December 13, 2005

December 13, 2005

Yuma, Arizona

YEAR 2 DAY 179

 

Today was sunny and warm. This morning we were remembering, not particularly fondly, how frazzled our lives as retailers were in the 2 weeks preceding Christmas. My most vivid memory is of unloading truck loads of 40 lb. bags of cat litter, in freezing rain. Now, we're in the desert, unemployed and homeless vagabonds, the sun is shining, the temperature is in the 70's ... Merry Christmas ! HA HA HA !

This morning I did preventive maintenance, then cleaned my black leather shoes. In some areas of the desert, the ground is like gravel. Here it's like sand. Just a few miles west of Yuma are the Imperial Sand Dunes, where the original Star Wars was filmed. My shoes are always dusty from walking Bo out in the desert surrounding the RV park, multiple times per day. While I cleaned my shoes, Joanne took Bo for a short obedience training walk. Then we left for a morning of errands. First stop was Performance Truck & RV where I was returning to get more information on some of the diesel engine performance enhancement products I had discussed with them yesterday. My highest interest was in a "Superchip", a hand held computer device that downloads a selection of programs into the truck's operating computer "chip", overriding and replacing the factory settings in the truck's computer. They had not yet contacted the manufacturer to determine if a "Superchip" device is available for the GM 6.5 litre turbo diesel. I told them I would return later in the afternoon on our way back home. Next stop was Watch Hospital where I dropped off my Rolex watch for repairs. It has needed repairs for a couple of months. I've been waiting until we're someplace where there is a Rolex repair depot, and we're staying long enough to have the watch fixed. Watch Hospital can have my watch repaired in a week. From Watch Hospital we drove to "old downtown" Yuma, to the farmer's market that is held there every Tuesday, on the pedestrian mall on old Main Street. We bought lots of fresh vegetables and fruits. Gee ... locally grown lemons, oranges, and grapefruits are mix & match, 8 for a dollar ! When we were finished shopping at the farmer's market, we found our way to Home Depot. I wanted to buy a new section of moulding to replace the moulding I bought and installed in the bedroom last week. I've decided I'm unhappy with the moulding I selected last week. A bad choice, and another 9 bucks goes in the garbage ! C'est la vie ! While we were at Home Depot, Lorri phoned to chat with Joanne. They chatted briefly while I selected and paid for a section of moulding that I'm happier with. We then drove to the 99¢ Mart we were at the other day, to stock up on some stuff that I bought there that I think is a good buy. While I went into 99¢ Mart, Joanne went into the adjacent Mexican grocery store, Del Sol. She wasn't able to get all the groceries she needed there, so we went down the street to another grocery store, Fry's. We bought the rest of our groceries, then headed for home. I stopped again at Performance Truck & RV. Superchips are not available for the GM 6.5 turbo diesel, but they're going to check if other manufacturers of similar products have a model available for my truck.

I thought it rather odd that both Performance Truck & RV, and Watch Hospital, are owned by Canadians. After a long morning of shopping and errands, we returned to Kofa Co-op and had a late lunch in the trailer. I read and napped while Joanne continued working on cleaning and waxing the trailer. When I woke, I joined her, to clean and the wax the high sections. Next I tried to repair the zipper on her purse that broke earlier today. I failed. I guess this purse, which I bought her as a Christmas present a year ago in New Orleans, has just about reached the end of its useful life. When the sun set, we went inside the trailer and did a bit of day trip planning, for the next week or so. I am working on today's journal entry while Joanne is preparing supper. I saw a vendor preparing fajitas today, on a barbecue, at the farmer's market. Following my "guidelines", Joanne is trying to replicate them.

We had supper, then watched the 2 hour finale of Amazing Race. Too bad. The family of obnoxious boors won. I finished up the evening by doing today's accounting.

This park is beside MCAS, the Marine Corps Air Station. They are conducting some manner of war games exercise this week. Frequently there are large helicopters and fighter jets, flying in formation, screaming overhead at low altitude.

DSK