The pictures in my previous 2 blog posts did not include 'the big picture' - meaning no view of the entire lot, no perspective. This post takes care of that oversight.
And, I have my Man Cave - which, as befits such a manly enclosure is unfinished, rough and crude - much like myself. The STUDIO is 10' x 20'. The Man Cave is 18" by 36".
The LHC pickleball gang lobbied the Resort board to build 2 pickleball courts - and donated $20K for the construction thereof. The courts are finished and they're a 5-minute walk from our lot.
Looking out the large back window of our RV, there's an idyllic view. That's not real grass in the foreground. We're done with labor-intensive landscaping, have been since we moved from Oregon. Yup, AZ weaned us off of grass in short order. Now, it's gravel, faux grass and pavers.
The body of water, generously named 'Lake' Guinevere, wouldn't qualify as a lake in my home state of Minnesota. It's 2 or 3 acres, depending on the amount of rain and time of year.
Our neighbor, a professional timber cutter, built this 'island' in front of his RV. Turtles, ducks, cormorants and herons hang out there every day.
Young couples would do well to weigh the pros and cons of having children - as opposed to getting a dog or two. Let's take a lighthearted look at the objective and subjective aspects. The objective items, how long it takes, are not WAGs; I researched each one. Your results may differ.
Be aware: I've not sired any kids, so I may be prejudiced.
Objective. How long it takes to
Toilet/house train: Kids: 18-30 months Dogs: 4-6 months
Be able to feed themselves: Kids: 8-12 months Dogs: 8 weeks
Follow simple instructions: Kids: 10-24 months Dogs: 2-6 months
Safely leave alone in the house for 6 hours: Kids: 13-15 years Dogs: 1 year
Get them fully trained: Kids: 18 years? Dogs: 1 year
Winner: dogs. However, given their short lifespans, you have to start over every 12-15 years.
Subjective.
1. Responsible owners have their dogs spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering one's kids is virtually unheard of - although a few parents wish they had. More importantly, it would deny the grandparents the opportunity to spoil them while in their care - and chortle when their parents retrieve them. Advantage: kids.
2. Dogs are excited when their owners return home. Kids, maybe. If they're hungry. Advantage: dogs.
3. Dogs alert you to strange noises and defend their turf. Kids, hardly ever. Advantage: dogs.
4. Dogs are warm and fuzzy and cuddly. Kids also, in their early years. But those teenage years, OMG! Most kids grow up to become helpful, enjoyable adults. Advantage: kids.
5. Once potty trained, kids take care of their own business. I've never heard of a dog that could use the WC and flush afterwards - or use a baggie to pick up the business. Advantage: kids.
Winner: kids.
WLS (World's Largest Station) was a rock and roll AM radio station in Chicago. Broadcasting with 50,000 watts, the signal reached several Midwest states. It came in clearly at night in northern Minnesota, where I grew up.
I acquired my first transistor radio when I was 15. It had an earphone jack and a single earpiece, no stereo. Much enjoyed listening to it in bed at night.
KOMO was another 50K watt station, broadcasting out of Oklahoma City. It too, came in clearly at night. KOMO featured The Kissing Tone, which was very helpful to naive teenagers like myself.
Shortly after getting my driver's license, I asked a girl out on a date. An older girl, no less. After the movie, of course, I wanted to park somewhere and make out. Problem was, I was too shy to ask her if she was interested, and too timid to just park, slide across the seat and clamp a lip lock on her. Instead, I tuned the radio in to KOMO, and drove around town, waiting for The Kissing Tone.
Finally, 40 minutes later, The Tone came on, a 15-second hum. I pulled over to the side of the road, put the car in park, leaned over and kissed her. Then, I took her home. That pretty much sums up my wild escapades with high school girls. Pathetic.
If the title rings a bell, you most likely watched The Lone Ranger TV series, 1949-57. The Ranger's sidekick, Tonto, rode a paint horse named Scout.
Now, I'm in a quandary: should I rename Bucephalus? Call him Scout? Spot?
Jay Silverheels (Tonto) was Seneca/Mohawk, born in Canada. He was an athlete, played semi-pro lacrosse and was a Golden Gloves boxer. Jay was in dozens of movies, in addition to his Tonto role on TV. He raised racehorses, was once asked if he'd enter Scout in a race. He laughed and replied, "Heck, I can outrun Scout."
Evening meal preparation has been an ongoing controversy between Trish and me. I've always done the grocery shopping, a task she hates. She does the vast majority of the cooking, a task I hate.
Neither of us could be called foodies. She likes well-rounded meals, as do I. Thing is, I just don't care enough about food to spend much time preparing meals. If Trish isn't around, I grab whatever's quick and easy - canned soup, sardines, cheese and crackers, whatever.
We do our own thing for breakfast and lunch. At dinner time, I help out by setting and clearing the table and performing a few sous chef tasks. I barbecue the entree every few days, while Trish does the sides.
The last couple years I've been stocking the freezer with frozen, single-dish meals like pot pies and P F Chang's, which lightens the load a bit. So, do things even out? We probably disagree, but have agreed to maintain the status quo.
Sous, aka Mike
