Katie's 2009 Halloween costumes

Thank you all for your comments on my post about buying my RV and going to the Pomona RV show.  I think I'm going to listen to you and drive up.  Actually, they are also having some seminars, and I wanted to at least attend the one about full-timing.  Sounds like I should keep gathering information, and I guess this show is the best place to be for that. 

At the Del Mar show I got the free coffee travel mug.  I have lots of them, but this one is a good size, and perfect to throw the coffee in I don't finish in the morning.  Finish it on the drive in.  Usually I just toss it.  I used the mug this morning, and it worked great. 

Some of the comments said something about a year going fast - from your lips to God's ears!

Last year I concocted three pretty lame costumes for Katie for Halloween.  My daughter Kristy e-mailed me that Lauren, just turned 2 at the time, asked her what Katie was going to be for Halloween.  You have to realize this was coming from a 2-year-old, and she was completely serious.  Lauren loves Katie, and Kristy and Matt tell me she talks about her all the time.

So, not wanting to disappoint Lauren, and not wanting to spend $20 at the pet store on a costume, I looked around the house and came up with these:

 Katie, Katie, Fancy Lady

Katie, Detective Dog

Katie, Master Putter

I got these props together quickly, snapped photos, and e-mailed them to Kristy.  I guess Lauren was okay with them.  I suppose I should come up with something new this year.  New and Better!  : )

I'll let you  know what I come up with.

From me and Katie, have a great Tuesday everyone!  : )

The Del Mar RV show, and living below one's means

So, I attended the RV show on Saturday.  It's only 20 minutes from my house, and it was a beautiful day.  Perfect for walking around checking out RVs.

I saw one I would have definitely been interested in if I was ready to buy.  It's a Tioga - somewhere around 29'.  I didn't get lots of information, since it really doesn't matter at this point, but I sure liked the layout.  It was listed at $39,999 I think, something like that.  In my price range.  It's a 2006.  It was so clean and spacious!  I don't care if I have slides, but they sure do make a difference.

 The colors are good - won't show the dirt as much as a lighter color.

The couch was really padded and comfortable, and the bed-over-cab was very airy.

 Nice sized bed, lots of windows, cross breezes.

 Good storage space, and a nice counter for photos or flowers.

 Loved the kitchen area - seems spacious and good storage.

 The bathroom was nice and clean, big enough shower.

It was really clean, and very light and bright.  I don't care about slides, but I will admit they do add a spacious feeling, and that would be nice for full-timing.  From what I've read and heard, there is very little that goes wrong with slides, but I think given the choice, I'd go without slides.  The Tioga had everything I wanted as far as the inside goes, and I could see myself living in this one with Katie.

This one below - have you seen it?  I didn't write down the name/model but I guess if you can afford it, you already know about it.  See the price?  $899,999. 

It actually has a slideout deck with a large TV that looked like it slides back into the RV when not on the deck.  In addition to lots of other slideouts.  Large rooms, everything anyone would want or need.  Beautiful. Tons of counter space. Very nice rig!  Of course, it's almost a million dollars!

But you know what I walked away thinking?  This is my second RV show now, and there's another one in a couple of weeks in LA - marketed as the biggest one in California - that I was very excited about going to.  I realized, though, that I have at least a year before I can realistically buy my RV.  I think I'm about a year ahead of myself. 

At least I know some of the RVs that are out there, and some of the things I want.  But I'm so easy, I've lived in so many places and really liked them all.  I think I'll be happy in almost anything, as long as it's clean and safe and mechanically sound.  It's really going to come down to finding those three things in a rig I can afford.  Being in the right place at the right time, with enough money to get what I need.

So I decided I'm not going to spend the time or gas driving to LA for the other show.  I'm going to continue downsizing my "stuff" and paying off my debt, and saving my money so I'll be ready in about a year to seriously look for and then buy my RV.  I just have to keep my eye on the prize.  It's easy to forget when something is so far away, at least for me, and I think writing this blog, and reading your blogs, is what will keep me moving ahead to my goal. 

Which brings me to my second topic, living below my means so I'll be ready financially when the time comes to "hit the road."

The above quote is one I found years ago, and have tried to think about from time to time.  When I first saw it, I printed it out on a sheet of card stock and hung it near my desk.  I do live within my means, but when I first saw this I was not.  In fact, now I'm trying to live below my means, and most of the time I'm accomplishing that. It is such a feeling of empowerment to live below my means.

I'm not doing any big - I still have cable (although it's basic cable), I eat well (but I always cook at home, seldom eat at restaurants), I have a nice phone and laptop, so there are things I can't (or won't) live without.  But there are so many small things I do that end up saving money, and hopefully will make a difference over time.  I'm also not buying any new clothing unless it's something I really need.  I have lots of shirts, shorts and jeans, which is what I'll wear when I retire, so if it's not something I'll need then, I don't buy it now.  In my spending days I wasted a lot of money on clothes.  Wish I had all that money now!

That's it for today, and now I'm going to cook some chicken breasts, an artichoke and a baked potato with all the trimmings.  Maybe some wine.  See?  I DO eat well.

From me and Katie, have a great evening, everyone!  : )

The First Poll - totals and some insight

Happy 10/10/10!

WELCOME to stitchnship, and thank you for signing up to follow along with Me and My Dog, Katie.  I checked out your blog, and really enjoyed it.  I agree about the bunnies.  We have lots here where I live.

Taaa Daaa!  Here's the graphic of the first poll response:

Thank you!!! to everyone who participated.

It looks like everyone who responded participates in polls.  I didn't expect that, although as Judy said in her comment the day I posted the poll:  “I’m not sure you’ll get any “Heck No” votes, since that would mean the person answered a poll.”  I had to laugh when I read that!  But since there weren't any "No, I couldn't care less" votes either, ...  You know  -- that was a really bad poll, now that I think about it.  It just occurred to me as I'm writing this:  If you couldn't care less, you wouldn't answer either.  How funny!  

When I lived in Placerville, I worked for the Department of Human Services and was able to work 4-10s.  Four days at 10 hours a day.  I thought that would be great, but actually it gave me three days off, like now, with not a lot to do.  No problem this time around! : )  My friends worked, so the extra Friday, after a while, got kind of boring.  Some of my fellow workers got part time jobs at a local political polling company and encouraged me to apply.   They liked hiring Eligibility Workers because we were good at asking questions and were dependable, they said.  I worked there for a number of months until I moved back to San Diego.  It was very interesting and I really liked the work.  I worked one day on the weekend and three nights a week, right after my other job. (We had to work a minimum of 20 hours.)

What I learned was that if you aren't getting the answers you want, you tweak the questions until you do.  It was like a boiler room that they have for telemarketers, and we'd each get our script and our lists of names/phone numbers.  At the end of the shift, the manager/owner would tally the answers we logged and report them to her client.  (We never knew who the client was.)  Sometimes we'd get a different script the next time around, same questions, but asked a little differently.  

Just like my poll above.  If I wanted the answer to be that everyone who reads my blog participates in polls, the way I posed the five answers would be perfect.  Interesting.

That's why "they" say not to believe all the statistics that are thrown around.  The people doing the polling have bought and paid for the correct answer.  Maybe not everyone, and maybe not all the time, but it can be done, so I guess we have to assume it IS being done.

But, anyway, I still like polls and I love answering them.

I'm still going to include them from time to time.  But I have to admit, I hang up on people who call me on the phone wanting my answers for a political poll.  I know what they are doing and I don't want my views skewed to fit their needs.

When I started writing this post, I was going to say I have to assume RVers are a pretty social group if everyone answers polls.  Being involved, wanting their voice heard.  But we already knew that without the poll.  All the RVers I've met are nice, social people.  Then again, it's easy to be nice and social when you can smile, nod, turn on the ignition and drive away. LOL

I attended the RV show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Saturday.  I came to another conclusion while at the show, and will write about it tomorrow.

From me and Katie, have a fantastic Sunday, everyone!  : )

Yesterday's errands

A big WELCOME TO CeiPui, Places We Go, Things We See who, like me and others, is now deciding on which RV to purchase, and is planning with her husband to join the rest of you out on the road.  Happy to have you along, CeiPui!

Yesterday I got everything on the list done.  Katie and I slept in, then watched TV and read blogs (me not her : ) ), and lounged around a bit early in the day.   I decided to leave her home when I left on my errands because I wasn't sure how long the oil change would take.

First I went to the Kinkos/UPS store.  I was mailing a good bottle of wine and a gift card to Donovan's (a VERY nice steak house here in San Diego).  They are a thank you gift for a favor someone did for my boss, and I had planned to mail them yesterday on my way home from work.  Unfortunately the store was crowded when I arrived, so I decided to do it today.  They said I couldn't send the wine through UPS, so I asked him to wrap it and I'll figure out something else to get it there.  Maybe drop it off myself next week.

Then I left for the oil change.  I went to a local shop in my area where I have been bringing the Escape since I've lived here. They have a 3-for-2 deal, where you pay for two oil changes, and you get three.  This is my second of the three.

I got there 10 minutes early and when I parked, I saw two birds under a canopy near their door.  It's amazing the things you see in unexpected places.  The birds had a large play area with a bunch of toys and things to chew, and were having a fine time.  They were very vocal and beautiful.

He was just raising his leg to scratch his head.

I don't know what these are - "Red Tailed Parrots?" - Judy, help?

The mechanic said it would take around an hour, they were backed up.  So I walked a half mile down the road to a shopping center and had breakfast.  It was 3:00 and I hadn't eaten yet, so I was really hungry.  I went to the Broken Yolk, and it was really good:

My walk to and from the auto shop was interesting.  It was a half mile each way, and when I walked to the restaurant, it seemed like a long walk. I was hot and tired when I got there.  After eating, drinking water, and relaxing a bit, I walked back and it went really quick.  That's why they say to eat a good breakfast before doing a 5K or any long walk.  I never realized how much difference walking on an empty stomach made.

I brought my Droid and camera and took a few photos.  I brought my Droid to see if there were any geocaches along the way.  Nope.  The walk to the shopping area was along an industrial road, but now that I'm blogging, I'm bringing my camera along more and noticing things I wouldn't have seen before:

For some reason, I thought this was funny:

And I thought this lamp post was sad - there are two unkempt houses on the street in between the industrial buildings and vacant lots:

AND HERE COMES A RANT:

After picking up my car, I went to the gas station. I always go to a Shell station that's close to where I live.  It's very convenient.  Unfortunately every time I go there, I get mad.  Since my company pays for my gas, I have to get a receipt every time I fill up.  After filling up I put the gas nozzel away, screw the gas cap in, close the little cover and WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT for my receipt, while Shell runs an ad across the readout where it will ask me if I want a receipt.  They are trying to get me to apply for a Shell credit card.  Does your gas station do that?  It infuriates me that after paying over $3 a gallon and pumping my own gas, and cleaning my own windshield, and sometimes paying another $6 for a car wash, I then have to WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT to get my receipt because I'm watching their ad.

I used to go into the little store and complain.  Didn't do any good.   So, what I decided to do a few weeks ago is, I kick the gas pump and hit it with my fist where the receipt is going to come out.   I kick, kick, kick, hit, hit, hit, until the receipt comes out.  Sure makes me feel better.  Today a man came up to me and said maybe I needed to go inside for my receipt.  I said, "No, it'll come out after their ad stops scrolling.  Until then, I'm just kicking and hitting the gas pump.  My response to their unsolicited ad."  He just smiled, nodded and walked away.

Someday I'm going to get arrested...

I finished off my errands with a trip to the grocery store, uneventful.

From me and Katie, have a wonderful Saturday, everyone!  : )

Poll is over soon, fake names, and Sunshine Katie

Two more days until the Poll about taking polls ends.  Looks like everyone answer polls, but mostly it depends on the poll.  If you haven't responded to my first poll which was originally posted on September 26, vote now.  I'll post the totals on Sunday.


One thing I learned is that keeping the poll open for two weeks is too long.  The reason I did that is because we all have new readers joining us, and I wanted to give new people a chance to read older posts, see the poll, and answer if they chose to.  But I think that's way too long, and from now on I'll close the poll in one week or less.  Most of us keep up pretty well, I think, with our blog reading, and three or four days is probably long enough.  Otherwise, who even remembers the poll, or cares after two weeks?  Even I forgot about it, and it's my poll!

Merikay commented about my FREE gift at the RV show.  Thanks for reminding me about my Fake Name!  When my friends and I go to a fair or trade show, we try to remember to bring a sheet of mailing labels with our name and address and phone number.  Then we can just stick them on the forms they want us to fill out to get something free.  We had the REAL ones, and the FAKE ones.  I had forgotten all about that - today I'll print up a sheet of labels, one-half will be the real me, the other half will be Elizabeth Anderson, my "other" name.  I always use Elizabeth Anderson if I don't want someone to have my real name.  I love that name. It looks good, sounds good, has lots of potential nicknames, and is at the front of the list alphabetically.  My favorite name.

Katie just came in from the patio for a snuggle.  She is SO warm!  She loves laying out on the patio in the sunshine.  Her favorite place is on the carpet in front of the patio slider.  Softer and warm.  But once the sun moves over the house and the sun leaves the carpet, she's out on the patio.

 Sunshine Lover, Katie

Have you noticed Katie's Daily Puppy Pic?  What a cute puppy today!  I check out these pictures every day, but some of the puppies are just okay, and some I love.  This is a really cute one.

Hope you are all feeding the fish.  Don't forget the turtles at the bottom of the page.  : )

From Me and My Dog, have a nice evening, everyone!