Biscuit gets a doo, and Pizza, Ice Cream and a Movie

I said I was going to take it easy and rest up for the big ride this weekend, but I didn't know that I would actually take it as seriously as I did.   I was up in good time this morning, but Loyce left with the dog to go to the groomers several miles North of here before 9.

I got started on the dreaded Tax Return again.  Seems as though we have a couple of items that turned up since the original return was done, and now it needs to be redone.  Of course it was filed with the state of Kansas so that will have to be amended.  But luckily we extended the Federal so it just needs corrected again.   Essentially you throw everything away and start printing stuff out again.

Then the eye glasses place called with my new glasses.  I went over in the car as I like to not be hot and sweaty for these encounters.  Its mostly the helmet that makes your hair and head drippy.  Folks wonder why guys go without a helmet, but it is beyond hot inside one.

The new glasses took a while to bend into reasonable fashion to fit my face, and the prescription isn't much different than the last time.  But since they are new, they are just enough different that I am getting used to them tonight.

They still have a few spots where they are rubbing me wrong, making sore spots.  They changed the nose pads on the old pair too, so they don't fit like they did either.  Good thing they are close to the house, as a few adjustments will be needed.

The grand kids are sill here today and our house is a fright with toys and books and colors and the like.  And also I had to go after Biscuit when she was done this afternoon.  She had to sit there in a crate all day waiting for her turn that turned out to be way late in the afternoon.

I asked why they made us do it this way.  We could have brought her over right before her turn....  Basically I was told that the dogs need to be here so they didn't have to wait any at all.  Inconvenience the customer and the dog, so we can be without inconvenience here in the shop.   We are here first for ourselves and the fact that you are the customer means nothing.  It was also the most expensive dog hair cut we have ever had........  Not too sure I think much of this new place.

We had a home made Pizza tonight, and for once we didn't have to keep barking "eat" at the girls all thru the meal.  They gobbled the pizza and ice cream right down.  Loyce and the kids were watching a movie on the DVD down in the new basement tonight as well.

The poor scooter never moved all day......

Retired Rod

Today I passed on another luncheon ride.

The folks that ride these luncheon rides went on another ride again today. It was half way across Kansas down where my son's often go camping with their trailers.  But after over 100 miles yesterday, I decided that I am not that strong and healthy to do two days in a row, so I passed on it today..

We do have the annual ride that I went on last year coming up this Saturday, and I do plan on going on that one this Saturday.  It will again be over 100 miles.  So I plan to rest up for it.

We are working as grand parents with our grand kids this week because our DIL is on crutches with a bad foot.  So Grandma is helping out.  That has kind of kept me around here this week as well, so I haven't much to report.

I went out on a ride late in the afternoon for that small burger, and then down to the bike shop in Spring Hill to check on a Helmet that I have on order.  Really it was just an excuse to go on an afternoon ride, since I was passing on what would have turned out to be 200 miles for a luncheon.

And of course I managed to turn down the wrong road when the state had a detour for bridge construction.   This wouldn't have been so bad except the road was gravel....  Have you ever ridden a bike or a motorcycle on a gravel road?  The back end is all squishy and wobbles from side to side.

But it looked to only be a mile, so I went on.  Little did I know that the county had dumped numerous loads of fresh gravel on the road for the second half of the mile.  I was too far into it to turn around, so I traveled on at about 5 miles an hour.  Just enough to keep the bike balanced and not tip over.

I made it to the pavement and breathed a big sigh of relief.   Some folks can do this gravel at 50 miles an hour, but not me!  I usually get on thru it but not when it turns about 4 inches deep.

Anyway another day is in the books.

Retired Rod

Cycle Riding and the news from Arizona

Way last summer when I was doing the CA treatments every week, the local fellows invited me to ride with the Romeo's group here in the KC area.  That would be Retired Old Motorcyclists Eating Out!

There are several of these groups all over Kansas and they each go on a ride weekly to a small town and overwhelm a local restaurant with 80 or more people that show up all at once and want served.  I'm sure it makes for a rather nice cash register total once breakfast and lunch is over.

In fairness, someone from the group calls ahead and warns the  folks in the small town that half of Kansas City is about to appear on their doorstep.  And usually they add staff for the day to help get thru the experience.

I never felt well enough to go last year so it just passed me by.  But today I hauled my  behind onto the bike at about 9 AM and rode quietly thur the countryside South of town here and then over into Missouri to the little town of Garden City.  This is just a wide spot in the road on Highway 7 headed for Branson.

Perhaps some of these pictures that were swiped from the Romeo web site will tell the story better.

Salt was mixed it this row in front of the white building but was in the second row about 4 bikes back from the green one.   Mostly all that is visible of him is the windshield.

As you can see, we filled the room that is usually used for the Lions Club when it meets.  There were so many folks that about half of them were standing outside waiting for the first shift of breakfast eaters to be done.

Since I had eaten breakfast with Loyce and the grand girls, I was up to lunch now, even though it was only about 11:30 when we arrived.  I did stand around outside for a while to let some of the breakfast folks get their meals complete.

We rode back to KC almost as rapidly as could have been done with any car.  I saw 80 mph on the speedo at times, but since it displays about 10 percent fast we were doing more like 75. That is more like the speed limit on US 71 which is a divided four lane highway.  I still don't like the semi trucks that are all around you at that speed.

Once back here in the local suburbs of KC, Mo, we stopped again at a local McDonalds for Ice cream sundies and coffee.   The chat continued again non stop.  I was good and stuck with a diet soda...

Once on the road again, I broke off from the group and went to my barber's shop, since it was on the way over in Missouri.  It was after 5PM when I finally arrived back home.  Loyce wondered if I had gotten lost..........

In other news, Loyce got the call from the builders that they want us to be back in Mesa the last weekend in June....  They will be ready to do the first presentation of the New Home, as they called it over the phone.  We still won't close for about another week or more while they get the final items on the punch list corrected.

And we won't get any keys until the utilities and insurance is all transferred into our names.  You can darn tootin bet, they won't be springing for any of the air conditioning after that closing date...

Of course this makes the dead week of waiting, the holiday week with the 4th of July in it.  Why do things seem to work out like that?  You know nothing much will get done during that week........  But we will be sitting in a motorhome  during 110 degree days.

But anyway, we had it figured out that their estimate of late July had to be way off.  Better get to packing stuff up!

Retired Rod

Sandra's question..

Sandra up in Ontario, Cn brings up a valid point when she comments:

Just wondering why you don't buy your stuff for the Arizona house in Arizona rather than hauling everything from KC or the lake. That's costing you gas, not to mention packing etc.

I struggle with this idea because I want to get going on doing the things that are necessary to finish this project.  You know, lets get on with it!  But we just can't go and purchase a lot of new stuff here in Kansas and haul it all down there.  It doesn't make any sense like Sandra says.

But, since I have found an Arizona motor scooter used here in Kansas, and will now need to take the truck and utility trailer back with us when we close on the house, it follows that we can load up a lot of stuff we already have here in the Midwest.

With ceiling fans, I have learned to use Hunter branded fans over the years.  They seem to be better than the cheap store brands that the big box stores usually sell, and are quieter and last longer.  Some of the big box stores do carry Hunter, but not as extensively in all their models.  They cost more and must sell more slowly.

So when I find the fans that I want, I grab them.  52 inch brushed nickel,  dark wood blades that hang on a pole not a flush mount, with a nice light kit included.  And Hunter uses a 3/4 inch down pole that is bigger and nicer looking.  And finding those down poles in 24 inch length also becomes a drive all over town deal. Menard's had it all in one trip.

So with this same idea, we have been sorting thru all the stuff we have here in KC and at the Lake place deciding what can be taken with us to start this new household in Az.  And boy have we sorted out a truck load. Or a trailer load.  Not so much furniture, but dishes, and pots and pans.  Bedding and towels and floor rugs.  Our dining room here in KC is stacked with the stuff that will be going to Az.

So yes, we will be buying the big pieces of furniture to outfit the new house from the Arizona furniture stores.  You just can't justify paying gas to haul that stuff.  But I started this whole deal of taking the truck and trailer back down again with the purchase of the White scooter that I call Salt.  So we may as well pack the rest of the truck as much as possible so we won't have to buy everything brand new.  And with some of our older heir looms around, the place will seem more like our home right away.

Loyce was off on one of her grocery procurement trips this afternoon, while I held the home front down.  Not much else happened here other than me spending time on the computer paying our first of the month bills.  That never goes away no matter where we are situated at the time.

And tonight we have our grand daughters over here for an overnight stay with Grandma and Grandpa.  Seems that our DIL has broken a bone in her foot, and will need to see the Doctor in the morning.  We have our fingers crossed that she will be on the mend quickly.  In the meantime, Grandma came back here to Kansas to spend time with the kids............  So here we are!

Retired Rod