Tax Truth

MOMENT OF CLARITY: Tax Truth

This is something you should read, you don't have to agree, but you should read it and file for future reference.

A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

We have a new ornament on our Charlie Brown Christmas tree. It was a special gift from Marlene and Peter's family, to the best of my recollection it's the first motor home ornament I've seen.

The tree was a gift from Jenny and Wayne when we first got our motor home. It is the perfect size to setup and even a better size for storing in a MH. With no lights I don't have to find a place to plug it in, and with 2 ornaments it seems to have just the right balance.

I hope everyone had as blessed a Christmas as I enjoyed, it is hard not being able with all of our of our family and friends, but know that everyone of you are in my heart.

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No it isn't a Navel Orange

Sometimes when you are looking for a navel you find something on the other side and a bit lower.    ;-)


In the bag of oranges we found a rare Butt Orange. Now if we could find a little set of boxers and pants to wear low.   :-D

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THANK YOU

When called, they came.

It has been paid for by every veteran, from the first Minuteman to the latest enlistee.

Yes, they all are already there. When you wake up in the greatest country in the world. When you have the freedom to protest your own government. When you have the freedom to burn The Flag.

You also have the freedom to thank a veteran, and their families, for the sacrifices they made to protect your freedoms.

Through my window

I took this shot yesterday to show how in some ways our location in Ventura County is special. But alas, about 5 minutes after this photo a new 'camper' moved in, now my view is more RV billboard than natural.



Our plan is to be at my Dad's by Thanksgiving. We were going to be on our way a few days ago, but our new grandson is taking his time, he was due 10/31. I also ordered an item that has to be replaced, and we are waiting for that package.

On the way to Dad's we are going to swing by Knott's Berry Farm. Every year they let veterans and a guest in for free from the beginning of November through Thanksgiving. Veterans can also purchase up to 6 guest passes for $17 each. We have done this almost every year for the last 14 years.

Thank you Knott's Berry Farm for this salute to those who have served. While we enjoy our day with you, it is this gesture that moves my heart.

N HOLLY asked:

Whats easy thether...I have a Sprint Evo 4G and would love to have a wifi connection for my laptop..
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My answer: EasyTether is an app that works with most android (and other phone OS) phones that will allow the user to tether (connect) their android via a USB port to a computer. It is not a WiFi connection, but with your EVO you can turn on a built in WiFi that costs ~$30 a month, if you don't use a full month it will be prorated. See: Mobile Hotspot (This is hot! Your personal portable hotspot, connect just like you do with any Wi-Fi device. Optional $29.99/mo. Sprint Mobile Hotspot add-on is required for Hotspot functionality.)

Nate asked

How did you do it?

from what I read online, the windows easytether had to be heavily tweaked to get it to run on ubuntu...  would really love if you shared how you did this :-)

Laptop running ubuntu and a droid X with grandfathered unlimited data plan.

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My answer: I had no problems using EasyTether with Ubuntu 11.04, I down loaded both deb files from http://www.mobile-stream.com/easytether/drivers.html, it does require version Ubuntu 10.4 or better.

The i386 deb is the one that would load on my laptop, just start EasyTether on the phone, connected the USB cord between my HTC EVO and PC, then opened terminal in Ubuntu and typed easytether connect pressed return, and it worked, for me anyway. BTW, PdaNet doesn't have a driver for Ubuntu.

LauraV in TX asked

 ... do you have problems when you are out in unpopulated areas?
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My answer: So far I have not had too much of a problem with connectivity. Sometimes the frame of the motorhome causes interference, but by moving the phone around the motorhome a little bit has taken care of it.

We spent the summer at Lake Oroville, the campers with AT&The or Verizon had half the success of what I had with Sprint.

Back to Ubuntu

Well I've finally got my laptop computer up and running with Ubuntu (again), EasyTether, and my android phone.

BTW, with my unlimited data plan I have had internet access everywhere we've traveled while fulltiming in our motorhome, we started 01/03/11.

Until today I was running Windows 7 with PdaNet, but couldn't tether with Ubuntu. I got EasyTether pro from the Amazon appstore, and via RV park WiFi downloaded the EasyTether driver for Ubuntu. And few minutes later I was up and communicating with Ubuntu/EasyTether, now my Ubuntu is upgraded to 11.04.

Went to Costco on our way to Pismo Beach

The last two stops were "dry camping", this just means there were no hook-ups. Some places have an electric, water, and a place to empty the tanks at the site, some only one or two of the three. But I digress, the last few times the motor home was started. it wasn't!


The motor home had to be jump started, this is fairly easy with this motor home, there is a switch on the dash that uses the house batteries to jump the chassis batteries. Now here comes the tricky part, we didn't have enough 'juice' left in the house batteries to do the jump. So, we wait until 10 A.M. to start the generator. Let the generator run for 15 to 30 minutes to boost the house battery set, then continue to run the gen set while 'jump' starting the MH. Needless to say, this becomes a stressful situation.


Thus the trip to Costco, spent $182.39 for a pair of starter batteries. Changed them out in the parking lot.


Now the engine fires up like, well like it has new batteries.      : )

Boy did we have fun today,

 drove from New Brighton SB to San Simeon SP on Highway 1. Now this is a beautiful scenic drive in an automobile, but in a 37 foot motor home towing a Jeep is a slightly different proposition. Together the MH, towbar, and Jeep are nearly 59 feet long. Some of the switchbacks were so tight that the the inside rear tire would go over the 'curb' and give us all a bit of a fright.

Oh, I now have a great deal of respect for those caution signs telling us to slow for the curves, this old house bus wouldn't do 1 mph over the caution speed. Well we made it here safely.

It Has Been A Long Hot Summer

Today my wife and I went to Yuba City, California to celebrate my birthday with our grandson Miles and son Wayne. We enjoyed what may be our last visit with Miles before we depart northern California.


Wayne and Miles spent a number of weekends camped at our host site this summer. This was extra special because before this February we had only seen Miles once before.


Anyway, I was waxing nostalgic about how this has been a good experience, camp hosting for the first time, my dear wife (DW) not completely agreeing. We pull up to the motor home, I set up the stair rail for the DW, and she says look at the double rainbow. Thus the photograph. Is it a sign? I don't know, this is the first rain in a long time, or at least it seems that way, it has been so hot for so long (to us).


Anyway it was a very nice day today, a lot cooler, a little rain, time with Miles and Wayne, all topped off with a double rainbow.


Our motor home is not a pot of gold, but it is a nice abode.

Man, what a Man

I thought I had walked into the internet this afternoon. I saw it there, just after the bend, one of those all terrain camper set-ups. I've only seen photos on websites, so I thought I would share my photos with you guys.








You can learn more by searching for expedition OR adventure campers - they don't need roads, they are supposed to be able to go weeks with out needing to be dumped or refilled, oh and the prices $200K plus, sometimes a really big PLUS.


As the camp host I didn't want to intrude upon them so I didn't ask them about their rig, but one of the other campers said that they have been on the road for 6 years.

Spring Flowers

They caught my eye.

It has been rain off and on all day today, oh there was that bit of hail early this afternoon.

Only two sites taken today, all in tents, glad that isn't me.

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I know this is just another picture of deer,

 but I haven't grown tired of seeing them yet. Maybe you aren't bored with them yet.

Genesis 3:17-19

Each time I pass this plant I am reminded of the passage from Genesis 3:
17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

No monument, rather it be a road, or a palace, will endure. In fact, the earth will only exist to suit God's purpose.

How insignificant mankind is, except as God's greatest creation, more so, because we are blessed with His grace.

Here is a little snake I saw Monday.

It was a little longer than 2 feet, I'll ask a ranger what kind it was. It looks like the Great Basin Gopher Snake that is here http://blog.desertcanyonreptiles.com/2006/08/05/herps-from-wa-state/

After Memorial Day weekend,

this has become my favorite sign in the park. The sound of wave after wave of campers leaving is music to my ears.

There are 137 campsites here, and all of the reservations we taken this weekend, plus the 6 group sites were full, and 8 sites used in the horse camp, made for a very full house!

Peace, peace until Friday. ;-)

how dark it is without "city lights"

It is incredible how dark it is without "city lights". This is the view with a last quarter moon, the human eye can discern so much more than a camera, but when I looked around it was just as dark as this photo. There is some light in the sky, but below the tree tops it is DARK.

I don't quite know why, but I find this comforting.

Take a look in this glade amongst these oak trees.

There are 10 or so pine saplings. Now we know that the mighty oak can 'run' a nursery. :-)

Mighty oaks from little acorns grow,

and sometimes, just sometimes, a little pine stump will be its cradle.

Good morning deer.

As I looked out of the window this morning there was a guest. I suppose we are the guests, we've only been here 3 days, and after we are gone the deer will still be here (unless one of the mountain lions gets it).

There's a lot of wildlife here, I also saw a wild turkey hen with her chicks this morning, but couldn't get a photo.

A deer hoof print I came across yesterday while walking the dogs.

The steps are down and the awning is out.

Time to get the chairs and a side table for the ice tea.

Stop by, there is a swimming beach at the day use area. <http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=213260992052875142770.0004a35f521f13c45d246&t=h&z=17>

That is my sign, no not Libra, my other sign - Campground Host.

Our Jeep Liberty in front, the motor home dappled in shade. It is calming shades of green, it is spring. Had a thunderstorm and hail today before we left Chico.

Later this summer it will be browns and tans as the heat builds and the rains are just a faint memory.

Terri Rides Again (thanks Dad)

It was just last Sunday that 'That Dang Scooter' quit working, Now don't get me wrong, it works most of the time, but last Sunday it just quit. I wanted to put her mobility scooter on the porch, so the lever was flipped from in gear to the freewheel position. When we wanted to use it again I flipped the lever back, nada, zilch, nothing - kaput!

Back to freewheel, and I push Terri to the car. She says she must have it working, it has to be fixed right away. The next day I start looking for a repair facility, can't find a local place. There is one down in the Folsom area, but that's two hours away, they say they will have someone in Chico on Monday, 3/7, and give me a name of someone here if we can't wait. I give a call and leave a message.

On the manufacturer's site there is a local med center, and a repair site about 50 minutes away. The med center won't work on a scooter that they didn't sell, even if you are from out of town, but I am given a number of another place. I call, but still haven't received a call back. The out of town guy can't get us in before Monday.

By now it is late Thursday, something has to be done, although she would prefer a pro shop to fix it, I decide I must attempt the repair. I think it is a micro switch that the gear/freewheel lever engages. The scooter is disassembled to get at it and remove the switch, it is done outside, no room in the motor home. This takes the better part of the morning Friday, then the hunt is on for parts. We luck out and Radio Shack has the exact micro switch but with a lever, later I will forcibly remove it. Now we need 1/8" spade terminals to reattach the wires that were originally soldered, if it has to be fixed again I'm not doing the whole soldering thing each time, but they are not so easy to find.


Back at the shop (the picnic table beside the motor home) Saturday it is reassembly time, not so easy, but it gets done. Soon I'm riding around the RV park on a 'test' drive. Woo hoo it is fixed, and a day and a half before we could have gotten a pro to look at it. On top of everything, it cost less than $4.00 and 6 hours of my time.

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I must take a moment to acknowledge my Dad. Most of his acquaintances think of him as a preacher and pastor, but I know the engineer side of him. Dad, with your gene pool I might have figured how to do this kind of thing, but from my first bicycle you taught me how to figure things out and to take a methodical approach. It has stood the test of time, and has allowed me to know what to punt to a pro, and what is within my capabilities to fix. Usually these are the time consuming tasks what we all hate to spend big $$$ per hour to have done.

Well It Has Finally Happened

Today we left our home that is locked to a piece of land and moved into our moving home. It has been a long process, we've gone from paying on a mortgage to closing the sale. We have soared and crashed, only to take off again. We have had to decide what goes and what goes with us, what goes into storage, the rest just went, almost 3 roll-offs full. Some days we just thought it would never end, one problem after another.

Well folks, now we have a new venue for our problems, but it will also be the venue of our joys, and every experience in between.