Saddlebag, Disney, Thanksgiving, Space Coast Marathon

The minute the weather turned cooler, I began my next major home improvement project--landscaping.   This was to be a "concept" job as I do not want to maintain crabgrass and weeds.  Grass does not grow well in Saddlebag because the immense oak trees block the sun and consume all soil nutrients.  What the tree canopies don't kill is mangled by the troupes of sand hill cranes wandering around digging up the ground with their primitive talons.

This is what lawns typically look like, except mine is worse than most.


My initial impulse was to AstroTurf my entire property; it is a very environmentally-green thing to do and my turf would look good all the time and not need any maintenance at all.  Alas-it was cost prohibitive!  The next idea is to divide the property into two parts and do the front this year and think about the back half next year.

The goal was to blanket the front yard with mostly drought-, heat- and cold-tolerant, ground-hugging plants that need no pruning, thereby eliminating grass/weeds.   I dug about a hundred holes for plants, laid in weed control fabric and soaker hoses, placed a ton of paver block for edging and hoisted 75 bags of rubber mulch.   Job completed in about 3 weeks of almost daily work.  Got a good tan.

I finished just in time to join my pal Carole and her new baby Rachael in Disney.  We bought our FL Resident "weekday only" tix, loaded up  BSE (baby support equipment) and headed out to the parks.

Rachael is one yr old and not mature enough for most of the rides, but that was OK because we were quite pooped and pushed to our limits with the few rides we took.   I had not realized that the strollers get parked outside the attraction and non-walkers had to be carried while waiting in line!   Here I am with a sleeping Rachael waiting to see "It's a Small World".  Disney made a major improvement in this attraction and stopped piping the music OUTSIDE the attraction so you are no longer subjected to this child's song playing over and over inside your head for the next 2 weeks.

From time to time, Carole had to use the changing table; this particular change was pretty major.

We all  had a fun ride on the carousel.

That evening, we went to Hollywood Studios to see the Dancing Lights, which are just Christmas lights flickering with music.  Naturally, Disney did this "bigger than life" and got me in the Christmas spirit with snow falling down from the snowblowing machines mounted on top of the NY building set and speakers blasting out Mannheim Steamroller's Deck the Halls.

We didn't make the Food and Wine Festival due to exhaustion...

My friends, Barry and Sue invited me up for Thanksgiving, so Cassie and I loaded up the moho and squatted in their backyard for a few days.  Since my brother and nephew were flying down to Florida for the Space Coast Marathon, they were also invited, as was their friend, Drew.  Here we are enjoying a sumptious meal prepared by Barry and Sue.  As usual, they outdid themselves with smoked turkey, a spiral pineapple-glazed ham, garlic mashed and candied sweet potatoes, dressing, green bean casserole, homemade cranberry jam and homemade pumpkin schnapps.  We had Jack Daniels Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Cheesecake for dessert.  It was an amazing meal!  Thank you guys for your generosity and an awesome feast!

The next day, we dragged our inflated bodies to Cocoa Beach, the site of the Space Coast Marathon.  The red arrow at right/center is the staging area of the Marathon where the DJ and all the sponsors hang out.

My nephew, Luke, runs for Team In Training Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, DC Chapter.   He is a leukemia survivor and Frank also had leukemia and was an Honored Patient.  This organization supports patients and families in many ways and raises money for cancer research.  I am proud that my nephew has aligned himself with such a fine organization.

The weather was changeable for the day and a half preceding the race, but the morning of the race was perfect!  The start was at 6:15am!   It was controlled chaos at the Start Line with hordes of volunteers and pacers gathering their groups together which are "coralled" according to estimates of race time.  Everyone wore a shoe lace tag which digitally logs their personal time at the Start and Finish lines.

On the day we arrived, Luke turned his ankle walking to the Pier in search of a brewsky, resulting in tenderness and moderate swelling.  We treated it best we could with bandaging, a stabilizing brace and anti-inflammatories and could only hope for the best.  Luke estimated his time for this 13 mile race would be 30 minutes slower than usual because of the ankle.

The race was open to all mobility modalities and ages.   The race course followed the Indian River and I am told that the route was incredibly pleasant and picturesque. 

Luke was excited to see a dolphin swimming close to the shoreline.  This pic was taken in a quaint and beautiful section of Cocoa Village, a walking shopping/dining destination.

Racers were encouraged by Volunteers clad in orange NASA jumpsuits to "Embrace the Suck".

Here is Luke at the Finish Line "embracing" it.

Imagine our excitement when Luke finished almost 30 minutes ahead of his estimate at 2h 3m!  That was a personal best for him and he was very pleased.  We were also quite happy that the ankle had not been a problem or further injured.

After gorging on a pancake breakfast prepared by Volunteers, Luke immediately posted to Facebook followers.

We hoisted a few to Luke's success.

I am now back in Saddlebag making my Christmas round of doctors and other purveyors of medical devices.   Right before I closed on my house, I decided to do "medical housekeeping" and get a complete systems tuneup, so now all the annual checkups fall during the holidays.

Between chats with the docs, I'll decorate the house for Christmas, and work on another project I have cookin'.  More on that next blog.

Las Vegas BOO-Yah!

It just doesn't get much better than playing with family and friends in Las Vegas!  We flew in from Eureka CA (Sharon & Norm), Washington DC (Phil) and Parkton MD (Marilyn & Louis).

Las Vegas was all decked out with Halloween decorations, attractions and themes.  

We gathered at an attractive and well-appointed timeshare in western Las Vegas, the Cliffs of Peace Canyon.   (It seems that everything that is NOT on the Strip is named for a canyon.)

We had adjacent ground floor units with lanais and "shared" the units among 6 adults.  We left a note behind for Housekeeping because all the dishes, glasses and cups got mixed up between the two units.  My side was the Morning Coffee/Debate side, permitting the sleeper-inners a quiet space.

This is the pool with a waterfall feature which cools one off after soaking in the party-size hot jacuzzi.   The boys couldn't resist it and seemed to enjoy the cool water pummeling their brains.

In the pool entertainment area was a gorgeous outdoor gas fireplace and several gas grills where we grilled porterhouse steaks and baked potatoes.

We didn't come to LV to gamble--none of us are gamblers.  Pretty much just quarter video poker and people-gawking.   Sharon won some money and so did Marilyn  and I came away 15 cents over my budget which I consider a success since I entertained myself with video poker for free.   So, our second day, we headed out to Red RockCanyon, which is only 20 minutes from civilization but seems like it is a world away.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rock_Canyon_National_Conservation_Area

The Canyon is a rock formation formed by a thrusting upward of the earth over a fault, causing the old rock to lay on top of the new rock.  This makes a remarkable line of demarcation between the two rocks.   The weather at this altitude was wonderfully warm and but dry enough for frequent reapplications of Chapstick.

Rock ON Gurlz!

Saw Phantom of the Opera and Beatles LOVE, a Cirque de soleil production.  Loved both, but Beatles won out on the adrenaline rush from the extreme physicality of the players, the incredible Beatle's music, mind-blowing special effects and inventive 60's-style costuming.

BOO to the usher who saw me get out my camera  before  the show to get a pic of our group and gave me a schoolmarmy tsk and a finger wag.  This is an employee that needs to be recycled...

At the Bellagio, we savored the Chocolate Fountain and an artistic collection of desserts.  The sight and aroma of all that chocolate created a "contact high", stimulating my endorphin circulation to dangerous levels.

OK --we ate at some buffets.  I have come home with a case of Buffet Butt.  The Bellagio still reigns supreme in the Buffet Wars; notable were the perfectly-prepared Alaskan Crab legs with REAL drawn butter rather than water-butter juice and the creme brulee.    The Mirage was exceptionally sanitary with sneeze screens protecting all food and a Chef combining one's own custom salad from a huge array of ingredients.   The food stations were named after "nationalities" and had an impressive selection of regional foods.  They had the creamiest gelato ever and ginormous-sized dessert cups.

BOO to our waiter who couldn't clear our plundered dishes fast enough, forcing us to soil an adjacent table; he also took the worst group dining photo ever...  BOO also to the pricey-ness of these gastronomic events--$30.

There WAS an exceptional dining value advertised on the side of the Flamingo--an all day Buffet Ticket in 8 participating Strip hotels for $39.99!  Wow what a deal!  I was informed that Cesear's now has a unisex Vomitorium which seemed perfect for those selecting this experience.   Nothing  in moderation in LV!

We "did" the Strip which was almost empty EXCEPT on October 10.  The Strip was PACKED with folks dressed to the teeth in wedding garb. 

We were informed that 10/10/10 is supposed to be a lucky day to be married!   Some people even got married at 10 o'clock and some costumes were Halloween-inspired.  

BOO to the MGM for attempting to extort $30 to see the interactive attraction CSI:  The Experience.   For Shame!

We visited Ethel M's Chocolate Factory and swooned on the Chocolate Peanut Brittle--wow!

They had a dozen or so signs hanging from the ceiling with clever and humorous "chocolate quotes".   Actually, this was NOT one of them but I like it anyway and it's MY blog!

An adorable breakfast chain, EggWorks, provided as much fun as it did good food, including the seasonal pumpkin pancakes, carrot pancakes and homemade banana walnut french toast.  They had a little egg face with a frown on the table centerpiece which is designed to alert ANY waitress that assistance is needed.  This is my brother's version of the unhappy eggface.

For our multi-sensory overload, we got Senior Discount Tickets to the IMAX theater at the Palms Casino.   The Ticket Agent never blinked as we asked for the Senior discount;  it made me a little sad as the ticket area was not well lit.  The movie was "Inception"  (the act of inception: using dreams to implant an idea) with Leonardo Di Caprio.  It featured many mindbending special effects that were so disorienting that it was hard to follow the unusal and multi-plotted story.  

Trust me; if you plan to see the movie,  go to an IMAX theater because you will not understand the movie and at least you can get the wild special effects and see a Very Large Leonardo.   BOO-YAH!

The only attraction I had a burning desire to experience was the Insanity on top of the Stratosphere Tower.  Perhaps it was the extreme name that turned off everyone in my group.  Heck it was actually cheaper than the CSI Experience!  Or, maybe it was the fact that it was a small carousel with suspended seats perched a thousand feet above the ground, spinning wildly at speeds up to 40 mph, creating up to 3G's of force, while tilting one's body facedown to the ground at angles up to 70 degrees.   I'm not sure why I could not seem to work up any enthusiasm amongst my family/friends to take the ride with me!  I think the view would have been awesome.

You who live large with cable/satellite TV might recall a show on History Channel called Pawn Stars.  It is extremely popular, as evidenced by the line waiting to get in.    Here it is!

I am told it is smaller inside than it appears on TV and they only let small groups inside to browse.

The Fremont Street Experience was extravagantly decorated  for Halloween.  Actors wore very ornate costumes strolled the boulevard, interacting with the crowd and posing for photos.  Kiss was there, as was the Ghost of Michael Jackson.  I was very impressed with Superman as I thought that underneath the costume, he was a Real Superman and didn't even need a costume.  Maybe he was a "moonlighting" Chippendale.   There were also some Ladies of Darkness but it was hard to determine if they were part of the Street Troupe or just entrepreneurs.










The featured music was Queen and the digital light show was much improved from the previous one (which was very hokey).

 

A Cautionary RV Tale

Anyone who has ever owned an RV has had a problem with it whether it is brand new or not.  I had hoped that purchasing a brand new vehicle would minimize the headaches of inevitable problems via the manufacturer and mechanical warranties. 

Wrong Diesel Breath!

While driving back and forth to San Antonio, I noted that my transmission was intermittently failing to change gears while in Automatic Mode.  At first, I thought it was operator error and I had mistakenly put in in Manual.  So I paid close attention and discovered that it was a true mechanical problem after several subsequent failures.

So, I made an appointment for Warranty Service at the same Shop that had received my towed vehicle after a sudden power failure--later presumed to be a vapor lock since there was no mechanical problem discovered.

Preceding my arrival to the service facility, my automotive battery died.  When I purchased the unit, I had written in the contract for a new battery on this '06 chassis--but failed to double check this on delivery!  Since I was going in for Warranty Service, I figured it would be a simple thing to test the battery and replace, if necessary, under Warranty.  After some posturing, I secured the Dealer's written promise to cover the cost of a new battery, if indeed it tested "dead".

After Mobile RV Service jumpstarted me to the tune of $173, I drove to Warranty Service.  I left the RV motor running (since I didn't want to risk it failing to start again in their service area) and was informed that they were no longer authorized to provide Warranty Service for Freightliner vehicles.  Supposedly this "had just happened in the last few days".  Yeah, right!  They referred me to another facility 20 miles away.   I departed for the new facility, left my motor running AGAIN and trotted up to the Service Window.  The Service Advisor scratched his head and said "You are the second person to come here requesting Freightliner service and we are not connected with Freightliner!" 

Motor still running, I got my perturbed self into the RV and headed back south looking for the first AutoZone store to buy a new battery.  I then phoned the guy who referred me to the truck facility not connected with Freightliner and explained that he probably should not direct anyone else there.  Further, I helped him to appreciate my unhappy mood.

I then emailed my Dealer and explained why the old battery would not be tested for Warranty replacement and they offered to pay the entire cost anyway.  $173 Mobile Service + $114.00 truck battery.  Fine.

Next task:  find a Freightliner facility authorized for Warranty service.  Easier said than done!  Freightliner had recently been purchased by Mercedes Benz and the entire system of franchises was discontinued, put on hold or changed to "service only".  A new policy was enacted that Mercedes required any Warranty Service to be performed by Sprinter-certified technicians.   So the technicians had a field day, offering their suddenly-valuable services to the highest bidders!   Consequently, many facilities could/would not do Warranty work because there was no affordable (read "cheap) labor.

I finally found a facility in Tampa and tried to get an appointment.   They routinely checked my VIN number and regretfully informed me that my service had expired over a year ago.  It was registered to me but it had an In-Service Date of June 2006.  (I bought it 10/09.)

At the urging of Tampa Freightliner's Nicole, I phoned the new corporate owner, Mercedes Benz, who assured me there was very little that could be done and the Selling Dealer would have to jump through many hoops to fix this.  This person gravely wished me good luck...

I phoned the Dealer and explained the situation as I understood it (which was very little).  They re-submitted the New Registration Paperwork and ...no go.   I spoke with the Operations Manager and he spoke with the manufacturer, Gulf Stream Coach.  According to him, the sale was erroneously documented as a retail sale (rather than a wholesale transaction) from Gulf Stream to RV World back in '06 and that triggered the Warranty Start Date.

Naturally, it would take an Act of Congress to correct the paperwork.  And we all know about the current state of Congress....

After many followup calls and much gnashing of teeth, I finally reached the limits of my patience and phoned the Operations Manager again, who was by this time dodging my calls.  I told the Receptionist that I wouldn't mind coming down there and waiting my turn in line behind all these customers he was meeting with everytime I called.  I got a call back and he actually promised to buy me the best Extended Warranty available if my Warranty problem was not corrected.  Made me feel a little better except that Extended Warranties are famous for finding ways to not cover anything...  He said the original problem was with Gulf Stream Coach.  This confused me even more since he was offering to pay for someone else's mistake?!

I then called Gulf Stream Coach and extracted their promise to fax the necessary paperwork that very day to the Dealer.  The Dealer faxed the completed paperwork back to Mercedes and....there it sat.   Nothing happened from that point on except to assign me as an "Open Case".

During these weeks of chasing down people to commit to do something about this mess, I was fortunate to have spoken several times with a woman (Nicole) who was the Warranty Manager for Freightliner in Tampa.   I imagined her to be a tough Gaga-type since she worked in a trucking facility.

She had patiently checked each time I called to see if my warranty status had changed and offered me information and insights.  She kindly intervened with Mercedes Benz on my behalf and discovered the that my open case was just sitting on someone's desk.  She phoned to say they wanted the Bill of Sale which I immediately emailed to her.   When it failed to fax properly, she copied the email and sent a hard copy via snail mail to a Real Person. 

Two weeks later--TODAY--Nicole called me to say that the Warranty was now correctly registered to me and I could bring my rig in for service.  I was relieved and overjoyed and effusively thanked her for all she did for me, which most certainly was not in her job description.

I have received my check from the RV Dealer for the new battery and Mobile Service.

I am breathing a sigh of relief.   The peak of hurricane season is here NOW and I need to have my rig up and running.



 This was an confusing problem with several unusual elements beginning with someone supposedly checking the wrong box back in Jun 2006, complicated by lack of followup to the initial rejected Registration by the RV Dealer last fall, confounded by the sale of Freightliner to an another company and the failure of the corporate databases to play nicely together.

Add the customary corporate incompetence to the mix and you have...a cautionary RV tale.

I must add, with some regret, that not a single person in the triad of corporates involved--the RV manufacturer, the RV selling Dealer and the owner of the Warranty obligation--ever offered an apology or even validated my distress at not having a warranty available to me and having to do ALL the work to fix the problem not caused, nor even understood, by me.   Except Nicole.

My heroine of the moment is-- Nicole!

Memories, Distraction and Sue's House

Anniversary dates never seem to register despite Recurring Reminders on my Yahoo Calendar.   I can't remember my age most of the time though I do remember the year.  Frank and I forgot our anniversary one year!   This year, June 13th was the "gorilla in the room".  Couldn't think of anything except it was a year since Frank died.   Memories were heightened by an unexpected request by the Video Memorium TechPerson asking me for more music.   I spent several weeks preceeding the "anniversary" listening and evaluating music in hopes that the promised Video would finally be completed and I could get that over with.  Well, it's not ready yet but I sure have an excellent PlayList!  During the process, my lightly propped-up emotional stability was shaken. 

At least, I am staying busy nesting in my new home which is an effective, albeit expensive, distraction.

I am very happy with my choice of community;  it has shrunk from over 700 residents to about 100 and it is much easier getting to know who lives here.  I go to the Friday night Potluck Dinners and the Monday Morning Coffee Meetings and have recently joined the "Emergency Responders" Committee which is now busy with hurricane preparations.   Here is my friend Basil guarding my bowl of ice cream at the recent Ice Cream Social.  Feeling part of a new community will take time. 

I thought this was a clever photo; the fella who runs the Saddlebag Forum is also a PhotoShop junkie and published this to illustrate how security was being beefed up after a boat trolling motor was stolen... 

How many weapons of destruction can you find in the picture?  (Answer on the next Blog)

Being somewhat of a PhotoShop wannabe myself and an amateur shutterbug, I published this picture on the Forum Pet Zone after setting up my new Sleep Number bed.  Naturally, Cassie is not smart enough to operate the Control Wand...or is she?

The biggest distraction in the last couple months has been the renovation of the house I bought.  The home was owned by an elderly lady who didn't do anything to it and it needed a facelift.  At least renovation didn't cost as much as a facelift!

Here is my 4 Stone Fly Stump sign on my newly-painted stump.   BTW, you may or may not know that this is the Official Trash Receptacle at Saddlebag.  The sign was a very generous housewarming gift from my friends, Velma and Basil.  The color matches the Peacock Green color painted on my awnings and shutters.   The sign company let me design the Happy Dog to look more like Cassie with the puffy ears and plume-y tail!  The sign makes me feel like I am actually "home".

 This is a photo of my house newly-concreted, trim painted and siding pressure-washed. 

It is always fun to hire men to do manly things and I always take their picture.  Here is Andy the Painter who did my ceiling (I finally cried "Uncle" trying to do it myself--got sick of scraping paint off my parts).

Here is Dave the Door Guy; this is the door that has blinds "between the glass".  My new doors have keyless entry and replace crappy sliding glass doors that wouldn't close all the way and had no lock.  Dave had to reframe the entire opening because one side of my house had settled a few inches when 2 nearby trees were uprooted during the hurricanes of '05.

His worktruck had a most unique company logo.  He told me the sad story of his solitary journey to Florida and then meeting the love of his life after months of loneliness and sorrow.  So, he commemorated his good luck in the romance department by calling his business Romance Home Improvement "If Cupid Can't Fix It, WE Will!"  Isn't that sweet?

The house interior has been similarly attended to with newly-repainted cabinetry (I did do this; the paint was much more controllable), new lighting fixtures, window treatments and new, smaller-scale furniture.   A HUGE HUG to Basil, who supervised the replacement of all my aged, shabby lighting fixtures, helped me install dimmer switches and a 30amp outlet for my RV.

This is my living room "entertainment" wall.  I treated myself to an electric fireplace that I have been shopping for months on craigslist.  Electric fireplaces are ridiculously expensive and I figured that shopping when it's 96 degrees outdoors is a great time to get a low price.  And it was!

This pic also shows the new woodgrain vinyl flooring which is a new process that results in greater depth in the pattern.  This is super-cushioned vinyl and has a texture; it is comfy underfoot and quiet.  It is quite realistic looking; one workman got on the floor to feel it because he didn't believe it was vinyl.  I am very pleased with it.

I indulged in some colormania by ordering a double reclining Power Sofa in RED over the Memorial Day sale weekend.   It was finally ready after 6 weeks and I rented a truck and went to haul it back.  (It so happens that I live outside of all "free" delivery areas in Orlando and Tampa so any delivery is "custom"--so I figured I could do it more economically myself.)  It is so cool to push a button and it scoops your legs up and lays you back in Sublime Supine.  I can't get Cassie off the couch.

Here is my Zen Chair Wall; it has my Sedona Zen Fountain (real Sedona rock) with a ball that rotates on water in mid-air with a relaxing gurgle between my combo Recliner/Glider and my Zero Gravity Recliner.   I feel completely zoned out...

A few more pics of my new digs if you would indulge me?  My dining room...

...my kitchen

...and bedroom with my new Sleep Number bed and lotsa pillows to share with Cassie....

...and the Guest Room

My next project is ...ME!  Haha...my brother Phil and nephew Luke convinced me to enter a Team in Training (TiT?) Marathon being held in Cocoa Beach after Thanksgiving.  My Nephew is a crazed Marathoner and raises money for the Lymphoma Foundation with these Marathon Events which are held all over the country.  My brother will be an unpaid but enthusiastic Volunteer and says he will pass out cups of beer instead of boring water to the runners.  Runners dress up like astronauts and aliens in a futuristic "Space" theme and run many miles...Anybody want to join us and laugh as I limp across the Finish Line in my Princess Leia running togs?  Maybe someone can bring me my sofa?  PLEASE?

Space Coast Marathon