Collage of the Week

One of our favorite parks… Disney’s Animal Kingdom. What better way to combine two of my favorite things… digital photography  and computer graphics… with one of our favorite places. Here are some favorite photos put together into a keepsake collage. Hope you enjoy it as much as me.

Do you see any of your favorite things? 

Fun with Photo’s

One thing I really enjoy since retiring is taking pictures and working with them on the computer. We did 100 photos for each of the girls to give them a keepsake photo book of their first visit to Disney World. I thought they’d look good, but even I was surprised. Take the basic photo, use a photo editing program like Picture-it, add a little imagination, throw in some clipart, and a pinch of Pixie Dust, and you get a nice photo collage. Make 100 of them, put them into a Disney Photo Album, and they have something special that they can have forever. Here are  some of the samples… we almost weren’t able to have them printed, Walmart thought hey “copyrighted”.

 

Wonderful moments in time,

captured to be remembered forever.

Wishful Thinking….

Now wouldn’t this be nice…

Magical Seeds…

Went into town to buy some donuts and stopped along the way to talk to an old farmer. We talked about the weather, and about the farm, and where I was going. When he found out what I was going all the way to town to buy he suggested an alternative. Instead of buying donuts once a week… I could save time and money by growing my own… that’s what he’s been doing for years now. Wow… what I great idea… and I could have them any time I wanted and wouldn’t even have to leave the campground. Yep… this was the answer to everything. Just buy the magic seeds from him and as a bonus, he even had some magic soil and even magic water for me to use with them… just had to pay the extra handling charge and they too would be mine for free! Guaranteed  results. Perfect! So I took the magic seeds, magic soil, and magic water home, followed his directions and waited. Boy was this going to be good… I could already taste them.  He really didn’t say how long it would take to grow… so I waited some more… and waited. I had planted several crops of donuts to come in at different times, just as I was told to do, but still nothing. Ya know, I could not find that farmer any place to ask what I had done wrong, or get more magic donut seeds to try again. Than I called that toll free number and he sent me more, lifetime free supply… just pay shipping & handling . Go figure…. Free! So I’ll try again… maybe more sunlight this time… I can just taste them now! Yummy.

Ya know… them seeds aren’t even too bad to eat all by themselves, or with a little milk!

           

Diesel start up and Idle

Why do so many Diesel Motor home owners think it is necessary to start up and idle the diesel 20-30 minutes before pulling out of the site. I have experienced some that have let it run 45 minutes. And they always seem to do shortly after 6am while everyone else is still trying to sleep. Lets not forget the concept of common courtesy, or maybe perhaps they don’t realize they are unnecessarily annoying everyone near them.    

>>> article >>> 

How Long Do You Really Need to Idle an RV Diesel Engine

I don't expect you to take my word for it so I emailed Cummins customer support. I couldn't run the complete reply because it's too long for this article but here are the key parts:

The definitive reply is contained in your Operation and Maintenance manual for the engine. The guidelines are set for extreme conditions such that the engine is protected if one follows the guidelines.

<snip>.... your engine will last relatively longer or shorter depending on how well you abide by the suggestions in the O&M manual. If it's not severely cold out and you're using high quality, clean 15W-40 engine oil or 10W-30 below 70 deg. F, you may start the engine, let it idle for 10-15 seconds and slowly drive away (at modest power levels) with no ill effects.

Cummins does NOT recommend excessive idling of the engines, since it can cause excessive carbon buildup on the pistons, piston rings, injector tips, valves, etc.

>>> http://rvbasics.com/techtips/rv-diesel-engine-idle.html

I have received a few e-mails from readers that tell me their motor home requires as much as six minutes to build up air pressure in the braking system. Here's my reply.

"You're right, of course about building up air pressure for your motor home's braking system. That issue is not specifically 'excessive engine warm up', which was my complaint, but is a reason for idle at startup.

However it's not an excuse to annoy your neighbors. Especially if you're one who likes to leave the RV park at the crack of dawn. Many diesel motor homes have an auxiliary air compressor and so do not require the engine to be running in order to build air pressure. It's my opinion that responsible owners of diesel powered motor homes should have auxiliary air compressors."

Now I don't want you to think I'm obsessed with diesel engine noise or that it's some kind of ‘cause' for me... I'm not and it isn't.

I probably tolerate diesel engine noise as well as the average RVer does.

I don't hate diesel engines or the people who own them. I accept the diesel engine as part of RVing. But a few RVers have the idea that because their RV came from the factory with a noisy diesel it's somehow not there fault when they wake the neighbors while leaving the RV park at 5 a.m. I just thought someone should say, ‘it is your fault and you have an obligation to mitigate the noise as much as you possibly can.

So perhaps a little education might be in order, to both their benefit & everyone else’s. The roar of the diesel, and the choking smell of the fumes on a nice quiet beautiful morning is a bit more than I want endure… especially when it is not necessary. So a little courtesy will go a long way. Couple this with those that leave the campground blowing their big air horns to announce their departure to the entire campground… can we all say… “Yes…Goodbye Already”! … or should we really rejoice and sing along with the horns that play “On the Road Again”. Please, a little thought & courtesy.

I’m usually not one given to criticize others… but it would be nice if they stop this insane practice?

Thank You….Thank You….Thank You…. 

Kayla’s First Day of School

Kayla’s first day of School… First Grade!

A Little Pixie Magic!

Cute as a Button!

Fun with Food….

FOOD… one of my favorite topics. While my favorite thing about food is to enjoy eating… you can have a lot of fun with food first… and than eat it. It can be a little 60 second do-dad… or a 20 minute work of art… well… maybe not a conventional work of art… but none the less… “art”. Yes… “art” is the eyes of the beholder… but not all art can be eaten… but this “art” can! So here’s what you can do, or maybe not, when you feel a bit playful, or just creative, or have way too much time on your hands.

Quick an easy fun food…

(and mom always told me not to play with my food)

( still ain’t listening )

Hey… what are you lookin at?

oh… That’s what they’re lookin at…

Some resist change…

aka – going under the knife

Some think the World of it!

and don’t mind a bit…

Some are more yummy…

but don’t have a ghost of a chance of surviving

Some are disgusting…

anyone for more dip… anyone?

anyone at all?

So enjoy your food…

play with it!

Food is Fun!

and than you get to eat it!

I Love Fun Food…

But won’t eat it just anything…

I know that’s just wrong…

but I did this for my friend Mechelle back in Maryland just to see how often she reads my blog

she does this sort of think with her little puppy dog all the time.

yeah… I know… but she is still a good friend.

Eatable bugs … okay…

(spring onion)

I’ll go for that…

but… NO THANKS to these.

Fortune-nately… we have cake for dessert!

( sorry… couldn’t resist )

I’ll have the $5000 slice please…

and if you lose a turn…

I’ll trip the “Trip” next!

But forget the Ice Cream…

it melted, and so did the truck it came in…

So just remember… you don’t always have to listen to your parents…

playing with your food can be fun…

and than you get to eat it!

Two of my favorite things… Playing & Eating!

Just ask one of our grand daughters how much fun food can be…

maybe a little too much fun…

but Laurianna enjoyed it.

 

Neat Little Trick…

Even been to a web site and wish you could just print out what you see on the page? Me too. Especially for instructions on how to do something. Or maybe even capture a photo where the normal  “right click… save image as” … doesn’t work? Well here’s a solution…

Once on the page press [prt scrn] (keyboard) … minimize (drop down) current page… open “paint” … [edit] >> “paste” >> ( the screen you were looking at pastes to the paint screen) >> [file] >> “save as” >> opens save box >> name the file you are saving >> select how you want to save it (format) >> “Jpeg” >> “save”. Close or minimize paint. The screen that you saved will be in “Pictures” or “My Pictures” in your document files under “my computer”.

If you do this a lot, I’d put a short cut on the desktop to both “paint” and “pictures” for easy access.

To put a shortcut on the desktop… find the program under >> start>> programs >> move curser to the program that you want to make the shortcut for… >>> right click >>> ( drop down menu) >> click “send to desktop”. 

disclaimer… this works for XP… not sure about W7 or Vista… may be a little different. 

Sure make life easier!

sample…

Full-Time Rving… So is it like…Vacation?

A lot of people have asked me lately… Full-time Rving, must be like being on vacation all the time.

Well… Full-time Rving is a lot of different things running the gamete from one extreme to the other… 52 weeks a year of vacation ( not working at all, having lots of money to spend, and on the move almost everyday ) … to an almost normal working life of working most of the year and taking off a few months of the year to more or less travel on vacation.

I ran into those that have newly decided to fulltime rv and try to spend their 52 weeks as if they were on vacation all the time. Always traveling, always on the move, always doing something just like being on vacation. Now as most of you are aware, or at least for me and most friends that I know… vacations are tiring to the max usually. Most say they need a week to relax and recover from their real vacation. As you can imagine, Rving like this would wear anyone out… or more precisely… “burn them out”. And that is exactly what happens… they get burned out after several months… decide this is too hectic a lifestyle… sell the Rv… go back into a house or condo… and try to recover from their experience. Much the worse for wear and tear, lots of money wasted, and basically right back where they started… but to their small benefit, perhaps in a different place from where they originally started… usually in the sun belt.

Than there are those that travel to another place for several months, usually to the south in the winter, and return back “home” in the north where they have family & friends. They are generally known as '”Snowbirds”, following the warm weather. Some still have houses somewhere, some do it all in their Rv. Usually going between two to three places a year for seasonal stays, with a vacation or two thrown in during their travels in between. Some work a little in one of the locations, some a little in both, some none at all. Some work several months of the year to make their budget, and relax the rest of the year, working very little or not at all. In most cases, those that do work, generally have jobs that are no where physically or mentally stressful as the life long job/career they once had. Generally, everything is temporary, short-term, and by that nature a lot less stressful or not stressful at all. Yes you give up that sense of long term stability that most find in a house and regular job, but Rving gives you the freedom to go where ever you want, when ever you want, and if you work… have a “No Stress” job, and not have all the expenses, work, and taxes of having a house ( which generally took up 70% of your income ).

Than there are those that have been Rving for years, than simply stop traveling, stay in their Rv, or trade it for a park model, and enjoy the fellowship and continued lifestyle with other Rvers in campground or Rv resorts.

We work basically a full-time job usually 4-5 months a year to make budget for the whole year. Than work 1-2 days a week for another 3 months a year… and not work at all for 4-5 months every year. Usually during this time we have our normal couple of weeks vacation. Now to define work and jobs. We work in campgrounds/Rv resorts doing Activities/Art & Crafts for the 4-5 month of fulltime work. Have fun planning activities and playing with the big kids (adults) and the little ones too. It’s kinda like being paid to play… but on a schedule. Still work as far as a schedule goes… but fun work. Our other job, where we work 1-2 days a week is at Walt Disney World in Florida. We are seasonal cast members at Disney and just help out the “Mickey” in a Disney Hotel gift shop. Again, almost not like real work at all… no stress, no tension, and 5 days a week to relax or play. The “perks”… while off those 5 days a week… we get to play at Disney for free! So we basically get a non rushed relaxing vacation type playtime at the vacation spot of the world… admission free… for the 3-4 months that were are in that area. This winter we will probably be there for most of seven months. Than it gets even sweeter. How much does a normal person pay to stay and play in Orlando a week? … generally at least $2000… hotel or campground, attraction costs to do things ( Disney, Seaworld, Universal, Etc). We have 2 campground memberships, ten miles apart right near Disney. The two memberships cost us a total of $1,500 which paid for them selves the first year. The dues are around $900 / year for the two memberships. We will be going back and forth between those two membership campgrounds for the winter. If we are there for the seven months this winter, our net cost will be about $30 / week to Stay in Orlando. So, $30 a week to stay near Disney, free Disney admission plus perks and discounts (being cast members), annual passes ( admission + parking) to Seaworld for about $150 for the both of us. And five days a week to relax and take our time and play. It may not be vacation… but it sure seems like something close. I sold what I called my “Ball & Chain House” in 2003 at age 49… we bought the Rv of our Dreams… and started to enjoy retirement early. I had the options… work another 15 years to have more money at retirement and relax in my house for another 5.3 years after I retired ( that’s the average time people live to enjoy their retirement after the have been physically consumed by the job) … or sell out… go Full time Rving and enjoy what would certainly be the best years for the rest of my life ( 50-65 ) rather than working it away. But that’s my take on my life, and my choices, I’m not condemning your life or your choices… it’s to each their own and what makes you happy.

So… full-time Rving can run the gamete from Traveling most of the time, everywhere and anywhere… to simply 2-3 main places every year with side trip vacations thrown in along the way. Really high budget to unbelievably small budgets. Or anything in between. The most important thing is the ability to pick up and move around whenever you want, and go wherever you want, doing what you want… in a carefree, stress free, lifestyle. Bet if there was a study on retirees for quality of life and longevity, the benefits to Rvers would no doubt way surpass those that normally retire and stay a home.

Rving vs a regular house. Wow… just think about all the time, money, and hours of your life that are consumed as it relates to having a house, mortgage, utilities, maintenance, insurances (home & auto) & taxes and all the time and related expenses involved with working, transportation etc. 80% of your life is spent getting to retirement… Rving lets you enjoy all the time you have left. I don’t mean to sound depressing… but the way I saw it… so many people work as long as they can trying to get to 65… some die trying… and most of the rest are physically used up by the time they get to 65… so they can retire in a stationary house… sit back and enjoy the golden years… and pardon me for saying it… wait to die. Just wasn’t for me.

We found a better way, a great lifestyle, go to places we want to be, have made great new friends along the way, get to spend more time with the grand girls, live virtually stress free, all plusses… would have it any other way!

Jobless - as far as a regular ongoing job is concerned

Homeless - as far as having a permanent location to live at.

No Car - really, no car… okay… it’s a big truck … GMC C-5500 Rv Hauler.

No Stress - No Worries - No tension

We I do have is a wonderful woman, my real soul mate, the love of my life, to share all this with… what a blessing!

Shelly makes it all so fulfilling. Good thing, since we are together 24-7-365 for the rest of our lives. Life is Sweet!

BTW… or Rv of choice was a 40 foot Fifth Wheel Coach – King of the Road Crown Marquis.

One thing you can always count on…

Yep… there’s one thing you can always count on… Change. Not too much ever remains the same. Life goes on it’s merry way for a while and than sooner or later… Change is coming our way. The trick is to know when to just go with the flow of the change… or get out of Dodge. Seems like when you emotionally try to deal with or resist the change, less desirable things seem to start piling up… and piling up more and more. You may be use to those things happening in a conventional lifestyle… job, house, bills, taxes, etc, and having to deal with them, usually with a bit of frustration, and a certain degree of… “You just have to live with it”. But Full-time Rving is a bit different. After all, we choose this lifestyle to get out of the normal “having to live with it” and the frustration of making our life fit the change that’s forced upon us. So Rvers are a bit more of a free spirit… more or less flowing with the change, or more likely, leaving it behind… and not fighting to have our life work around the changes… we simply pull up stakes and move on to something more to our liking. In simplest terms, this usually involves the weather. Head north in the summer and south in the winter. But it pretty much applies to all changes in life, and not just the weather. The real trick is too know when to make the move away from a changing situation that is becoming less desirable before it becomes frustrating and worry some. Pull up stakes and move on rather than push a bad situation that can only get worse, knowing that things are going to keep changing, usually not for the better, and things will never be the same as they once were. So, gentlemen, start your engines, put it in gear and go!

That’s were we are at right now. Feeling like we are pushing a bad situation hoping to keep things as they once were. It’s time once again to either “live with the change” or pull up stakes and move on to something more desirable. And that’s the good thing about Rving… something doesn’t soot you… just simply move on.

But it was nice while it lasted… and there’s always the lofty day dream thought that we wish we could just relive that perfect day, or that perfect season, over and over again, at least for a while. Reality has a different plan.

Being creatures of habit, we all like the stable situation, but not much is stable forever… and change is gonna get ya sooner or later. Rving lets you leave the aggravation and frustration behind, before the change gets too worry some… ya just gotta make the mental and emotional jump… pull up stakes and leave for something better… some where out there in the great unknown. Looking for the next perfect situation is certainly better than fighting the change at the current situation and having worry some frustration which usually doesn’t get you to a good place anyway. So hitch up the wagon and set off into the sunset… there’s always something better waiting for you to find it. Staying one step ahead of the changes we don’t want to, or have to live with. Yep… that’s the ticket.

So when it starts to pile up, there’s your first clue, that’s it’s gonna keep getting deeper, more frustrating, more worry some, and it’s time to move on… ya just need to know when to go, before it bothers you too much, and you start to loose sleep over it. ( notice the time of this entry ).

Pretty much applies to most situations in life… it’s all a matter of where you are at in life… and if you have to deal with or live with the changes forced upon you… or have the freedom and the mental toughness to move on.

Seeya down the road… there’s always something better waiting for you. That next perfect day, perfect week or month, or that perfect season. It won’t last forever… but that’s why Rv’s have wheels.

Hopefully good advise for you, for me, and helpful to others caught up in change, that’s not exactly for the better.

I once heard an analogy about a frog and hot water. The frog was in cool water that started to get warmer and warmer, and eventually hotter and hotter, until it killed him. The change was gradual but kept getting worse and worse, bit by bit… guess he thought he could live with the change… until it was too late. Had he not been in the situation from the start, he would have never hoped into the hot water realizing the bad situation, and suffered and died. Gradual change, bit by bit, getting worse and worse, well… it may not kill you like the frog… but well being and happiness will certainly continue to take a hit… until there’s nothing left.

The dedicated employee of today’s business and economic environment, needs to realize that dedication is usually a one way street. You were, and are simply a business asset until you are no longer needed, and dedication only goes one way… any other thought on this concept is merely an illusion by the company to gain your dedication to them while they still need you. The water gets very hot… very quickly. Sad to say that this is the work environment that is being socially cultured today. No wonder young people have little or no sense of dedication to the company they work for… they are a product of the reality of their situation created by business. And it seems that they are much better off then the older folks that still believe in dedication and work ethic… reality hits them harder… and their illusion shedders, and is usually more emotionally destructive. Yep, a sad state of affairs indeed for the future. A companies dedication to you is limited to that hourly wage (while you are still needed), young people realize that the same applies in reverse… and their dedication doesn’t go beyond that same hourly wage… and why should it? … really. Perhaps there’s another underlying argument to be made here for dedication… but somewhere down the line, reality will end that argument too. Ya work an hour, get paid for an hour, beyond that, the company dedicates to nothing but business, employees are just like any product or service they sell, until it’s no longer needed.

Didn’t mean to go all serious… most times I just never know where I end up when writing. Just something to think about.

Have to do a least one serious entry every so often… see… Goofy takes a break!

A little look at the Blue Ridge Parkway

It’s always nice to be near the Blue Ridge Parkway….

and it’s nice to be in the mountains after spending so much time in Florida.

It would be perfect if it didn’t get all cold & snowy here in the winter.

Yep… Lots of wilderness…

Take a daytrip and just relax…

Make some new friends… well… maybe not!

Easy to see why their called the Blue Ridge Mountains

Just like people saw the hundreds of years ago…

Absolutely Beautiful…

Especially in the Fall…

Just takin’ a Walk in the Woods…

Yep…What a View… yall come see us!

The online Guide gives you a sample virtual tour of the Overlooks

>>> http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/overlooks-2.asp

If Shelly asked me a question….

If you’re asking if I need you…

the Answer is Forever…

If you’re asking if I leave you…

the Answer is never…

if you’re asking what I value…

the Answer is You…

If you ask if I Love You…

The Answer is I Do!

Forever!