Slow day but Hamfest Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the big Hamfest on Saturday over in North Phoenix. This is the only indoor hamfest in Arizona as the hand bill explains. So it has to be a big deal! LOL

Since I attend the Dayton Hamfest in May of every year and have for 10 or more years, I know what the biggest hamfest in the world looks like, so everything is based from there. So we will see what big really is. But it startes at 7 AM and it is 11 at night now. Sooo I had better make this a short entry and hit the hay.

We lounged around the campground today again and didn’t go anywhere important. The luncheon in the activities room on Friday was today, and I had 2 jumbo Hot Dogs and a box of popcorn. Loyce said some nutritious lunch. She had her usual salad.

This evening we went out for Pizza, but couldn’t decide where to go so we ended up at a CiCi’s Pizza that was a buffet and it was just sort of blah. Ok but won’t be back any time soon.

Later after dark, we drove over to Tempe and drove thru the downtown campus town of Arizona State University. The trees in the old part of town were lit with colored lights, we think still from Christmas, but there were a lot of white lights that my be more permanent. It was quite striking, and the town was alive with the students.

They were all up and down the streets and in and out of the businesses. There was the guy on the corner preaching the gospel at the top of his lungs, and the next block had loud speakers of the gals inside of hooters singing. Diversity!

So after that drive, we are back here at the RV hanging out getting ready to go to the hamfest tomorrow. I’ll report on that once I see what it is like.

Retired Rod

Off to Phoenix and Scottsdale

I was reading the internet for ham radio clubs here in the Mesa area, and discovered there will be a big, inside hamfest this weekend.  And like all ham activities, it will begin at 7 AM on Saturday.

The doors will open for setup at 5:30.  One really needs to be an optimist to arrive at a radio show to setup at 5:30.  And I am not that optimistic.  So today I thought I would make a dry run to the location, so as not to get lost when the big day arrives.

So Loyce and I headed out to try and find this location in the far Northwest part of Phoenix.  I studied the map on the internet and left the GPS in the trunk.  Need to learn this town without turn by turn instructions.

Also in this area, is a Ham Radio Outlet store.  I told Loyce we were going to a quilt shop for dad.  So I got to go to a retail radio store, and we found the activity center that will house the hamfest.  I just browsed the radio store, as toys in there are really high priced.

On the way back we drove around Scottsdale, where we had gone during one of the annual retreats, that my former employer sponsored every winter.  The Hotel was a Double Tree now, but we think it was a Sheraton back then.

We drove all over the place re familiarizing ourselves with the area.  Too much money in one place.  Seems like a former life that we have broken free from.

So things got back to normal, as we returned to Mesa and went to Jo Ann’s and Harbor Freight.  LOL!

I intended to take the little camera to get a shot or two, but somehow forgot to pick it up.  I’m sure we will be back over there again.

Retired Rod

Another gorgeous day

It was nice here in the afternoon, as I saw 61 on the car dash thermometer by late afternoon.  We had the windows open and the screen door hooked back to get the fresh air.  Then the sun went down.  Wham, cold air! Right now!

Its about 50 now, and felt brisk as I rode my bike over to the shower house to clean up before bed.  The trip back when you are still very damp was Coooool, but invigorating. 

That reminds me of going to grandma’s in the winter, and the path through the snow to the back house.  On a below zero, clear, full moon night.  The trip back to the house couldn’t happen fast enough.  But perhaps you had indoor facilities and never experienced such things.

Today was a normal day here in the park.  We were only 41 last night, and that doesn’t tax the electric heat enough that we need gas supplemental.  So sleep was easy.

We warmed to long sleeved T shirt temps by 11 and a bunch of us men were over at the neighbors, telling him how to rework things for his move.  Or telling stories to anyone that would listen.  He progresses in spite of all the knowledge provided.

Loyce and I went for a What a Burger by mid afternoon, and shopped some at Wal Mart.  I went to a different store today as the store to the North of us has been missing the Sam’s Club pop, that I like for several days now.

Tonight, we decided to go to Texas Roadhouse for a small steak.  Is there a theme here?  Peanuts in the shell, rib eye, sweet potato, fresh rolls, and butter.  Man o man. 

That’s the one thing about being here in Phoenix metro, there is every chain restaurant that exists, within only a few miles.  Could be hard on my waist line.

Retired and Fatter Rod

One Less Palm Tree

I heard chain saws buzz, buzz, and wondered what the hey! So I stepped out just in time to see the palm tree in front of the park model behind us fall to the asphalt. Whap!!!

Walking back to their trailer, I see that all the skirting has been removed, and the tongue has been bolted back onto the front of the frame. “Are you moving”, I inquired from the fellow from Northeast Iowa?

Yah we are moving about 4 feet. We are too far back on the lot, right against your lot line, and have been told we must move in order to transfer the ownership from my mother-in-law. She is too elderly to come back to Arizona.

Seems the fire Marshal doesn’t like the trailers so close together. There is only about 4 feet between ours and his. Not that when there is 8 feet it will be any better, if we get these things on fire. But that is the rules as they are now.

This park model is at least 20 years old, and was placed as far back on the lot as possible to provide space in the front. Now, the setback in front is controlled to a specified uniform amount and the back can not be closer than the 4 feet. So the tree in front of the rig is in the way of the move forward.

What tree? The stump of a palm tree is not rooted near as deeply as a tree up North, and the gravel was raked back level in no time.

He plans to put the axles on some boards, and just skid the trailer forward with his pickup. But first the sewer and water need to be disconnected, and the concrete blocks need to come out from under the frame. This all requires a permit from the city. What? In a RV trailer park? Yes because it is a park model and is taxed, it needs a permit to be moved. Even if only 4 feet. Go figure.

I spent this afternoon in the local Doctors office, trying to get a prescription for some antibiotics. I have contracted a sinus infection, that has caused pain in my ears and face. It has also caused my teeth to feel like they had problems as well. But we eliminated the teeth thing yesterday, so now we work on the sinuses.

Spent several hours waiting to be seen, in a room full of people that were much sicker than I. Hope that I didn’t pick up any new germs to go with the ones I already have.

Again it was mid 60’s and sunny here all day and tonight it is to get down to the 39 area again. Seems to be the norm for January in Phoenix. As long as the sunny part holds out, I think it is quite acceptable.

Retired Rod