Monday, December 31, 2012

BIG

One of our favorite campgrounds is a primitive one not too far from our docking port.  It is called Big Fir Campground and it is located out on Housley Point In Lake Ouachita. The two Ouachita Rivers, North and South are on each side of it.

100_3485

When we went to town to get propane, they were closed for lunch and we drove over to see what it looked like in eight inches of snow.

100_3480

The weight of the snow and the wind had broken some tree limbs off.

100_3482

The outhouse is up in the trees further and the snow had accumulated more.

We discovered that the squatter up on the upper loop is still there after two continuous years.

100_3483

Here is a look at some of the tree limbs that are down.

100_3478

The old hand pump well house.

100_3479

The center loop campsite

100_3480

Looking East down Lake Ouachita.

100_3481

The lake is down right now and the sand bar in the foreground is usually under five or six feet of water.

It’s gona’ be great to cast a few jugs and eat a few catfish there this Spring !

Thursday, December 27, 2012

CARGO

We love a Jeep ! We have the coolest adventures in the various jeeps that we have owned. But they ain’t a pickup truck. We compensate for that somewhat, by putting a cargo basket on the back. Hauling all kinds of stuff, you might think that we had seen it all. But, not so ! This was a new one for us. Here is a look.

100_3474

The bare place on the cargo basket is where the propane tank was strapped down. Here is what it looked like.

100_3476

Now, that ice in the valve will make it impossible to fill the tank at the propane place ! Oh, my, now what to do ? Here is the redneck fix.

100_3475

The Jeep provides another solution ! This is the exhaust melting off the ice so the tank can be filled.

He, he, ain’t Jeeps cool ! Here is a look at the Jeep yesterday.100_3456

Here it is today.

100_3477

Yepper’ we been out a’ Jeepin’ and though the dually is still snowed in, the jeep is melted off. Happy new year everybody !

Saturday, December 22, 2012

CARDS

At amazon’s SDF-1 everyone has lots of cards, mostly hanging around our necks for quick and ready access. Here is a look at ours.

100_3446

Because we work around moving machinery, the lanyard has a break away feature, and the cards are on a thumb bolt swivel clip. The ID card works with a bar code and also a magnetic proximity strip.

Next to the ID card is a LED flashlight, because we work in a very large building with no windows. It is on the lanyard so that it is there for an emergency. The other cards have various bar code “tools” that can be infrared scanned at the computer terminals.

On the lanyard also is a 3 years peak service pin. We haven’t heard if we will get a 4 years service pin for this year yet. They are usually given out at the last day’s work during the exit party.

The peak of the season is in full swing, it won’t be long before it is over, and we head to Arkansas for the Holidays.

Merry CHRISTmas !

Friday, December 21, 2012

DECORATIONS

With limited space in our RV’s, most of us chose things like seasonal decorations carefully. Here is a look around Indian Ridge campground.

100_3435

Our choice is a LED lighted inflatable Santa.

100_3436

Not every one chooses inflatables, instead limit size and quantity.

100_3437

Ribbons take up little space and they go nearly anywhere.

100_3430

This clever stabilizer decoration brings back memories of crepe paper chain decorated CHRISTmas trees.

100_3432

Though large when inflated, they will store quite small.

100_3439

Some inflatables are quite clever and their actions are a real attention getter !

Monday, December 17, 2012

BIRTHDAY

For my 70th birthday, Betty took me out for a birthday breakfast date. We were on a day off, so we had slept out by 0530 hours. One of the few places open to eat at that time of day is the Huddle House. They have a breakfast that I like called the MVP breakfast. It has a little bit of everything, waffle, eggs, bacon, hash brown and biscuits with gravy.

100_3447

Coffee as we waited and a large cold milk with the meal. Here is my wonderful date sipping on coffee.

100_3448

It was a wild celebration  ! We even listened to Sirius XM’s channel 60, Outlaw Country !

100_3452

It was a pretty wild time alright, I expect that the 911 center received several calls about our atrocious behavior,  and I still can’t believe we managed to get out of town without the Police getting involved !

Sunday, December 16, 2012

IMBUED

Betty and I were raised by members of the worlds greatest generation. The World War Two Veterans. For us this simply means we are imbued with a serious work ethic that causes us to feel better about ourselves if  we are productive. We bring this prospective into retirement with us.

100_3385

Our travels about America’s Heartland are saturated with what we call “blue collar working adventures”. There are lots of benefits for us in this. First and foremost, it is pretty cool to be holding your own in a work place filled with 20 something’s when you are 70 years old.

100_3363

Another cool thing is that it gives us  “disposable income” for eating out, entertainment and travel to cool places that we want to see.

100_3265

Sometimes our sightseeing destination is actually the campground where we work, and the surrounding area.

As we write this, we are making plans to work at a new Colorado Summer adventure, up high where it is cool, in the Brainerd Lake Recreation Area. We will be at 10,300 feet of elevation.

As our time here at Amazon’s SDF-1 plant, where we work as one of Santa’s Elves, draws to a close, we are looking forward to being in Arkansas with Family and Friends for the Holidays. Merry CHRISTmas !

Friday, December 14, 2012

JUICE

Orange Juice and a honey bun while checking email, is kind of a early morning ritual, as Betty prepares breakfast.

100_3445

Sitting in the office slide out with the television on a news channel, I catch up on world events and weather for the day. One of the slide out’s window valance’s is just the perfect place to put my cell phone while it is charging.100_3442

Thus it has been for the four years that we have been full timing in the fifthwheel. However, today as I adjusted the window shade, I bumped the phone  .  .  .  .  .

100_3443

Prompting the most accurate high dive into the orange juice. The laptop was ok, but the phone was immersed. I immediately grabbed the phone and jerked the battery out. Then put it in front of the electric heater after drying it with paper towels.

100_3444

I waited nervously for hours before I powered it back up and, SWEET !, it works !

Did I ever get lucky or what !!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

CABIN

During the Civil War battle of Tebbs Bend, a log cabin was used as a makeshift dispensary and hospital. It was rescued, restored and moved to the USCOE visitor center at the Green River reservoir.

100_3440

We have been trying to visit and look at it for three years now, with out being able to.

100_3424

There are signs out on the highway that leads to the dam, that list the visitor center and the civil war cabin as tourist attractions. Yet, the gate is always closed and locked.

Oh, well, so much for getting information or touring the cabin. Corps of Engineers, what’s up with that ?

 

100_3425

Here is a paste from the USCOE website about the cabin: Just outside, visitors can tour The Atkinson Griffon Log house which was used as a civil war hospital, have a picnic or take in one of the many hiking trails. The Center is also a one stop shop to get information and brochures on all there is to do at Green River Lake and the surrounding area. So, on your next visit to Green River Lake, make it a point to stop by the Visitor Center and learn all that Green River Lake has to offer.

Though the visitor center and cabin is touted on their website as being located at the heart of the Green River reservoir, in three different years of trying, I have yet to find it open.