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.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
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
Sunday, January 27, 2008
TIPS & HINTS - Issue 4
TIPS OF THE WEEK – again, many are from email this week
A-- Marilyn and Arnold from Chicago relayed everyone should add ‘ICE’ or ‘In Case of Emerg’ to your cell phone address list. In an emergency, rescue personal will know who to call for help from family or friends.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
B-- Matthew found a great iAntenna that he feels alleviates the problems and aggravations many RVers have when receiving signal at some WiFi locations. Matthew is very pleased with his acquisition – however costs for this convenience can run into a few $100.’s.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
C-- Kevin from California uses an Internet based mail forwarding that he loves. This is a new US Mail Online-Service Check it out, Kevin says its the greatest mail system he has used to date.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
D-- Bonnie from Ontario relayed that with her Membership Park System that she can cancel some of the annual fees of some portions without jeopardizing your membership. We are not using the C2C (Coast to Coast) portion of our system these days so we called our park and we are now going to let that portion lapse. We do however enjoy using the RPI (Resorts Park International) portion so we will keep that one updated along with our low home park fees as well. If down the road we want to reinstate C2C we can simply add it again through our home park,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
PROMOS THIS WEEK
A-- RV Living.net is a WAL*MART AFFILIATE and if any sales go through our banner on our home page, we receive a small affiliate fee. My last purchase using my Cdn Credit Card was not accepted because they wanted me to enter a USA ZIP code. However a Wal*Mart store card, purchased by my Cdn MC was accepted.
In response to this post, website visitor Carol, relayed that in December 2007 she bought something online at Wal*Mart in Daytona using her Canadian Credit card. The sale was successful. However two days later, they cancelled her order via e-mail stating that they don't take Cdn Credit Card – and not just because of the zip code.
NOTE: When we recently purchased our Fireplace on line at Wal*Mart (my camera too in the past) I used a store card and the sale went through with no problem. There are several companies that do not accept Credit Card from another country for on-line shopping such as Verizon etc. Maybe it is time John, I and others add a BofM US$ credit card to our repertoire. We do have a Discover card but I find it difficult to make payments to their accounts – especially while we are in Canada. We only use it occasionally.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
B-- RV Shows are in full swing. If you are a Cdn buying a new RV be sure to check the Insurance rates for Wayfarer Insurance. They are the Canadian Insurance experts. Read this story at first. Those buying an American registered unit should check out the many insurance links.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
C-- DISCOUNT CAMPING CLUBS - most memberships run less than $50. per year – stay 4 nights and you have saved enough to pay for the cost of your membership. Use it more often and your savings accumulate big time. Check each of them out and decide if one or more is right for you. Again RV Living.net receive a small affiliate fee if you join through these links
#1 As a result of very minimal exposure (I think it was on the Forum answering Q) many readers have been subscribing to PASSPORT AMERICA 50% Discount club. They contacted us and there is now a new PA banner link on our home page – Details Here
------------------------------------------------------
#2 RECREATION USA offer two discount camping clubs - $10.00 per night club and a 25% Discount Club – some Big Rig sites included. Join one and enjoy an access to both of them. Details Here
------------------------------------------------------
#3 HAPPY CAMPER 50% Discount Camping Club is similar to PA but they offer a different selection of parks – now over 1000 parks. HC also features a CD plus an interactive RV Scrapbook as part of the package. The Scrapbook allows you to share photos, chat, write Blogs, IM and so much more. Details Here
A-- Marilyn and Arnold from Chicago relayed everyone should add ‘ICE’ or ‘In Case of Emerg’ to your cell phone address list. In an emergency, rescue personal will know who to call for help from family or friends.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
B-- Matthew found a great iAntenna that he feels alleviates the problems and aggravations many RVers have when receiving signal at some WiFi locations. Matthew is very pleased with his acquisition – however costs for this convenience can run into a few $100.’s.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
C-- Kevin from California uses an Internet based mail forwarding that he loves. This is a new US Mail Online-Service Check it out, Kevin says its the greatest mail system he has used to date.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
D-- Bonnie from Ontario relayed that with her Membership Park System that she can cancel some of the annual fees of some portions without jeopardizing your membership. We are not using the C2C (Coast to Coast) portion of our system these days so we called our park and we are now going to let that portion lapse. We do however enjoy using the RPI (Resorts Park International) portion so we will keep that one updated along with our low home park fees as well. If down the road we want to reinstate C2C we can simply add it again through our home park,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
PROMOS THIS WEEK
A-- RV Living.net is a WAL*MART AFFILIATE and if any sales go through our banner on our home page, we receive a small affiliate fee. My last purchase using my Cdn Credit Card was not accepted because they wanted me to enter a USA ZIP code. However a Wal*Mart store card, purchased by my Cdn MC was accepted.
In response to this post, website visitor Carol, relayed that in December 2007 she bought something online at Wal*Mart in Daytona using her Canadian Credit card. The sale was successful. However two days later, they cancelled her order via e-mail stating that they don't take Cdn Credit Card – and not just because of the zip code.
NOTE: When we recently purchased our Fireplace on line at Wal*Mart (my camera too in the past) I used a store card and the sale went through with no problem. There are several companies that do not accept Credit Card from another country for on-line shopping such as Verizon etc. Maybe it is time John, I and others add a BofM US$ credit card to our repertoire. We do have a Discover card but I find it difficult to make payments to their accounts – especially while we are in Canada. We only use it occasionally.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
B-- RV Shows are in full swing. If you are a Cdn buying a new RV be sure to check the Insurance rates for Wayfarer Insurance. They are the Canadian Insurance experts. Read this story at first. Those buying an American registered unit should check out the many insurance links.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
C-- DISCOUNT CAMPING CLUBS - most memberships run less than $50. per year – stay 4 nights and you have saved enough to pay for the cost of your membership. Use it more often and your savings accumulate big time. Check each of them out and decide if one or more is right for you. Again RV Living.net receive a small affiliate fee if you join through these links
#1 As a result of very minimal exposure (I think it was on the Forum answering Q) many readers have been subscribing to PASSPORT AMERICA 50% Discount club. They contacted us and there is now a new PA banner link on our home page – Details Here
------------------------------------------------------
#2 RECREATION USA offer two discount camping clubs - $10.00 per night club and a 25% Discount Club – some Big Rig sites included. Join one and enjoy an access to both of them. Details Here
------------------------------------------------------
#3 HAPPY CAMPER 50% Discount Camping Club is similar to PA but they offer a different selection of parks – now over 1000 parks. HC also features a CD plus an interactive RV Scrapbook as part of the package. The Scrapbook allows you to share photos, chat, write Blogs, IM and so much more. Details Here
OUR HOUSE IS SO EMPTY!!!
OUR HOUSE IS SO EMPTY!!! Issue 4- Newsy Portion
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version Here
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi All: Most of you know John and I have always travelled with two four-legged babies. When our 18-year old ‘mom’ died 2 years ago, her ‘kid’ was so happy being Top Dog in this household – we just could not bring another pet into the Luxor. She was coping well with a large growth on her spleen that could burst anytime – due to her weak heart the vet could not operate. But meds kept her heart ticking away for another 2.5 years. She was 14 when she died but we did not expected her to last 6-months after diagnosis.. We called her our ‘Energizer Bunny’ because she usually perked up and kept on ticking after an occasional bad day. Unfortunately this week she quietly slept away late Wed afternoon. We are thankful we did not have to make the decision to send her off to be with her mom, nor did we have to deal with her growth that could have ruptured at any time. During a trip to Valley Animal Hospital in Pharr early Thursday morning the staff offered us com
passion and a reasonably priced cremation service. Nothing we do from extensive shopping to participating in park activities seems to minimize the pain.
Having one dog was not the norm for us and now I know why. This house is so EMPTY it is devastating. It’s the first time since 1980 we have not had a ‘baby’ to love and care for. In the past we at least had one to care for while waiting for another to join us. Our breeder in Ontario has had two more registered Dachshunds (a mom and her daughter) waiting for us since Maddie (Katie’s mom) passed on 2-years ago – these two will become fulltime RVers as soon as we return to Canada mid April. However both John and I are so lost right now – I even had problems getting this Diary out.
It is unbelievable what impact these canine friends have on our day-to-day world. We know the time will drag to be a long 2.5 months. I do not like dealing with puppies, so our new ‘babies’ will be in the 4-7 range – a perfect age for us to take them into retirement. Flying new dogs in to join us is not an option – it would add unnecessary stress to them and to us. Guess in time we will learn to cope, but as most pet-owners already know, to say life is lonely with out a pet is a major understatement.
_____________________________________
EXCITEMENT THIS WEEK
Last Tuesday we visited Progresso on a picture perfect day. FYI, daytime temps have been variable since. I had my teeth cleaned for a mere $10.00 and I’ll return next Tues for a white filling, but N. Progresso is such a busy place right now, so I’m waiting till our return in Nov to have new 4-unit permanent bridge created.
I did however pamper myself with another $5.00 stylish haircut and an $8.00 pedicure – followed by lunch/dinner at our favourite Garcia’s restaurant.
_____________________________________
INTERNET SAT DISH
Last December my Internet Dish took a major tumble during a very strong wind – it was anchored at the time. The Dish continued to offer good signal till the rain came a week ago. Guess the ‘arm workings’ got wet in a hairline crack from the fall. My friend Bonnie is a very knowledgeable Dish user and she came down several times to help with diagnosing my problem. To make a long story short and after a lot of testing things, we determined that my ‘Transmit Arm’ and the ‘Dish” itself had both been cracked in the fall. My supplier Armand and I worked out a solution and the two more pieces will be here in a day or so.
Hubby Doug came with Bonnie and while we were working on the Dish, Doug helped John reset our main coach door that has not closed right for months. He simply turned the ‘Pawl’ (large knob) on the frame. This correction solved a very annoying problem of a door not seating for a long, long time. The four of us followed with lunch at Harold’s Country Kitchen.
Bonnie had joined the ‘Datastorm Users’ website www.datastormusers.com (I have not done that as yet). Through it, she discovered that Dick Scheit is a workkamper for cable, TV and Computer problems at Alamo Palms. He lives on site. To shorten another long story, on Friday Dick stopped by and since he is not using his Dish in this park because he is on a cable modem, he graciously set his Dish up for me to use till my replacement parts arrive. He did this mainly out of the goodness of his heart. I owe you big time Dick – many thanks. One point he did share is to always set a Dish up AS WIDE AS THE TRI-POD WILL ALLOW - this adds stability to the set-up. Dick had even removed the support chains on his tri-pod. When my system arrives we plan to have our new Dish ‘skin’ painted in Mexico and then Dick will revisit to help me put things back together.
_________________________________________
KEEPING BUSY ADDS SOME JOY TO OUR EMPTY HOURS
On Thursday we stopped in at the Collision Centre to offer the number of our paint colour we got from Winnebago and to verify a few points with owner Ben. Painting is booked from 12-14 Feb. He is being more than accommodating – besides being able to live in our motorhome during the painting, he is allowing me to use his WiFi. What more can we ask for?
On Friday we touched base with Bill and Sue at Tropic Star RV Park. This twosome bought a park model last spring and in November they began major renovations – mainly on their Texas room. They wanted to enlarge and personalize it as their own. The final result will be beautiful guys. Bill was installing a ‘Murphy Bed’ when we arrived. Although the task seems huge, we know you’ll be ready before your company arrives in 3-weeks. Thanks for sharing.
Our visit was short because John had to return for a Billiard tournament – I went shopping to take my thoughts off Katie – didn’t help much, but kept me busy. Dick was waiting for me when I returned to offer help with my Dish.
___________________________________________
FINAL THOUGHTS
As RVers we all face good, bad and sometimes ugly times during our travels. Our past week falls into the last category. Just like the sun eventually shines everywhere, we too will cope with our upsetting week and April be here before we know it. Maybe we’ll eventually return to the MH without looking for Katie or to think about feeding her. Life does goes on.
All Explorer RV Club Members who in the Rio Grande Valley – please remember the LUNCHEON is this Thursday the 31st Jan. Email me for details. Travel safe all. P&J
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version Here
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi All: Most of you know John and I have always travelled with two four-legged babies. When our 18-year old ‘mom’ died 2 years ago, her ‘kid’ was so happy being Top Dog in this household – we just could not bring another pet into the Luxor. She was coping well with a large growth on her spleen that could burst anytime – due to her weak heart the vet could not operate. But meds kept her heart ticking away for another 2.5 years. She was 14 when she died but we did not expected her to last 6-months after diagnosis.. We called her our ‘Energizer Bunny’ because she usually perked up and kept on ticking after an occasional bad day. Unfortunately this week she quietly slept away late Wed afternoon. We are thankful we did not have to make the decision to send her off to be with her mom, nor did we have to deal with her growth that could have ruptured at any time. During a trip to Valley Animal Hospital in Pharr early Thursday morning the staff offered us com
passion and a reasonably priced cremation service. Nothing we do from extensive shopping to participating in park activities seems to minimize the pain.Having one dog was not the norm for us and now I know why. This house is so EMPTY it is devastating. It’s the first time since 1980 we have not had a ‘baby’ to love and care for. In the past we at least had one to care for while waiting for another to join us. Our breeder in Ontario has had two more registered Dachshunds (a mom and her daughter) waiting for us since Maddie (Katie’s mom) passed on 2-years ago – these two will become fulltime RVers as soon as we return to Canada mid April. However both John and I are so lost right now – I even had problems getting this Diary out.
It is unbelievable what impact these canine friends have on our day-to-day world. We know the time will drag to be a long 2.5 months. I do not like dealing with puppies, so our new ‘babies’ will be in the 4-7 range – a perfect age for us to take them into retirement. Flying new dogs in to join us is not an option – it would add unnecessary stress to them and to us. Guess in time we will learn to cope, but as most pet-owners already know, to say life is lonely with out a pet is a major understatement.
_____________________________________
EXCITEMENT THIS WEEK
Last Tuesday we visited Progresso on a picture perfect day. FYI, daytime temps have been variable since. I had my teeth cleaned for a mere $10.00 and I’ll return next Tues for a white filling, but N. Progresso is such a busy place right now, so I’m waiting till our return in Nov to have new 4-unit permanent bridge created.
I did however pamper myself with another $5.00 stylish haircut and an $8.00 pedicure – followed by lunch/dinner at our favourite Garcia’s restaurant.
_____________________________________
INTERNET SAT DISH
Last December my Internet Dish took a major tumble during a very strong wind – it was anchored at the time. The Dish continued to offer good signal till the rain came a week ago. Guess the ‘arm workings’ got wet in a hairline crack from the fall. My friend Bonnie is a very knowledgeable Dish user and she came down several times to help with diagnosing my problem. To make a long story short and after a lot of testing things, we determined that my ‘Transmit Arm’ and the ‘Dish” itself had both been cracked in the fall. My supplier Armand and I worked out a solution and the two more pieces will be here in a day or so.
Hubby Doug came with Bonnie and while we were working on the Dish, Doug helped John reset our main coach door that has not closed right for months. He simply turned the ‘Pawl’ (large knob) on the frame. This correction solved a very annoying problem of a door not seating for a long, long time. The four of us followed with lunch at Harold’s Country Kitchen.
Bonnie had joined the ‘Datastorm Users’ website www.datastormusers.com (I have not done that as yet). Through it, she discovered that Dick Scheit is a workkamper for cable, TV and Computer problems at Alamo Palms. He lives on site. To shorten another long story, on Friday Dick stopped by and since he is not using his Dish in this park because he is on a cable modem, he graciously set his Dish up for me to use till my replacement parts arrive. He did this mainly out of the goodness of his heart. I owe you big time Dick – many thanks. One point he did share is to always set a Dish up AS WIDE AS THE TRI-POD WILL ALLOW - this adds stability to the set-up. Dick had even removed the support chains on his tri-pod. When my system arrives we plan to have our new Dish ‘skin’ painted in Mexico and then Dick will revisit to help me put things back together.
_________________________________________
KEEPING BUSY ADDS SOME JOY TO OUR EMPTY HOURS
On Thursday we stopped in at the Collision Centre to offer the number of our paint colour we got from Winnebago and to verify a few points with owner Ben. Painting is booked from 12-14 Feb. He is being more than accommodating – besides being able to live in our motorhome during the painting, he is allowing me to use his WiFi. What more can we ask for?
On Friday we touched base with Bill and Sue at Tropic Star RV Park. This twosome bought a park model last spring and in November they began major renovations – mainly on their Texas room. They wanted to enlarge and personalize it as their own. The final result will be beautiful guys. Bill was installing a ‘Murphy Bed’ when we arrived. Although the task seems huge, we know you’ll be ready before your company arrives in 3-weeks. Thanks for sharing.
Our visit was short because John had to return for a Billiard tournament – I went shopping to take my thoughts off Katie – didn’t help much, but kept me busy. Dick was waiting for me when I returned to offer help with my Dish.
___________________________________________
FINAL THOUGHTS
As RVers we all face good, bad and sometimes ugly times during our travels. Our past week falls into the last category. Just like the sun eventually shines everywhere, we too will cope with our upsetting week and April be here before we know it. Maybe we’ll eventually return to the MH without looking for Katie or to think about feeding her. Life does goes on.
All Explorer RV Club Members who in the Rio Grande Valley – please remember the LUNCHEON is this Thursday the 31st Jan. Email me for details. Travel safe all. P&J
Sunday, January 20, 2008
TIPS, HINTS & PROMOS ARE COMBINED in Issue3
TIPS, HINTS AND PROMOS ARE COMBINED THIS WEEK – they come from many email we received.
Larry has compiled a U.S. MILITARY CAMPGROUNDS DIRECTORY ON CD-ROM. It’s the most current and complete information available reference military campgrounds - includes monthly updates. Details Here
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tom from Florida just installed a new ATWOOD 10-GAL ELECTRIC/PROPANE WATER HEATER – partly because he wanted a choice of heat source – but partly because his 6-gal tank was leaking. He shares the following TIP about a nylon drain plug from his former 6-gal Atwood heater. A leak developed when his plug dried and cracked six months ago. His neighbour gave him a brass ½” plug (threaded male ½”) to stop the leak. However he found out over time that brass interacts with aluminum – causing corrosion. Experience has taught him that ATWOOD WATER HEATERS CAN ONLY USE ½” NYLON PLUGS. Suburban Water heaters, on the other hand, have steel tanks, so a brass plug is not a problem. To be on the safe side of leaks, Tom added a Schedule 80 PVC plug to his new Atwood 10-gal tank - it’s stronger than the standard Schedule 20 or 40 plugs. Atwood agreed – because it contains no metal.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Christopher from Ontario shared info about a Blog by Frank & Lucy Spence – they are fulltimers, workcampers and avid 4-SEASON RVERS. Each year this twosome present seminars at several places in Ontario to highlight the wonders of 4-Season RVing. Christopher feels the Spence’s provided such an excellent resource for his family; he wanted to share their link with others.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
George, a frequent website visitor, relayed this info about RECOGNIZING A STROKE - it is definitely worth repeating (I chose not to relay the symptom about a crooked tongue because Snopes.com suggest that point may not be decisive). The following 3-STR-Steps are positive indications of a stroke – a lack of awareness of these signs can spell disaster.
S * Ask the individual to SMILE .
T * TALK. Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (eg "It is sunny out today").
R * Ask him/her to RAISE BOTH ARMS .
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Several weeks ago I relayed a ‘1-800-GOOG-411’ number to locate FREE CONTACT INFO for business/residential access in the USA. This week Penny from Texas shared another # to access FREE INFO. ‘1 800-FREE-411’ – for USA business/personal access. Both these numbers do take time to find the information you may want, but since they are FREE if you dial after-hours, the time may come out of your free minutes.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bill from California shared info about a NEW Scam that makes it easy for a CAR JACKERS TO STEAL YOUR CAR. A note will be placed on your rear window – you may not see it until you back out of a parking lot. If it restricts your vision, you are tempted to leave your car running while you get out of the car to check on it. This leaves a perfect opportunity for ‘crooks’ to get behind the wheel and drive off. If the car owner is a women, there is a good chance that her purse with house keys, credit cards and full identity is sitting on the floor – not to mention the bags of stuff she just bought that could be in the back seat. If you see such a note on your window make a concentrated effort to wait till you get home to remove it. Please pass this info on to others.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Diane from Ontario shared this new JURY DUTY SCAM - it has even been highlighted on Snopes.com I haven’t heard of too many Cdns who’ve been called for Jury Duty but no matter what country, province or state you’re from NEVER share personal info on the telephone or in an email.
In this con, someone calls pretending to be a court official/jury coordinator. They threateningly relay that a warrant has been issued for your arrest because you didn't show up for Jury Duty.
If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the Scammer asks for your Social Security Number and date of birth to verify info so they can cancel the arrest warrant. Sometimes they even ask for credit card numbers. NEVER share any personal info with those you do not know – it is just a new way to steal your identity. The FBI and Federal Court System have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about this latest fraud.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Eileen from Ontario shared this link that takes you to a FANTASTIC JUKEBOX that features a variety of songs from 1950 to 1982. It will even play in the background while you work on other computer tasks or websites. This one is a keeper – why not add it to your favourite lists - As you will see when you click on this site, there is a JUKEBOX- but it is no ordinary jukebox. It will play all of your favourite songs from 1950 to 1982. Each year, scroll a drop down box that shows the great songs for that year. Most years list over 40 songs.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kevin from California – after he read and complimented me on how much he enjoyed reading RV Living in the 21st Century he shared info on an EASY TO USE ON-LINE MAIL SERVICE – it provides a convenient option to using US postal service.
Larry has compiled a U.S. MILITARY CAMPGROUNDS DIRECTORY ON CD-ROM. It’s the most current and complete information available reference military campgrounds - includes monthly updates. Details Here
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tom from Florida just installed a new ATWOOD 10-GAL ELECTRIC/PROPANE WATER HEATER – partly because he wanted a choice of heat source – but partly because his 6-gal tank was leaking. He shares the following TIP about a nylon drain plug from his former 6-gal Atwood heater. A leak developed when his plug dried and cracked six months ago. His neighbour gave him a brass ½” plug (threaded male ½”) to stop the leak. However he found out over time that brass interacts with aluminum – causing corrosion. Experience has taught him that ATWOOD WATER HEATERS CAN ONLY USE ½” NYLON PLUGS. Suburban Water heaters, on the other hand, have steel tanks, so a brass plug is not a problem. To be on the safe side of leaks, Tom added a Schedule 80 PVC plug to his new Atwood 10-gal tank - it’s stronger than the standard Schedule 20 or 40 plugs. Atwood agreed – because it contains no metal.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Christopher from Ontario shared info about a Blog by Frank & Lucy Spence – they are fulltimers, workcampers and avid 4-SEASON RVERS. Each year this twosome present seminars at several places in Ontario to highlight the wonders of 4-Season RVing. Christopher feels the Spence’s provided such an excellent resource for his family; he wanted to share their link with others.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
George, a frequent website visitor, relayed this info about RECOGNIZING A STROKE - it is definitely worth repeating (I chose not to relay the symptom about a crooked tongue because Snopes.com suggest that point may not be decisive). The following 3-STR-Steps are positive indications of a stroke – a lack of awareness of these signs can spell disaster.
S * Ask the individual to SMILE .
T * TALK. Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (eg "It is sunny out today").
R * Ask him/her to RAISE BOTH ARMS .
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Several weeks ago I relayed a ‘1-800-GOOG-411’ number to locate FREE CONTACT INFO for business/residential access in the USA. This week Penny from Texas shared another # to access FREE INFO. ‘1 800-FREE-411’ – for USA business/personal access. Both these numbers do take time to find the information you may want, but since they are FREE if you dial after-hours, the time may come out of your free minutes.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bill from California shared info about a NEW Scam that makes it easy for a CAR JACKERS TO STEAL YOUR CAR. A note will be placed on your rear window – you may not see it until you back out of a parking lot. If it restricts your vision, you are tempted to leave your car running while you get out of the car to check on it. This leaves a perfect opportunity for ‘crooks’ to get behind the wheel and drive off. If the car owner is a women, there is a good chance that her purse with house keys, credit cards and full identity is sitting on the floor – not to mention the bags of stuff she just bought that could be in the back seat. If you see such a note on your window make a concentrated effort to wait till you get home to remove it. Please pass this info on to others.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Diane from Ontario shared this new JURY DUTY SCAM - it has even been highlighted on Snopes.com I haven’t heard of too many Cdns who’ve been called for Jury Duty but no matter what country, province or state you’re from NEVER share personal info on the telephone or in an email.
In this con, someone calls pretending to be a court official/jury coordinator. They threateningly relay that a warrant has been issued for your arrest because you didn't show up for Jury Duty.
If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the Scammer asks for your Social Security Number and date of birth to verify info so they can cancel the arrest warrant. Sometimes they even ask for credit card numbers. NEVER share any personal info with those you do not know – it is just a new way to steal your identity. The FBI and Federal Court System have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about this latest fraud.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Eileen from Ontario shared this link that takes you to a FANTASTIC JUKEBOX that features a variety of songs from 1950 to 1982. It will even play in the background while you work on other computer tasks or websites. This one is a keeper – why not add it to your favourite lists - As you will see when you click on this site, there is a JUKEBOX- but it is no ordinary jukebox. It will play all of your favourite songs from 1950 to 1982. Each year, scroll a drop down box that shows the great songs for that year. Most years list over 40 songs.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kevin from California – after he read and complimented me on how much he enjoyed reading RV Living in the 21st Century he shared info on an EASY TO USE ON-LINE MAIL SERVICE – it provides a convenient option to using US postal service.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
