POWER POLE!

This past weekend didn't quite get started as planned, but we did make it to the property, and it really was quite productive.

We had it in our minds that we were going to clear the way to put the power pole in so that we can stop using the generator.  There is power at the street, we just need to run a line from the street to the power pole.  The problem is... that stupid manzanita that I swear is reproducing all the freakin' time... We moved the RV out, and, after a little intense discussion, Jim pulled the stupid manzanita up, and I moved it over to the trailer so that we can throw it into the dumpster. We bought a chipper, which we thought would do the job of getting rid of the mass of limbs, but it is just not up to the task.  What a waste...

Talk about viciously hot... We are both so sunburned, it's incredible... and the dirt factor is out of this world... We were both wearing socks and shoes, and when we got home, our feet were so disgusting, it was  directly into the shower....

On the way out of the area, it was really sweet... we saw a mama deer and two babies.  The babies still had their little spots....  I've got a picture.... you have to look really close to see one of the babies..

Really productive day... really hot day...

Cheri

NOT SURE WHAT TO CALL THIS BLOG ENTRY....

Last night was the first night that Jim and I actually stayed in Beluga AT the cabin site...  We've stayed in it before at a campsite, but never at the cabin site... Wow... is it quiet... and dark...and almost scary... when we turn off the generator, it is dark, and quiet... and things outside are howling... not sure I'm quite used to it... I'm used to always having the stereo blasting or the phone ringing, or the tv on or something... but, this quiet is really, really strange.

While I was contemplating, I had a thought from years and years ago... actually, it was when my brother Bart and his wife Jackie were getting married...  Bart had Jackie's wedding band picked out, and Jackie had made a comment about wanting a freezer instead of a diamond.... and it hit me, I'm not that kinda girl... I'm not very practical, and I sure like my conveniences.... actually, I get downright snarky if I don't have my modern conveniences......  I think I realized I was being a little on the snarky side today when I asked why Jim didn't say something to me about a subject I was complaining about, and his answer was, "ARE YOU CRAZY?"  .... ya....

But, the air conditioning in the motorhome works, I cooked a meal, the potty works - though it is a little on the small size, but over all, it's ok...  I don't want to live there for the rest of my life, but it's ok...

Jim plotted out exactly where the cabin is going to go today, we cut down some more trees and figured out where the power pole is going to go...  Next weekend, we are hoping to get some boy scouts or help or some group of people to help chop down the rest of the trees and the stupid manzanita so we can really move forward... We figure that we are going to spend the rest of the summer getting rid of that stupid manzanita, so it's time to get some help.

While we are at the cabin site, we always see deer and squirrels and chipmunks... lots of critters running around...  Today, on our way home, we encountered a different kind of beast.

These guys were not particularly friendly, and really didn't want to move out of the road...

Over all, it was a pretty decent weekend...  Maybe next weekend, my disposition will improve....

Cheri

STUFF... LOTS OF STUFF HAPPENING!

We planned to go to Manzanita on Saturday....  Well, we left to go on Saturday, but not until 6:30 in the afternoon.... Lots had to be done before we got on the road....

The first project, was.....

...switch out those Ontario plates... It really was strange to watch Jim change out the plates.  It's like those Ontario plates were my link with home... and, they're now gone... Seems very strange... But, it's a done deal and we've moved forward.

We got on the road at about 6:30 in the afternoon... Jim was driving Beluga and I was driving the Chevy... We were about an hour outside of Panguitch, when the side storage compartment blew open... We pull over to the side of the road, and the locks had torn off... don't know why, they were just gone... So, Jim, as handy and dandy as he is, with the plethora or tools that we usually travel with (really...) pulled one of the locks from the other side of the motor home off, and put screwed it on the other side and we continued.

Now, you have to realize something... I am night blind... I just flat don't see well at night... and it's getting darker and darker and darker and I'm panicing....  We need to take I-15 to exit 95 to get to Panguitch...  Jim is in front of me, and I'm watching the signs count down the exits.... 100, 99, 98, so I know that we're going to exit pretty soon.... I see the sign that says exit 95 is about a half a mile away and I am preparing to exit....  and then I watch Jim zoom by the exit.... and I'm flashing my lights and hitting the horn trying to get his attention... nothing.... I take the exit and call him on my cell... Poor thing was deep in thought, and just flat missed the exit.... The only unfortunate thing is the next exit is 13 miles away...  Jim tells me to just go on, and he'll catch up....  The area that I was driving through is a canyon... winding roads, steep drop offs, and I'm freaking...  absolutely freaking...  Jim caught up with me AFTER I made it through that canyon... and we carried on.

We got to Panguitch, and decided that instead of taking the motor home up to the property, we would just stop at an RV campground for the night..  Jim backs Beluga in, and I park the car in the appropriate space next to the RV...  This is what I saw the next morning....

When I was parking the car, I didn't notice there were big rocks that I was supposed to park between...  Can we get any closer here???  I think if I had hit it, I would have noticed...

Our first night in the motor home really was... nice...  Very cozy, very comfortable... It got a little cold in the middle of the night... but, that might have been because I put the spread on the bed sideways, instead of lengthwise.... and our feet were sticking out the bottom of the bed...  Got that one remedied at about 5 in the morning.... Giggle...

Moving forward, we got to the property on Sunday, and started getting a space cleared out for Beluga to call home...

We got the space cleared out, and our lovely lady moved in...

Jim continued using the backhoe to start the 2nd driveway that will eventually connect to the cabin and the 1st driveway...

And... we continue to fight with that stupid Manzanita...  I hate that stuff... and it's everywhere... It is the plague of my existence...

And Beluga not only has a new home, but she has a new friend also...

Mission accomplished... Here's my sweetheart... tired, worn out, exhausted... but did a great job...  love that man..

Fallin' in love more and more and having another grand adventure....

Cheri

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

Theresa Sprickerhoff had a little clip on her facebook this morning, and I loved it.  It is about a group of boys in Thailand who wanted to play soccer...  They didn't have space to practice, didn't have equipment, and everybody laughed at them...  Watch the video, and see how their dreams played out.

I have been asked by a whole lot of people about the possibility of Jim and I building this cabin, and actually completing it...  People don't understand - it's not the finished project that has been the excitement - it's the journey. We may be laughed at, lots of people may question our motives, or our age, or a thousand other things.  This is our dream, this is our adventure, this is our love, this is our passion.... and we're making it happen...

Figure out what your passion is, and go for it.




http://funniestvideoalbum.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-if-nothing-is-impossible.html

Cheri

WEIRD!

We are going to be taking the motor home down to Manzanita tomorrow, where it is going to stay for the next couple of years while we are building.  Jim has worked so hard getting it all ready to go - new floors, new bed, new stove, new appliances and new cabinets.  Last week, I stocked the cupboards with food - things that are not perishable,  and I was packing up clothes into totes last night.  It just seems unreal.

I was laying in bed this morning, and it just seems so strange to me... we have been planning this for a couple of years now, and it's finally happening....I guess I don't know exactly how to feel.. It's a combination of excitement, and worry, and scared and anticipating... 100 different feelings - almost like excitement for the next chapter, and fear of the unknown.

I expressed my feelings to Jim this morning, and he agreed - he was feeling the same way.

Here's to a new chapter in the book called "Another Amazing Adventure".

Cheri

BELUGA!

Well, the final part of the motor home story has been completed!  With all the problems we had trying to get the plates changed from Ontario to Utah - we were issued brand new Utah plates yesterday!

We have been working on this project for a couple of weeks now... We had the hassle with Customs at the SLC airport - which we thought was going to be the worst of it... Apparently, it wasn't.  In Utah, you have to get a inspection and an emissions test on all vehicles... UNLESS you live in certain counties which don't require the emissions testing.  Kane County, where our cabin is going to be, is one of those counties.  So, we only had to have the physical inspection.

Jim took Beluga down to the place we usually get our car inspections done... they don't do inspections on motor homes... BUT, they refer him to a place that does commercial vehicles.  I think I've already written this part...

Anyways, he takes it down for the inspection, and they check out the lights and this and that... and it passes... The only thing that they have a problem with is the back brakes.  In order to check the back brakes, they have to take off the wheels and the rear axle... all for $10.00 - the cost of the inspection.  They are not thrilled about this, but tell Jim that the brand new vehicles have these two little holes drilled into them, so that all you have to do is pop the little rubber cap off, and shine a light in there, and the inspection is done...

So, last week, Jim drilled the two little holes...  He takes the motor home to the inspection station yesterday, they spend a whoppin' 10 minutes to crawl under the motor home (because Beluga doesn't fit in their bay) did the inspection, signed off on the emissions paperwork, and we were done!

Jim then drives Beluga down to the DMV, which is in the downtown core of Provo, to get the plates.  Poor thing was having a freak trying to figure out where to park Beluga, but finally found a space right in front of the DMV... He went in, gave them the 20 pages of paperwork, they had a chuckle over Beluga's name, and they handed over the plates.

We haven't switched over the plates yet... I think Beluga really likes the Ontario plates - she thinks they are pretty...  at least I do..

Cheri

FLOOR!

Jim, bless his heart, spent most of Sunday pulling up old flooring in the motorhome and putting down a beautiful, new floor... It looks spectacular.  It was a perfect day for being outside - not extremely hot, beautiful sunshine...

I asked Jim if he took picture of the finished project... he said no.  By the time I mentioned it, it was too dark out.  Hopefully, we'll get some pictures today.

Cheri

Finally got the picture taken.. Doesn't this look great?!