Back in Georgetown for Restoration Work 2013

We returned to Georgetown {North of Austin} for scheduled Doctor’s Appointment, Doing our taxes and a scheduled surgery on my troublesome lower back.  Our good and faithful friends the Schaffer’s stopped and visited for a few days on their travel to do a month of volunteer work at CARE.

We had dinner at The Waburg Restaurant, a German restaurant with all the niceties that one would expect.  The hill country on Texas was heavily settled by German immigrants in the mid 1800’s, there are many references to that today.

  We had to do C.P.R. on the Cruizer to get it back on the road.  We also spent some time shuffling the debris that some left in our storage area.  This stuff is not worth $120./month to save.

Our next door neighbor’s Lab has picked me out as an easy touch for a fee cookie.  I’m thinking this can only be called predatory stalking.  I keeping giving him cookies in hope that he will leave.

Back to my Back

I was admitted to St. David’s Hospital in Austin at 5:00am {this requires 3:00 wakeup with no coffee} as I was the first in line.  This is easily largest and most organized hospital I have ever been in.  They have 6 hospitals in Central Texas with about 1,500 beds.  EVERY member of the staff made it clear to me that my care was their only concern.  As you can see below, I had my very own personnel morphine supplier, all I had to do was push a button and a double of Maker’s Mark was rushed into my system.  This only lasted 2 days as the pain of this ‘minimally invasive’ is not much worse than a backache from a 24” snow fall.  I was us and walking unassisted the evening after surgery.

The food was remarkably good and served hot as ordered.  I was not automatically put on a no salt, low fat prison food diet as in the case in Hartford.  BTW: Pineapple upsidedown cake is the desert of choice for cowboys of all ages, I've never seen a menus without it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  I am back at home now trying to evade my neighbors vicious dog.  As you can see, The Easter Bunny wasn’t quite so lucky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tombstone Adventure 2013

30 Miles down the trail from Saguaro Co-Op can be found the infamous town of Tombstone.  What first caught my eye was this small town’s rather impressive Masonic Temple.  It was closed this afternoon, I’m sure I will visit in the future and report back to you.  There are retail establishments on 1st floor and according to the signage many of the Masonic Bodies meet upstairs.

We choose not to go to “Boot Hill”.  Reading to colorful brochure we found that there is no surety that anyone is buried there in the actual location indicated by the tombstones.  Historically graves were marked with a crude wooden marker that had a very short life in an area where wood is scarce.

One half of our tour group did enjoy the window shopping in the nicely rebuilt ‘Main Street’.  From tack to silver they had you covered, bring you Visa card!

 

Being fair, the 200 yards of ‘Mail Street’ has almost no vehicle traffic and about 20 looking characters doing there best not to overplay the 1880’s parts.  No need to walk the whole tour, you can choose to ride on the ‘Mass Transit System’

 

We did have  a nice lunch at ‘Big Nose Kate’s Saloon’.  The Piano player (Actually a keyboard) was very good, we tipped him rather than shooting him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we arrived back at Saguaro, we discovered a small excavator in our side yard.  It seem that a water supply line had broken and a fellow was busy repairing it.  That fellow is in the hole fixing the pipe.  His ‘Helpers’ are assisting by well meant verbiage and other insults.  I ask the ‘Supervisors’ to hold their hands up for the camera, there appears to be 2.

The root cause of the problem is that the contactor (25 years ago) ran out of bolts for the buried saddles.  He sent a worker to town who bought carbon steel instead of stainless steel bolts.  The failures started about 10 years ago. There are about 700 saddles of this type in the park. 

Facing a 7 figure law suit, the insurance company negotiated a lump sum payment that was very favorable.  Why?  The actual work is done by a crew of volunteers about once a month.  The money bought a needed excavator and maybe beer for the crews.  This is the joy of a Co-Op.

California to Texas is 1,400 miles 2013

Our visit to Bakersfield was to say the least, anticlimactic.  We had weather issues, Drag races do not happen of wet race tracks.  In the end, the 3 day event of March Madness was shortened to 2 of it’s 4 days.  Maybe next year.

We ran 357 miles into Quartzite, AZ.  This is further than we usually drive but there was a vision of Silly Al’s pizza in my head.

We left for points East the next morning, at a late afternoon fuel stop we ran right into serendipity.  Anne-Marie noted that the Saguaro Co-op was in this town, a phone call told us they had a few sites available out of their 302.  It was so nice and inviting we stayed 3 days, giving up the head start we had gotten by leaving early.

It is the nature of commercial campgrounds that they do not age well.  This member owned Co-Op is about 25 years old and looks as new.  Sitting on a bluff a short ways from Benson, most of the sites are improved with Casitas and have desert plantings along with beautiful views.

 

 

 

The Clubhouse has about 5,000 sq feet in dinning area where they have about 3 meals a week.  These are put on by volunteers for various charities, our Fish fry was excellent at a cost of $7.00.   There a side rooms with libraries and exercise facilities.  The is a separate ‘Man Cave’ with wood and metal working tools.

We were so impressed that we have put ourselves on the 3 year waiting list to buy a lease.  We will be paying about $9600 for the lot plus reimbursing the previous owner for (recited) capitol improvements.  The high end would be $20k for a real nice casita (W/plumbing), covered porch and ‘widow’s walk.   Annual cost is about $700 for assessments, power and taxes.  If owners are absent, they can put their site into the rental pool.  In that case 75% of the earning returns to help defray campground improvements.

 

 

 

 

 

Next issue will tell you about our visit to Tombstone.

Loss of a Brother, R.W.B. Mark Hultman 2013

 

It was with great sadness that we were informed of the very sudden passing of Right Worshipful Brother Mark Hultman today. Mark has been a Friend and Brother since we meet at what is now Hartford Evergreen Lodge #88, then meeting in east Hartford, CT.  Mark was a wonderful ritualist, always speaking clearly with expression.  He was a mentor and a calming force when circumstances required it.  These qualities were noted by the Grand lodge on Connecticut when he was asked to represent our Grand Master(s) as Right Worshipful District Deputy of District 6B.

In addition to his Masonic & Scottish Rite activities, he was very active in his Methodist Church in Bristol.  He sang in the choir and chaired their roast beef dinner.

It is a shadow of darkness that passes over us as our lifestyle does not allow us to be with loved ones at times like this.

The weather is not with us, we have decided to leave this area and move back to Georgetown where I have an appointment with Dr. Sawbones who will attempt to relieve my back agony.

Despite my old age and infirmity, I did manage to wash all of the desert dirt out of and off of the Fiver and our truck.  I doubt it will look this way after the 1,300 mile trek to Texas.  not shown in this view is the fact that I had the rear bumper cut off and welded on 18” long frame extensions while we were in Mexico.  On this little back porch I have secured our generator and Black Box that I keep 50a cables in.

 

Sorry if this blog was a downer, having a bad day here as I have decided to leave the area before the March Meet.  Why?  I cannot stand sitting for any length of time.  Have no fear, things will get better as someone is keeping an eye on me.

Moose and More 2013

Busy Week here.  Early in the week, we visited Security Chapter #446 of The Order of the Eastern Star.  In accordance with the traditions of our order, Anne-Marie was received formally out of respect for here former positions.  In a large state such as this, the Members rarely have a visiting Past Grand Matron.  The formality may seem presumptuous to non members but, it’s great fun for the chapter.

On a different level, we were invited to a steak dinner at the local Moose Hall where I became a member.  We had a good time and I agreed to help park cars at their annual ‘Make a Wish’ car Show held at the Kern county fairgrounds where we are staying.  The small dues I will pay allows us the benefit of using the local faculties {Often including cheap/free camping} during our travels.  

Her non Virgin Mary had at least 10 ingredients including 3 veggies!

Meanwhile back at the fairground we  were unable to get a cheeseburger at The De Molay’s Booth.

The Car show was Saturday, I helped park the participant’s cars from 7:00 to 9:30 pm.  It was great fun as each of the 150+ cars, ‘Cycles and even lawnmowers paraded past me.

 

 

 

 

My photo Galley is below for your interest

		Make-A Wish Car Show VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL