A little shower storage, and Katie’s new friend, Sunny!

First, I wanted to show you how I solved a little problem I had.  In the beginning I swore I wouldn’t store things in my shower, but little by little things seemed to end up there, just because it was such a darn good storage place.   I always had my laundry hamper there, but at first that was all.  Then I got a couple of spare kitchen rugs and I rolled them up and put them there, too.  Katie’s food bags are large and there wasn’t a good place to put them, so finally I started putting them in the shower, too.  All in all, still very easy to empty the space for a nice shower. 

Then the extra paper products went there, T.P. and kitchen paper towels.   I got a Costco shipment of Keurig K-Cups, and where else was I going to put them?  My extra water container, 1 gallon distilled water jug for the batteries, a decorative suitcase full of my kitchen spices, etc., etc.,  etc.   Little by little it was getting to be a bit of a pain to empty it all out every time I wanted to take a shower. 

I thought about it and thought about it, and finally found the perfect thing.  At first I wondered if it would be a mistake to buy one of these, but when I got it set up in the shower it was perfect! 

The three drawers hold everything except my distilled water and extra little rugs for the kitchen which fit perfectly along the side of the storage drawers.  My laundry hamper and storage for the coffee K-Cups fit nicely on top.

Now when I take a shower, I just put the hamper, K-Cup container, rugs and water into the kitchen and slide out the drawers and stack them on the couch. The frame lifts easily out of the shower into the kitchen and the shower stall is cleared to go in a minute's time.  After my shower I always wipe it down, then reverse the process to store the items again.  Easy peasy.

When we travel there isn’t enough room for the drawers to slide out – the accordion door keeps them in place if they do slide, but it doesn't look like they are.  By the way, I didn't put the wheels on - I wanted the flat bottom on my shower floor which seemed to be a better idea than wheels.  I bought mine at K-Mart in Blythe, but you can get them on line at Amazon.com.  I put a link on my right sidebar with a similar item in case you want to look at it.

I’m really happy with this new storage option.  And it looks so much neater now. 

The other day when we were taking our walk around our campground area, we ran into another woman from California, Linda.  As we were walking by, we waved and then I stopped to see her dog, who looked a lot like Katie.  His name is Sunny and he is a Deer Chihuahua, too.  The dogs got along great; there was lots of sniffing and circling going on.

Linda doesn’t have a blog, but she is a Follower of Me and My Dog  …and My RV! and as we were talking, she realized she recognized me, especially after I said something about “Katie.”   We had a great conversation and I went back another day to visit again and take some photos.

She had read about Katie’s new stroller and brought out Sunny’s pet stroller to show me.  I really like it, and some day might get one like that.  I find the one I have very easy to use, it just glides over the sand and rocks and uneven ground out here in the desert, but I’m not sure how I’m going to like it when I have to store it.  I don’t think it will be a problem, but we’ll see, and if I decide it’s too big, I might get one like Sunny’s.

It took me a while to find the right one on-line, so I'm putting a link on my left sidebar to the Amazon.com page for this particular stroller.  It's one of the least expensive at around $60, and one of the few with eight wheels.  Most have only two wheels in the back, and this one has two wheels on each side, front and back. Linda and Sunny love it, but I haven't had a chance to check it out with Katie.  I just want to easily find it in the future if I decide to purchase one, but if you are interested, too, this stroller is only for small dogs and cats.  I think 15 pounds is the weight limit.

As soon as she brought it out and opened it up, Sunny jumped right in.  He has a soft blanket on the bottom, and there was a chew bone in there, waiting for him.

He just settled in and started chewing on his bone, and Katie was VERY interested in that!

Then Linda told me about Sunny’s new camouflage visor that she got over in one of the animal clothing tents.

He looks like a dog model, doesn’t he?

You are SO CUTE, Sunny! 

And that’s about it for now. From me and Katie, have a great Friday, everyone – Big Tent tomorrow! :)

A visit to town and some Lazy Daze visits

I have so much to catch up on.  The Big Tent is UP!  We saw it going up day after day, first the support poles that have flags on the top.  One day I noticed all the flags flying.

Soon the roof was going up.

The sides were last, and now they are filling the tent with all their wares.

The other day Katie and I walked to town.  I used the stroller so Katie would be safe and if she got tired, she could ride.  It's also nice to carry purchases, since it has two places to stow away packages.  We walked through the wash and across the big parking lot and ended up on Kuehn St. at the western end of all the vendors.  Katie walked as far as the parking lot, and then I put her into the stroller.  She really loves it, and got a lot of attention.  I was surprised she had no reaction to all the people reaching down to pet her, and she also had no reaction to other dogs walking around her. She was fine with it all.

We went up and down the aisles and through all the little vendor tents that are already set up across the street from the Big Tent.  I got a few things I needed and really enjoyed the longer-than-usual walk.

Katie on the red carpet. :)

We only shopped on one side of the street, and will walk through the vendor tents on the other side next time.  As we were heading home, we walked toward Highway 95, completing a circle, and passed by a dog grooming business called Animal House - (928) 927-7068.  Katie was in need of a nail clipping, so we stopped and had that done.  They only charge $8, but I gave the lady $10, since she did such a good job, came outside to clip Katie's nails (I didn't want to leave the stroller outside while we went in), and she gave Katie a treat for being so good.  I'm such a big spender. LOL

When we left the groomer, Katie didn't want to get back into the stroller, so we both walked back to Highway 95 and stayed on the edge of the road a short distance until we got to la Posa West and headed through the campground to our site.  A good walk. 

A few mornings ago there was a knock on the door - we had a visitor.   It was Sarah who rode  her electric bike (very nice bike!) over to see if Katie and I were home.  She came in, and we visited for a while.  She was great with Katie, and of course Katie loved her!  Sarah is a Lazy Dazer, and is camped with the Lazy Daze group about a half mile from us.

I've been following her blog and she's been following mine, so it was fun to actually meet in person.  Sarah is a fellow Californian (Santa Barbara), so we have that in common, too.  When she left to head to town for a late breakfast, I told her Katie and I would walk over to her group and have a visit that afternoon.

Sarah and Katie:

So then later that afternoon we took a walk over to visit the Lazy Daze group.  They had quite a few rigs there already, with more coming in every day.  By now they really have a big group.  I visited with Jimbo, and met lots of new people.

Hi, Jimbo!

I tried to get a photo of everyone there, but they were busy talking, moving around, doing things, so I got a lot of back-of-the-head shots.  

When I was getting ready to leave, Jimbo brought Chica out.  Here are a couple of photos of  Katie and Chica for all you Chica lovers:

Chica is such a sweetie pie!

We spent a bit of time there and then it was starting to get late in the afternoon and we headed home.   It's a perfect walk and really nice people, so I'm sure we'll head over that way again.  3 or 3:30 is a good time to visit because they gather in one place to share an afternoon visit at that time.  Katie always wants to walk around 3, so we'll head over that way again.

Still lots more to post, so I'll be back soon.  The Big Tent opens on Saturday - I'm looking forward to that and will get lots of photos then, too, to share with you.

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

New Solar Panel Mod

Okay - I finally made a decision on what to do with my solar/generator/battery issues.  One of the campers parked near me when I was in La Posa South highly recommended this guy named Brian, who I ran into while filling my fresh water tank last week.

I told him one of my neighbors had recommended his solar work, and he asked what I needed, so we exchanged phone numbers and made an appointment for him to come out and see that I had, test my batteries to see if they were still good, and to check the amps on all my electrical gadgets.  Generally see what was going on, and how we could make it better.

Checking out the batteries

He ended up coming out three times, twice to check things out and then finally to do the job.  I have two Interstate 6V 225 AH batteries, wired in series, and Brian said they were fine.  He checked the amps on my electrical gadgets and they were good, all low amp hours.  Everyone says the wall controllers don't show correct readings, but mine measured correctly.

Changing the Catastrophe Fuse to the correct terminal.

This is what I run, as measured by Brian with his meter:

Amp draws per hour for electrical items in The Palms:
1.      Go-Power 1750 Inverter    1.2 amps
2.      Laptop computer                3.8 amps when not charging, up to 5 amps when charging
3.      Cell phone charging            minimal draw
4.      Coffee warmer                    1.3 amps
5.      TV and antenna                  2 amps
6.      200 W small inverter          minimal draw

I'm not running anything with a huge draw. If I run my A/C, coffee maker, microwave, toaster oven or hair dryer, I turn on the generator.



Brian said my batteries were fine, but there was a loose terminal wire that could make a difference - and he tightened it.  My T-fuse, or catastrophe fuse, was wired to a negative terminal instead of a  positive terminal, and he changed that. 

 He said I have exactly what I need, except this time of the year when the days are shorter and the sun is lower in the sky, it would help to tilt my solar panels.  So that's what we decided to do.  I was lucky, it was far easier and cheaper than replacing or adding batteries, or adding another solar panel. 

During the summer when we have longer days and the sun is high in the sky - traveling overhead - my batteries do a great job.  There are probably four months of the year that I'd need to tilt the panels, during the months with the shortest days while I'm here at Quartzsite.

Checking Amps

I got the tilt kits in town and Brian came out and installed them for me on Thursday, and boy, do I see a difference.

Removing the solar panels
 

Checking the wire - I think?
 

Attaching the tilt kits.
 

And they are tilted!
 

JOB DONE.
 

Both Friday and Saturday, when I rolled out of bed around 10:00 a.m. (yes, that's 10:00 a.m.)  my controller readout was 14.3 or 14.4.  That's a full battery bank, folks!
 
Beautiful job!  Don't they look great?



Brian Boone – (406) 270-4820  If you're going to call Brian, make it as early as possible in the season, because he's getting busy.  Right now he also has a full time job, so he's doing solar installs, consults, etc. after work and on his days off.  He's young and energetic, super knowledgeable, and honest, and he charges a very fair (low) rate for his expert work.

I highly recommend him and his work.  I'm expecting him to have his own full time business next year and if he does, he'll be a star in the solar industry.  I'm really happy he's here at Quartzsite so I can call him during the winter months if needed.
 
While Katie and I were walking this afternoon we met up with one of our readers, Linda, and her friend, Mel.  Their motor homes are parked near the Dingbats and as we walked by, her dog walked toward us on his lead.  He's a Deer Chihuahua like Katie.  I don't see many of this breed, so we stopped and talked.  Sunny is one year older than Katie and they are about the same size and color and seemed to get along well.

I'm going to bring my camera tomorrow when we're walking over near her campsite so I can get a photo of the two dogs.  It was nice meeting you, Linda, thanks for reading Me and My Dog  ...and My RV, and Mel - he doesn't have a computer, so he's not reading this - but it was nice meeting him, too!  :)

From me and Katie, have a great Sunday, everybody!

Oh, oh, Help!

Yesterday I was driving out of the campground area and when I got onto the exit road, I heard thump, thump, thump coming from my right rear wheels.  Oh, oh, that didn't sound good.  I thought I probably had a flat tire. 

I stopped on the side of the road and got out.  I checked the rear tires with my eyes and hands, all around, and didn't see a flat tire or rocks stuck in the treads.  I got back in and drove on.  Thump, thump, thump.

I stopped again and pulled over by the Visitor's/Registration Office.  I got out and checked the right rear tires again, and this time they were in the right position to see this:

I tried and tried to get it out, tried to leverage it out with a crow bar, but it wouldn't budge at all.  Just then a young couple stopped and I asked him if he could pull the rock out.  They were so nice to try to help, but even though he got some tools out and tried until his face was RED, he was unable to dislodge the rock.

I could have called Good Sam Emergency Road Service and had the outer tire loosened, but instead I made a call to the Dingbats.  Hazel checked to see who was in camp, and soon Don and Gary drove down to see what the problem was.  Gary, shown below, brought a box of tools with him and using his super power strength, was able to get the rock out from between the tires. As I said to him, "Gary, you're the MAN!"

See the rock on the ground to his right? 

Here is is again, on my kitchen counter, see how it's a little curved on the sides - that's how it was lodges in between the tires.  It had to be sitting just like this to be squeezed into the space when I drove over it:

Bad Rock!

Just a few minutes ago I figured out where I picked up the rock.  It was on the end of the line of rocks I put out around my site.  When I left my site before, I was going out toward the left but I have a new neighbor who is parked in the place I drove through, so yesterday I turned in the other direction and drove over that last rock.  I didn't even see it.  I put it back at the end of the line of rocks - but a little further in.  Next time I'll give myself a little more room for the right hand turn.

Santa and some of  his helpers are again parked in Quartzsite, resting up from their very busy Christmas Eve travels.  Katie and I asked for a photo, and here we are:

I'm the one who is squinting - as you can tell, the sun was very bright! Notice I'm on the "Nice Side." Santa is on the "Naughty Side."  I wonder what he did?

I wanted to get more photos of Santa's Vacation Home, but the next day he traveled to Mexico, so these are photos from a previous year:

The little red car above fits into the lower blue door of his rig, and he just drives away with no toad.

See ya next year, Santa.

WELCOME to our newest Follower, Karla Ledtje!  Karla you don't have anything listed about yourself, so I can't share any info, but if you have a blog let me know and I'll share it with our readers.  Thank you for following along with me and Katie.  Welcome aboard to you!  :)

Look at this beautiful moon from Saturday night:

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

Wordless Wednesday - Carved crayons

Click on the photos and then click again for close-up details, and click HERE for link to The Pleasure of Tiny Things: Artwork.

Crayon carving key:

A is for Aquilegia (Columbine)
B is for Bald Eagle
C is for Cougar
D is for Dogwood
E is for Elk
F is for Fox
G is for Grizzly Bear
H is for Heron
I is for Iris
J is for Juniper
K is for Killer Whale
L is for Lynx
M is for Mountain Goat
N is for Northern Spotted Owl
O is for Otter
P is for Painted Turtle
Q is for Quinault Tribe
R is for Rhododendron
S is for Salmon
T is for Timberwolf
U is for Urchin
V is for Viola
W is for Wolf Eel
X is for Xanthogrammica (Giant Green Anemone)
Y is for Yuma myotis (Vesper Bat)
Z is for Zapus princeps (Western Jumping Mouse)

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