Behind the scenes...

 

Since I started this blog, with the intention of letting our daughter Stephanie know where were are and what we're doing, I have posted regularly.  That has morphed into almost daily posts.  I was surprised when there were "20 views" in a day... "Steph, are you looking at the blog more than once a day?"

No, others were reading.  I can look at the numbers: how many views, where the views are coming from (by country), what kind of device is being used (phone, tablet, computer), but not who is looking in.  

A milestone: sometime after the first year, there was a day with 100 views.  Then, a boating magazine (remember magazines?) posted a link to the blog and views went to 200 or so per day.  As of now, there have been more than 2 million views.

"Why aren't there more comments?  You seem to have an ongoing discussion with Earl, but not many others."  You have to register to comment; Blogspot's set up, not mine.  Earl and I have met in real life, and we exchange e-mails besides his comments here.  I am open to comments and try to reply to each... unless it is obvious spam, and those are deleted.

"Do you plan what you post?"  No.  Sometimes it is more like a diary, other times it is musing about things I find humorous or odd.  I take days off, depending on what we're doing.  For a while, I posted regularly on Facebook... until I did a "cleanse" there and cut my "friends list" to people I know.  I enjoy making YouTube videos, with no intent to monetize - travel stuff, motorcycle and scooter stuff, music.  Those videos are often put here on the blog, as well.  And, of course, regular inclusions of our feline family member.

Long before the blog, I did a "travel newsletter" for family.  Yes, actually printed and mailed.  Color photos.  My Mother kept them and put the in 3-ring binders, by year.  Generally, once a month; more often when we were traveling.  This blog is more efficient, current, and less expensive to produce.  I stopped the printed newsletter when Mom passed.

This blog started when Joan and I were boat cruising, then doing "fun summer boat jobs."  Land traveling has been a part of our lives since Joan and I were first married, so it was a natural to include that here.  These days, we live right next door to our daughter and son-in-law, so we get to see them almost every day.  Even so, Steph still makes references to what she has seen on the blog.

I enjoy writing.  Years ago, I was a regular contributor to a couple different professional photographers publications.  Then, "Cat On A Leash."  This blog lets me keep my hand in on writing.  No, I don't think I have any other books in me... that is too much like a job to write, edit, publish, and promote.  This blog format is fast and easy, most days.

 

I Got The Power...

 

If you said: "The song 'The Power' from 1990 was performed by the German Eurodance group Snap!. The vocals on the track were performed by Penny Ford, with additional samples from Jocelyn Brown," you get 25 bonus points.  If you said, "Never heard of it," you get 20 bonus points for being my people.
We ordered a Jackery "solar generator" last week.  I don't consider it a "solar generator," but more like a portable power station with a built-in inverter.  It is relatively small, 640 watt hours, but can handle up to a 1000 watt item in a situation where you don't have power.  Like: using my small PA outdoors.  Or wanting to run a TV out in the courtyard, without having to run an extension cord.  Or charging phones, an iPad, and my laptop all at the same time.  Anywhere.

Relatively small, about the size of a shoe box.  Two 120v sockets, 2 USB-C ports, 1 USB-A port, and a 12 volt socket (like for a car cigarette lighter).  It can be charged on 120v (household plug-in), 12v (car), or solar (we didn't get the available portable solar panels).  It will probably go with us in the van and could be used to run our portable Wonder Oven out on a picnic table.  Or charge up e-bikes.  

 That handle folds flat, making it more convenient to store.  Oh, and that white circle is a light.  It can also serve as a UPS: Uninterruptible Power Supply if you plug in something like a computer while this unit is plugged into a wall socket.  It could also power our home refrigerator/freezer for a while in a power outage.

All that said, I'm seeing it as a convenience power supply that can be anywhere you want it.
I've seen van builds with the larger versions of these used to power the whole RV.  The technology continues to evolve; this uses lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) - these are safer, longer lasting, and more temperature-stable than traditional lithium-ion batteries.  Traditional lithium-ion batteries are more compact and lighter due to their higher energy density, making them ideal for portable electronics like phones, while LiFePO4 is often preferred for applications like solar energy storage and electric vehicles where safety and longevity are priorities.   This weighs about 14 pounds.

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I did firmware updates on my HoverAir X1 Pro camera drone a couple days ago.  I figured I better test it out to make sure there were no glitches...

Yep, seems to working just fine.  We need to get out and about somewhere so I can use this thing.  ;-)
 
I ran one battery out while shooting stills and video with the X1 Pro.  Good time to test out the charging ability of the Jackery power station...

I am quite impressed with this - it charged the HoverAir drone in less than half the time it takes when plugged into the wall socket in the house; DC to DC charging.  I like it!
 
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The important stuff: Murph catching some rays through the window in the house...

 A few moments later, down for the count...

 

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane!...

 

It's... SuperMoon!

The December full moon, known as the Cold Full Moon (not too tough to figure out why that name), is the last full moon of 2025, and a SuperMoon.

Because it’s a Supermoon, it may appear slightly larger and brighter than a typical full Moon—up to 8% larger in diameter and 16% brighter. For most casual observers, the difference is subtle, but it’s more noticeable if compared to a micromoon, when the Moon is at its farthest point from Earth.

Being near perigee and full, this Moon can also produce slightly higher tides, known as perigean spring tides or king tides, especially along coastlines, though the effect is modest.

But, here in the desert, it makes for a bright evening in the cloudless sky...

 Best viewing: just after moonrise, as it comes up in the east - and when that photo above was taken.

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This morning, while taking Murphy outside...

 Looking east southeast, the clouds lit up over South Mountain.  The full moon was showing the other direction, but no clouds being lit by the rising sun in that direction.

 

So, about that "beginning to look like" stuff...

 

Working on the tree...

 The tree getting close...

 The angel may have had a bit too much eggnog.  The entryway to the house...

 

Joan felt the need to put a small Santa hat on Murphy.  He looks very happy...

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Last night, Murphy went to visit his "cousins" at Steph and Dan's house; he and Tango enjoy "play dates."  Steph sent me this photo...

 The boys are in Dicha's crate.  The door was closed - they had to let themselves in.

 

Happy Birthday to...

 

Murphy!  We were told that this furry boy was "around a year old" when we adopted him two years ago; Joan declared his official birthday as December 3rd.  The day after our anniversary, to make it easy to remember.

Joan got him another tunnel (small, to use in the RoadTrek) and a soft blanket.  I had his blanket wrapped around my shoulders this morning, to get my smell on it.  He did check out the tiny tunnel right away...

 I guess it isn't really "a tunnel" - it has an opening on one end and that round porthole kinda opening towards the other end.  We'll see how he takes to it... he loves his big tunnel that is a fixture in our living room.

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Some music today with Mark and Ron.  We worked up three new songs to add to the set list.  Songs with these guys almost always has 3-part harmony, and these new ones (well, new to us) have some nice harmony in them.

Ron brought a new addition to the percussion gear: a set of hi-hats; or, as Mark called them: cymbal clappers.  ;-)  It adds another dimension.

Cindy took this photo of us today...

 Having fun and makin' music.

 

It's beginning to look a lot like...

 

Well, you know...

 Turning over the new month on our Murphy calendar, the above photo is the December image.  I won't mention what list he is on right now... well, he scratched my hand again in one of his "sneak attacks" that happen as I'm just sitting down in my chair in the living room.  OK, that would be the "shit list."  And, as I told Stephanie when she was little: Santa is a close personal friend of mine.

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In the past, we have often decorated for Christmas on this particular date.  Kind of a family tradition.  Why this date?  Thanks for asking.  On this date in 1972, a cold blustery day in the exotic land of Eye-Oh-Wha, a young couple was joined in holy matrimony.  As in: "Holy matrimony, Batman!"  All these years later, we have stayed together and outlived most of the people who said, "It'll never last."

Wait! You two were the young couple?

Yeah, we were young.  Once.  A long time ago.  

Cyber Monday...

 

"Americans will be 'clicking away' all day long."  That's a quote from the Today Show.

Are you "clicking away" all day today?  Yeah, me, neither.  One of the "deals" that popped up when I got online this morning: an additional $3 off from the Black Friday deal on an Apple iPad.  $3.  Whoohoo - now Mom can have that operation.