Tuesday Very Early Morning

[asirimarco]

Good Morning to All - It's pretty early for us here in mountain time - 3:15 to be precise. It is going to be a very long day.
Mainly we're up cause it got so cold in here it woke us up. So now the generator is running and the furnace is running on propane. It is COLD out. We need to get further south - soon.
The worst or most dangerous part of Mexico is along the border. And up to now we've been through that area quickly. Hopefully before noon today we'll be away. I cannot say enough about all the police and officials and insurance man we dealt with yesterday. They took a personal interest in us. The two police men (and one was sooooo good looking) who brought us back to the Alfa were both going to college - paid for by the department - taking law courses preparing them to be lawyers. The vehicle we were in was very clean and equiped with latest equipment - including computers. Got to move one of their kevlar vests - it was so heavy I could hardly pick it up. And they wear them for hours at a time. Of course BIG guns. And yesterday was a special holiday day for the police - it is a government "Police Appreciation" day and most of the men and women we dealt with were voluntering for duty yesterday.
When we got up a while ago we saw a patrol vehicle parked right behind us. He left for a while when our lights came on but now he is back.
As I said in the blog - we had three cars stolen while living in Los Angeles and never saw them again. So this really hasn't changed our perception of Mexico - except to appreciate the men and women of the police department of Nogales. You would of thunk it was their car that was found. Everyone in the office was giving us hugs and high fives.
Now we have to start making a list of what we need to replace that was in Willie.
Any way - hope today finds everyone with good weather, safe travels and many friends.

[Colliemom]

Good Morning from Michigan's Upper Peninsula,

As many of you know, my friend Brenda and I were heading north into the Upper Peninsula for Thanksgiving week this past Sunday.

Our first goal before leaving, was to pack the "stuff" we had piled in my breezeway for the trip. After stuffing in nooks and crannies and boxes on top of boxes etc. we got it all in, right to the tailgate The majority of this is food, so you know we are not going to starve this week


We had an uneventful trip coming up here. Just light snow in the air and the roads were just damp. It was cold though. Temp was 23 when we got here. This area got dumped with about 6 inches of snow on Saturday night, so we came into a winter wonderland when we got here.



Yesterday we took a ride to the cities of Ishpeming and Negaunee about 15 miels from here and went to the Michigan Iron Mining Museum to view all the exhibits and learn about Michigan's Iron Mining history. Took a picture of the Carp River behind the museum, which was the site of the Carp River Forge during the heyday of the early mining industry here


We also went to a couple of other places in the area while we were out, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way. Lake Michigamme, the which of we are staying on, is still open and hasn't frozen over, so we are enjoying the views from our window



The weather here has been cloudy and chilly, but it supposed to clear today and gradually get warmer. By Thanksgiving Day, they are saying 50 degree weather again, so I'm sure that will melt what remains of the snow here, about 4 inches now. Today I think we are going to venture a bit west and see what's going on over that way. There is a waterfall I would like to go to, but have to wait till we get there to see if we can get to it. Hope so, cause it will probably be pretty.

Carol, glad that you got into Mexico safely. Enjoy your travels south and looking forward to the pictures you always do such a great job with.

Well, time for breakfast. Not sure what's on our menu this morning. Yesterday it was eggs, bacon and toast. Today who knows. We have all kinds of stuff here, so come joing us. Have a great day all.

[BirdbyBird]

Wow, Carol, you and Bill didn't have to add the extra excitement to the border crossing did you? So glad that the out come was as positive as it was. It is those experiences that give Thanksgiving even more fullness of meaning. Hopefully you get farther south today ad find the warmer weather that you both are wanting.

[Nasoosie]

GOOD MORNING CAROL, SUE AND ALL!

Wow Carol....I guess I missed out on hearing about what must have happened to your towed car? It sounds as if it had been stolen, and then found? How lucky is that! This mess you went through is why I will never get to Mexico----too scary for me, and I speak absolutely no Spanish. Please be careful down there, and have a good time. I will worry about you until you get back home!

Sue, what a pretty place you are in! I would really love to get transported there for a day or two and go skiing. Your packing prowess is so well organized, exact, and neat compared to my usual haphazard stashing!

My home up in the Adirondacks is under a winter storm watch for today and tomorrow, too, and it has been really cold there at zero to 12 above. Mandy said said last night on SKype (I can see her and Orion, but they can't see me as my camera uses too much for my computer----a good deal, I guess) that they had the woodstove cranked right up. Orion was in short sleeves and shorts, so I guess it was warm in the living room. It is shocking how much he changes from one day to the next at this young age. His smiles are coming more and more constant now. I also love to watch my daughter reacting with such total love and awe with her firstborn child-----there is nothing quite like the love for a child. Skype is like my childhood dream of having a live TV in both places, to watch and talk as if sitting at the same table.....that is what awes me.

She will continue to look for my marriage certificate for me, including in the safe deposit box if she can't find it in the house. I sincerely hope she can find it as to get a copy of it is prohibitively expensive....a real ripoff.

It's 92 in the morning sunshine here today, with a nice cooling breeze, and feels wonderful to me. I managed to get home yesterday after my foray to the DMV to try to get my FL ID card, and trimmed back more my flowering shrubs in the front of my house. I also went swimming and did a load of laundry. While I was there, the lawn mowers and trimmers did their thing. The pool was much warmer yesterday than it was when I first got back here...perfect, actually.

So far today, after my being super careful of what I ate and drank yesterday (mostly seltzer and Acitiva) my guts are feeling better than the past few days. I would surely love to know what's going on in there, and I have about decided to stop into a local Urgi-care type of spot near my house if my health doesn't get better soon. Perhaps they can at least stear me to a doctor who speaks English and whom I could dub "my doctor" while I am down here.

Don't have anything on the docket for today, other than going to Goog's house to let out Brody, the cat. It's wonderful to have internet connection here in the trailer with Melissa's wimi thingy. Then I guess Molly and I will go walking on the East Lake Toho waterfront again. This time I'll bring a camera with me.

I will fix the turnips for the Thanksgiving feast at Pete's campground on Thursday morning before I head over there.

Have a fun day wherever you are.

[Irmi]

Good morning Carol, Sue, Tina, Soos & everyone!

Carol, you have certainly had your share of excitement, but it sounds like things are working out in your favor.

Sue, it sounds like you & your friend are going to have a great trip. I hope the weather participates.

Tina, have a great day!

Soos, I hope you're starting to feel better soon.

It's raining in MD but it's on the mild side, with temperatures in the 50's. My father spent the night in the hospital last night because his Coumadin levels were too high, but apparently that didn't cause the episode at his house yesterday morning. That is still inconclusive. Hopefully he'll be able to go home today. Janice asked how far I live from my parents and they're quite close by, only 25 minutes down the road. I'm just hoping they'll be able to spend Thanksgiving at home.
Have a good day everyone.

[Redetotry]

Good grief Sue, don't they have groceries or restaurants up there Are you staying at a motel or a cabin. Thank you for the pictures, I like to look at snow especially when it is some place other than out my door. It was 41 BELOW in Fairbanks Alaska yesterday hope the cold isn't headed this way.
Carol sounds like you had a wild day so glad you got Willy back but sorry about all the hassle and the loss of items. It is amazing they found Willy but then he does stand out.
Irmi I hope your parents do get to spend thanksgiving at home.

Soos hope you find your certificate, here you can just go to the court house and request a copy, they run downstairs get the original and make it while you wait. Well, at least they did the time I had to get one that was a few years ago. Probably a different procedure now. In '85 I needed a copy of my birth certificate to get clearance for the job I had at a research place in CA. They were saying I should write etc etc and request a copy and it usually took quite awhile. I said I can make a call and get a copy sent, they didn't believe me until it arrived less than a week later.

[dayspring39]

Good Morning... oh my Carol you do not need anymore adventures like that... I trust you will calm down into a normal state while you are on the beach... glad Willie is safe and sound...
Sue you look all prepared for a nice stay... there are not as many stores or restaurants in the UP of Michigan... if you do find one they are expensive...
I took a hard fall here in my living room yesterday... I think I broke my big toe on my left foot and also bruised my left shoulder... my right side is in a lot of pain also... I will go to the doctor this afternoon... my daughter called my doctor and talked to the nurse (bless our daughters!)... not sure I was happy about that at all... but it is done and over... all will work out fine..
We have rain today but tomorrow we are expecting sunshine... that will feel very good...
Have a great day everyone...
Kathleen

[Irmi]

Kathleen, I am so sorry you fell. Go to your doctor and see what he/she recommends for pain and discomfort. Please take care of yourself.

[Acadianmom]

Kathleen, better to see the doctor now than take a chance on getting help during the holiday if you need it. Here we get very little help in the emergency room and they want to charge you $1,500.

Carol, you sure take losing your Jeep a lot better than I would. Of course I would be like Soos, I wouldn't be in Mexico. I didn't like it 15 years ago. They make me extremely nervous the way they drive. Glad you got it back.

I think it only cost me $15 to get a copy of my marriage certificate and I think I ordered it on line. I need to get copies of birth certificates before we need one for something. We lost all that in the flood. The vehicle titles were on better paper and all of them survived.

Martha

[bluepinecones]

Good afternoon from rainy Al. We are between storms at the moment but the threat of severe weather is high and schools all over north Al and southern TN let out early today. Storms slowed a bit coming across MISS so now worst of it is expected to arrive between 5:30 and 8:00 PM. Tornado threat not all that high but damaging winds (60-70 mph) and hail are expected. I really hope they are wrong and hate it when storms arrive in the dark, especially if power goes off.

Kathleen, hope you are feeling better. What caused the fall?

Sue, thanks for the photos. What a lovely place to spend Thanksgiving.

Lost another friend early yesterday. That's five since late Jan counting my sister. I don't think I'm up to attending another funeral this year.

No plans for Thanksgiving. Am trying to decide if I want to go to the trouble of putting up a Christmas tree. I do enjoy the lights in the evening. If I put one up, want it by Thanksgiving weekend so I have at least a month to enjoy it. Worse part is having to take it down; always seems more trouble than putting it up.

[Echo]

Good Morning... oh my Carol you do not need anymore adventures like that... I trust you will calm down into a normal state while you are on the beach... glad Willie is safe and sound...
Sue you look all prepared for a nice stay... there are not as many stores or restaurants in the UP of Michigan... if you do find one they are expensive...
I took a hard fall here in my living room yesterday... I think I broke my big toe on my left foot and also bruised my left shoulder... my right side is in a lot of pain also... I will go to the doctor this afternoon... my daughter called my doctor and talked to the nurse (bless our daughters!)... not sure I was happy about that at all... but it is done and over... all will work out fine..
We have rain today but tomorrow we are expecting sunshine... that will feel very good...
Have a great day everyone...
Kathleen

Last I knew there wasn't anything they could do for a broken toe. But yes, do go to the doctor and get the shoulder checked out. Please be careful!!!

[Bethers]

Carol, it was suggested to me before I went to MX to go down a day in advance without the rig (or even a car) and get all the paperwork done. So that's what we did - and when we drove through with the rig just had to show our paperwork and then keep going. Made it really easy. I do agree, though, that the car being stolen could have happened anywhere. And they have taken such good care of you. I found that to be so true in MX and all the bad news upsets me. Mainly because it's just as bad in the US where drugs are the problem - in almost all our cities - some not so big. The border just happens to get so much news, and then it gets translated to "Mexico" like it's all bad.

Off my tirade.

Kathleen - please let us know what the dr says - and take care and be careful, g/f.

[dayspring39]

The verdict is a cracked toe... have to have it in a boot to immobilize it till it heals... the other bruises and bumps will take 3 or more weeks to heal... and my dear friend UTI has returned... very glad we have a pharmacy here that gives antibiotics free... I got a box of lipton green tea with pomegranate and cranberry this was recommended by the lady at the medical supply... it can't hurt so we will see... at least the infection is the reason for my weakness...
Sarah I am not real sure but believe I caught my big toe on a cord from the vacuum cleaner... that is my best guess...
Thanks for your notes of concern...
Kathleen

[chalet05]

Kathleen, I am so glad you went to the doctor! Now you just have to heal. You have had more than your share!

Carol, that was quite an experience to start your time in Mexico! I doubt I'll ever go further than Algodones, even tho I agree with Beth that we have issues in the U.S. Some how having trouble in a foreign country isn't something I would want to deal with. Actually, in Algodones, they are lucky I don't stay too long because I get really irritated with the people in my face! By the time we get to the dentist and the liquor store, I want outta there!

That D*#n board game has been more fun of late - the third couple we had been playing with left so with 'new blood', we gals have been kicking arse!!

[Nasoosie]

No plans for Thanksgiving. Am trying to decide if I want to go to the trouble of putting up a Christmas tree. I do enjoy the lights in the evening. If I put one up, want it by Thanksgiving weekend so I have at least a month to enjoy it. Worse part is having to take it down; always seems more trouble than putting it up.

These were my feelings exactly, Sarah, and I fixed that dreaded taking-down-the-tree emotion by getting me a thinner fake tree that could stand in a corner of my living room with just white lights on it----for YEAR 'ROUND! I loved having that cheery night-light in the corner! And, so as to not spoil the 'specialness' of Christmas, I then trimmed it with Christmas decorations and added colored lights for December. After all those years of batling with real trees and tons of trimmings that had to come down, leaving a hole for the rest of the year, I determined that I should do what makes me happiest after my family left and it was just me there. I guess Mandy and Joe decided to take it to the cellar last year, however, as they wanted a real tree.