Inked

Aug. 19-28, 2013 Jim & Mary's RV Park, Missoula, MT

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RV LIFE:
I got my first and only tattoo when I was 52 years old. Scott has wanted to get one for the past 4 years and probably before that, but never voiced it.
Being on the road, it's difficult to find a tattoo artist by word of mouth. I do depend a lot on "Yelp" reviews.
While strolling through the busy, but still quaint town of Missoula, we came upon a tattoo parlor, Bound by Glory. We have had some false alarms with Scott's decision whether to get a tattoo or not. He keeps 2nd guessing. I gave up on encouraging him. A tattoo is a permanent piece of art or disfigurement, so let Scott decide when and if ever he'll get a tattoo.

Scott had a general idea of what he wanted. Some kind of Celtic knot and a dog paw print.
This is to represent our love of Irish Setters, especially his "heart dog", Ryley who passed in 2011.


We passed another tattoo parlor while driving. We opted out of stopping at Every Mother's Nightmare tattoo parlor. We naively decided on Bound by Glory  tattoo parlor simply on looks and speaking with the artist.
He just recently opened this store after moving from Austin, TX.

 This is not the way to choose where and who will be sticking you thousands of times with a needle, but...

I had a good feeling about this place.

This parlor was beautiful!

I got my tattoo at Electric Tattoo in Bradley Beach, NJ while still living in NJ. I was still working at the time and one of my co-workers was covered in tattoos. He was a really nice guy so I asked where his artwork was done. I figured with that many tattoos, the guy must be good, clean and safe.



We walked in about 12:30pm and discussed possible designs. Once we FINALLY decided on a design, we put down a $20. deposit to hold our appointment later that day. Now the question is, WHERE will the tattoo be inked? Scott wanted on his shoulder/upper arm area where many old timers got their tats. Yeah, I'm cool, I said tats! He felt he could easily cover it up if needed. What? Cover it up? Huh? I wanted it on the inside or outside of his forearm. Inside would be the compromise. It's noticeable, but not always seen. I dropped Scott off, leaving the final decision up to him. Well, after all, it IS his body. I was hoping for the inside forearm, but figured he'd play it safe and do the shoulder.

Inside forearm $200.00 approx. 4" x 4" 1.5 hours

BUSINESS REVIEW:
Bound by Glory (Facebook page) - Missoula, MT
Our rating 5 out of 5
See above review. Since we don't have much experience our rating doesn't really mean too much.

We're still enjoying this RV park. Mostly quiet with just a couple of noisy "neighbors", meaning, there is a train that goes by within site of the park, but doesn't really bother us. There is also some distant highway noise, but also doesn't really bother us. And once in a while there is a baby crying. Yep, that bothers us. We have some nearby neighbors (not right next to us) that are in a travel trailer. They remind me of the scene in Mary Poppins when she arrives at the house and starts pulling things out of her bag.

Mary has one carpet bag and she pulls out all kinds of things. How DO they all fit in there??? That's what I wonder about this family in the travel trailer. They were here when we arrived. Their trailer is in good condition, their site is kept clean. But throughout the day I see so many different people. I'm so confused. Ends up there are 3 children, a baby, a toddler, and a 10? year old. The kids seem to be well behaved. I saw the 10 year old boy walking their dog, then feeding the dog, then laying in the grass reading. The baby screams/cries a few times a day. It's really not that annoying. I'm just not used to kids.
So the airstream (no slides) is about 25' long and there are 3 kids, 1 20 something girl, and 2 adults, plus a chocolate lab! All in this trailer. If they can handle those close quarters, fine. I'm amazed.
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RV MOD:
Extra light and outside switch for closet.
A while ago, Scott put in an outside switch for our light in the closet. We no longer have to fumble around and feel where the toggle switch is on the light in the dark closet.

See the white switch on the top right?

It's now super easy to turn on and off the closet light. But, there is only one light in the center of the long closet. With clothes hanging up, this does not reach to the drawers on my side of the closet. I'm been using a dedicated flashlight for the task.

Whenever I need a t-shirt from my drawers, I could just blindly pick one out, but sometimes I'm more in the mood for this shirt which means leaves me alone. (Thank you for the shirt Carolyn)

Or maybe I accidentally pull this t-shirt out for meeting a potential adopter of a Setter. Tsk, tsk. That wouldn't do!
The solution? A 2nd light over the drawers on my side of the closet.

Let there be light!

Now there is no excuse for wearing the wrong t-shirt. If you see me wearing the above shirt, say hello to me at your own risk. You have been forewarned!

My, my. I thought Scott & I were somewhat conservative. After all, we are old retired folk. So don't judge us by this blog post only. Getting tattoos and an "R" rated t-shirt. We're a nice quiet couple...really we are!
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FOOD:
Since we ate a large & late breakfast. I was done for the day. No dinner...only dessert!

I went to the Big Dipper and had a double scoop cone of chocolate and white mint chip. The Chocolate was good, but the white white chocolate mint is wonderful! I will be stopping there the day before we leave and taking a pint home!
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RESTAURANT REVIEW:
Uptown Diner - Missoula, MT
Our rating 2.5 out of 5
Can only rate on breakfast.
Very cute decor with lots of memorabilia and turquoise all over.
Waitress very friendly, attentive and efficient. Our breakfast took quite a bit longer to arrive than expected.
Omelet: Fillings of jack cheese, mushrooms, sausage. Delicious fillings, but the omelet itself was very dry. I didn't finish.
Pan Fried Potatoes: Slices of potatoes fried with an "old bay" seasoning on top. Pretty good at first, but after a while, they seemed just like overcooked potatoes.
Pancakes: Very average, to maybe below average. These were also dry.
Huge portions, but I did not bother to take any home because it wasn't good enough.
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SIGHTS:
Garnet Ghost Town -
Our rating 4.5 out of 5
$3.00 per person. ("Free", We used our Nat'l Parks Interagency Annual Pass $80.)
Very dog friendly! The dogs were allowed everywhere including in the visitor center and all the buildings. So nice to sightsee together instead of one of us having to wait outside and take turns touring.
This is another old mining town, like Bodie, CA. Between the ebbing of the Gold Rush and a devastating fire, the town of Garnet was deserted. This is now BLM land and the gov't is also adhering to arrested decay to preserve this town in it's "natural" state.
"The BLM manages Garnet in a state of “arrested decay.”  This simply means that we are attempting to freeze the buildings in time in order to retain an authentic ghost town atmosphere.  We do not bring in buildings from other places to fill the town, and we make every attempt to retain every board in each building.  In that way, when you visit Garnet you can touch the authentic historic fabric that makes the old town an authentic ghost town. "
Bodie, CA Ghost town has many more buildings still standing and a lot of mining equipment to view, but Garnet is still well worth the trip.

Ringer washing machine. I'm NOT old enough to remember these.

Of course being a retired Postal worker, I needed a photo of the Post Office

Wallpaper

 In one building, they had a table set up with items displayed. Next to each item was a flip card. You were to guess what the items were. Do you know what this is on the right? At first I thought it was a large lampshade, but if you look closely, there are tiny wheels on the bottom.


It's a baby walker! I remember them! I think a safer version is probably still used today.

Kitchen

Salon or Parlor or Sitting room

Hotel room

Maid's quarters. 

What was nicer about Garnet than Bodie, is we were able to go INTO a lot of buildings. We were able to go up and view all THREE stories of the hotel. What a treat! Really interesting.
There is a visitors center for cold drinks and info and touristy stuff. There are bathrooms and water fountains. There's even a dog bowl of water for the dogs.
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PETS:
Both dogs enjoyed going into the old buildings of Garnet. Lyla especially liked the ice house which had a floor of saw dust and was at least 15 degrees cooler.
Devin found his own way to cool off.

Someone dumped their ice from a cooler. Devin snatched it up and carried it around for a while.

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WHERE WE'RE GOING:
Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2013 Jennifer's Driveway Boondock, Bozeman, MT
Sept. 2-5, 2013 Mammoth Campground, Yellowstone, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 6-15, 2013 Horseshoe Bend Campground NFS, Lovell, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 16-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

south for the Winter of 2013/214

Three course lunch

Aug. 19-28, 2013 Jim & Mary's RV Park, Missoula, MT

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Common Sense is ill named since Sense is not so common.
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RV LIFE:
Things are much nicer now that we are at this RV park. As was stated on Metamorphosis Road blog, "Luckily our RV park, Jim and Mary's is an oasis of green amidst the rolling golden hills just outside the hubbub of town." This is a beautiful pine sheltered park, with nice spacing between sites. The weather is still high, but with the pine shade covering our site and the lush green lawn and breeze, it is delightful to sit outside.  Tuesday, I spent all day outside. I had to keep moving around to avoid the sun rays that kept peeking through. What a great day enjoying nature.

I have stopped reading "Twilight". Not because it isn't good, but the only reason I was reading it was because of our recent stay in Forks, WA where this book takes place. I was hoping to relate to more references of places we've been. But, I just had no desire to open the book. I listened to the audiobooks, I saw the movies, so I know what happens. There are so many books to read, I have a difficult time re-reading a book. Scott on the other hand, couldn't put the books down and re-read all FOUR books in the series (Kindle version) one after another and I was only half way through the first book. Scott was also the one that had a difficult time purging all his paperbacks, because he does re-read books. But now he is totally hooked on Kindle books, that he won't even read a print book even if we have a copy of a book he wants to read. He'll pay to have it on his Kindle. I prefer the Kindle, but still can't turn down a "free" book at the campground book exchanges.
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FOOD CART REVIEWS:
Out to Lunch - Missoula, MT
Every Wednesday during Summer 11am - 1:30pm
What a nice event. This is held in Caras park. There is municipal parking nearby. Normally, there is a charge for parking, but during "Out to Lunch", it is free, with parking attendants helping you find a parking spot. If the parking lot is full, there are other public parking areas and a free shuttle to the event.
Although dogs are not allowed at this event, it only pertains to under the tent. There is plenty of lawn to sit and eat with your furry friends.

The smaller covered area on the right is the bandstand, which had a pretty good country rock group playing.
We started off with a slice of pizza from Clove Cafe Pizza Peddlers. Our rating 4.5 out of 5. This is a traveling pizza oven, shaped like a garlic clove!

Peddler in their name has double meaning, not only selling their wares, but also, the Clove Cart besides being towed, can also be moved with pedal power! 4 seats, 4 sets of pedals to move the cart.
And to top off this cool Clove Cart, the pizza is GREAT! Really nice crust.

Scott had the regular pizza on left. I thought it looked burnt, but Scott said it was really good and he would get this again.  I had the chicken white pizza, which was delicious. This is the first time in my life I didn't finish eating the crust. I put the crust in a clean doggie bag for our pups at home. I wanted the crust, but I knew this was our first stop among many food vendors, so I was trying to save room.

For my next course, I stopped at Kadena's and chose a chicken salad stuffed into a baguette. My rating 4 out of 5. What a concept! They hollowed out the baguette and scooped the salad into it. Very convenient to eat that way. The chicken salad was delicious. A light mayo dressing, with celery, onion, tomato, chicken and cashews. Nice.

For Scott's next course, he chose an Indian dish from Masala Food Cart. There was quite a line, so he figured it must be good. Scott's rating 2 out of 5.  I believe he ordered a sampler plate. He said it was very bland.

Kindle always at hand to pass the time

And for desert...
Big Dipper Ice Cream! Big Dipper does have a store front. My rating 4.5 out of 5.
Very, very creamy smooth ice cream. I had a double scoop. Yep, that's why I'm the weight I am. Huckleberry and Mexican Chocolate. The Huckleberry was delicious, but actually lacking just a little umph, meaning it was really good, but seemed to need just a little more Huckleberry flavor. I opted for the Mexican chocolate, because of "Yelp" reviews. I didn't like it. Not that the ice cream was bad, but I guess I don't like Mexican chocolate. There was some weird spice in it. Looking for Mexican Chocolate ice cream recipes, I suspect there was a touch of Cayenne Pepper in it. Yeck! I bet their regular chocolate is delicious though. I plan to try it!
Scott had white chocolate mint ice cream. That is delicious. Of course I had to have a taste!!!
So there you have it...my three course lunch...Chicken salad (well it is salad), pizza (Main course), ice cream (Dessert)
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SIGHTS:
On our drive from Idaho to Missoula, MT, we were looking at the beautiful mountains and blue sky. But some of the clouds looked odd. Scott said he thinks that is smoke among the clouds.

Sure enough, there is a huge forest fire in Lolo, MT, which is only 20 miles from where we are now. So far 9500 acres have burned. Very sad.
This is a beautiful area of the country even though it is dry. But a lot of irrigation makes for beautiful green landscapes. I love looking at the golden mounds in the distance. But I doubt if we would decide to settle here. The winters are probably a little more severe than we'd like, but also, all Income is taxed, even pensions, plus property taxes.
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CRAFTS & PETS:
When the Ratkins first arrived, Devin would push the cage with his snout and then creep onto the table to get closer. Devin is now trustworthy loose at night and no longer is obsessed with the Ratkins. We had been blocking the bedroom door, so he had to stay in the bedroom with us, but he's being a really good boy and leaving the critters alone.
I am growing very attached to Ratkin, Patches. He comes to greet me when I open the cage. If I give her a little treat, instead of grabbing it, she will eat it out of my hand. Chino is quick. She grabs and goes. Patches and I have been having quality time with her laying on my shoulder while I pet her. She fell asleep on me this afternoon.
Chino & Patches sleep a lot during the day and cuddle with each other. I decided to crochet a cozy hammock for them.

Patches checked it out

Chino has laid claim to it and has been sleeping in it all day.

Now you can't possibly tell me rats aren't cute!
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BUSINESS REVIEW:
This review is from our time in Deming, NM in March of 2013. Told by Scott.
Jack Key Ford - Deming, NM
Our rating 5 out of 5 (Service Dept.)
We were having problems with the "Check Engine" light coming on in the truck. It's been a dirty EGR valve which is a fairly expensive part on a diesel. It's been cleaned twice, so when the warning light came on again, I decided it was time to replace the valve. I first stopped at the Autozone car parts store just up the road from the Ford dealer. Autozone has a great deal, they'll check any error codes on your vehicle for free, saving about $100 at the dealer. Sure enough error code P1335, EGR valve bad or dirty. At the dealer, I told him the code#, so they pulled the Valve, very dirty, but they'd try to clean it, or I could replace it. They'd have the part Monday. He cleaned the valve a bit then reassembled everything. No charge, very nice.
Monday morning, they replaced the valve, ran a free maintenance check (rear brakes worn, still ok) then washed the truck and windows. The repair even came in below their estimate. So, if you happen to need a Ford repair while in Deming, NM, Jack Key Ford's not bad.
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WHERE WE'RE GOING:
Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2013 Jennifer's Driveway Boondock, Bozeman, MT
Sept. 2-5, 2013 Mammoth Campground, Yellowstone, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 6-15, 2013 Horseshoe Bend Campground NFS, Lovell, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 16-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

south for the Winter of 2013/214

Wet dogs, wet people

Aug. 12-18, 2013 Coeur d'Alene RV Park, Post Falls, ID

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RV LIFE:
Ahhhh, blogging is good for the soul. I feel so much better after my rant about the RV park. Finding and editing images to post distracted me from what I was so angry about.
I am now on my 2nd glass of wine. One glass is usually sufficient to relax me. But today is a 2 glass day after finding out about the extra charge for our dogs.
I was so looking forward to visiting this area. Years ago we saw a real estate ad for a lovely piece of property reasonably priced. So our goal has always been to check out this area.
I think next time we are in this area, we will  stay near another lake that is less popular to get a better feel for the country life of Northern Idaho.
We did pick up a couple of free real estate mags. Droooool! There are still parcels of land with nice acreage and even a house on it. We are more interested in the land and area first. The house comes second. We are simple folks and don't need a 2500+ square foot house. But I would like a garage or barn for turn into a kennel to temporarily foster hard to place English Setters. We'd also like some kind of water element, whether it be lake, pond, river, or stream. I prefer being surrounded by pine trees, but open enough to hike through. We will have a good portion fenced for our dogs. Just thinking out loud. We're not ready to settle yet.  There's still too much to see.
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SIGHTS:
Coeur d'Alene Lake - Coeur d'alene, ID
Our rating 5 out of 5
What a lovely lake with so much to do.
Hovercraft Rides
Cruise Lake Coeur d'Alene on a double deck pontoon type boat.
Kayak on the lake
Fishing on the lake
Parasail over the lake
Hike along the lake which is what we did. We hiked Tubbs Hill, which is about a 2.5 mile loop.
One half is along the water and the other is inland through the woods.

Mudgie the Moose
Millie the mouse on antler

This trail is also called The Mudgie & Millie Trail. They have a sign letting us know of the adventure of Mudgie Moose looking for Millie Mouse along this trail. What a great way to get kids excited about hiking.

We were surprised that the path was so rustic. We were expecting blacktop, but it is packed dirt with roots and rocks making for an uneven walkway. We even came upon a swinging bridge!

My brave husband and not so brave Devin (see him creeping along?) walked the bridge first. Scott strongly suggested I take the alternate path around on solid ground. The bridge really wiggled and Scott had to keep Devin close for fear of him taking the lesser of two evils and jumping off! There were also gaps between the wooden planks that a dog's paw could easily get caught in. I took Scott's advice and walked around.
It was a beautiful walk with many areas to stop and take a dip in the lake.

The day we hiked was cooler, "only" 86° instead of in the 90's. Fat Debbie refused to wear shorts, so was hiking in jeans and a black t-shirt.
The water was beautiful and so inviting!

We found a spot that was actually like a mini beach. We were quite overheated by this time, so the water called. First the dogs went in, then Scott went in, then Debbie went in.  Devin wants to keep his feet on solid ground while in the water, Scott & Debbie waded. Then Scott went deeper into the water hoping to teach Devin that it's ok to not touch ground and actually swim. Slowly and repeatedly, Scott would throw a stick just far enough that Devin would have to swim to get it. Our baby swam! Scott got is shorts drenched.

And yes, I decided to not care what others thought and I slowly waded deeper and deeper until was over waist deep in the water, in my jeans. But oh, the water felt so good. And the lake bottom was covered in smooth small pebbles, so it was like a massage on our feet. Heaven on Earth!

After a few romps through the water, Lyla was happy to just observe.

This was our swimming spot. Nice, huh?

We were at almost the 1/2 way point of the loop. So the walk back was very comfortable with my wet jeans to keep me cool.

Scott found three geocaches along this loop. The final one he had a little difficulty with. Is it above or below? Dang, it's below. Here's Scott helping Devin down the little "cliff" to get to the geocache.

This is a great vacation spot. They have a high rise hotel or a beautiful wood Adirondack type hotel both lakeside with beach and marina access.

They are currently upgrading McEuen Park near the entrance to Tubbs Hill. There will be a splash pool, playground and dog park!
Hike around Coeur d'Alene
North Idaho Centennial Trail
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PETS:
We attended the Mutt Strut in Liberty Lake, WA. This brought back many memories of when I would set up for events on the weekends for A&B Eng. Setter Rescue.
We arrived around 10:30 and the "strut" was already over. The signs for the walk were taken down already. We were able to still see a couple of vendors/rescues. Angie, an A&B foster mom introduced me around. Networking is very important in rescue. How can a rescue based in NJ have a foster home in WA. And how can a foster home in WA, transport their foster dog to the adoptive family in TX? Through wonderful volunteers that have connected through networking.
The Mutt Strutt was put on by Pawpular Companions Pet Supplies. This is a great pet supply store in Liberty Lake, WA. Great food, lots of interesting treats, plenty of leashes and yes, even froufrou attire for the itty bitty dogs. The Strut (walk) was to benefit Higher Ground Animal Sanctuary. "Like" them on facebook!
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BUSINESS REVIEW:
Alsin-Finch - Spokane Valley, WA
"For the animals in your life"
Our rating 4 out of 5
Sort of like a PetSmart but with better quality food. They carried Taste of the Wild dog food, which is what we feed our dogs. PetSmart does not carry this.

I want him!!!

I gave Devin & Lyla a bath the other day. They both are not happy at all about bath time, but afterward, they love getting rubbed down with the towel. Then we need to make sure they don't roll in the dirt. So here is the alternative.

Wish I could edit to add what she's thinking, like this video below.

Actually, I picture Devin more hurt by how mean I could be , by thinking "I thought we were bonding since we now cuddle at night. How can you be so mean to dump that water all over me and humiliate me in public?"
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WHERE WE'RE GOING:
Aug. 19-28, 2013 Jim & Mary's RV Park, Missoula, MT
Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2013 Jennifer's Driveway Boondock, Bozeman, MT
Sept. 2-5, 2013 Mammoth Campground, Yellowstone, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 6-15, 2013 Horseshoe Bend Campground NFS, Lovell, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 16-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

south for the Winter of 2013/214

COEUR D'ALENE RV PARK - Post Falls, ID: RV Park Review

RV PARK REVIEW:

Aug. 12-18, 2013 (1 week)
Coeur d'Alene RV Park, Post Falls, ID
Site#105   Price $37./night
Our rating 1 out of 5
I will not waste my time giving details other than why they received a miserable rating.
They got 1 point for FHU.
This park may allow pets but
PETS ARE NOT WELCOME
nor is this park pet friendly.
The rate on their website states $200.00. Wow! Good deal considering their daily rate this time of year is $41.00.
We were charged $261. something.
I've been making the reservations, but Scott is the one who checks in. So he doesn't know what we should be charged, unless I let him know.  I usually just tell him to make sure to get whatever discount we are entitled to.
I looked at the receipt later in the week to figure out our daily rate for my review and WHAT??????? I go to the office and ask why we were not charged the $200. for the week.
"Are there more than 2 people?"
"No"
"Do you have pets?"
"Yes"
"How many?"
"Two"
"The extra charge is for per dog."
NOWHERE on the website does it state any extra charges for pets. It does state rate is for 2 people, but doesn't state what the charge is for extra people either. My point is again,

NOWHERE on the website 

does it state any extra charges for pets. 

Exact photo of CDL webpage

Maybe, just maybe I could understand charging extra for dogs, since they may stain the grass or the cost of providing poopy bags, or the amenity of a dog park. But, I cannot accept a charge for dogs at Coeur d'Alene RV Resort.
What do we get for paying extra for dogs? Nothing and even restrictions!
1. Only do business in 3 designated areas.
2. No poopy bags supplied.
3. $50. fine if you don't pick up.
I always carry poopy bags and always pick up. Technically I already paid an extra $50.!!!!!!
We will not be back. Let me repeat one more time, just in case you do not understand.

This all is linked to my unlucky #105.

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WHERE WE'RE GOING:
Aug. 19-28, 2013 Jim & Mary's RV Park, Missoula, MT
Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2013 Jennifer's Driveway Boondock, Bozeman, MT
Sept. 2-5, 2013 Mammoth Campground, Yellowstone, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 6-15, 2013 Horseshoe Bend Campground NFS, Lovell, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 16-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

south for the Winter of 2013/214

Doggie chaos

Aug. 12-18, 2013 Coeur d'Alene RV Park, Post Falls, ID

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Are you gathering the rosebuds of today or do they wilt while you wait for tomorrow?

"Stolen" from Mary-Pat of Butterflies and Heart Songs
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RV LIFE:
My neck and shoulder pain has finally subsided. No pains meds at all, not even aspirin.

It's a beautiful morning! Low humidity, cool temp and lovely breeze. Even with the garbage truck banging the dumpster right next to our site, I'm still enjoying the outdoors under a young, but still shade giving maple tree. Ahhhh.
Even so, I'm will not be sorry to leave this cookie cutter type resort.

I was able to meet up with another Above & Beyond English Setter volunteer. Angie J. is a fairly new foster mom for our dog rescue. She is very dog savvy and is great at evaluating and training dogs for future adoption. It was a big step for our rescue to expand way out to the state of Washington. Our rescue is originally based out of PA/NJ.
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PETS:
Foster Mom, Angie currently has 2 English Setter foster dogs. SARGE is now ready for adoption. He is about 1 year old and oh, such a sweetheart!!!! He just curls up to you and cuddles. He played great with our goofy Setter, Devin. Angie also has 4 dogs of her own, including a puppy. Quite a houseful, but all well taken care of and well behaved.

Sweet Sarge greets Scott

Service dog Chloe & Scott

Looks are deceiving. They are having fun!

Rut Ro! GSD puppy, Ziggy has my sunglasses.

Abigail? staying near Mom.

Lyla's ready to go home.

Bye, bye Sarge. You'll find a great home I'm sure!

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RV MOD/TIP:
Reflectix Insulation
Our rating 4 out of 5
Would have received a perfect score if it somehow looked nicer on the outside.
We finally gave in and joined the white trash look of RV'rs. We put up Reflectix over our RV windows. Reflectix is just like the silver bubble stuff you use to put on your car windshield to protect it from the sun.
We've been in 90° weather recently. Yes, it dry, only about 25% humidity, but it's still hot. Our AC keeps running and running and running to keep our indoor temp about 76 - 78°. That used to be fine for me, but since I am now a woman of a "certain age", I definitely NEED the temp cooler!
After putting up the Reflectix, our AC is running much better. It is cycling on and off and is keeping a wonderfully low of 72° consistently all day.
It may not look nice from the outside, but I sure do feel good inside. Comfort over beauty.
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PRODUCT/FOOD REVIEW:
Franz Lake Chelan Blueberry Strueusal Bread
My rating 5 out of 5

Franz bakery is based out of Portland, OR and has expanded distribution of their product throughout the Northwest.
When I first purchased this Blueberry Bread, I thought it was a speciality bread only found in the best of places. But I now have been finding it in local supermarkets.
My usual breakfast is a piece of multigrain toast with PB&J. That fills me up and I'm good to go until mid afternoon for a snack.
This Blueberry bread is irresistible! It's moist, packed with blueberries and topped with a light streusel topping. Unfortunately it doesn't have the filling power of whole grain. I end up eating 2 (shhh, and sometimes 3 pieces) of this blueberry bread. I originally spread butter on top, but wanted to try to be just a little healthier, so tried honey. OMG! Delicious!
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RESTAURANT REVIEWS (Fast Food):
Noodle Express - Post Falls, ID
Our rating 2 out of 5
When you walk into a Chinese restaurant 99% of the time you see Asians. Not at Noodle Express!. It could be anyone's son or daughter working there. I'm hungry and I'll give it a try anyway.
First, the egg rolls were expensive. About $2.50 EACH. They were actually pretty good, but skinny. I'm used to nice plump egg rolls.
Teriyaki Pork: Fair-Poor. Rubbery, lacked flavor. Came with white rice, which was fine, but since there was no sauce to mix in or pour over the rice, it was kind of bland also.
Chinese slaw? Sort of like a cabbage/cucumber salad, was surprising very good and refreshing.
I will not be back.
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WHERE WE'RE GOING:
Aug. 19-28, 2013 Jim & Mary's RV Park, Missoula, MT
Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2013 Jennifer's Driveway Boondock, Bozeman, MT
Sept. 2-5, 2013 Mammoth Campground, Yellowstone, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 6-15, 2013 Horseshoe Bend Campground NFS, Lovell, WY (Tentative)
Sept. 16-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

south for the Winter of 2013/214