park and step inside to a building full of old bits and pieces they have collected from around the mine area and rocks and fossils from around the globe.

While we are wandering around in the store, a young lady comes walking by and stops to say that she just put the coffee on and today they have doughnuts. We should join them. A few of the folks from the RV park are already there, when they see us joining in they add another table and welcome us.
We enjoy the next hour with our very newest friends as they tell us of all the things there are to do in the area. As we head back to the highway we discuss this amazing lifestyle we have chosen where we see so much and meet so many interesting people. we truly are just “having a ball.”

See Buster looking out the sun roof?

Thanks to the folks at Gold Rock for the coffee and doughnuts and thankyou for the read.

Palomar Mountains in the distance

We better get busy. In just a couple of days we’ll be needing to put an extra 2 on our keyboards. Instead of being 2011, suddenly it will be 2012.

I, like everyone else has spent some time looking back at 2011. I even wrote a rather lengthly piece about all the highlights and low lights of 2011.  I covered my cancer operation,  our daughter’s wedding and finally Marilyn’s loss of her mother. I put all the proper links in there so you too could look back and had oodle’s of nice pictures. In my mind at least, it was a true work of art.
I saved it for a bit, but in the interim read a few other people’s Year in Review, and then I went back and trashed it.

That was then, this is now. We all had some sad days in 2011 and we all had some great days. It’s called life and we all get to live it. Any way we want.

So, now that I’ve quit looking back, I can look ahead. I can even start working on my New Years Resolutions.

Let’s see: Lose some weight, get more exercise, become president of the world…….What did I miss? I’ll just take last years list and change the font. Same as I did for 2010.

Thanks for the read. If I don’t see you before, Happy New Year

We home base in southern Ontario Canada. Marilyn’s sister and hubby live on the other side of the continent in West Sacramento, California. We have seen Donna and Dave five times so far in 2011, in fact they have been to our house 5 times this year, but never in the same place twice.

Our first get together was in February in Mazatlan, Mexico. We were there for the winter, they were there on vacation.

Next, we saw them in Toronto in August for our daughter’s wedding. Instead of getting a hotel, we took our coach into the city and they stayed in a hotel nearby. The day after the wedding we had a bit of a get together at 50 Point (our home base) and they joined us there.

In October we were near Edmonton for Marilyn’s mom’s funeral. And another get together.

And now, here we are in West Sac for Thanksgiving, once again having a great time.

So, where to next? Come on Ladies, the year isn’t over yet.

We run into lots of friendly people where ever and when ever we travel but this time of year there is something special about you Americanos. For the last week or so here, everybody we meet, in a park, or a store, even people on the street wish us a “happy holidays”. They say that, because down here Thanksgving is the third Thursday in November and just four weeks later St Nick comes by. They truly do have a “holiday season”

So now I get to return the favor. First of all, a big THANKYOU for reading this drivel day in and day out. I don’t know how you do it. Like really, isn’t it time you did the dishes or changed the oil in your car or something. I’d understand.

Anyway, thanks a bunch.

And Happy Holidays

It’s been almost two weeks since we arrived in Edmonton and it’s been a completely great time! Yes, we had a service for Marilyn’s Mom in there as well, but we’ve had lots of time to connect with old friends and see a little more of the city then we have in the past few years.

We wrapped it up in grand style with our Festivus Western Edition on Saturday night and guess, oh come on, take a wild guess; Guess what Mike and Tracy got me for a gift?
I understand your confusion, I  was completely baffled myself. How could anybody know that I like tasting new and different beers?

Anyway, all confusion aside, we really had a great evening, and even added another panel (chosen by Cam & Abby) to our soon to be famous Festivus table cloth that we now move back and forth between Festivus East and West.

Sunday morning, after a sinfully good breakfast but before we said our goodbyes, we did a walk with them through a local park.

We need to figure out how we can spend a little more time with them all.

Anyway, thanks guys we had a blast!

As you read this, we are probably on our way west on the Yellowhead Highway, looking forward to, before this day is over, being back in the Rocky Mountains, on our way through them to Kamloops.

I gotta say that this is an amazing lifestyle we have chosen for ourselves

Tomorrow is Festivus West with Tracy, Mike and the kids, Cameron and Abby. Sunday it’s goodbye’s all around, Monday morning we head out.

Last week here in Edmonton was all about Marilyn’s Mom’s service.

This week it’s all about connecting with people we haven’t seen for a while. Number one on that list is my daughter Tracy, her husband Mike and our grand kids, Cam & Abby.

Yesterday was us and the grand kids. After lunch at MacDonalds and a 2 or 3 hour visit to the playground with Abby we picked Cam up from school. We started with a stop for ice cream, then we were off to the Telus World of Science (aka Emonton Space Sciences Center).

20 years ago we used to take Jason and Pam there and always had a great time, but this time was different. Probably the biggest change over the last 20 years is that we weren’t there as parents. We are Grandparents now, with a whole new attitude. What ever they want to do, as long as it’s not dangerous, let’s get at it.

Yes, in the pictures above it looks like they are both underwater and yes, those are goldfish to the left of Cam but no, we were not trying to drown them.

We were having way too much fun to do that.

That’s the weather forecast for the big day on Saturday. Sounds like a perfect day for a wedding.

Today we all went to the  chosen wedding location, a place called Fantasy Farms,  in the Don Valley right in the middle of Toronto. We had a quick rehearsal (“start with your left foot so you don’t step on her dress and walk slowly Larry”: I think I can do that), toured the gorgeous facilities and headed off for a quick lunch.

Here’s a good chance for you to meet some of the family: Starting on the left, Jason, Elizabeth with Aiden, you all know Mar, then James’ mom Cindy. that’s our soon to be son in law James, the lucky girl Pam and Sherry.

It’s going to be an exciting week.

This picture is taken on the Salton Sea, in eastern California. It’s December 1985.  We’ve been on the road for about a month, travelling with our two kids. Jason is 4 at this point and will have a birthday party at an RV park south of San Diego. Pam is two. We both work for Otto Mobiles, an RV dealer in Edmonton, and have borrowed a motor home for a couple of month trip south before the kids get into kindergarten the following fall. We are two hook up with friends Rick & Wynn Young for Christmas at Disneyland.

The motorhome is a 1979 26RT Winnebago Brave. See the bikes hanging off the back? One has a kiddie seat; that’s for Pam. Now look at the trike tied to the roof rack on top of the coach. This was a real conversation starter where ever we went.

At the start of this trip Jason’s bike still had training wheels. I think it was about this point in the adventure that they came off, for ever.

Now, 26 years later, the kids have moved on and started lives of their own. But we are still doing our thing.

There is a difference though. Our dogs don’t ride bikes.

By the way; Welcome back. I missed you.