Wow!!! Was 2011 a great year or what!!
I retired last year and we have had more fun than the law allows! I started this blog to keep up with the progress on the New Mexi-Can (our 1968 Streamline travel trailer) that I'm rebuilding....among many other projects that I have going. To say this has been a whirlwind year is an understatement.
We didn't do quite as much traveling as we have in the past, but we still had tons of fun! We made 3 trips to Colorado, one to California, a couple to Arizona, one to Nebraska, one to Kansas, and a couple to Lubbock & Albuquerque. Other than traveling we worked on the New Mexi-Can, Patsi's greenhouse, the shop, and landscaping the property where we live.
Okay, so I haven't posted in a month or so, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been busy. After a Thanksgiving dinner with our whole family together for the first time in quite a while, we then spent Christmas in Lubbock with my sister, Karen, and her husband, Dean. I made a trip to see my mom in Comanche, Tx and spent the day and night with her.
January 31 we left for Payson, Az to visit Dr. Lalman, a homeopathic doctor that I've been seeing. Last year I was having some horrible sinus headaches and they didn't seem to be getting any better. A friend here in Lovington had recommended that we see him and after a few visits my headaches started disappearing. I rarely have them now except when I haul a load of horse manure or wood chips for our compost pile. The dust and the mold really get me. And I've been hauling quite a few loads of wood chips and a few of horse manure.
After spending the night in Payson and visiting the doc, we headed for Quartzite, Az. Quartzite is a winter haven for many RVer's and rock hounds. Starting in November they have a huge rock and gem show, then in January they have a large RV show. The RV show was just wrapping up as we got into town, but they were having an Arts & Craft show plus they have vendors of every kind in the many little flea market areas they have all over town. Through the summer months Quartzite has a normal population of about 4,000, but during the winter months until March or so the population swells to 500,000 - 1M. And most of them are in RVs. There are about 30 or so RV parks throughout the town and the BLM land bordering the town is full of RV's dry camping out in the desert. It is quite a sight.
We only spent a couple of days there but had a great relaxing time. We did the flea market and arts & craft thing and basically just chilled out for a couple of days. We got to stop in Scottsdale to visit my cousin on the way home. So, we had a great trip.
We have just about covered 1/3 of our back yard with composted wood chips and I have a new pile started. It should be composted enough soon to spread out and I'll start the process all over again. We plan to cover most of the useable ground in 6-8" of mulch or with raised beds.
Patsi still wants me to build a couple more raised beds before spring gets here so I have to get busy on that soon.
We bought some more tulips (4" pots this time) and put them out. Also planted a couple of dahlias and 24 crowns of asparagus. We have quite a few daffodils coming up already and a few tulips. I keep looking for more tulips to come up but so far there are only a few. I planted 400+ onions (red, yellow, white) and some garlic last month and they are already coming up. Patsi has some broccoli, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes and some herbs started in the green house.
I busted out some old concrete where my old shop used to set (between the new shop and the greenhouse), to get it ready to pour some new concrete. The past few days I have poured a footing for the old west wall of my old shop that we used as one wall for the greenhouse. I had to dig down a bit, cut the studs off, and tear out the old wood frame that was setting on the ground. It should be much better now that the base plate is up off the ground setting on a concrete footing. Still have quite a bit of concrete to pour, but I'll do just a little at a time, so it won't be so intimidating.
We made a trip to Carlsbad the other day to pick up some kitchen cabinets that were on sale at Sutherlands for the shop. I bought enough to cover eight feet on the west wall and 5 feet on the north wall. They were unfinished cabinets so I have been busy painting them. I just painted the particle board to protect it from any water that might happen to find it way onto it. I plan to stain the fronts. So they should look fairly nice once I get through.
The New Mexi-Can has been sitting out in the cold all winter. One good thing that I realized is that the black water tank that had about 2" of 'you know what' still in it and the dump valve won't open....has (I hope) all dried up. I have to remove the tank and get a new tank since the old one is damaged where the toilet bolts to the tank. Plus, I want to install a grey water tank for the sink and shower. So, hopefully when I get ready to cut the brackets off for the black water tank and unbolt the dump valve, nothing will come gushing out to see me. If it does, I will be one unhappy camper!!!!
Well, 2012 is supposed to be one heck of a year with all the prophecies of the Mayan calendar and all the stuff going on in the celestial bodies. So, no matter what you think might happen....some one will be right, and some one will be wrong. But, no matter what happens this year, I'm gonna live it to the fullest and plan on the best. It probably won't be enough time to get a fraction of my projects finished but it really isn't about finishing things, it's about the journey. And I plan to make my journey as interesting as possible.
Well, that about all for now. I'm ready for warmer weather and it should be getting here soon.
Until next time.....
Overthehump
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