The Cosmic Muffin Rides Again

Finally her wheels started turning in a bit of a snow flurry on March 9th almost a year to the day when we started our trip north last March. Nothing new for this winter but we were itching to get started on our new adventure..... IOWA! hey it's right in the middle and with a totally bicoastal lifestyle it sounded good to me when I bought a 100 + year old church last September.
We just mosied south hoping for a stop in Bend Or. to visit friends(too much snow) and maybe Tahoe (too much snow) but did spend a few days in Redding Ca. thanks to Tom and Brenda's hopitality we not only took a day trip up to Burney to see Dick and Joannes home finished while Brenda watched Ariel... we got all the stuff that was worn out on the Muffin checked out including a leak test(very important after a winter on the Hood Canal in Wa) at their shop,Northern Trailer Supply.
We will miss our friends in Port Townsend so much but it was time to dry out the Muffin and visit family.
We have had an awesome year even tho' things don't always go as you'd hoped. Anytime we can be in the NW is a blessing and soon we will be testing new waters (fresh)
Our first day on the road from Mom and Dad's winter digs in Az was great, very little wind and blue skies. We always have and always will have that unquenchable "travelin' jones".
The cool thing about this time is we got to see the kids in San Diego and instead of "cya sometime" to mom and dad, it was see ya in a couple of weeks when you get to Iowa.
You won't believe who all is planning to visit and hopefully help with the project...!!!????
All will be revealed soon.

STILL IN QUARTZSITE

Still? Yes I know I have been remiss in keeping this all up to date,I very often get caught up in the day to day to the exclusion of doing the things I would like to do...
So much for Enjoying the Journey!!! NOT SO!!!
We still enjoy family and friends, awesome sunrises and making cool stuff ( I have been knitting up a storm thanks to the inspiration of Barb on Whidbey Is. and just recently the gang at All Strung Out in Cocoa Beach Fl.)
I seem to be doing the same thing I always do when we stop at Mom and Dads; put out the word that we are looking for a little work. Some understand and we find some good side jobs but mostly I think these retired people confuse work with keeping busy. Busy I can be, I love to build ,sew,knit , write letters, read, hike ,(scuba when possible)and now with the help of John get ready for my first run in May in Port Townsend Wa.
This is also the time of year that I apply for construction jobs online. Since we puchased our own Hughesnet a year ago from Jim and Chris online job hunts are way easier! The satelllite connection is a bit slow but heck a few years ago when we moved out of the house and into the "Muffin" it would have been unheard of.
Today is also the birthday of my daughter-in-law.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEPH !
It is the first day that "early-birds" can show up for the Gypsy Journal Rally in Casa Grande Az. It should be a great time. Although we were really trying to make it we will at least go for 1 day but without the "Muffin".
So bear with me.... when I bring this blog up to date it will be time to back it up and head in a new direction. One that will perhaps reflects more of John and my interests where we will be living and working.
Although we have both had " a severe travelin' jones" putting on thousands of miles a year ,we will be making our home base in NW Washington.
Don't think there will be any grass growing in our toes (we already have a dive trip for Jan 2009 booked in the BVI's)
WISH US LUCK AND KEEP CHECKING IN! THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING EXCITING JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

Sophie Meets G-Pa John

John has worked hard all Summer and while all that was going on Sophie joined the family. Now that we were pretty well done with the house it was time for John to meet his grandaughter.

A short flight from Reno to San Diego and Josh picked him up at the airport for a weekend with the kids.

After a full weekend visiting family ,working in the back yard and entertaining Grandpa , Sophie and her Dad need a rest.

Back and Mom and Dad's

We arrived in Quartzsite a few days ago and have been catching up on hugs , cleaning and life in general. We didn't have much of a visit when we passed thru on our way to Florida last January and now it seems like Mom and Dad are about the only ones around. They will be heading out on an adventure in July but until then Dad is creating "critters" for Mom to paint and then it's summerizing the place.

We did catch up with friends Chris and Lou the night before we left and had a great dinner. Of course we'll be seeing everyone later in Burney where we are building a home with some friends. Chris and Lou live near there and Mom and Dad are beginning there "excellent adventure " with a stop by the job to make sure its going well.

Some things never change!!!!