Boy It's Hot Out There

It's much hotter down in the valley below, but according to our outdoor thermometer that we keep inside a storage compartment, it got up to 99 today.  I think the hottest locally was the reported 122 in Palm Springs!  I sure am glad we have TWO air conditioners in the RV to keep us cool.  At least it does cool down to 65-70 at night so we can sleep.

The window shade in the bedroom has recently gotten pretty shabby looking, and would not close all the way down anymore.  I was looking online and found a comforter that was a perfect match for the curtains we had bought for the kitchen back in February, so I ordered the comforter, with pillow shams and another pair of the curtains for the bedroom window.  I didn't put curtains on the window over the head of the bed because I used a tension rod for the curtains, and that wouldn't have a chance against us and our pillows!!!  We also replaced the window shade behind the living room couch with a pair of curtains that match the ones over the dinette table.  We think it looks really homey and nice.

As you can see, we really love lighthouses and water themed decor.  We chose to replace the shades in these windows because they had gotten too dirty to tolerate, and nothing we tried worked to clean them.   Millie still likes to sleep in the living room window, but so far that hasn't been a problem.

This week it has been too hot to do any baking or much cooking at all.  When we shopped last week I purchased a nice turkey breast and put it in the refrigerator to defrost.  On Saturday we air fried it in the Power XL.  It only took about 40 minutes, and it turned out great!  We had it for dinner Saturday, lunch and dinner Sunday and have been having sandwiches from it yesterday and today.  Sadly, it will be all gone tomorrow, but I have really enjoyed it while it lasted.  

Yesterday my sister Donna and her husband George came up for a visit.  It was great seeing them again.  We hadn't seen them since early in January, before we began our trip.  
As always, Millie was glad to see them.  Willie is a little more cautious about company.  Before company arrives, we always shut the furry kids in the bedroom until our guests get safely inside the house and the door is closed.
Millie is anxious to see who is coming.  here she is peeking under the door.  I had to get a picture of this because she is just too cute!!!


My dear brother Tony is coming out next Monday with his German Shepherd Woody.  I don't remember if I have told you that they live on his sailboat in the harbor in Oceanside, CA.  Some time ago he sent me this picture, and today seems like a good time to include it.  

 I think this is a grand picture, and it looks like so much fun.  Jim and I would LOVE to try kayaking some day.  We were going to do it the summer we were WorKampers up in Port Angeles, WA....but it just never got warm enough to take off jackets and sweaters and get into the water!  Maybe we'll get a chance this year, since this seems like it will be a very hot summer. 

I guess that's all the pictures I have to include today.  On my next blog post I will have some pictures of our campsite and all there is to see and enjoy here at Silent Valley.  We always enjoy being here amid the trees and nature.  We are looking forward to enjoying the adult pool on these warm evenings too.  Jim can't take the sunshine for very long, and I guess nobody really should, so we wait until it cools down a bit to go out and enjoy the pool and see other folks that are here.

I received my friend Gail's blog on RV Space Savers yesterday.  The good news is that she has written a book on making the most of small spaces called "Keeping Your Small Space from Bursting It's Seams".  She is selling it from her website, RV Space Savers, and later it will be available on Amazon.  Today I ordered my copy.  I'm looking forward to reading her latest tips.  I have learned SO much from her and her husband Mike over the years.  The sad news is that she is selling her business because it has become too hard for them to pack all their merchandise into a location to sell for a day or two and then pack up and move on.  I can understand her reasons, but it will seem strange to go to RV rallies and NOT see her and Mike in their booth, with their cute little dog, selling their wares and telling about ways to save space and lighten the load in an RV.  She said she will still be doing seminars at rallies and selling her books, so hopefully we will see them at the rallies we attend, and maybe at the Thousand Trails preserves we visit during the winter months.  I hope all of you find ways to explore your world and experience all that this awesome life offers us each day.  There is much to see and do if you just look for it.  As Walt Wille used to say when he was the big kahuna of the Southern California Good Sam Club, "keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down".  Be careful when you travel.  Too many people try to drive too far, and for too many hours in a day.  Give yourself time to get wherever you are going.  Please don't put yourself or others at risk because you get too tired and fall asleep at the wheel.  Besides, if you rush your trip, you will miss too much of the adventure, and beauty.  It's not just about the destination...........it's about the journey too.  Make the most of each day, live it fully.  God bless all of you and God bless America.