A run of bad luck...or the exclamation mark post!!!!!!!

Jan. 13 - ?, 2014

Fort Stockton RV Park, Fort Stockton, TX

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CONTENTS
RV LIFE
FOOD
BROWSING THE WWW
LIFE HACKS
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RV LIFE:

We have our blog address in big white vinyl letters on the back of our RV and on the back of our truck. For being such a private, shy, and semi-nonsocial person, that is an odd thing to do. But having our blog "advertised" is an easy social opener for someone to approach us and start a conversation. It is also a great way for our neighbors to be "nosey" and learn about us without approaching us. To me, these are not bad things. But, I've realized there are a couple of downsides to my rig and truck advertising.

Susan has mentioned problems she is having with her current neighbor and she is free to write about it and let her frustration out without consequences. Now if I were to write about my neighbors, there is a good chance they may end up reading it, because our blog addy is very visible. Also, if I'm going to give a bad RV park review, I wait until we are gone from that park before posting. Again, I don't want the "offended party" to retaliate. 

So, I guess anyone following our adventure is wondering about our truck? If you've been to Scott's facebook page you already know, the news is not good.

From Scott: "I got a ride into town today with the camp host to pick up supplies. Also stopped by the mechanic to see the damage done by a piece of metal the size of my pinky fingernail, that broke off of the fuel injector and rattled around in the cylinder. Not pretty."

See the hole? How can you miss it?

More damage.

Poor truck! POOR us!

I know, I know, you all fee bad for us. But inside you're thinking, "Phew! I'm glad that's not us!". Yes, this really sucks, stinks, blows, etc. Now for the REALLY bad news...a reconditioned engine from Ford is going to cost us $13,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, those zeroes are correct, $13K. I must say, some things happen for a reason. Haven't figured out what our reason for truck problems are, but I'm thankful for the neighbors we had last night. Ft. Stockton RV park is mainly just an overnight stopping spot. Around 2pm the traffic begins and by 4pm, there is usually a small line of RV's waiting to register at the office. In the morning, the park is quiet again. So almost every day we have a new neighbor. I've mentioned many times that I am a loner, not a socializer, etc. So with each new neighbor, I just keep to myself and knit. I turn off my audio book in case new neighbor speaks to me, but I don't initiate conversation, EXCEPT FOR YESTERDAY. What got into me???  Our neighbor pulls in and is setting up. I know when we are setting up, I really don't want to talk to anyone, until the slides are out and the dogs are secured. I am in my usual sunny afternoon spot, knitting and making sure the dogs don't bother our neighbors (like Susan's "bad dog" did. Wink, Wink). Next thing I know, I ask if they are only staying overnight! I NEVER initiate conversation! I must have been taken over by the spirit of our dead engine! They say yes and I then continue to talk! My mouth is not my own! I state we were supposed to only be overnight, but now it's been 8 days. His answer is Oh, you must like it here. Of course I say no way! That's how the conversation about our truck and his truck came about. They have a 2008 Ford 350 truck. Ours is a 2006 Ford 350. They had to have their engine replaced. Total cost for engine and labor....$17,000.00!!!!! Noooooooo! This was prior to us hearing our estimate. About 1/2 hour later, our mechanic calls with the $13,0000.00 engine replacement cost. If I had not spoken to our neighbor, I would have thought we were being ripped off. I was thinking $5K to $10K. So it's a very good thing that I spoke to our neighbors. Not only because we now knew the $13K was a "reasonable" price, but also to know someone else had to go through this and dealt with it and continued on. 

Oh what a waste. Both Scott and I keep thinking that if we had or could have stopped earlier, the damage would have been minimal. But we were 1.5 hours away from El Paso on Hwy. 10! Anyone who's driven this stretch of the USA, knows there is NOTHING here. No RV parks, no Ford dealers, no civilization, until you reach Ft. Stockton. And even here, there is little to choose from. So whether we turned back to El Paso or continued on, the damage would have been done. This too shall pass. Our needs are few. We have pretty much what we need here. Enough dog food for another 7-10 days, decent internet, direct TV, 50 amp electric, space to tie out the dogs, space to walk the dogs, enough yarn to keep me busy, & enough wine to keep me happy. Only a couple of things I'm missing...good whole grain bread and natural peanut butter for my breakfast. I only have enough PB to last maybe 3 days. Oh no!!! While Scott was out gathering groceries, he looked for my PB but with no success. Yes, this is a rinky-dink town, with no SUPERmarkets, just a grocery store.

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FOOD: 

Yesterday I was sitting outside wearing short sleeves. Today I'm inside "nesting" in the bedroom snuggled under the covers. Temps have dropped to only reaching 45° today with a frigid wind. Dina is my constant companion. I'm sure going to miss her after she is adopted.

Now the we have restocked our pantry and fridge, Scott can enjoy making comfort food on this chilly day. Chicken and Dumplings will fit that need. Depending on where you were raised, dumplings can mean different things to different people.

I'm from Central/North Jersey. I was brought up with the basic Bisquick dumpling. As an adult, I now add some onion powder and dill weed to the batter.

Scott is from South Jersey aka "Mayberry". His version of dumplings are the flat pie crust or noodle type. I prefer my childhood memories Bisquick dumplings, but there are times when the noodle type will do also. After all, Scott is the cook, so he gets the 75% of the voting ratio.

Biscuit dumplings

Chinese dumplings

So, Scott not only is cooking the chicken stew, but he is also making the flour noodle type dumplings from scratch!

Courtesy of my bro, Rob.

As I've said before...what a guy! I'm very lucky to have him in my life.

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BROWSING THE WWW:

Black Hills Simple Life  is an on line magazine I subscribe to. The interest began when we were in Custer, SD and looking at property. I found the "Farmer's wife" article interesting and enlightening. The article spoke of the freak snowstorm, called Atlas Blizzard in late Oct. This was the reason we had to leave SD. Otherwise, we may have stayed and bought property.  I am feeling much more comfortable about buying property in more familiar Tennessee. 

Anyway, Rancher's wife is a great article giving 1st hand knowledge of life on a Ranch. I only thought of the snow coming early was unusual and never gave it a 2nd thought. But for the ranchers this was devastating. The cattle free graze during the summer months and then as Winter nears, they are gathered up from acres and acres of land. This is no small task and can take days to get all the cattle corralled for the Winter. In Winter, the cattle are fed hay by the ranchers since there is not enough grazing areas once snow falls. Thus, the panic of the unexpected blizzard. I think (as a non rancher). "Well, gee, they have 4 or 5 days to plan for this blizzard".  That's time enough for us to pack up and leave, but for a rancher to prepare the corralls, gather enough hay, get the help on quick notice to help bring in the cattle spread out over the vast land is just not enough notice. 

Many cattle were not able to be brought in to safety and died of hypothermia. Some ranchers lost over 50% of their herd! Devastating! It's going to be a hard winter after this loss. 

Just brings to mind the "easy" life I've had with a steady job with good pay and benefits. Even with our engine woes and the huge hit to our checkbook/savings/emergency fund/house fund, it does not affect our livelyhood. We will continue to get our pension checks each month. I am very thankful.

OK, enough downers.

I subscribe to Paw Bonito Best Animal Videos. Every day or two, I get a link in my mailbox to open doggie videos that are sure to bring a smile to any dog lover. Of course videos of cats, etc. also.

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LIFE HACKS:

Lace Scarf

Hidden Valley Ranch, Deming, NM  

Mon. 11/25/13  Fri. 11/22/13 - Wed. 1/1/14 (5 weeks)

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"The belly is an ungrateful wretch, it never remembers past favors, 

it always wants more tomorrow." 

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

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RV LIFE:

Snow on the mountain tops, cold wind, temps in the 30's & 40's. Yep, it's Winter. I don't mind, well, maybe cut out the wind and it would be nice and brisk out.

Life is good in the Valley. 

I'm becoming a senior citizen. I turned 57 this month. But  also, I'm enjoying playing bingo and hanging out with the other old ladies on the ranch.

Our neighbors, whom we first met in Port Townsend, WA ordered a smoker! A few days back when the weather was nice, Mike was assembling his beloved smoker. His wife, Maryanne is almost giddy with the anticipation of having some smoked bbq soon. And I'm giddy too because they like to share!




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BROWSING THE WWW:

Go Pet Friendly is a nice little website with info about traveling with dogs and what places are pet friendly. This couple travel full time in an RV to explore places to take our dogs. 

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FOOD:

Another pot luck dinner this past Friday. Scott made Hobo beans and I made Cheese crescents. Both turned out excellent. My crescents were a hit and I was asked for the recipe.
Easy peasy...
2 pkg. crescent rolls
2 pkg. cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
Instructions at above link.

Scott made Hobo Beans, which are more than just baked beans. They can be a meal in itself since it has chopped beef in it. We picked this recipe up from an Escapees member while staying at the park in Livingston, TX.

Hobo Beans
1/2#  ground Beef
1 chopped onion
1/2#  Bacon
1 can Kidney Beans
1 can Pork and Beans
1 can Butter Beans
1 cup Ketchup
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbs Mustard
1 Tbs Vinegar

Fry Bacon till crisp.
Remove from skillet and crumble.
Brown Ground Beef with Onion in bacon grease, add bacon back to skillet when near done.
Combine other ingredients in casserole, add meat mixture and stir.

Bake at 350, about 1 Hr.
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BOOKS:
No review. Just taking notice of an occurrance that happens quite often it seems.
I am usually "reading" two books at the same time. One is actually being read, the other is an audio book being read to me. I'm surprised how often I end up reading two similar books, or two separate books that have similar or the same character names. For instance, right now I'm reading "Rules of Crime" and listening to "The Snowman". They both have to do with a missing person and they both have a character named Lyla, which also happens to be the name of my English Setter. Hmmm. I've decided to put the audio book "The Snowman" on hold and listen to some mushy romance instead. It's just too confusing with the two books being so similar.
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MOVIE REVIEW:

Beautiful Creatures, 2013 Fantasy, Romance, Drama, Young Adult
My rating 4.5 out of 5
Alden Ehrenreich
Alice Englert
Jeremy Irons
Emma Thompson
The trend these days seem to be Zombie (yeck) or Vampires & Witches. This movie is to do with Witches. It started out slow, but seemed to be a good "rainy day" movie to just sort of pay attention to while I knit. After the slow start and realizing this is about witches, it really caught my interest. It is a "young adult" movie so keep that in mind. But so is "Twilight" and you know how huge an audience that has gotten.
I liked the two main teenagers in love characters because they weren't Hollywood beautiful. They were nice looking in a normal way. Of course when Jeremy Irons appeared all dressed in a beautiful suit...be still my beating heart...he is still a handsome man after all these years. Emma Thompson was as ALWAYS wonderful. Just about any film she is in is worth watching.
I saw Emma Thompson on Jimmy Fallon this week. She is down to earth and funny, plus a wonderful actress. She can look pretty or homely. In "Beautiful Creatures" she had an American accent that was done so well, I had to check to make sure it was Emma Thompson.
A really enjoyable light movie.
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PETS:
How to wrap a cat for Christmas...

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CRAFTS:
Another project...COMPLETED!
I really enjoy Mystery Knit-a-longs as long as I know what kind of item I'll be knitting. Shawl? Wrap? Socks? Cowl? Blanket? Hat? Scarf? I pick and choose according to what yarn I have on hand (or not), how large a project, and is it something I could use. I don't want a large shawl, but the shawlettes are very popular now and can be worn as a scarf accessory. I've never knit socks but if the opportunity arises, I may try. Blankets are too large, too long to knit, too much yarn and I can't use it because the dogs go on our bed and it would be ruined. The next two Mystery Knit-a-Longs will be a cowl and a shawlette. Just right. And no, I didn't have the yarn for the shawlette, so yep, I purchased more yarn through Knit Picks. BUT, for the cowl, I'll be able to use some yarn I have on hand.
Here's a preliminary photo of my finished project. I'm finished knitting it, but to bring out the beautiful stitch work, I have to block it, which spreads out the stitches and flattens the scarf instead of curling.

The photo does not do this scarf justice! The yarn is so light and lofty. It is Luna, by S. Charles. It is lace weight, 71% mohair, 20% silk, and 9% metallic (glitter). There are also blue glass beads worked into the lace. I am so proud of this beautiful piece.
I am willing to sell this piece. I love to knit, but can only use so many scarves, hats, etc. The yarn cost me $37. (remember mohair & silk). I am willing to sell this work of art for $60. including shipping. That's only $23. for my hours and hours of labor. I probably am making $1. per hour on this. But the thought of someone else appreciating it and enjoying it makes up for the almost non-existent hourly wage.
Off to complete the tedious job of blocking this beautiful project.
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WHERE WE'RE GOING:
Thursday, 1/2/13 - 1/8/13 (1 week) Oliver Lee State Park, Alamogordo, NM (White Sands)

Poker run

Hidden Valley Ranch, Deming, NM  

Mon. 11/25/13  Fri. 11/22/13 - Wed. 1/1/14 (5 weeks)
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RV LIFE:
HVR (Hidden Valley Ranch) organized a Poker Run to raise money for the local needy families and the local animal shelter. And the local grocery market, Peppers, will match whatever is raised! Good deal!!! Peppers even features in their weekly circular and on their website, Pet Corner showing a pet in need of a home. Wow!
Lianne and Dick, long time (11 years) residents here at HVR have done it again! We didn't think we'd be participating since we do not have an ATV, or 4 wheel drive vehicle. But Lianne knocked on our door and asked if we had signed up for the Poker Run. We had tried to rent an ATV, but surprisingly, there are no rental places around. Sigh. Lianne offered up her own ATV to us, since she had to stay behind, since she volunteered to help organize. Yipee! She did the same back in February of this year after only meeting us at the pot luck. Such friendly & trusting people here at HVR.
It was a cold day, but luckily, not one of the coldest and also no wind. The sun was shining which gave us the false impression that it was nicer out than reality. We all bundled up in hats, scarves, and gloves. I even had a blanket draped over my legs. For the most part, it was not too cold as long as you were bundled up. Dick (Lianne's other half), led our group of five vehicles. He said he hasn't worn this heavy coat since living in Minnesota!

We drove the back paths through the desert for 18 miles with 4 stops along the way to pick a card...any card.

 Lots of old mines back here and the ruins of some homes from a previous erea.

Lots of flat land, with mountains in the background

Love seeing the free grazing cattle

After the third stop, I was pretty chilled and ready to head back. But, I had no choice but to continue. It sure felt good to enter the warm clubhouse and lunch of BBQ sandwiches. We had a great time.
Oh, did I win anything? Nope. I only had two pair.

Although I love the family atmosphere here, I am once again missing green. But not too badly. There is something about this park, that even though it is desert and open, I am relaxed here. It is quiet and clean. Plenty of areas to walk the dogs and even let them loose if trustworthy. I've been reading Cozy Be Gone and Beluga's Excellent Adventure blogs. Cozy is on the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Beluga is on the coast of Florida. Both enjoying beautiful weather. I wouldn't mind being in one of Florida's wonderful State Parks right about now. If we could take HVR and put it in another part of the country, I think we could settle there...but it's in the desert, so not an option.
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FOOD: 

Thank you to Tom, our driveway host in Tijeras, NM for introducing us to "Cuties". I'd seen the commercials on TV, but paid no real attention. Little oranges that are seedless and sweet. Yum! So we look for them here in Deming, and all we see are "Halos". They look like Cuties. We'll try them. Yum!
Seems there is a big controversy going on between the producers, distributors and who knows who else. Rumor has it, Cuties are being weaned out and Halos are in. Then there is the question, are these delicious little mini oranges, Clementines? or Mandarines? or Tangerines? I don't know, I really don't care. I just know they are a satisfying little snack that are good for you.

HVR had a cookie exchange this morning. Double Yum!

I kept my contribution simple. I made two different batches, but both drop cookies. One was Chocolate Crackle cookies made from packaged chocolate cake mix and the other was Lemon-Ricotta cookies. I didn't expect much from the cake mix cookies, but they were really good and chewy. A VERY easy recipe. The ricotta cookies were from "scratch". The cookie itself had very little lemon flavor, but the lemon glaze made up for it. These cookies grow on you. They are not very sweet except for the glaze. A very cakey texture. After my second cookie, I decided I like them, but probably not enough to make again.

We had good participation.

Nice variety.

 See the red chili pepper cookie on the left? Well, we ARE in New Mexico only 30 miles from Hatch, NM, known for their hatch chilis.
And dear to my heart, the doggie cookies. These bakers took extra time and care. Thank you!

My take home platter!

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CRAFTS:
I'm not so patiently waiting for the final clue for the Mystery Knit-a-long Scarf.  It comes out tomorrow.
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PETS:

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BOOK REVIEW:
Home Improvement by Barbara Cool Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I like the continuation of characters through the series, but you can read each book on it's own. This was a short story that was still able to have good character development.
This is only my 2nd Barbara Cool Lee book and they are definitely "Harlequin Romance" type books.
I really enjoy the Northern California small town coastal setting, where everyone knows your name...and business. Sweet books.
AUDIO BOOK REVIEW:
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

From the book (not audio) reviews, this is an excellent book. The 600 page book condensed to a 3 hour audio book is a total disappointment.
I think I've finally learned my lesson and will not listen to abridged books any more.
I suppose there was not enough time to really develop the characters. The family dynamic was there, but just passed over so you got the idea, but not enough to be really invested in them. I will read the  book to do this author justice.
Narrator, Lynn Redgrave did a fine job.

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WHERE WE'RE GOING:
Thursday, 1/2/13 - 1/8/13 (1 week) Oliver Lee State Park, Alamogordo, NM (White Sands)

Congrats on the new addition

Hidden Valley Ranch, Deming, NM  

Mon. 11/25/13  Fri. 11/22/13 - Wed. 1/1/14 (5 weeks)

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My life has a superb cast, but I cannot figure out the plot.  

Ashleigh Brilliant - This humorist's output is almost entirely epigrams,
which he tries to limit to seventeen words apiece.

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This post's contents:

RV Life

RV Mod

Crafts

Pets

Book Review

Food

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RV LIFE:

Ahhh, what a life. We've again been going through a cold spell here in the desert, so we've been spending a lot of time inside. Still reading and crafting. Scott has been enjoying a new computer game, World of Tanks.

He spends hours playing on the computer, I spend hours knitting and listening to audio books. Like I said, ahhh, what a life!
Here at Hidden Valley Ranch, there is just enough social activity. Not too much that I am burn out from the pressure of having to be "on" for being around people.
Pot Lucks every Friday, crafting together every Wednesday, ATV rides, country music, clear starry nights. Ahh, what a life!
I finally ventured a "quick" trip into town to purchase supplies for the cookie exchange. Yum! Scott wants me to make a tried and true oatmeal cookie, but I like to try new recipes. My results in a future post.
Yesterday, the temps reached 60° and sunny. I, of course took the opportunity to head outside. Read a little, knitted a lot and finished listening to an audio book.

Congratulations are in order for Jerry & Carla of Cozy Be Gone. They started full timing earlier this year in an itty bitty Casita. I was very worried for them. I know I could not full time with a spouse in that small an area. I would mention periodically that they may find it difficult and ruin their full time experience. But after a few months and some mods, they seemed happy. Good for them!!! I'm impressed.
Well, not that I would ever say "I told you so", BUT, they have now upgraded to a much more reasonable 26RLS Keystone Sprinter travel trailer! I am sooooo happy for them. The Casita is fine for weekends and temporary stays, but their new rig will feel more like home. There is a huge difference in what you want in a rig for full time,compared to vacation time. We chose a 5th wheel for the ceiling height. It feels more like a house than a trailer. But if a Casita is all you can afford, tow, or want, then that is fine. I have friends that lived full time in a Casita for 2.5 years and only stopped because family needed them.

You meet the nicest people while RV'ing...
As I mentioned in the previous post, Mike and Maryanne from Kansas City, KS are parked near us. We met them earlier this year in Port Townsend, WA. Mike is a BBQ judge and is really into smoking meats. Since they are now full time RV'rs, they gave away their large smoker. They finally cannot take life anymore without a smoker. So they ordered a smaller smoker that they can deal with while traveling in an RV.
Yippeee! That means good stuff will come our way also!

Because we have shown an interest in smoking and BBQ, they lent us a "few" books about BBQing.

I guess we have some studying and scanning to do! Thank you Maryann!

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RV MOD:

Outdoor motion lights

With the anticipation of boondocking, Scott thought it a good idea to get some outside lighting that would work on solar and/or battery. The question is...do we want the light so an intruder will think twice? or do we not want light, so we won't be so visible boondocking alone? Anyway, Scott purchased 4 lights, one for each side of the RV. Two are battery run and two are solar run. We've had them for about a month now and I really like them. They are great when walking the dogs at night.

2 of TSSS ® Wireless LED Solar Powerd Security Motion Sensor Light, Wall/Garden Lamp $16.00

Our rating 5 out of 5

These are always lit dimly at night. When it senses movement, they get brighter.

2 of Fulcrum 20032-301 6 LED Motion Sensor Weatherproof Light $21.00

Our rating 4.5 out of 5

These only come on when motion is detected. Run on 4 AA batteries.

Both lights are sufficient to light the way and safety, but not so bright that they would disturb our neighbors. 

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CRAFTS:

I've been doing some quick crafts to use up more acrylic yarn. I must admit, I DO like Caron's Simply Soft. It is a drapey, soft, washable, inexpensive, easily available yarn. This is much nicer that Red Heart Super Saver acrylic which is VERY scratchy, so much so that my fingers actually get a rub burn from it's use. Caron One Pounder is similar to the Red Heart, but maybe a tad less scratchy.
I'm sending a knit and a crochet cocoon with matching hats to Bella's Babies. They try to send a going home outfit to all babies born at Southside Hospital in Long Island, NY. What is a cocoon? It is basically a sack that you place the baby in. It's supposed to feel like it is being swaddled, and gives the baby comfort & warmth.

Only Clue #1. It gets more interesting

I'm still working on a MKAL (Mystery Knit-a-long) sponsored by Boo-Knits on Ravelry. This MKAL was appealing because it was "only" a scarf and only about 3 weeks long in time. There are 5 clues and we are on clue #4. Since this is a mystery knit, we do not know what it will look like, only that it is a scarf. Each "clue" is a portion of the pattern. A group all doing the same project, finish the clues/pattern sections and then post to see what they all look like. This scarf is lace with beads. It's a fun project to do, but I've enjoyed other lace knits more, such as this Lace KAL that I did in 2010 and won first place at the Monmouth County Fair.

Courtesy of Panopticon

How many of you crafters make things for Christmas gifts?

How many wait until the last minute?

Here's a flow chart for you to use to see who is handmade gift worthy.

So, who do you make the gift for and who do you just buy for?

Scott & I have made it easy on ourselves. We do not exchange gifts with ANYONE. When we first got married we exchanged gifts with each other, family, friends, co-workers, etc. I eventually cut out friends and co-workers. Then as our relatives' families grew, we cut them out also. We are not "kid people", so just buying for the kids was not an option for us. I do not enjoy buying for kids. If I do, I try to make them educational and fun gifts.  Pardon me while I generalize...most kids do not appreciate gifts. It's all "what did I get?", "is it good enough?", "will my friends be impressed?" No inkling of the time and money and thought that went into the gift. Kids are selfish beings. And I can be a selfish being also. That's why I never had kids. We just wouldn't get along.

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PETS:
Nothing much to report about our reservation foster dog, Dina. She continues to be a wonderful dog. Very loving, obedient and easy going. She handles life in the RV beautifully. Dina is still looking for a home. She would probably do great off leash and maybe even make a good agility dog. She listens well, is quick and spry.
Devin makes each RV site home as long as he has his blue mushroom chair to chillax in.

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BOOK REVIEW:
10th Anniversary by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have not read all the books in this series, but a few and enjoyed the characters. 4 women, in 4 different careers that intertwine and sometimes should be opposing, but they respect each other and it works.
A pretty good "who done it", with details of the personal and professional lives of the ladie's murder club.
As far as the author, James Patterson, I have become disappointed in his later writings. It drove me bonkers in this book that a chapter lasts no more than 3 or 4 pages. He starts a new chapter in the middle of a court scene! Huh? It really only needs to be a new paragraph. Another author that has seen his time of fame come and go.

The Longest Road: Overland in Search of America, from Key West to the Arctic Ocean by Philip Caputo
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was given a complimentary copy of this book. I'm assuming because #1, I have a blog of our US travels in an RV. www.greatescapefromnj.blogspot.com and and #2 we have Setters as the author does.
I was excited to read this book with common interests. The author was out to discover the different lifestyles and attitudes of the American people in different areas of the country. Interesting concept.
Unfortunately, I was very bored with the book. Maybe because I'm living it or maybe because I've read many RV travel blogs and this seemed more of the same. Yes, there were interesting parts and yes, he speaks of cowboys in Florida, when I thought they were only in the SouthWest. Yes, he speaks of entitled youth. Yes, he gets you thinking outside the box, meaning instead of looking at typical touristy things, to look at the community, the people, the history. But still, this book just did not hold my interest. I'll stick with the bloggers and read their travels and their take on the varied areas of our USA.
Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

2nd book in series:
Another version of vampires, witches, and demons. Some are not as bad as we formerly thought.
Some unusual romance and family dynamics.
This 2nd book is Matthew & Diana's trip back to the 1500's. Interesting, but definitely sugar coated life back then.
This book SLIGHTLY reminded me of a tame "Outlander", by Diana Gabaldon, which is an EXCELLENT series.
I liked the first book, A Discovery of Witches better. BUT, I'm not invested in the lives of these characters and will HAVE to read the third book.
The narrator, Jennifer Ikeda, does an excellent job of male and female voices, as well as accents. She makes it very easy to distinguish characters, just by her tones.
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FOOD:
7-Up Biscuits

The photos looked like these would be absolutely wonderful biscuits. They were easy enough to make. Only four ingredients, bisquick, sour cream, 7-up, and butter.

Mine didn't look so pretty, but they were pretty good tasting. Normally, Bisquick biscuits turn out very dry and heavy. These biscuits were still heavy, but not so dry. They would make a great base for biscuits and sausage gravy. I will probably make them again.

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WHERE WE'RE GOING:
Thursday, 1/2/13 - 1/8/13 (1 week) Oliver Lee State Park, Alamogordo, NM (White Sands)

Custer continued

Sept. 16-30, 2013 Wheels West RV Park, Custer, SD

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SIGHTS:
Buffalo Roundup continued & explained:
Sue from Beluga's Excellent Adventure was wondering the purpose of the Buffalo Roundup and was concerned it was just for slaughter. I can't believe I did not mention this in my post about my Roundup experience.
(This has been added to post of 9/30/13, Buffalo Roundup)
While at the wonderful Custer Visitor's Center, I asked Fred, the host what the Roundup was for? I asked if it was just a thing to do to bring tourists in. Oh no, not all all. Letting the tourists view was an afterthought. This year was the 48th year for the Roundup. The purpose is to help maintain healthy herds of Buffalo. Custer State Park grasslands can only handle so many Buffalo. If the herd grows too large, there is not enough grasses for the Buffalo to eat and survive the winter. About 1300 head are rounded up annually.
They are first all checked for health. Old and sickly ones are separated for auction for meat, hides, etc. This is actually more humane than letting them stay with the herd. These old and sickly would most likely not survive the winter and suffer a slow death. The Buffalo that can be used for meat are auctioned, then slaughtered and butchered by the State FREE of charge! Of course you need a huge commercial freezer to keep the meat. The State keeps the hide and head. Some of these parts are sold to the local American Indians and others are prepared for sale to the public to raise funds for the State Park.
The healthy ones are branded and blood is taken. The blood is checked for disease, and lineage. Yes, the State cares about not having too much inbreeding which can cause weakness in the herd. So the blood lines they want to separate are auctioned off to private breeders who are looking for specific blood lines (just like reputable dog breeders).
By the time the sorting is complete, the Park should have under 1000 head to release back into the Park. By Spring when Mama's have given birth, the herd is back up to approximately 1300 again and so the cycle begins again.

The day after the Roundup, we took a ride to the corrals, where the sorting has taken place. We pulled over to the side of the road and Devin popped up, "Hmmm, what's that odd odor?" The photo below is our truck parked (it was a windy day), and Devin's first whiff of Buffalo.

Devin gets a whiff of Buffalo

 Corralled Buffalo. See the fencing in the back right for segregation?

Look at that backbone! I thought the poor thing was starving, but I think that is just the way Buffalo are built.

You've got to check out the great video Jenni from Dare You 2 Move put together. I searched YouTube for video of the Roundup, but Jenni's is the best one by far. I suppose it's not as exciting if you weren't there, but this video captures the excitement of first seeing the Buffalo come into sight, the funny parts of a roque Buffalo breaking off on it's own...oh, no you don't, come back here. Hee Haw!

On a side note, I saw this at the museum. It's called a Buffalo Jump. This method was used in history as an easier way of killing the Buffalo for food and clothing.

Hard to see, but Buffalo are falling off cliff on right.

The Buffalo Roundup is made into a whole weekend affair. Friday is the Roundup, Saturday and Sunday was an Art Fair, slow-cooker contest, and chili cook off.
We stopped by the Art Fair on Saturday. It's with mixed feelings we attend these events.  We have found so many unique handcrafted items that I would love to have. But living in an RV does not allow the room nor weight. I keep telling myself, we're saving money. And money we certainly saved at this Art show! At least $500.00

$200.00 saved by not purchasing these 5 foot wide metal signs. I can just see this hanging at the front of our property.
$265.00 saved by not purchasing hand made tri-legged stool. The base made out of hand carved wood and the saddle (seat) is made from cow or buffalo hide.  Very sturdy and very comfortable.
Another $100.00 saved by not buying the beautiful natural wood shelves. They were made out of tree branches. Also there were beautiful high gloss tables made out of tree trunks and branches.

I did purchase a $5.00 bag of kettle corn, a skein of buffalo/alpaca blend yarn for $30.00 from Chinook Winds Bison Yarn & Fiber, and Scott purchased a buffalo hide wallet for $40.00 from Buffalo Billfold.

While strolling through all the vendor tents, we were stopped many times asking about our beautiful dogs. Many people think our English Setter, Lyla is a "doodle" because she has curly hair and they can't place what kind of dog she is. Bad Debbie, for not grooming enough. At one point, a nice lady threw popcorn for Devin & Lyla to catch. So even our dogs had a good day!
I was quite thirsty by the end of the day. I chose a fresh squeezed strawberry lemonade. Damn, was that good! It was just fresh squeezed lemonade with thawed (previously frozen) packaged strawberries added. I'll have to try that!
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FOOD:
Made another apple recipe.
Apple Pie Bars from WebMD

Another easy recipe. At first I thought I made it wrong because the batter was so thick. But then re-read the name of the recipe. These are bars, not a cake. They are like an apple cinnamon "brownie", without the chocolate. Delicious.

I've run out of time...again. Time for bed. I guess I'm just doing too much and have too much to write about. Amazing that I can wake up about 7:00am and relax the whole morning before getting dressed to go sightseeing or running errands, etc. What a great life I have after retirement. Time to be lazy aka relax and still plenty of time for other stuff, like, relax.