Plans change for the Holidays...

Well, instead of being mobile by December 1, we have decided to stick it out here in California 'til XMAS, despite the ongoing high cost of everything.  We were kinda surprised when we returned to the Petaluma KOA for an additional 2 week stay and found their price for 2 weeks was basically the same as for an entire month, no breaks! Like I said before, it IS a nice RV park, especially family oriented, but it definitely fits into the California Lifestyle with its high prices. We came back just in time for the nice weather, too (sarcasm inserted here)!  I learned another lesson in a long list of ongoing lessons learned as well. For instance, patience is one of the most important virtues.  On our prior trip through the northern states, I lost all semblance of sanity at a stop in Idaho. Normally, it does not take more than 30-60 seconds to bleed the gas lines for the kitchen range.  At this particular stop, for some reason it took what seemed to be an eternity.  I was jumping in and out of the trailer, checking valves and gas lines, switching back and forth between tanks, and in general going crazy since the 5th wheel is only a year old.  It eventually got the lines bled, but took a bit longer than usual, a nice stress inducer...So, being as sharp as a marble that I am, this trip the weather was so cold we had to run the heater. I have 2 gas tanks with a manual valve to switch between the two.  Well, we eventually ran the current tank out of gas while the heater was in use. After switching tanks, no light bulb went on over my head to tell me, "Don't forget, stupid, you gotta bleed the gas lines for the heater now!" So, patience being one of my top virtues, NOT, I again went goofy trying to get heat going.  Cold air kept blasting through the vents, fans turned off for unknown reasons, and I just plopped and scratched my head.  The "Smart One" (don't tell her that, it will only incite incessant bragging) then sat down and read through the installation/user manual for the heater and suggested I follow the 8-step start up instructions.  As a side note, gotta love the manuals that come with these trailers. They are difficult to comprehend for technologically and mechanically challenged folks such as myself, and this particular one had no mention of having to or how to bleed the gas lines for the heater.  Nevertheless, following the advice of the "Smart One"(aka: Jeanne, my lovely and wise wife) I got heat up and running in no time.

But the bright spots of our stay here...

Maximus the Fire Chief!

"Get out of my way, I'm goin' to a fire here!"

"C'mon, you want a piece of this?!"

"I think I'll like this following in my Uncle Chad's footsteps!"

"Heck, I can drive better than some of these crazy Californians!"

"Where's the beach, dude? I'm looking for some beach babes!"

"You can never be too young to read!"

"Eat dirt", in its literal sense! "Yummmm"

"I can dig it, Man! Bring back the 60's!"

Blast Off Getting Nigh...

Well, we're getting closer to our escape from California. This past month at the Petaluma KOA has been hectic to say the least. This park has been PACKED every weekend, Halloween activities on all of them. The Gladiator came out and had some Halloween fun himself...

Yeah, Giants! Sweep, Baby!

We have been busy during the weekdays as well.  Madison the Wonder Cocker has been battling an ear infection for the last 6 months and we have made several trips into her Vet's office I think for the sole purpose of draining my wallet.  It is getting REAL frustrating with all the meds and treatments she has been put on, getting no results from any of it.  But we still plug away, the Princess demands it.

And the big kicker was finding out I blew another disc, this time C6/C7 in my neck.  Spent many days running back to Santa Rosa Kaiser trying to "beat the clock" as it were (Kaiser insurance ceases at the first of next month). Got an MRI which showed only a herniated disc, not ruptured.  Got a couple of rounds of oral prednisone trying to reduce the inflammation (not a lot of luck, but some), then got an epidural cortisone injection.  Not an earth shattering experience, not even close to my previous foray into the darkest realm of exquisite pain for which I got fused. So far it has been a week since the injection and the pain is way less now, but not altogether absent.  I'm hoping I don't have to visit the knife again...

Thursday we are heading up to Redding to visit Jeanne's mom and brothers for a couple of weeks.  We'll then return here for the Gladiator's First Birthday at the end of November before we really load up to head out of California.  The prices for everything here are just wayyyyyyy out of control high.  I'll be ecstatic to see California shrinking out of view in my rearview mirrors...