A little bit of this and a little bit of that.

December 3-9, 2013: La Posa North BLM Campground, Quartzsite, AZ.

 

Cold enough to freeze your knickers!

It’s been a cold and windy week at Quartzsite.  As a matter of fact, it’s been darn cold and miserable weather about everywhere across the country the last several days.  We count ourselves lucky that we have only seen overnight temperatures down to 32 and no precipitation.  Since we have a goose down comforter to keep us toasty warm at night we don’t turn the propane furnace on until we get up in the morning.  When it’s 32 outside – it’s 37 degrees inside.  That’s enough to freeze your knickers in a flash.  With the furnace blasting away, the temperature shoots up to 60 degrees in no time in our little motor home and a fresh pot of hot coffee warms us from the inside out.  I used to think 60 degrees inside the house was cold – now it feels like a day on a sunny beach.  Well, sort of.

Oh, what is one to do on a windy day?

Many camping neighbors have flags flying overhead and the wind is whipping them about.  There are lots of patriots in Quartzsite with American flags.  Colorful streamers are zipping back and forth, with skull and cross bone flags, California Republic flags, and more personalized flags flapping in the wind.

Go fly a kite!

One neighbor is a kite flyer.  We’ve watched him for the last couple of days flying different kites – he’s really good.  He maneuvers them into upward spikes and then forced dives toward the ground only to skim along a few feet above the earth before soaring again to new heights.

 

I take a few pictures and then introduce myself.  His name is Dean.  He says he’s been flying kites since he was a kid and could just never get enough of it.  He tells me “back in the day” he was a professional wind surfer for a dozen years or so.  Now he just likes to fly kites and has many stashed here and there throughout his motor home.  “Different wind requires different kites,” he tells me.  He gives me details about kites and wind, and what kite to use when, and what string to use and why, and on and on.  Kites are obviously his passion, but I can’t remember anything he told me.  Oh well, it was a nice conversation with a nice gentleman.  Dean’s here for a few days before heading farther south – hopefully to warmer weather.  He poses for a picture with one of his kites.

   

What’s for sale?  Not a darn thing that we can’t live without.

We hop in the Jeep and take the short drive into Quartzsite to wander around the tented shops.  At least the tents will help stop the wind. 

Here’s a little consignment shop.  Need anything that someone else is trying to get rid of because they don’t want it anymore?

Well, let’s see what the offerings are today.

~~ A custom built banjo.  No, we already sold one of those back in Texas to a young musician from Austin.

~~ A sun oven.  No, I already have an oven that doesn’t work worth a darn.  I don’t need another.

~~ How about someone’s very used RV sewer hose?  Negatory!

~~ Microwaves, refrigerators, or vacuum cleaners?  Nope, nope, and nope. 

~~ An adult potty chair.  Umm, no thank you.

~~ Bicycles, bug lights, satellite dishes.  We can pass on all those things.

~~ Numerous walkers of different colors and designs.  We’re not there yet. 

I asked the proprietor, “Where’d these walkers come from?  Did these people start walking better and don’t need them anymore or are they dead?”

His response, “They’re dead.”

Just as I figured.  I’m not ready to purchase one of these.  Look where you end up.

On to the next shop.

Okay, who’s in the market for a used “retro” avocado green stove for their motor home or trailer?  Or perhaps another satellite dish?

Onward we march seeking any useful items.

Old toasters, blenders, and crock pots.  Hmmm?  We can live without any of these.

Last but not least – “That’s what I’m talking about Jack”.

We wonder into John’s establishment to more “stuff”.  He tells us more “stuff” will be arriving daily.  If we don’t find the “stuff” we’re looking for today, stop back another day and check out the new arrival “stuff”.

I tell John I really like his sweatshirt because my husband’s name is Jack.  He’s ready to take the shirt off his back – literally – when I stop him and say all I really want is a picture of the two of them together.  He happily obliges.

John tells us his best customers are young people.  They’ll buy all this “stuff”.  People like us – older – have gotten rid of all this “stuff” they don’t need anymore.  He never really expected us to actually buy anything – but come back again away.

It is now crystal clear why we found nothing we needed to buy today.  Something about getting older – you don’t need so much “stuff”.  And you certainly don’t need other people’s discarded “stuff”.

There’s a problem in River City.

Saturday arrives and I’m busy cleaning the bathroom.  Hmmm?  Why is there moisture around the toilet?  This cannot be good.  I tell Jack the bad news, and then start figuring out a solution to our problem by collecting a list of local RV plumbers/repairmen.  We whittle it down to Bud.  He can take care of it first thing Monday morning and gives us some tips to get through the weekend without any big mishaps.

Now Bud is an “experienced handyman” – a Jack of all trades, so to speak.  He wears many hats.  Today he shows up wearing his plumber’s hat, or should I say – “plumber’s crack”.  Bud’s a big burly guy and when he bends over the toilet he takes up our entire tiny bathroom.  Having been in construction for many years I’ve seen more than my share of plumber’s cracks.  This one ain’t that bad!  You go, Bud!

The job done, the faulty seal replaced, we thank Bud for his services and pay him $140 – every dime of which he earned doing this ugly job.  He just laughs and says, “It’s the smell of money!”  Whatever !  We’re just happy to have found Bud.  We’re also happy we can flush to our hearts’ content … or until the 50 gallon black water tank is full … whichever comes first.