TIPS of this week
We recently discovered that many Texas Campgrounds honour a TACO CARD (1-800 657 6555). RVers who have of this card can reap the benefits of up to a 15% DISCOUNT at participating parks in Texas and New Mexico. The card is a FREE insert in the Texas Campground Directory that is available from any Tourist Bureau – Our park office also had a bunch of these directories available for the taking. The card benefits became evident while we made our reservations for our trip to Perry – 15% discount is good.
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SEVERAL CAN’T-LIVE-WITHOUT IDEAS & DOUBLE DUTY TIPS from my RV Packing Tips E-Book
When you don’t have a LARGE COOKING POT for corn on the cob, stew or roast chicken, consider using your electric frying pan. It also makes a great oven to bake a cake or pie. Using it outside to cook food with an odour like fish is as convenient as it is in the galley.
A MEAT BASTER simplifies filling batteries.
BREAD AND BAKED GOODS STAY FRESH longer when placed in a plastic tub (to catch crumbs) and stored inside your airtight microwave or oven.
To firm up an RV SOFA, try adding a 1/2-inch board between the couch and top cushions. In our Kastle #3 we replaced the sofa with two round bottom loungers (anchored with seat belts when we are in motion).
ELIMINATING MAGAZINE CLUTTER and finding a place for large books such as an atlas can be a challenge. Consider storing them under the dinette or couch cushions (on top of the board mentioned above).
MAKE A SEPARATE WORKING AREA FOR SEWING OR CRAFTS, etc. – cut the two back legs of a folding card table so they rest over your knees and sit on the back of the couch. Be sure the top is level when the two front legs rest on the floor.
ADDING A STRIP OF HEAVY-DUTY VELCRO (needle side) to the underside of the throw rug helps prevent it from ‘walking’.
RUBBER BACKED RUGS leave a stain on acrylic and hard surface floors.
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PROMOS of this week
WOW – James Pasternak wrote an informative article this week for the Financial Post entitled 'A TIME TO DREAM' – John and I are part of it. I am always apprehensive giving telephone interviews because in the past my words have been taken out of context – This is a pretty good article with one minor correction – John served 33 years in the Navy with 23 of those years at sea. But for the most part it is a great story. Click here for full article
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My friend Steven Fletcher – WebHost of RV BASICS.COM sent us an email alerting to the launch of the above story. As a result I visited his website for the first time in a very long while. RV BASICS is loaded with so much info for RVers with all levels of experience. I encourage every RVer to take a look at this vast amount of FREE info and his many columns. His site contents highlights ‘RV Information for RVers about RVing’ – ‘RV LifeStyle’ – ‘RV Travel’ – ‘Full Time RVing’ – ‘RV Maintenance’ – ‘RV Repair’ and much, much more.
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RV INSURANCE
Now is the time that many RVers update their units or buy their first RV. BUT it is also a time to research RV INSURANCE. Joe Martin, as owner of Wayfarer wrote this story that is posted on my site WAYFARER RV INSURANCE are the Canadian RV Experts. It explains what to look for when buying RV Insurance. Canadians should obtain a quote from Wayfarer before they decide whom to ensure their RV with. American readers should visit Here and scroll down to click the link to #INSURANCE & FINANCING. It definitely pays to shop around. Be sure you will not be penalized for your age or any other injustices. Sometimes a package deal for the house, cars, boat, RV, contents etc, may not the most advantageous route to follow. I cannot stress enough that EVERYONE NEEDS to SHOP AROUND.
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A DREAM RV JOB LIKE FEW OTHERS
Sometimes we RVers should put your thinking cap on to come up with a comfortable way to support your retirement. In this weeks RVTravel.com newsletter there was a story about an RVer who hires himself out as a guide - his ‘Top Of The Line Prevost XL Coach’ is available as a GET_AWAY machine for 1-8 people. He will drive wherever the customer wants to go – from north to south to east to west as long as a road leads there. His life and his job is always an adventure. See the entire post here…
Sunday, February 24, 2008
LIFE IS NOW A SEMBLANCE OF NORMAL
Newsy portion; 24th February - Issue 8
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version Here...
Hi Everyone: I love excitement as much of anyone but I am happy to report life for the McDonald’s has slowed down just a bit this week. We have still been busy – just not rushed like we were last week. Our departure is scheduled to leave Alamo Palms on the 7 March. We will take a week to reach the Good Sam Rally in Perry, Georgia where I am presenting my ‘RV Travel to Canada Seminar’ on the 13th, 16th &17th. If any Diary readers will be at that Rally please stop by to say ‘Hi’.
__________________________________
LAST WEEK IN REVIEW…
On SUNDAY Alamo Palms held their Canada Day Picnic but since we were inside I guess calling it a Potluck is a better description. 118 park residents joined together for a decadent meal and great fellowship. Attendees ranged from almost all provinces from Alberta to the Maritimes. It was such fun to socialize with others from home – not to mention the meal was outstanding – some talented cooks up home.
FYI: A number of states have also hosted their park gatherings over the past month. Great attendance was the highlight of each event. As normal, each get-together was fun, exhilarating and an experience to remember. Even though most of us really enjoy our time away we all get a touch homesick for familiar customs and traditions.
MONDAY, we enjoyed lunch and a fond ‘farewell’ with good friends Doug and Bonnie at the JAGZ large Pizza/Pasta/ Salad buffet in Pharr – we wanted to check out the buffet/amenities/menu as a possible location for an EXPLORER RV CLUB LUNCHEON next year. Jagz does offer many video and interactive games for kids of all ages to play along with a light fun type menu, plus a private room for groups. Although this eatery offers many amenities for its patrons, it did not meet the atmosphere or menu we were looking for. We still have a few buffet style restaurants to visit before we decide on selections for the 2008/09 Season. NOTE: Our last Club Gathering for this season is 28 Feb at Harold’s Country Kitchen if any of you can join us?
Bonnie and Doug recently bought a 5th wheel in their park as their future Texas Valley home. However since these Fulltimers spend their summers close to us in Ontario, plus John and I plan to return to Alamo Palms next November, so it looks like we will continue to be able to spend more quality time with them. It’s always sad to see good friends depart, but having special acquaintances around the country is the nature of this outstanding lifestyle. With most friends it is only a matter of time till we again meet down the road. Thanks to cell phones and email these days, staying in touch is more convenient than ever no matter where we each travel.
TUESDAY was computer day for me and a billiard tournament for John at Pharr South RV Park. Last week and until we leave on the 7 March, he was asked to play with the ‘Park Pro’ team each Tuesday – he had a great day. Because there are only 8-members that represent the park each week, he feels honoured that ‘his teammates’ thought his pool expertise was of a high enough standard to join them. It looks now like he will be playing on both the Friday inter-park challenge as well as the elite Tuesday team. Congrats my love,
WEDNESDAY we celebrated our 26th Anniversary. Due to many reasons we changed plans to commemorate our special day at the classy Radisson on South Padre Island and thankfully we did – the day was exceptionally overcast and windy – not a great beach day. Last year we enjoyed our cruise – in contrast this year we dined on a decadent lunch at Chili’s in McAllen. Amy, our waitress treated us royally and our salads were some of the tastiest we have had in a very long time.
After lunch we treated ourselves to a movie – ‘THE BUCKET LIST’ with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. This was a real tearjerker as well as funny – we laughed like young kids. If you are looking for an enjoyable cinema, this one is a definite plus. Wednesday evening, Alamo Palms held their special annual ‘Cruise Ship Party’. The ‘SS Funship’ stopped at many ports along the way. Skits at each stop kept the party moving. An evening of complimentary food, skits, karaoke and lots of fellowship was a great way to end our special day – over 500 residents participated in this year's Alamo Palms Cruise. All in all our low-keyed day made for a memorable 26th.
THURSDAY I played catch-up on the computer reference my RV TRAVEL TO CANADA SEMINAR for the Good Sam Rally in Perry – thankfully it is almost finished (For some reason Gov’t websites plus travel rules and regulations continuously change and I do not know why they have to modify things for no other reason than ‘just because’).
By FRIDAY I finally found time to post a few more pictures on my Picassa Albums reference both the Dish painting we had done in N. Progresso, Mexico and the painting pictures of our elegant LUXOR. Take a look!!! The awesome results of both creative endeavors were so much higher than we anticipated. John played pool again – this time at Casa Del Valley (this is the park we stayed at in November) and he proudly won all 4 of his games – some because he made a few very notable shots. Congratulation my love,
Today SATURDAY I played hooky for a few hours so we could both spend the morning at my favourite haunt – the Don-Wes Flea Market. We wanted a few decals highlighting ‘Cdn Winter Texan’ and some with my website on them. The one we had on the back can no longer be used because it marked an area of the surface that has just been painted.
While at the shop we also ordered a small plaque to feature info about how to reach Tech Mobile Communications and Wireless - the supplier of my fantastic Dish. When we painted our Dish to match our mural, all promo was removed from the surface. ‘Tech Mobile, Communication and Wireless’ are such a fantastic company to deal with – we wanted to extend a ‘Special Thanks’ back to them. Contact Todd or Armand to discover the wonders of mounting either a stationary Dish on your home or being mobile with a Tri-pod as you travel the roads with a portable Hughes.net Dish – see full story
NOTE: I also want to send a special Thank you to Dick Scheit, the CATV/Computer Tech Workamper for Alamo Palms – more than once he came to my rescue after my Dish was blown over by the wind. This past week he also reprogrammed my router all at no cost – he just wanted to be nice. Thanks so much for caring.
______________________________
FINAL THOUGHTS
For many of us snowbirds, our winter getaways are winding down even though those in the north are still digging out in many areas. However the migration from south Texas has already begun. Florida and the western sun states do not vacate the state with the same rapidity at the end of February like the Rio Grande Valley does. By next week it will almost resemble an RV caravan is heading north from Texas. Not real sure what drags Winter Texans home but the end of February is the key exit day. Travel safe all and if you are in the north – hope you can stay warm. Take care P&J
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version Here...
Hi Everyone: I love excitement as much of anyone but I am happy to report life for the McDonald’s has slowed down just a bit this week. We have still been busy – just not rushed like we were last week. Our departure is scheduled to leave Alamo Palms on the 7 March. We will take a week to reach the Good Sam Rally in Perry, Georgia where I am presenting my ‘RV Travel to Canada Seminar’ on the 13th, 16th &17th. If any Diary readers will be at that Rally please stop by to say ‘Hi’.
__________________________________
LAST WEEK IN REVIEW…
On SUNDAY Alamo Palms held their Canada Day Picnic but since we were inside I guess calling it a Potluck is a better description. 118 park residents joined together for a decadent meal and great fellowship. Attendees ranged from almost all provinces from Alberta to the Maritimes. It was such fun to socialize with others from home – not to mention the meal was outstanding – some talented cooks up home.
FYI: A number of states have also hosted their park gatherings over the past month. Great attendance was the highlight of each event. As normal, each get-together was fun, exhilarating and an experience to remember. Even though most of us really enjoy our time away we all get a touch homesick for familiar customs and traditions.
MONDAY, we enjoyed lunch and a fond ‘farewell’ with good friends Doug and Bonnie at the JAGZ large Pizza/Pasta/ Salad buffet in Pharr – we wanted to check out the buffet/amenities/menu as a possible location for an EXPLORER RV CLUB LUNCHEON next year. Jagz does offer many video and interactive games for kids of all ages to play along with a light fun type menu, plus a private room for groups. Although this eatery offers many amenities for its patrons, it did not meet the atmosphere or menu we were looking for. We still have a few buffet style restaurants to visit before we decide on selections for the 2008/09 Season. NOTE: Our last Club Gathering for this season is 28 Feb at Harold’s Country Kitchen if any of you can join us?
Bonnie and Doug recently bought a 5th wheel in their park as their future Texas Valley home. However since these Fulltimers spend their summers close to us in Ontario, plus John and I plan to return to Alamo Palms next November, so it looks like we will continue to be able to spend more quality time with them. It’s always sad to see good friends depart, but having special acquaintances around the country is the nature of this outstanding lifestyle. With most friends it is only a matter of time till we again meet down the road. Thanks to cell phones and email these days, staying in touch is more convenient than ever no matter where we each travel.
TUESDAY was computer day for me and a billiard tournament for John at Pharr South RV Park. Last week and until we leave on the 7 March, he was asked to play with the ‘Park Pro’ team each Tuesday – he had a great day. Because there are only 8-members that represent the park each week, he feels honoured that ‘his teammates’ thought his pool expertise was of a high enough standard to join them. It looks now like he will be playing on both the Friday inter-park challenge as well as the elite Tuesday team. Congrats my love,
WEDNESDAY we celebrated our 26th Anniversary. Due to many reasons we changed plans to commemorate our special day at the classy Radisson on South Padre Island and thankfully we did – the day was exceptionally overcast and windy – not a great beach day. Last year we enjoyed our cruise – in contrast this year we dined on a decadent lunch at Chili’s in McAllen. Amy, our waitress treated us royally and our salads were some of the tastiest we have had in a very long time.
After lunch we treated ourselves to a movie – ‘THE BUCKET LIST’ with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. This was a real tearjerker as well as funny – we laughed like young kids. If you are looking for an enjoyable cinema, this one is a definite plus. Wednesday evening, Alamo Palms held their special annual ‘Cruise Ship Party’. The ‘SS Funship’ stopped at many ports along the way. Skits at each stop kept the party moving. An evening of complimentary food, skits, karaoke and lots of fellowship was a great way to end our special day – over 500 residents participated in this year's Alamo Palms Cruise. All in all our low-keyed day made for a memorable 26th.
THURSDAY I played catch-up on the computer reference my RV TRAVEL TO CANADA SEMINAR for the Good Sam Rally in Perry – thankfully it is almost finished (For some reason Gov’t websites plus travel rules and regulations continuously change and I do not know why they have to modify things for no other reason than ‘just because’).
By FRIDAY I finally found time to post a few more pictures on my Picassa Albums reference both the Dish painting we had done in N. Progresso, Mexico and the painting pictures of our elegant LUXOR. Take a look!!! The awesome results of both creative endeavors were so much higher than we anticipated. John played pool again – this time at Casa Del Valley (this is the park we stayed at in November) and he proudly won all 4 of his games – some because he made a few very notable shots. Congratulation my love,
Today SATURDAY I played hooky for a few hours so we could both spend the morning at my favourite haunt – the Don-Wes Flea Market. We wanted a few decals highlighting ‘Cdn Winter Texan’ and some with my website on them. The one we had on the back can no longer be used because it marked an area of the surface that has just been painted.
While at the shop we also ordered a small plaque to feature info about how to reach Tech Mobile Communications and Wireless - the supplier of my fantastic Dish. When we painted our Dish to match our mural, all promo was removed from the surface. ‘Tech Mobile, Communication and Wireless’ are such a fantastic company to deal with – we wanted to extend a ‘Special Thanks’ back to them. Contact Todd or Armand to discover the wonders of mounting either a stationary Dish on your home or being mobile with a Tri-pod as you travel the roads with a portable Hughes.net Dish – see full story
NOTE: I also want to send a special Thank you to Dick Scheit, the CATV/Computer Tech Workamper for Alamo Palms – more than once he came to my rescue after my Dish was blown over by the wind. This past week he also reprogrammed my router all at no cost – he just wanted to be nice. Thanks so much for caring.
______________________________
FINAL THOUGHTS
For many of us snowbirds, our winter getaways are winding down even though those in the north are still digging out in many areas. However the migration from south Texas has already begun. Florida and the western sun states do not vacate the state with the same rapidity at the end of February like the Rio Grande Valley does. By next week it will almost resemble an RV caravan is heading north from Texas. Not real sure what drags Winter Texans home but the end of February is the key exit day. Travel safe all and if you are in the north – hope you can stay warm. Take care P&J
Sunday, February 17, 2008
TIPS AND PROMOS COMBINED
TIPS AND PROMOS COMBINED AGAIN Issue 7
Jim and Penny in Port Charlotte FL sent us an email stating all their EXPRESSVU TRANSPONDERS are back working. Odd ones are 100% and even ones are near 70%. In the Rio Grande Valley we had no problems with our transponders – but we did lose about 20 channels (mostly Toronto and Calgary) plus 3 from Johns sports package – we pick the majority of our lost ones on Park cable or from Manitoba and Eastern channels.
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FEBRUARY’S EXPLORER RV CLUB LUNCHEON will be our last gathering for this winter. We hope all Club Members in the Rio Grande Valley can join us – pass the word along. Club members have enjoyed fun gatherings each month since November – we do plan to continue to host these next winter as well. Pictures of the last 3 luncheons are posted Here John and I have searched for a different Valley eatery each month. If you have a favourite buffet style spot – let us know. FYI January and February our numbers do rise to over 100.
February’s event is booked for the 28th at HAROLD’S COUNTRY KITCHEN in Donna. We have a separate room for this gathering - a varied tasty buffet will be the choice of meal. PLEASE let us know if you can join us. Send me an email for full details.
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There is a TITANIUM LUNCHEON at 12:30 Tuesday 26th Feb at Llano Grande RV Park in Mercedes. If you own a Glendale product (Titanium, Kustom Koach or Genesis) and would like to attend, Call Ron & Doreen Cave 519 632 5097 (cut-off date was 15 Feb – there may still be space)
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Shopping for a CELL PHONE to meet your needs can be a huge complicated challenge. Our friend Tom was looking for a prepaid cell phone and when he found this site that gave him great insight. According to Tom this link simplifies a comparison of the various companies at a glance This link shows coverage maps of all the major carriers
Tom also found this T-MOBILE PHONE WITH NO CONTRACT. It does many things you can do on a computer besides voice calls. Instant messaging, Email etc. plus some models even hav a QWERTY keyboard - similar to pocketmail. Low cost plans are available to call Mexico and Canada. It offers good coverage areas as well, Check it out Here
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This week I had two requests for info reference what cars can be flat towed. Motorhome Magazine DINGHY TOWING GUIDE for 2008 is very comprehensive. Previous years are also listed Here.
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CANADIAN GOOD SAM MEMBERS can enjoy two days COMPLIMENTARY Travel Insurance for trips out of Canada. You can use this benefit an unlimited number of times and you can also top it up for longer getaways. To activate coverage call 1-888-237-1177. NOTE: It is very unwise to venture across the border for any reason without extra Medical coverage. For more info go to the Good Sam website then to "member benefits", then to "insurance".
Jim and Penny in Port Charlotte FL sent us an email stating all their EXPRESSVU TRANSPONDERS are back working. Odd ones are 100% and even ones are near 70%. In the Rio Grande Valley we had no problems with our transponders – but we did lose about 20 channels (mostly Toronto and Calgary) plus 3 from Johns sports package – we pick the majority of our lost ones on Park cable or from Manitoba and Eastern channels.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FEBRUARY’S EXPLORER RV CLUB LUNCHEON will be our last gathering for this winter. We hope all Club Members in the Rio Grande Valley can join us – pass the word along. Club members have enjoyed fun gatherings each month since November – we do plan to continue to host these next winter as well. Pictures of the last 3 luncheons are posted Here John and I have searched for a different Valley eatery each month. If you have a favourite buffet style spot – let us know. FYI January and February our numbers do rise to over 100.
February’s event is booked for the 28th at HAROLD’S COUNTRY KITCHEN in Donna. We have a separate room for this gathering - a varied tasty buffet will be the choice of meal. PLEASE let us know if you can join us. Send me an email for full details.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There is a TITANIUM LUNCHEON at 12:30 Tuesday 26th Feb at Llano Grande RV Park in Mercedes. If you own a Glendale product (Titanium, Kustom Koach or Genesis) and would like to attend, Call Ron & Doreen Cave 519 632 5097 (cut-off date was 15 Feb – there may still be space)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shopping for a CELL PHONE to meet your needs can be a huge complicated challenge. Our friend Tom was looking for a prepaid cell phone and when he found this site that gave him great insight. According to Tom this link simplifies a comparison of the various companies at a glance This link shows coverage maps of all the major carriers
Tom also found this T-MOBILE PHONE WITH NO CONTRACT. It does many things you can do on a computer besides voice calls. Instant messaging, Email etc. plus some models even hav a QWERTY keyboard - similar to pocketmail. Low cost plans are available to call Mexico and Canada. It offers good coverage areas as well, Check it out Here
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
This week I had two requests for info reference what cars can be flat towed. Motorhome Magazine DINGHY TOWING GUIDE for 2008 is very comprehensive. Previous years are also listed Here.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
CANADIAN GOOD SAM MEMBERS can enjoy two days COMPLIMENTARY Travel Insurance for trips out of Canada. You can use this benefit an unlimited number of times and you can also top it up for longer getaways. To activate coverage call 1-888-237-1177. NOTE: It is very unwise to venture across the border for any reason without extra Medical coverage. For more info go to the Good Sam website then to "member benefits", then to "insurance".
CAR AND LUXOR ARE BOTH IN GREAT SHAPE
CAR AND LUXOR ARE BOTH IN GREAT SHAPE - Newsy Issue 7
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version Here
Greetings, We have enjoyed a very rewarding week that turned into one super busy 7-days – thankfully it has finally come to a close. I am getting too old to deal with all these changes overnight. BUT our GRAND AM is running smooth and noise free plus our beautiful LUXOR is again in our site at Alamo Palms – Our Kastle looks fantastic. So much went down this week I will try to highlight events one item at time.
__________________________________
REFLECTING ON OUR INTERESTING WEEK
SUNDAY morning we enjoyed the wonders of Don-Wes flea market – I wanted to pick up the balance of my books from Happy Camper RV Store. This store has had a number of thefts this winter and they did not want a book to ‘walk’. I would have understood, but they would have felt bad. When we came home I played catch-up on numerous computer projects. I am so far behind on commitments this week – cell phone access at Paint Shop was slow plus we have been on such a merry-go-round. In time things will be normal.
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MONDAY afternoon our car was ready from ALIGNMENT MASTERS (956-702-1668). Their Tex/Mex tech did a fantastic job. The noise that came from a broken ‘Fly Wheel’ is now gone –– apparently cogs around the wheel edges sometimes break off, but a large crack is a bit rare. Shop owner Tony suggested that it could be caused by trying to start the car when it was already running. Total cost was a low $525 + tax.
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TUESDAY we began ‘running’ at 6 AM – first chore was to pack up the coach and drop it off at the VALLEY TRUCK AND VAN COLLISION SHOP to have the bottom painted, (It looks fantastic by the way but I will go into details later in this post.)
Immediately we were on the move to Mexico for my 12 Noon appointment for a ROOT CANAL with ‘Doctora Judith’. This talented lady is a professional JEWEL like few others. She has patience, she’s gentle & extremely caring as to your pain level plus overall she is an excellent dentist. As an ex-dental assistant I can honestly say I have NEVER been a patient of, nor have I assisted a professional of her caliber. Since she is a recent graduate; she stopped at various steps in the procedure to verify her diagnostic x-rays with Dr Pablo – the ‘overall boss’. Lauren, the English-speaking Office Manager filled out all my Insurance forms so all I have to do is to send them in to claim my refund. A root canal for a front tooth (not a double root tooth) was only $150.00 (my two white fillings of last week were $25. each). New office & equipment, great staff overseen by an experienced Dr with treatment at super low prices – what more could any Winter Texan ask for? My 4-unit, bridge ($400), has been put on hold till November. However all teeth are restored so they will not cause me pain before then. CLINIC LOCATION – (Dr Pablo Verastegui Clinic, Av. Benito Juarez #221 (on the exit side of Progresso–2 blocks from the bridge – Ph.Tx-956 376 8987, Mx - 011-52-899-937-00-53).
While in Mexico ‘Alphonso’ painted our INTERNET DISH to match the mural on our coach. It is beautiful. Depending on Dish size and detail costs will range from $30-$60 – both sides can be painted, As long as these talented ex-graffiti ‘artists’ use acrylic paint with NO LEAD in them, the Dish reception is not compromised. See picture of our newly painted Dish above... During this rush visit there was no time for a leisurely lunch.
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version Here
Greetings, We have enjoyed a very rewarding week that turned into one super busy 7-days – thankfully it has finally come to a close. I am getting too old to deal with all these changes overnight. BUT our GRAND AM is running smooth and noise free plus our beautiful LUXOR is again in our site at Alamo Palms – Our Kastle looks fantastic. So much went down this week I will try to highlight events one item at time.
__________________________________
REFLECTING ON OUR INTERESTING WEEK
SUNDAY morning we enjoyed the wonders of Don-Wes flea market – I wanted to pick up the balance of my books from Happy Camper RV Store. This store has had a number of thefts this winter and they did not want a book to ‘walk’. I would have understood, but they would have felt bad. When we came home I played catch-up on numerous computer projects. I am so far behind on commitments this week – cell phone access at Paint Shop was slow plus we have been on such a merry-go-round. In time things will be normal.
_______________________________
MONDAY afternoon our car was ready from ALIGNMENT MASTERS (956-702-1668). Their Tex/Mex tech did a fantastic job. The noise that came from a broken ‘Fly Wheel’ is now gone –– apparently cogs around the wheel edges sometimes break off, but a large crack is a bit rare. Shop owner Tony suggested that it could be caused by trying to start the car when it was already running. Total cost was a low $525 + tax.
_______________________________
TUESDAY we began ‘running’ at 6 AM – first chore was to pack up the coach and drop it off at the VALLEY TRUCK AND VAN COLLISION SHOP to have the bottom painted, (It looks fantastic by the way but I will go into details later in this post.)
Immediately we were on the move to Mexico for my 12 Noon appointment for a ROOT CANAL with ‘Doctora Judith’. This talented lady is a professional JEWEL like few others. She has patience, she’s gentle & extremely caring as to your pain level plus overall she is an excellent dentist. As an ex-dental assistant I can honestly say I have NEVER been a patient of, nor have I assisted a professional of her caliber. Since she is a recent graduate; she stopped at various steps in the procedure to verify her diagnostic x-rays with Dr Pablo – the ‘overall boss’. Lauren, the English-speaking Office Manager filled out all my Insurance forms so all I have to do is to send them in to claim my refund. A root canal for a front tooth (not a double root tooth) was only $150.00 (my two white fillings of last week were $25. each). New office & equipment, great staff overseen by an experienced Dr with treatment at super low prices – what more could any Winter Texan ask for? My 4-unit, bridge ($400), has been put on hold till November. However all teeth are restored so they will not cause me pain before then. CLINIC LOCATION – (Dr Pablo Verastegui Clinic, Av. Benito Juarez #221 (on the exit side of Progresso–2 blocks from the bridge – Ph.Tx-956 376 8987, Mx - 011-52-899-937-00-53).
While in Mexico ‘Alphonso’ painted our INTERNET DISH to match the mural on our coach. It is beautiful. Depending on Dish size and detail costs will range from $30-$60 – both sides can be painted, As long as these talented ex-graffiti ‘artists’ use acrylic paint with NO LEAD in them, the Dish reception is not compromised. See picture of our newly painted Dish above... During this rush visit there was no time for a leisurely lunch.We made it back to pick up the rental car at Alamo Palms, make a quick stop by the paint shop before we joined our neighbours for a STREET PARTY AT LAS MARGARITAS in Pharr. Nice restaurant with good food – but they served no Margaritas. We returned to the paint shop to spend the night. All storage pod doors were raised while the sides were drying where the corners were re-attached. Sleeping in the MH was a good idea – BUD their lovable guard dog (caged) protected us throughout the night.
________________________________
Owner Ben even gave me the gate key so I could leave at 6:30 AM to work a Craft Sale at Alamo Palms on the WEDNESDAY – one more early start to a long day. I love working these events because it’s fun to be able to talk to everyone. All I sell is my Antique Jewelry and my books but I can be creative during the sale by making more craft pieces, which adds to a fun event, plus I had a very successful day,
Next stop was to return the rental car. If we had decided to bring it back early, our inexpensive weekly rate could have reverted to a more costly daily fee. We then celebrated with another tasty lunch at Logan’s Roadhouse – neat restaurant – good food. At 3 PM the INTERSTATE TRUCK installed new coach engine batteries. ($330.) Yes when it rains, it pours, but our previous batteries no longer would hold a charge. Borrowing the park charger before each start-up was a pain. Not sure why those 2.5-year old ‘hearts’ gave up – in time we will understand?
During our afternoon check-in at the paint shop, we discovered that they would be painting till 7:30 PM, so off we went for a long drive and more shopping. We didn’t know where the movie theatres were so we opted for the malls. Could have asked?
_________________________________
THURSDAY morning we were off to the Harlingen IHOP to meet good friends Trudy and Rod from Waterloo, ON They were on their way back to sister Nancy’s in Austin and will return to Canada for early March. Their time in the valley was so short, we were very happy that you guys fit us in. John and I headed to South Padre Island to check out possible sites to celebrate our Anniversary on the 20th. We were impressed with the Radisson Hotel (thanks Trudy for the recommendation) those plans are still up in the air.
Because I kept adding extras at the paint shop such as around the edge of our mural because it would not take a shine – there was no Gel oat on it – Ben’s quote was to fix 3-doors and ended up repairing 5. So this 3-day restoration was taking longer – when the painter was unhappy with the finish on one storage pod door, he removed it for a repaint in the paint shop. In a word it would be very late on Thursday before it was finished. We decided that a night in a Motel 6 – away from paint fumes – would make sleeping easier.
COSTS for this outstanding job were extremely reasonable. Our original estimate was $1600.00 but even after attending to my several additional wants, it was still only $1900 (Masking and painting around the mural was time–consuming). A friend in NC who also owns a LUXOR was quoted $4000.00 more than us. Ben has access to a team of professionals that can enhance everything from painting a small car to restoring a luxury RV. Next year I hope to have the LUXOR dash recovered. VALLEY TRUCK AND VAN, 812E HACKBERRY, MCALLEN 956 618 3333 can do it all!
______________________________
FRIDAY we returned to Alamo Palms just in time for me to ‘dress-up’ to attend the Park LADIES LUNCHEON/PARK STYLE SHOW – it was a fun rewarding gathering where the men served the ladies a tasty chicken salad lunch – (pictures to be posted soon). Three stores featured their line of clothes. John played in the Pool Tournament against Victoria Palms – Alamo Palms hosted this week,
________________________________
FINAL THOUGHTS
Sure glad we do not experience too many weeks that are this busy or this costly. I am too old to be dealing with all of this stuff at once. But now Our LUXOR is beautiful – all the extras have been taken care of. We have brand new engine batteries, the car has had a complete physical with the engine out and my root canal/fillings should give me a summer free of dental pain. We did spend big bucks this week, but the Good Lord willing, we should be able to coast for the next while. Hope the world is treating each of you well. With luck, all that snow up north will soon stop falling and the temps will warm up.
Travel safe guys P&J
Sunday, February 10, 2008
PROMOS THIS WEEK
PROMOS Issue 6 – (Due to length there are NO TIPS this week)
MY SAT DISH IS WORKING AGAIN - recently I relayed that when my Dish fell before Christmas it seemed to be OK, but when the Jan. rains came, I lost signal. Guess I cracked the arm in the fall. Well Tech Mobile Communications Wireless from Lindsay, Ontario came to my rescue and last Thursday a new transmit arm, cable and Dish arrived by UPS. In the meantime I used the apparatus of Dick, the CATV & Computer tech (Dick is a WorkKamper at Alamo Palms, he uses a Park Modem for Internet access – his equipment was just sitting there). Next Tuesday when I go for more dental we will be taking our new Dish over to Mexico to be painted to match our roof Dish – I’ll post pictures ASAP. Thanks Armand and Todd for the new ‘stuff’.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Today Saturday, I received TWO VERY INFORMATIVE NEWSLETTERS – if any of you do not subscribe to these you really should subscribe – they are Free. The first one by Mark and Dawn Polk simply overflows with information – from Videos to Articles to How-to columns and Mega help to Q&A plus soooooo very much more. Mark is the author of 10-ebooks that he has just updated – plus several print books. His ‘RV BOOK’ is sold in Wal*Mart and Camping World. There is too much in this issue to just pick one item to discuss. To read this months entire publication go Here
You can sign up for this newsletter OR take a look at RV Education101.com extensive line-up of products Here By using this link, RV Living.net earns an affiliate fee.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Another informative newsletter worth signing up for AND to read - is from RV Travel.com
RV RECALLS: Many popular RV models are on the long January recalls list.
RECENT RV RECALLS. Each month the latest RV recalls are listed. Click links for those in December -- November -- October -- September -- August -- July -- June
By 2009 ANALOG TV’S will not work off of antennas – however Analogue TV’s will still work with Cable and Sat Dishes. But if it is time to upgrade to a flat screen, this link may be an option to mount a new TV. John and I found a new unit to fit the space of our old unit, but this roof mount offers another option.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FEBRUARY’S EXPLORER RV CLUB LUNCHEON will be our last gathering for this winter. We hope all Club Members in the Rio Grande Valley can join us – pass the word along. Club members have enjoyed fun gatherings each month since November – we do plan to continue to host these next winter as well. Pictures of the last 3 luncheons are posted h\ere John and I have searched for a different Valley eatery each month. If you have a favourite buffet style spot – let us know. FYI January and February our numbers do rise to over 100.
February’s event is booked for the 28th at HAROLD’S COUNTRY KITCHEN in Donna. We have a separate room for this gathering - a varied tasty buffet will be the choice of meal. Please let us know I you can join us. Send me an email to receive for full details.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John and Chris Clark, webmasters of SANIDUMPS.COM are busy adding new locations to their worldwide listings of Dump Stations. They even took on a new partner to help promote the website. Over all it now numbers over 11,000 with over 2,000 in Canada and an excess of 8,000 in the USA and the site is still growing. To access information on this site or to share a dump site not mentioned is FREE.
MY SAT DISH IS WORKING AGAIN - recently I relayed that when my Dish fell before Christmas it seemed to be OK, but when the Jan. rains came, I lost signal. Guess I cracked the arm in the fall. Well Tech Mobile Communications Wireless from Lindsay, Ontario came to my rescue and last Thursday a new transmit arm, cable and Dish arrived by UPS. In the meantime I used the apparatus of Dick, the CATV & Computer tech (Dick is a WorkKamper at Alamo Palms, he uses a Park Modem for Internet access – his equipment was just sitting there). Next Tuesday when I go for more dental we will be taking our new Dish over to Mexico to be painted to match our roof Dish – I’ll post pictures ASAP. Thanks Armand and Todd for the new ‘stuff’.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Today Saturday, I received TWO VERY INFORMATIVE NEWSLETTERS – if any of you do not subscribe to these you really should subscribe – they are Free. The first one by Mark and Dawn Polk simply overflows with information – from Videos to Articles to How-to columns and Mega help to Q&A plus soooooo very much more. Mark is the author of 10-ebooks that he has just updated – plus several print books. His ‘RV BOOK’ is sold in Wal*Mart and Camping World. There is too much in this issue to just pick one item to discuss. To read this months entire publication go Here
You can sign up for this newsletter OR take a look at RV Education101.com extensive line-up of products Here By using this link, RV Living.net earns an affiliate fee.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Another informative newsletter worth signing up for AND to read - is from RV Travel.com
RV RECALLS: Many popular RV models are on the long January recalls list.
RECENT RV RECALLS. Each month the latest RV recalls are listed. Click links for those in December -- November -- October -- September -- August -- July -- June
By 2009 ANALOG TV’S will not work off of antennas – however Analogue TV’s will still work with Cable and Sat Dishes. But if it is time to upgrade to a flat screen, this link may be an option to mount a new TV. John and I found a new unit to fit the space of our old unit, but this roof mount offers another option.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FEBRUARY’S EXPLORER RV CLUB LUNCHEON will be our last gathering for this winter. We hope all Club Members in the Rio Grande Valley can join us – pass the word along. Club members have enjoyed fun gatherings each month since November – we do plan to continue to host these next winter as well. Pictures of the last 3 luncheons are posted h\ere John and I have searched for a different Valley eatery each month. If you have a favourite buffet style spot – let us know. FYI January and February our numbers do rise to over 100.
February’s event is booked for the 28th at HAROLD’S COUNTRY KITCHEN in Donna. We have a separate room for this gathering - a varied tasty buffet will be the choice of meal. Please let us know I you can join us. Send me an email to receive for full details.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John and Chris Clark, webmasters of SANIDUMPS.COM are busy adding new locations to their worldwide listings of Dump Stations. They even took on a new partner to help promote the website. Over all it now numbers over 11,000 with over 2,000 in Canada and an excess of 8,000 in the USA and the site is still growing. To access information on this site or to share a dump site not mentioned is FREE.
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED Newsy Portion Issue 6
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version Here:
Greetings All: Life is great in the Rio Grande Valley and the climate this year has been excellent. Yes we have had some wet days and a week or so in the 50’s but the super cold that this area is noted for each winter did not surface this year. It is so great to sit here bug-free with the main door wide open.
One thing in life is certain – things do not always go as planned. When we RVers live and travel on the roads in a wide variety of places - unexpected situations seems to be even more prevalent. In all cases we have to start from scratch deciding what to do and where to go. I relay this info in reference to when we needed to find an after-hour vet clinic when Katie suddenly died after the park office had closed. At that point I called 411 and they patiently walked me through my trauma. By the way we are still receiving condolences – each one is definitely most appreciated. FYI – I sent everyone a Thank You - just in case my email didn’t get through.
Last WEDNESDAY, on the way to spend a day at the beach in South Padre Island, we stopped at Wal*Mart for an oil change and discovered our engine was making a noise we had never heard before – we kind of heard a different sound while parked next to a building the day before, but we thought it was the old truck ahead of us. It also sounded like it may be a vibrating heat shield. Dilemma – where do we go? We really did not want to go to a GM dealer because our Grand Am is a 2002 and we felt they may suggest replacing some unnecessary stuff. But this problem was a bit more serious than an oil change and just stopping at any garage we found was also not an appealing choice.
So where to go for help???? After some discussion, we made a wise choice to ask the park maintenance crew. - they live here, This helpful department came through again – last week it was the battery charger and this week it was guidance. They directed us to a superior repair shop just down the road. ALIGNMENT MASTERS (956-702-1668). When we first took the car in, a talented Tex-Mex mechanic held a piece of water hose to his ear when the car was running so he could listen to where the noise was coming from – these guys do possess talent plus. His first thought was we had a problem with the ‘crankshaft bearing’, but after he could pull the engine, he would know more. Basic cost was $450.00 – additional parts and service will be added from there. He expected to take 3-5 days for the repair.
__________________________________
RENTAL CAR EDUCATION
Soooo we needed a car, but where was the most economical place to rent? A call to several of our RV Clubs to ask for their rental contract codes and rental phone numbers was a good place to start. We were not in the Luxor when we needed this info from our records but the Explorer RV Club, FMCA, Good Sam and more all shared their great contract rental numbers. Using these codes we rented a car from National for a mere $160.00 per week including taxes and unlimited miles. However at this price, it is only registered to one of us, I gladly left the driving to John this week.
While waiting to pick up the car at our reserved time we stopped at Logan’s Roadhouse in McAllen. What a neat place!!! Visitors can pick out a steak or fish they want cooked and that piece is prepared specifically for them. Buckets of hard shell peanuts on the tables help shorten any delay in waiting for your meal. We opted to enjoy their extraordinary huge tasty salads on that visit rather than a steak.
__________________________________
EVENTUAL DIAGNOSIS
Thankfully when the dust settled, our problem was a cracked flywheel – not sure how this happened as yet. The engine still had to removed but the resulting repair bill will be much less costly. The new flywheel has been replaced and engine was almost installed as of Sat morning. Total estimated cost – $500.00. We pick the Grand Am up on Monday and until Wed we will be a 2-car family – not bad for us fulltimers. If we take the car back early we would revert to a more costly daily rate – go figure.
____________________________________
TUESDAY (before all this happened) we enjoyed a great visit and a tasty lunch at Martha’s – the local Mexican hangout with good Cdn friends Margaret and Bob – they winter at nearby Palm Shadows RV Park. This twosome recently bought a park model and sold two others they had. FYI, in many of the Rio Grande Valley parks that assess low monthly fees, Park Models in the 20-year old range are available for sale for the $8,000.- $12,000. (Many new ones begin in the $39,000 range). This twosome just sold two other units they had for $10,000 each. In some cases these units need some upgrades or modifications to the living end of things but the basic structures are sound. Depending on park monthly rates – rentals are also available for approximately $900. - $1200 per month as well. If anyone without an RV just wants a place for an active get-away for a few months, the above may be the answer.
___________________________________
THURSDAY we went over to Mexico – I needed some dental. The dentist I went to a few weeks ago I was not extremely satisfied with. He treated me good but as an ex-dental assistant I expected more – so I did not share his name. But on the way out that day I found a gem of a dental clinic – it had all new progressive equipment plus they have super low prices. Head dentist/owner is Dr Pablo, but he has 4-other dentists working in this office plus he owns and oversees 2 other clinics in Progresso.
I needed a filling and ‘Doctora Judith’ was assigned to me. She had to be in her mid to late 20’s because of her education level but she looked like she was 20. I have had an abundant of dental work done during my life but no one has ever been SO GENTLE. The best part was all prices in this clinic are on the low side. White fillings are only $25.00 and next Tuesday I return for a $150.00 root canal. A 4-unit bridge to replace one I broke a year ago will follow (estimate at $400.). Both as a patient and as an Ex-dental assistant, I highly recommend this clinic for its appearance, pricing and for my excellent treatment. (Clinic name is Dr Pablo Verastegui, Av. Benito Juarez #221 (on the exit side of Progresso–2 blocks from the bridge – Ph.Tx-956 376 8987, Mx - 011-52-899-937-00-53).
Of course we ended our day with lunch at Garcia’s where we were again treated royally – During this visit, I also paid all my IOU’s of our dinner and previous dental work from a week ago. A stop at the Duty Free Shop and we were back across the border.
________________________________
FINAL THOUGHTS
Park wide events keep us super busy each week. Friday, John played some challenging billiard games that he won and this morning we biked to a number of Patio Garage Sales within the park. All in all our extremely busy week held with many surprises. Thankfully we both live with a positive attitude – if we think optimistic, everything usually works out for the best. All is well in the McD’s household – hope in yours too. Maybe those incessant snowstorms in the north will end soon. As my sister Nancy says, “Don’t travel faster than your Guardian Angels can fly” – good advice for everyone. Take care all. P&J
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version Here:
Greetings All: Life is great in the Rio Grande Valley and the climate this year has been excellent. Yes we have had some wet days and a week or so in the 50’s but the super cold that this area is noted for each winter did not surface this year. It is so great to sit here bug-free with the main door wide open.
One thing in life is certain – things do not always go as planned. When we RVers live and travel on the roads in a wide variety of places - unexpected situations seems to be even more prevalent. In all cases we have to start from scratch deciding what to do and where to go. I relay this info in reference to when we needed to find an after-hour vet clinic when Katie suddenly died after the park office had closed. At that point I called 411 and they patiently walked me through my trauma. By the way we are still receiving condolences – each one is definitely most appreciated. FYI – I sent everyone a Thank You - just in case my email didn’t get through.
Last WEDNESDAY, on the way to spend a day at the beach in South Padre Island, we stopped at Wal*Mart for an oil change and discovered our engine was making a noise we had never heard before – we kind of heard a different sound while parked next to a building the day before, but we thought it was the old truck ahead of us. It also sounded like it may be a vibrating heat shield. Dilemma – where do we go? We really did not want to go to a GM dealer because our Grand Am is a 2002 and we felt they may suggest replacing some unnecessary stuff. But this problem was a bit more serious than an oil change and just stopping at any garage we found was also not an appealing choice.
So where to go for help???? After some discussion, we made a wise choice to ask the park maintenance crew. - they live here, This helpful department came through again – last week it was the battery charger and this week it was guidance. They directed us to a superior repair shop just down the road. ALIGNMENT MASTERS (956-702-1668). When we first took the car in, a talented Tex-Mex mechanic held a piece of water hose to his ear when the car was running so he could listen to where the noise was coming from – these guys do possess talent plus. His first thought was we had a problem with the ‘crankshaft bearing’, but after he could pull the engine, he would know more. Basic cost was $450.00 – additional parts and service will be added from there. He expected to take 3-5 days for the repair.
__________________________________
RENTAL CAR EDUCATION
Soooo we needed a car, but where was the most economical place to rent? A call to several of our RV Clubs to ask for their rental contract codes and rental phone numbers was a good place to start. We were not in the Luxor when we needed this info from our records but the Explorer RV Club, FMCA, Good Sam and more all shared their great contract rental numbers. Using these codes we rented a car from National for a mere $160.00 per week including taxes and unlimited miles. However at this price, it is only registered to one of us, I gladly left the driving to John this week.
While waiting to pick up the car at our reserved time we stopped at Logan’s Roadhouse in McAllen. What a neat place!!! Visitors can pick out a steak or fish they want cooked and that piece is prepared specifically for them. Buckets of hard shell peanuts on the tables help shorten any delay in waiting for your meal. We opted to enjoy their extraordinary huge tasty salads on that visit rather than a steak.
__________________________________
EVENTUAL DIAGNOSIS
Thankfully when the dust settled, our problem was a cracked flywheel – not sure how this happened as yet. The engine still had to removed but the resulting repair bill will be much less costly. The new flywheel has been replaced and engine was almost installed as of Sat morning. Total estimated cost – $500.00. We pick the Grand Am up on Monday and until Wed we will be a 2-car family – not bad for us fulltimers. If we take the car back early we would revert to a more costly daily rate – go figure.
____________________________________
TUESDAY (before all this happened) we enjoyed a great visit and a tasty lunch at Martha’s – the local Mexican hangout with good Cdn friends Margaret and Bob – they winter at nearby Palm Shadows RV Park. This twosome recently bought a park model and sold two others they had. FYI, in many of the Rio Grande Valley parks that assess low monthly fees, Park Models in the 20-year old range are available for sale for the $8,000.- $12,000. (Many new ones begin in the $39,000 range). This twosome just sold two other units they had for $10,000 each. In some cases these units need some upgrades or modifications to the living end of things but the basic structures are sound. Depending on park monthly rates – rentals are also available for approximately $900. - $1200 per month as well. If anyone without an RV just wants a place for an active get-away for a few months, the above may be the answer.
___________________________________
THURSDAY we went over to Mexico – I needed some dental. The dentist I went to a few weeks ago I was not extremely satisfied with. He treated me good but as an ex-dental assistant I expected more – so I did not share his name. But on the way out that day I found a gem of a dental clinic – it had all new progressive equipment plus they have super low prices. Head dentist/owner is Dr Pablo, but he has 4-other dentists working in this office plus he owns and oversees 2 other clinics in Progresso.
I needed a filling and ‘Doctora Judith’ was assigned to me. She had to be in her mid to late 20’s because of her education level but she looked like she was 20. I have had an abundant of dental work done during my life but no one has ever been SO GENTLE. The best part was all prices in this clinic are on the low side. White fillings are only $25.00 and next Tuesday I return for a $150.00 root canal. A 4-unit bridge to replace one I broke a year ago will follow (estimate at $400.). Both as a patient and as an Ex-dental assistant, I highly recommend this clinic for its appearance, pricing and for my excellent treatment. (Clinic name is Dr Pablo Verastegui, Av. Benito Juarez #221 (on the exit side of Progresso–2 blocks from the bridge – Ph.Tx-956 376 8987, Mx - 011-52-899-937-00-53).
Of course we ended our day with lunch at Garcia’s where we were again treated royally – During this visit, I also paid all my IOU’s of our dinner and previous dental work from a week ago. A stop at the Duty Free Shop and we were back across the border.
________________________________
FINAL THOUGHTS
Park wide events keep us super busy each week. Friday, John played some challenging billiard games that he won and this morning we biked to a number of Patio Garage Sales within the park. All in all our extremely busy week held with many surprises. Thankfully we both live with a positive attitude – if we think optimistic, everything usually works out for the best. All is well in the McD’s household – hope in yours too. Maybe those incessant snowstorms in the north will end soon. As my sister Nancy says, “Don’t travel faster than your Guardian Angels can fly” – good advice for everyone. Take care all. P&J
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Tips and Hints - Issue 5
Many of these TIPS are from email I received this week
SCAMS on the Internet are abundant these days. One of our readers got caught in the following mess recently – she was even arrested. Those sending these SCAMS advertise to be looking for a contact in the USA to receive and deposit checks to the bank. They pay in counterfeit checks, western union, Wal*Mart money orders etc. to be deposited into your account. Recipients are asked to withdraw part of the amount deposited to return it to the sender – minus of course what they say they owe you. By the time the bank realizes that the checks are fake, you have already sent some of your money. The ‘new employee’ then must find a way to pay the bank. This writer was even arrested – she was released, but others have not been so lucky. Some have even had to deal with prison time along with a damaged reputation. Her credit rating was also damaged.
Soooooo if an email ‘opportunity???’ sounds too good to be true rest assured it probably is. DELETE THAT EMAIL IMMEDIATELY – DO NOT OPEN IT, ANSWER OR CONVERSE WITH THIS TYPE OF EMAIL Friday morning I received an email offering to pay me incredible commissions for website advertising. I knew it was a fake because the amount of payment was too large for what they wanted me to do but I was curious. My friend Bonnie reads ‘legalize’ much better than I do and she found some fine print on their site that explained it was a pyramid scheme - no money if no sales result. In this case I was alerted to the SCAM mainly because the payment amount was way too large for anything legit. Sometimes the email offer sounds so normal. Another friend was renting rooms for students from overseas in her house and she too got scammed with phony over payment checks – she was then instructed to return the overages. Her lesson cost her more than she wanted to spend, but it was not a major amount.
BOTTOM LINE – NEVER RESPOND TO LOTTERY WINS OR TO ANY GET RICH QUICK SCHEMES or to other form of easy money on the ‘Net. You will come out on the losing end of things. Think about it – if you never bought a ticket to a lottery why would anyone consider giving you millions of dollars? OR Why would someone offer a complete stranger cash left in an inheritance.
+++++++++++++++++++++
BIT MORE ON MAKING 411 CALLS – Agathe shared that those over age 65 in Canada can call Bell Canada and be exempt from fees in using 411. Her husband Yvon applied and has just been exempt from these charges. As Canadians we do not always come out on top in some things – why not give this tip a try?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
PROMOS THIS WEEK
READING BOOKS ABOUT HOW TO ENJOY THE WORLD OF RVING HELPS WITH THE LEARNING PROCESS – Yes MY book and ebooks mentioned below are very informative to both new and experienced RVers. However Mark and Dawn Polk are the overall experts when it comes to sharing each tidbit of HOW-TO INFO about this fantastic lifestyle. Log onto their educational site to take a look at their informative line-up They feature many cost effective groupings offered at special prices. Their wide selection of DVD’s, Videos, a series of E-books plus Mark’s Print books address concerns of every RV topic imaginable. His selections cover each aspect of maintenance and RV ownership. Their list of titles seems almost endless. I cannot begin to highlight his endless list of topics – take a look to see for yourself.
Be certain to also check out their sister site - RV University.com. Sign up for their no-cost RV University Course while you are there. On this site Mark offers a series of free articles (Curriculum) where he discusses every aspect of how to enjoy this lifestyle to the fullest.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My BOOKNOOK page highlight numerous publications that I find exceptionally helpful. The listings range from Cookbooks, to Fulltiming, to Accessing the Internet to, Women RVers, to Travel to, to, to, to. If you order these through the links provided RVLiving.net earns a small affiliate fee.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ARE YOU PLANNING TO BUY A PRE-OWNED RV? – Gas/Fuel and Maintenance costs to operate RV’s are on the rise. As a result many RVers decide to buy a unit that was a travel home to someone else. However if you are untrained on what to look for you can be making a huge mistake in the unit you chose. It helps to learn from the experts. Les Doll is a working RV tech from BC as well as author of an up front look at How to Avoid Costly little know buying problems. If the RV in your future will be a pre-owned unit, you owe it to yourself to read this book first.
SCAMS on the Internet are abundant these days. One of our readers got caught in the following mess recently – she was even arrested. Those sending these SCAMS advertise to be looking for a contact in the USA to receive and deposit checks to the bank. They pay in counterfeit checks, western union, Wal*Mart money orders etc. to be deposited into your account. Recipients are asked to withdraw part of the amount deposited to return it to the sender – minus of course what they say they owe you. By the time the bank realizes that the checks are fake, you have already sent some of your money. The ‘new employee’ then must find a way to pay the bank. This writer was even arrested – she was released, but others have not been so lucky. Some have even had to deal with prison time along with a damaged reputation. Her credit rating was also damaged.
Soooooo if an email ‘opportunity???’ sounds too good to be true rest assured it probably is. DELETE THAT EMAIL IMMEDIATELY – DO NOT OPEN IT, ANSWER OR CONVERSE WITH THIS TYPE OF EMAIL Friday morning I received an email offering to pay me incredible commissions for website advertising. I knew it was a fake because the amount of payment was too large for what they wanted me to do but I was curious. My friend Bonnie reads ‘legalize’ much better than I do and she found some fine print on their site that explained it was a pyramid scheme - no money if no sales result. In this case I was alerted to the SCAM mainly because the payment amount was way too large for anything legit. Sometimes the email offer sounds so normal. Another friend was renting rooms for students from overseas in her house and she too got scammed with phony over payment checks – she was then instructed to return the overages. Her lesson cost her more than she wanted to spend, but it was not a major amount.
BOTTOM LINE – NEVER RESPOND TO LOTTERY WINS OR TO ANY GET RICH QUICK SCHEMES or to other form of easy money on the ‘Net. You will come out on the losing end of things. Think about it – if you never bought a ticket to a lottery why would anyone consider giving you millions of dollars? OR Why would someone offer a complete stranger cash left in an inheritance.
+++++++++++++++++++++
BIT MORE ON MAKING 411 CALLS – Agathe shared that those over age 65 in Canada can call Bell Canada and be exempt from fees in using 411. Her husband Yvon applied and has just been exempt from these charges. As Canadians we do not always come out on top in some things – why not give this tip a try?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
PROMOS THIS WEEK
READING BOOKS ABOUT HOW TO ENJOY THE WORLD OF RVING HELPS WITH THE LEARNING PROCESS – Yes MY book and ebooks mentioned below are very informative to both new and experienced RVers. However Mark and Dawn Polk are the overall experts when it comes to sharing each tidbit of HOW-TO INFO about this fantastic lifestyle. Log onto their educational site to take a look at their informative line-up They feature many cost effective groupings offered at special prices. Their wide selection of DVD’s, Videos, a series of E-books plus Mark’s Print books address concerns of every RV topic imaginable. His selections cover each aspect of maintenance and RV ownership. Their list of titles seems almost endless. I cannot begin to highlight his endless list of topics – take a look to see for yourself.
Be certain to also check out their sister site - RV University.com. Sign up for their no-cost RV University Course while you are there. On this site Mark offers a series of free articles (Curriculum) where he discusses every aspect of how to enjoy this lifestyle to the fullest.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My BOOKNOOK page highlight numerous publications that I find exceptionally helpful. The listings range from Cookbooks, to Fulltiming, to Accessing the Internet to, Women RVers, to Travel to, to, to, to. If you order these through the links provided RVLiving.net earns a small affiliate fee.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ARE YOU PLANNING TO BUY A PRE-OWNED RV? – Gas/Fuel and Maintenance costs to operate RV’s are on the rise. As a result many RVers decide to buy a unit that was a travel home to someone else. However if you are untrained on what to look for you can be making a huge mistake in the unit you chose. It helps to learn from the experts. Les Doll is a working RV tech from BC as well as author of an up front look at How to Avoid Costly little know buying problems. If the RV in your future will be a pre-owned unit, you owe it to yourself to read this book first.
CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S FEBRUARY ALREADY
Newsy Portion of Issue 5
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version Here.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi All: Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the hundreds of condolences John and I received last week reference Katie’s passing. We are missing her big time but the overwhelming email and e-card support definitely helped ease our trauma. We have learned two things from this disaster. Number One - there will always be 2-dogs in this house, so when one passes we have another to love (this is our first time in 28 years we have been without a furry baby to keep us company – it is not pleasant). Plus we also have a stronger appreciation for the value of all travel partners. We only lost our beloved pet, but through this I now understand more intensely how important it is to be super nice and to keep peace with your travel partner. None of us know when a family member may no longer be with us – appreciate their good points and learn to accept their less than perfect habits as well. Life will be very lonely when any of us suddenly find ourselves on our own.
______________________
OUR BUSY WEEK MADE FOR FUN TIMES
During a routine maintenance check on Tuesday, John discovered our starting BATTERIES HAD DIED. It is too long a story to go into the 'why this happened', but since we will have to move on the 12th Feb to have the bottom of the LUXOR painted at the VTV collision shop, we needed to find a solution. Of course, we do have a battery charger – but since we had not used it for a while, we moved it to our Canadian storage last fall - not the smartest move we recently made.. Sites in Alamo Palms are long and narrow, this would make it difficult for an ERS Truck to come to our rescue – our batteries are located near the rear of our motorhome. For access we would have had to take down the Dish, pack up all the chairs, move the BBQ plus more just to make room for a vehicle to move in to give us a charge. Soooo after a short visit to the park maintenance shed, our problem was solved. We send a special thanks to John who gladly shared the parks 200-watt heavy-duty charger. Lesson learned – our crisis was solved in a day because we asked those on site (or nearby) for assistance. RVers love to share.
______________________
ONE MORE JOY ABOUT VISITING MEXICO
Tuesday we ventured again to Mexico for my DENTAL APPOINTMENT. As an ex-dental assistant I was not completely happy with the level of my treatment. The dentist treated me well but I was not comfortable with my choice of clinic. However on the way out of N Progresso I did find a quality dental clinic to have my bridge replaced. His set-up was much more appealing. When my bridge is completed, I will share the name of the clinic/doctor. I do not like to recommend without trying the service out, Why I am mentioning this is during my Tuesday appointment for fillings, the Dentist found another cavity, but since he had MC signs posted I agreed – I knew I did not have enough cash to pay for the extra filling. However – when I went to pay, his MC machine was down. So I left the clinic with an IOU of $20.00. Next stop was to Garcia’s – our favourite classy restaurant over the Canada House. When I went to pay for that meal/drinks using my MC – their machine too was not working. So again, we finished our meal and paid for it with an IOU. Guess things like this can only happen in Mexico. Maybe it helped that the manager knew us from the December Explorer Club Luncheon, but we still find it a bit unusual that we paid for these services via an IOU.
______________________
WINDSHIELD REPAIR
Routine prices in the Rio Grande Valley are generally on the low side, but early Tuesday morning en route to Mexico we stopped to see Carl, the local ‘side of the road’ window repair guy. He fixed a large spider shaped ‘ding’ in the car windshield for a mere $25. By the way, we discovered this next tidbit from personal experience - for those who are unaware – it is not wise to put these inexpensive repairs through your insurance. Even though the costs are minimal, insurance companies consider a stone chip repair in the same category of a complete windshield replacement. Claiming a small repair will come back to ‘bite’ you when or if you have a ‘real’ repair down the road.
______________________
JANUARY EXPLORER RV CLUB LUNCHEON WAS A HUGE SUCCESS
On Thursday, 122 attendees (Club Members-84 and Guests-32) gathered at the incredible SUN PALACE CHINESE BUFFET, 6013 N 10th St in McAllen. What an outstanding place for either individual dining or as a group – their menu consists of over 200 items, plus a Mongolian Grill and Sushi Bar. They set aside a huge area of the restaurant for our group and everything went so smooth - even though another group of 72 was using the same venue. My pictures are posted Here. (Best viewed as a slideshow). Door prize winners – Marg (member) has a new Club T-shirt & Nancy (guest) took home a box of chocolates. Sure enjoyed it guys! John and I send a huge ‘Thanks’ to everyone who joined us. Next month we are booked for the 28th Feb at Harold’s Country Kitchen in Donna. Hope Cdn RVers in the Rio Grande can join us, Details to follow in later blogs.
_____________________
DON WEST FLEA MARKET
I keep relaying that things in the valley are very reasonably priced. Saturday morning we visited the large local flea market, so I could pick up a couple of bathing suits. I ended up with 3-neat ones at a mere $5.00 each. Mine were wearing out and the selection and styles of their suits at the Swim Suit Shop in Don West are extremely extensive.
_____________________
FINAL THOUGHTS
This has been such an enjoyable week. John even dragged me away from my computer to go for a relaxing evening swim a couple of times. Sure happy he was persistent – next time we go I will even have a new suit to wear – the chlorine from the pool is hard on them. But at $5.00 each it is no big deal. The weather has been so pleasant that a late night swim is a perfect way to relax. John also continues to win his games at the pool hall every week.
In a word, 'Life is good in the Rio Grande Valley'. I cannot believe that we are in our 4th month in S Texas this winter. Time sure flies when we are having fun. For those who are still in the north, we pray that the storms will soon go away and you each will be enjoying an early mild spring. Take care Guys – till next week. Those on the road please travel safe. This comment from an email from Jean this week explains all that life has to offer. “ Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened” P&J
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version Here.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi All: Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the hundreds of condolences John and I received last week reference Katie’s passing. We are missing her big time but the overwhelming email and e-card support definitely helped ease our trauma. We have learned two things from this disaster. Number One - there will always be 2-dogs in this house, so when one passes we have another to love (this is our first time in 28 years we have been without a furry baby to keep us company – it is not pleasant). Plus we also have a stronger appreciation for the value of all travel partners. We only lost our beloved pet, but through this I now understand more intensely how important it is to be super nice and to keep peace with your travel partner. None of us know when a family member may no longer be with us – appreciate their good points and learn to accept their less than perfect habits as well. Life will be very lonely when any of us suddenly find ourselves on our own.
______________________
OUR BUSY WEEK MADE FOR FUN TIMES
During a routine maintenance check on Tuesday, John discovered our starting BATTERIES HAD DIED. It is too long a story to go into the 'why this happened', but since we will have to move on the 12th Feb to have the bottom of the LUXOR painted at the VTV collision shop, we needed to find a solution. Of course, we do have a battery charger – but since we had not used it for a while, we moved it to our Canadian storage last fall - not the smartest move we recently made.. Sites in Alamo Palms are long and narrow, this would make it difficult for an ERS Truck to come to our rescue – our batteries are located near the rear of our motorhome. For access we would have had to take down the Dish, pack up all the chairs, move the BBQ plus more just to make room for a vehicle to move in to give us a charge. Soooo after a short visit to the park maintenance shed, our problem was solved. We send a special thanks to John who gladly shared the parks 200-watt heavy-duty charger. Lesson learned – our crisis was solved in a day because we asked those on site (or nearby) for assistance. RVers love to share.
______________________
ONE MORE JOY ABOUT VISITING MEXICO
Tuesday we ventured again to Mexico for my DENTAL APPOINTMENT. As an ex-dental assistant I was not completely happy with the level of my treatment. The dentist treated me well but I was not comfortable with my choice of clinic. However on the way out of N Progresso I did find a quality dental clinic to have my bridge replaced. His set-up was much more appealing. When my bridge is completed, I will share the name of the clinic/doctor. I do not like to recommend without trying the service out, Why I am mentioning this is during my Tuesday appointment for fillings, the Dentist found another cavity, but since he had MC signs posted I agreed – I knew I did not have enough cash to pay for the extra filling. However – when I went to pay, his MC machine was down. So I left the clinic with an IOU of $20.00. Next stop was to Garcia’s – our favourite classy restaurant over the Canada House. When I went to pay for that meal/drinks using my MC – their machine too was not working. So again, we finished our meal and paid for it with an IOU. Guess things like this can only happen in Mexico. Maybe it helped that the manager knew us from the December Explorer Club Luncheon, but we still find it a bit unusual that we paid for these services via an IOU.
______________________
WINDSHIELD REPAIR
Routine prices in the Rio Grande Valley are generally on the low side, but early Tuesday morning en route to Mexico we stopped to see Carl, the local ‘side of the road’ window repair guy. He fixed a large spider shaped ‘ding’ in the car windshield for a mere $25. By the way, we discovered this next tidbit from personal experience - for those who are unaware – it is not wise to put these inexpensive repairs through your insurance. Even though the costs are minimal, insurance companies consider a stone chip repair in the same category of a complete windshield replacement. Claiming a small repair will come back to ‘bite’ you when or if you have a ‘real’ repair down the road.
______________________
JANUARY EXPLORER RV CLUB LUNCHEON WAS A HUGE SUCCESS
On Thursday, 122 attendees (Club Members-84 and Guests-32) gathered at the incredible SUN PALACE CHINESE BUFFET, 6013 N 10th St in McAllen. What an outstanding place for either individual dining or as a group – their menu consists of over 200 items, plus a Mongolian Grill and Sushi Bar. They set aside a huge area of the restaurant for our group and everything went so smooth - even though another group of 72 was using the same venue. My pictures are posted Here. (Best viewed as a slideshow). Door prize winners – Marg (member) has a new Club T-shirt & Nancy (guest) took home a box of chocolates. Sure enjoyed it guys! John and I send a huge ‘Thanks’ to everyone who joined us. Next month we are booked for the 28th Feb at Harold’s Country Kitchen in Donna. Hope Cdn RVers in the Rio Grande can join us, Details to follow in later blogs.
_____________________
DON WEST FLEA MARKET
I keep relaying that things in the valley are very reasonably priced. Saturday morning we visited the large local flea market, so I could pick up a couple of bathing suits. I ended up with 3-neat ones at a mere $5.00 each. Mine were wearing out and the selection and styles of their suits at the Swim Suit Shop in Don West are extremely extensive.
_____________________
FINAL THOUGHTS
This has been such an enjoyable week. John even dragged me away from my computer to go for a relaxing evening swim a couple of times. Sure happy he was persistent – next time we go I will even have a new suit to wear – the chlorine from the pool is hard on them. But at $5.00 each it is no big deal. The weather has been so pleasant that a late night swim is a perfect way to relax. John also continues to win his games at the pool hall every week.
In a word, 'Life is good in the Rio Grande Valley'. I cannot believe that we are in our 4th month in S Texas this winter. Time sure flies when we are having fun. For those who are still in the north, we pray that the storms will soon go away and you each will be enjoying an early mild spring. Take care Guys – till next week. Those on the road please travel safe. This comment from an email from Jean this week explains all that life has to offer. “ Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened” P&J
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