New iPad!

I would not say that I am a technology geek and I have never had the latest and greatest when it comes to computers, but as you know from earlier posts, I am really liking these Apple gadgets.

In more and more meetings that I am in, people are using iPads. So not to be outdone, I had some Birthday money and a Target Giftcard from my Blackbery that I turned in (don't tell my daughter Sarah because I think she planned to use the card) so I took the plunge and bought the iPad2 16GB for the reduced $399 price.

Ideally, I would like to use it for client presentations and to take meeting notes, but I haven't figured out how to save documents and I am not real affective with typing on the keyboard.

Because I am cheap, I didn't want to spend the extra money for the Verizon version of this unit, so I am test driving using my iPhone as a hotspot for $20 per month. So far it works great, I'm just not sure how fast I will get to my 2GB usage limit. It will be nice to always have the ability to connect when WiFi is not available.

I also have not figured out how to insert pictures using Picasa like I do on the laptop, so tonight's post is a little boring...sorry!

I am hoping some of the more technical experts who follow this blog like Rick or Michael might read this post and provide me with some helpful instruction...thanks in advance for your help! (I had to actually go to my laptop to post the links to these two guy's blogs, so that is another challenge that I face with using my iPad)

Well we are off for what will probably and sadly be our last local camping trip and we are supposed to have both wind and rain after a beautiful week...go figure that. But no matter, We will go and have a great time.

I will take some pictures to share...hopefully not of rattlesnakes like our last time out. I can almost guarantee you that Tracy will not be hiking off trail this weekend after our little unfriendly encounter.

That's it for tonight, I had better get this posted and get to bed as this was an early day for me. Diamondbacks just beat the Padres...I hope they continue their great forward momentum...go D'Backs! I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable weekend and be safe out there!

Fastest Physical In The Southwest!

Well today was the day for my annual physical exam.  I arrived at my doctor's office 15 minutes early, paid my co-pay and had a seat in the waiting room.  In the time I took my iPhone out to check my email, my name was called.

It was time to take my temperature, weight and blood pressure.  As you know from earlier posts, I have been trying to lose 20 pounds before this day and was only able to get down 15.  So it was off to wait in the exam room.

Then everything slowed down, I waited 20 minutes until the door opened and my doctor appeared with a doctor in training.  So off with everything and another 10 minute wait until the doctor came back after ordering labs.

Less than 10 minutes later the doctor left the exam room and I was done.  This was a 5 minute time improvement from my last physical at age 49.  Well I have to wonder if my doctor is just getting prepared should "Obama Care" become law.  I am wondering if my physical next year will only be 5 minutes?

I want to welcome aboard RV PAINTER J. RICHARD SECOR as our latest follower. Welcome aboard and thanks for joining us.

I hope your week is going great and be safe out there!

A Great Day!

We had such a great Easter Sunday for all of the following reasons...

• Our church service was crowded but very nice.  
• The music was beautiful and the message was great.  Our pastor assured everyone that there would be plenty of available seats next Sunday, how many do you think will be back?
• My In-laws decided to do Easter brunch at their house.
• We got to eat out on the patio.
• The eggs, hashed browns, ham, coffee cake and fruit were delicious!
• Visiting with family and friends was very enjoyable.
• The Diamondbacks swept the Giants.
• Bubba Watson won the Masters in sudden death.
• The weather was great.
• I got to spent time with those I love.

It really doesn't get much better than this...we are truly blessed!

I want to welcome Rick and Paulette and Merikay as our most recent followers.  Both of these individuals have great Blogs that you should visit and Rick has some of the best and most detailed technical information that I have ever seen. Thanks for joining us and welcome!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, have a great week and be safe out there!

Warm Easter Welcome!

Happy Easter

I was listening to a radio show this afternoon and the hosts were talking about Tim Tebow attending a church service in Texas on Easter Sunday and the church is expecting a crowd of thirty thousand.  The hosts were trying to figure out whether people were coming to celebrate Easter or to see Tim Tebow. 

They went on to say that a 2010 survey was conducted which asked if people attended church regularly and regularly was defined as twice per month.  Forty percent of the respondents said they attended regularly, but when they checked with the churches regarding their attendance, the percentage dropped to 21%. 

I got a little smile on my face when they said that neither of the hosts attended church regularly because they liked to sleep in on Sunday and watch football.  One of hosts said that he believed in God and that on judgment day it was his hope that the few times he attended church on Christmas and Easter would give him extra points. 

They said that people who only attend church on Christmas and Easter were fakes and they should not go tomorrow because they won’t know what they are doing and they will most likely embarrass themselves. 

The reason for my smile is that I have grown up in the church and it feels like a second home to me.  I certainly don’t go to church for points and I hate to think that anyone would.  I go for the relationship with my Savior, fellowship with my fellow Christians and I can’t imagine not being there.  

Easter is a perfect time to go to church, whether you are used to it or not. But so are all of the other Sundays each year. I hope that no one feels that they have to go to services tomorrow, but if they do go, I hope they will find a warm Easter welcome that will cause them to come back again and again!

I want to welcome Erik of Erik's RV Blog as our latest follower. Welcome aboard Erik and thanks for joining us.

Have a blessed Easter wherever you are and whatever you are doing!

Retirement in 15 years?

This post is not meant to be political or to create controversy....this is just a question that keeps rolling around in my head.  What will retirement look like for us in 15, 20, 25 years and will it even be a possibility?

I read all these great RV blogs about the wonderful adventures that many of you have undertaken and I can't help but be a little envious of what might never be for us.

With the stock market downturn, gas at $5.00 per gallon and the unknown future that lies ahead, I wonder if people who are 50 today will ever be able to actually retire?

I wonder if we will just continue to work until we can't work anymore? I wonder if we will just work until the time we have to move in with our kids (I hope they read this post and make sure to prepare our room...you know, a nice large one, preferably with an ocean view). Or will we just pack up our motorhome and drive off into the sunset, paying $27.00 per gallon for gas and $75.00 per night to boondock at WalMart?

Well no one knows, so we will just keep enjoying life based on what we know today and putting as much as we can away for the future and just hope for the best!

I do hope your week has been great and that your Easter weekend will be blessed!

We Need A Spare Bedroom...

Well as you know from my post earlier this week that we had a houseful of family and fun times together.  When we were trying to figure out where everyone was going to sleep we were short space for two people...then I remembered, we have a great spare bedroom parked on the side of the house.

Our Spare Bedroom!

When we sold our trailer a few years ago, we fell out of touch with having that extra space available for various things.  It was always the place that were we hid the girl's Christmas gifts (shh...don't let them know).  Where we wrapped presents, built bikes and doll houses and used for guests to spend the night.

Well we decided to use our motorhome for a couple of our family members to stay.  My brother-in-law Ron and his son Josh wanted to stay out in there, with the only problem being that Ron's feet hung about 6 inches off the end of our queen bed. He said that it was not a problem and that they found it to be very comfortable.

So, our home away from home served as a home at our home for our family and worked perfectly!

I hope that your week has been great and that your Easter weekend will be special!

Really Great Birthday and Easter Eggs?

I had a great 50th Birthday celebration over the weekend.  The weather was just as advertised, hot on Saturday and cold and windy on Sunday when we were having the party....go figure!

As you can see from the pictures, the Morse kids from Virginia had a great time playing volleyball with no net and Josh even went swimming in our pool at 68 degrees...burr. I forgot to snap any shots of the him diving into the pool, so I only have a volleyball game shot to share...

Here are some shots of the Birthday Party...the first one is of the cane that my mother-in-law gave me to help navigate in my old age.  Has a horn, magnifying glass, pill bottle, a set of false teeth and a sign to warn people that I am coming their way...

After the Birthday festivities, including a great meal of BBQ Beef sandwiches that my mother-in-law made for all of us to enjoy, it was time to dye Easter Eggs because the Morse kids will be in Denver for Easter.  Once the eggs were dyed, the older "kids" hid plastic eggs with candy and quarters throughout the yard for the younger ones to find. Our cat Midnight even got into the act...

 

A great weekend was had by all and the Morse's headed off to the Grand Canyon early this morning.  It is always sad to see them go and we hope to see them all again very soon!

I hope your weekend was enjoyable and have a safe and productive week!