I can't wait...

 

Excited for Halloween, are ya, Jim?  Not particularly, but thanks for asking.  Steph and Dan are going to put a car backwards in the driveway this evening and do a "trunk or treat," staying outside to hand out candy.

This will be a change for us: in the past 20 years, we haven't had a single trick or treater at our house in Texas.  This time of year, that area in Texas is kind of between populations: the summer people have gone home and the winter people haven't arrived.  Not many families with kids on that island, so no one to come to your door.  The first few years, we bought some candy, just in case.  I got to eat a lot of candy.

I think there are plenty of kids in our new neighborhood.  We'll see how this plays out.  But, if Steph and Dan stay out in the driveway, there won't be a lot of commotion and doorbell ringing to disturb the furry family members.

What I can't wait for: this election to be over.  Oh, I don't expect it to be settled right away, but I will be glad to be done with the onslaught of political advertising.  Seems I am getting several texts per hour... having been registered to vote in South Dakota, Texas, and now Arizona, we are getting the spam texts and e-mails from all three states.  The mailbox has been nearly full with (we only check it once a week or so) political cards.  Someone is spending a lot of money on printing and postage, which surprises me... since there isn't much cost involved in sending a text or e-mail.

Our ballots have been turned in, and Joan received notice that they have been officially received and recorded.  It was a 4-page ballot.  We had to refer to the supplied booklet to understand the wording on some of the initiatives.

We need to get beyond this "my side vs your side" crap and get back to being Americans and having politicians who are working for the people (as opposed to: for their party).  But, realistically, I don't expect that to happen anytime soon, either.

--------

Joan had a bunch of Vine reviews to get through this afternoon.  I've had a song in mind that I wanted to give a shot at recording; it has been months since I did anything with the Spire Studio.

I laid down a scratch track for the timing, playing guitar and singing.  Then, 3 guitar tracks; 3 vocal tracks, and a drum track.  The guitar tracks were interesting (well, for me, anyway): I did the first with an octave pedal and some distortion.  Then, a clean track.  And finally, a bass track, done with the same guitar (my Emerald Virtuo) and the octave pedal isolating everything but the bass octave.  Next, a main vocal track, followed by two harmony vocal tracks.  And then finally, a drum track with the small electronic "desk" drums.

https://soundcloud.com/captainjimb/we-gotta-get-outta-this-place

---------

Halloween...

Time to hand out candy to the trick or treaters.  First time in 20 years we've been in a neighborhood where there are kids.  Steph was in charge of getting candy - she bought enough to handle 300 or so "visitors."  Turns out we had about 50 to 75 (depending on who was counting).  Yes, there will be candy left over for Steph and Dan to take to school... not for the kids, since they are both out of the classroom, but for the IT techs in the department where Steph works.

Here's a look around: Steph and Joan getting set up in the driveway...

Yes, Steph is a dalmatian; Rubina is a big black cat...

Joan and Steph set up a table with the treats in baskets (full of candy) on it; let the kids take what they wanted... encouraged them to take "a handful."  Most were shy about that.  It was a lot of families, Mom and Dad walking with the kids.  Our street only has 3 houses on it, so it was pretty quiet; certainly different from other parts of the neighborhood where there are blocks with houses on both sides.

One little girl was being driven around by her Mom in a Slingshot...

Several UTVs with flashing lights and blasting music.  And, yes, some kids who were actually... walking.  One little girl who was non-verbal, being pulled in a wagon by her Mom; the little girl had a tablet - she could push a square on it that said, "trick or treat"... and then, "thank you."  Sweet.

Another family came by with the parents on horses, keeping an eye on the kids...

I wouldn't call our development "rural," but we are right next to rural.  ;-)  There are people nearby who have horses... and goats... and donkeys... and roosters.  So, yeah, pretty close to rural.

I did spend some time visiting with some of our neighbors - it gave me a chance to meet the people around the curve (and across the street) from us.  It's a nice neighborhood.

We wrapped it up shortly after 8:00, when it got real quiet.  I think we all had fun tonight.

Happy Halloween!

 

Ohhh - I Remember This...

 

I hadn't ridden the Honda CTX (motorcycle) since before we left to go to North Carolina this summer.  I took care of that this morning.  And, yes, the first ride since struggling to get the oil filter off the bike (Joan got it off - it's in an earlier post).  I have put plenty of miles on the Burgman scooter, but the CTX has had to patiently wait its turn.

It is just as good as I remembered!  Certainly not a "performance" bike, but it felt like a rocketship after all that time on the scoot.  This bike has great torque - in Sport Mode, you twist the throttle and it gets right with the program.  Assuming you have a program.  I don't.  Have a program, that is.  Damn, digressing again.

I am a big fan of the DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) on this bike - but there are differences between this bike, other motorcycles, and scooters.  One of the first things you notice is what's missing...

 No clutch lever on that left grip.  Or, in the case of a scooter: no rear brake lever on the left grip.  It isn't like your left hand has nothing to do - you can manually up or downshift with the paddle shifters on that left grip.  It is (in my opinion) a brilliant bit of motorcycle technology.  I wrote "in my opinion." because some riders can't imagine the riding experience is good without pulling in a clutch lever and using your left toes to up or downshift on a shift lever.  It IS good... you can let the intelligent transmission decide when to shift, based on what you are doing with the throttle, OR you can put the bike in Manual Mode and absolutely control each shift with the paddle shifters.  It shifts faster than most humans can shift and can do it without backing off on the throttle.  Like a Formula 1 racecar.

I took a break at the parking up on the mountain; here's a look back at a small part of the road along the way...

And, a look at the bike...

Not typical motorcycle styling, but I like it.  The front fairing and windshield give decent wind protection.  It was cool this morning (yes, that is a big change), and I could feel that through my mesh armored gear.

I have this bike set up perfectly comfortable for me.  I added the floorboards, which brought that "feet forward" riding position (Honda couldn't decide if this bike should be a cruiser or a sport touring bike) back a bit.  The Corbin seat is formed to my form... like a cowboy and his saddle.  I'm just guessing at that as I am not a horse-riding kinda guy.  The riding position feels very similar to the last Harley Ultra dresser I had, with significantly less weight.

It was a great ride.

Back home, there was a plan for the afternoon: lunch out, get the car washed, go to storage and get another load of stuff out of the cargo trailer (keep - give to Goodwill - toss), things that we carried around for years with the Aspect.

Yes, I did take an admiring look at the van while we were there...

I can't wait to get it out again and take it somewhere.  Nothing planned at this point.  I'll see what I can do about that.

For the first time, we bought a "package" at the car wash.  My new friend Albert was pushing it when you pulled up to pay.  I enjoyed his patter; I asked, "I assume you are getting a commission on this?" and he assured me he was.  If you only go to the car wash a couple times a month, it isn't worth getting; but by the time you pay for 3 washes, you have paid for the package.  This place is reasonably close to our house and they have other outlets around the Valley.

Joan asked, "Is there an expiration time on this?"

Albert told us, "It will renew every month unless you go to the website on this card (handing her a card) and cancel it.  But, you can use it up to 60 times."

"So, up to 60 times... in a month?" I asked, laughing.

"Yeah, if it rains right after you go through the wash, come back and get it washed again right away."

"60 times a month?  I have a life - I won't be spending my days at the car wash."

So, we'll see how often we use it, and re-evaluate.  We like this place, though - they have slightly damp, clean towels that you can use to wipe down inside or outside on your car.  And strong vacuums on either side of your vehicle, for keeping the floors and cargo area nice and clean.  Pull into a parking space at the vacuums, each of you get out and grab a hose and have at it.

Damn, I sound like I'm promoting it.  ;-)  The Equinox sure looks good, though.

It's that time again...

 

Halloween?  Yeah, sure... but the real reason for the season: it is National Cat Day.  A time to adore the feline(s) in your life.  Or, as we call it: just like every other day.

I remind Murphy regularly how lucky he is to have a loving family... he gives me "that look," and says, "How could you not adore me?  I am completely adorable."

The boy has a point.

 --------

The weather weasels are telling us, "Fall is finally here..." The daytime high today is supposed to be in the 70s.  About 10º below normal (?).  After the highs being above normal since we got back from our summer trip.  The 10 day forecast looks promising for an escape from the heat - we'll see how it plays out.

Music with my buds today.  Mark thinks it will be nice enough that we can be a "garage band" again.  Doesn't matter to me where we get together, I just enjoy making music with my friends.

--------

A fun time with the guys today, making music and enjoying the comradery.  I often make music on my own, but this is always good because it is with friends.  When we were done and starting to tear down today, a friend of Cindy's came by with her sister to listen to us play... we did some "unplugged" music for them.  An appreciative audience, the photo here shot by Cindy's friend of her sister with the guys...

She was excited to see us play; she just wanted to touch the guitar here.  Cindy thanked us for our patience - we're here to have some fun and glad to share some time.  These guys are a great bunch!  (and they let me hang out with 'em)

The Crown...

 

If you said, "A Netflix series, inspired by real life events, this fictional dramatization tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II and the personal and political events that shaped her reign," you get 15 bonus points and you are way ahead of me.  I had to look that up - oh, I had heard about the series, but never watched it.

The crown referred to in the title is not a British monarch, nor the bejeweled head gear they might wear.  This is the kind of crown that goes into your mouth.  I broke a tooth a couple weeks ago - today was my appointment at the dentist to get that dealt with.  First time at Laveen Smiles, a dentist only 3 miles from our house, that gets good reviews (Joan did the research).

First time at a new dentist is a leap of faith.  Now, to be fair, over the last 20 years, I've been doing most of my dentisting south of the border.  Anything in the good ol' USA has to be better.  Spoiler alert: it is great!

The experience was good from the get-go; Coco at the reception desk was friendly and set me at ease.  The staff was friendly and professional.  The dentist, Dr Evans, was friendly, thorough, and compassionate.  Did you get that "friendly" theme?  The place is modern and immaculate.  Nice to find all that in the big city.

First order of business once I was in the chair: Xrays, scans, and an exam.  A short break, then back into the chair for the numbing and grinding.  Back home for almost 2 hours, then back to get the crown put in place.  Not a temporary crown; they make them right on site and it was a perfect fit.  Cemented in place, and I am done.  Credit card smokin', but it was a good experience.

I'll let you know tomorrow how I feel about it once the numbing has worn off.

They're the modern Stone Age family...

 

If you said, "The theme to the Flintstones, the animated Hanna-Barbera TV show, first airing in 1960.  Oh, and they were from the town of Bedrock," you get 10 bonus points.  For a follow-up question worth 10 more bonus points: what TV foursome were Fred, Wilma, Barney, and Betty inspired by?  If you said, "The Honeymooners," you win the bonus points.

Going back to your childhood, Jim?  That's cute that you think I ever left it.  Alas, we were thrust back into the Stone Age yesterday: our Cox internet and cable TV went out.  There was a very short blip of the power, followed by no connection.  Steph kept us informed with the status with Cox... "Your internet should be restored by 4:15 pm"... "Your internet should be restored by 8:15 pm"... "Your internet should be restored by 12:15 am."  Not sure why that 15 minutes after the hour is significant, but the restoration didn't happen.

We went old school: internet connection via our phone hotspots (like we do when we're out traveling).  We happen to have the flat over the air antennas behind each of our TVs (so much for Netflix and Hulu).  Joan gave Steph and Dan the antenna we had in the Aspect so they could get TV.

Now, Cox thinks the issue is something withing our house.  In the meantime, we soldier on... I had to turn on a lamp by actually twisting the knob on it - that's right, Alexa doesn't work without internet.

Which reminds me of one of my favorite jokes: The internet went out yesterday; my wife and I were forced to spend the evening in conversation... she seems nice. (yuk, yuk)

I hate when that happens...

 

If you said, "From a Saturday Night Live routine with Billy Crystal back when he was a cast member," you get 30 bonus points.  If you said, "My Momma said I shouldn't use the word 'hate'," you are a wuss.  And if you said, "My Momma said I shouldn't use the word 'wuss'," you spend way too much time being a tattle-tale.  And tell your Momma I said, "Bite me."

A couple things I did yesterday are having ramifications today.  I got a flu and Covid shots yesterday.  When I have gotten these in the past,  I felt it the next day: chills, headache, and body aches. "Dr Google" says that is a sign that the shots are working to provide immunity.  It kicked in last night, got worse overnight, and even my hair hurts this morning.  I hate when something that is suppose to protect you causes you aches and pains.

I have some tasks to get through today: last night, I tried to get the oil filter off the CTX so I could finish the oil change.  It wouldn't budge.  Joan tried, too... because she is big and strong.  And she chose to not get shots, so she isn't aching.

This morning, I tried again.  No joy.  I enlisted Dan, because he is younger and stronger than I am.  Nope.  Joan said, "Did you try some WD-40 on the seal?"  I did not.

A few minutes later, she came out of the garage and said, "I've got it loose - do you want to put a pan under the connection to catch the drips?"  Of course, she said, "I told you to put some WD-40 on it..."

I really hate when that happens.  Because I will hear about this over and over when there is any mention of oil changes, oil filters, tools, motorcycles, scooters... and my head is pounding, I don't feel like crawling around on the floor, and a really don't want to hear "I told you so."  But, yes, she told me so.

I put 3 quarts of oil in the bike, put the battery in it, and fired it up.  It started right up.  I knew it would need more oil, but I was letting it get into the filter before topping it off...

I still need to service the chain and check the tires, but his is as much as my achy body can handle today... I'm not taking it for a ride, so that can wait.

Then Joan said to me, "Next time this needs any service, we need to take it to the dealer and let somebody younger do it."  Yeah, I really hate when that happens.  Since the Burgman gets more miles on it, it will be quite a while before the CTX needs another oil change.  And I usually do the filter every other change.  But, rather than explain that, I told her, "Next time this bike needs service, I will sell it!"

I will probably change my mind when I feel up to riding it again.  ;-)

Little projects (it's on the list)...

 

You're photographing Munchkins?  No, but thanks for asking.

I got out on Joan's bike this morning.  A fun ride, and not much traffic.  Back home, Joan had several "projects" she wanted to get done today.  Which meant I had several projects to help with.

While getting tools ready, I had occasion to use the keypad to run our garage door... it has been loose since about a month after I installed it.  I have tools and a bit of time, so I got that snugged down... and it wasn't even on the list.

Next thing: get the CTX out of the shed and into the garage.  I need some help to get the oil filter off the bike - I have enlisted Dan to give me a hand (and some strong grip) this weekend.  I tried again today; no joy.  Joan tried - nope.  But, we have the bike where it is easier to get at for now.

Next on the list: mount a flagpole on the shed.  Should be easy, right?  Only broke one bit in the process.  But, it is up and looks good...

 Then, a couple lights Joan ordered...

One for each door on the shed.

I made an appointment to get poked for a flu shot and Covid vaccine; while I ran to get that done, Joan was busy with gathering and sorting through things in the shed and garage (and she hung some garden tool holders in the shed).  It also means there will be another car load of stuff to go to the Goodwill.

None of this was pressing, but it was all on "the list."  I prefer to avoid these projects by not making lists... apparently, that is not how lists work.  ;-)

Underwhelmed...

 

Another day-trip with the van today.  We looked at going to Globe, but the highway between Superior and Globe was closed.  So, let's go check out Superior.  A town that was founded on copper mining, with one mine still in operation.  It looked like there might be some shops, galleries, and a couple eateries.

The GPS said it would be 75 miles, mostly highway, to get there.  Yep, the first 65 miles or so were on Loop 202 and Hwy 60; multi-lane...

 Once you get beyond Apache Junction, you are out in the middle of the desert.  Hwy 60 drops down from 4 lanes in either direction to 4 lanes total.  We are out for a ride...

A few picturesque views the last 10 miles or so...

A low flying helicopter flew across our path...

Getting close...

Rolling into the town of Superior...

The "historic" downtown section was underwhelming; most buildings were closed.  Not much activity...

We drove by the entrance to the still-operating mine, the closed (and fenced) former high school (there is a joint Jr/Sr high school), and around the "downtown"... didn't see anyplace we wanted to go in, so we pointed the van back towards Phoenix.

Once in Phoenix, we stopped for lunch at Oregano's, then back to our storage place for a vehicle swap...

Then, home again.  We made the best of the ride, but were less than enthralled with the drive to Superior.

--------

The video...

Wow - that happened fast!

 

Two days ago, I received an e-mail from the dealer where we bought our Roadtrek Class B van - they were just letting us know that if we have any questions or concerns with the new van that we purchased one month ago, we should contact them, and they hope we are enjoying the Roadtrek.

Last night, on the Roadtrek group I belong to on Facebook, someone posted that LaMesa RV was no longer a Roadtrek dealer, could no longer get parts from Roadtrek, and could not do warranty service work on Roadtreks!  Checking the Roadtrek website, LaMesa has been removed from their "Dealer List."  A couple people who had service appointments at different LaMesa outlets received a call, telling them that their appointment had been cancelled.

No idea what happened for this fast divide.  LaMesa is a big RV dealer, with a dozen or so large dealerships around the country... Roadtrek was just one of the many lines they carry.  They won't likely notice Roadtrek disappearing from their lots.  Roadtrek, on the other hand, is a relatively small RV manufacturer, located in Canada.  I have no inside information regarding their operation, but I've read that they make about 600 units a year; by any measure, that is a small RV operation.  Roadtrek will feel the loss of LaMesa more than LaMesa would feel the loss of Roadtrek.

For those of us who own a Roadtrek, this is a loss.  There are two LaMesa dealerships in the Phoenix area, and the local service played a part in our purchase decision.  Now, to be fair, LaMesa doesn't have a stellar reputation for their service department... but, now, the next closest Roadtrek dealer service is in Las Vegas, over 300 miles away... IF that dealer will take on warranty service for a rig they didn't sell (RV dealer service is not the same as car manufacturer/dealer service).

We didn't need dealer service for our Aspect, after the initial shakedown service appointment... which was at LaMesa in Tucson, and they were downright worthless.  We went to Winnebago (in Iowa) a couple times for service (and the hail repair).  I'm really hoping there won't be a need to go to Canada with this Roadtrek.  Each component in the Roadtrek is covered by a separate manufacturer warranty (fridge, air conditioner, water heater, lithium batteries, etc, etc) - a big dealer like LaMesa is also a service center for those different components.  But, without the Roadtrek connection, that may not continue to be the case.

So, we'll see how this shakes out.  No issues with the limited use we've given the van.  Rather than take the van to LaMesa to see if there was anything they could do about the rattle we had with the window blinds, we just took the wall panel off and handled it ourselves; I really didn't want to go to LaMesa for what I consider a minor issue.  RV dealers will usually tell you to "Drop it off and we'll look at it as soon as we can and get back to you."  Could be a few days, could be weeks or even months.  We have made it a point to avoid those situations.  

It will be good to know what our options are, though.  I'm guessing there will be more on this situation in that Roadtrek owners' group in the coming days.

--------

A sad note...

The female grizzly bear known as 399 was killed when hit by a car.  We saw 399 and cubs several times when working in the Grand Teton National Park.  She was known for having multiple cubs, having given birth to 18 cubs over her 28 years.  She was well known ("Queen of the Tetons") and a "399 sighting" was a big deal for guests visiting the Tetons.  RIP.

I took a day off???

 

Yeah, it surprised me, too.  I got together with Mark yesterday - first time in quite a while that he and I have gotten together with just the two of us.  Music was made, including working on some songs for when the "big band" gets together next.

Guess I lost track of time and posting.

--------

A First For Mankind... 

I got out on the Burgman this morning.  No, that isn't the "first."  We have been preoccupied with the van this past month (yes, it's been a month), and I haven't been getting in my daily recommended amount of riding.  It was after 9:00 when I left the house - a nice time for that ride down Dobbins Rd... it is past drop-off time for the school along the way, and the morning commuters are off the road.  You wouldn't know you were in "the big city."

The riding was good, the weather pleasant (it was still pleasantly cool - around 79º- when I left the house) and very little traffic.  No video, but I did shoot a couple images when I stopped at the top to hydrate...

When I got home, Joan had a project for me: putting together the patio heater she ordered a while back (no urgent need for heat just yet).  The instructions told what was needed to assemble it: two adults and a screwdriver (it came with a couple wrenches).  Yes, I read the instructions: Joan actually took a photo of that...

 You could easily do 95% of the assembly solo, but there was a couple times when it was handy to have a second set of hands to get a bolt started while holding two pieces together.  It was all pretty straight-forward.  The instructions said it would take "about 60 minutes to assemble."  I was pretty confident we could knock it out in three hours.  A surprise to me: it took about an hour.  The end result...

Yes, we tested it... nothing exploded into a fireball; it did kick out heat right away.  Not particularly necessary, as today's high is supposed to be 96º.  But, when things cool down, it will be nice to have this when we're doing morning or evening patio time.

Murphy likes his patio time, and he got plenty of that in today.  I took him out first thing this morning; then Joan took him out; and he was out there when we were working on the patio heater.  Murph got some time with his buddy Tango, as well...

"No, we weren't doing anything... and even if we did something, you can't prove it!"

That photo will give you an idea of how much Murphy has grown in the 10 months we've had him - Tango was bigger than Murphy early on... Murph has him by an inch or two and a couple pounds these days.  Here's another look at Tango...

One last look at the sky to the west, after sunset...

Running errands...

 

Yes, with the van.  Joan had a list of things she wanted from Sam's Club; some of those things would be frozen or refrigerated... and the van has a fridge/freezer.  Pretty convenient.  Plus, there was some mention of having lunch out - I had something in mind.

Murphy got some outdoor time and plenty of exercise, running to and from Steph and Dan's yard.  Joan and I sat outside and took turns wrangling him back to our yard.  As Earl said in an earlier comment: it's a fun game (from Murphy's perspective).

A light breakfast, showered, and ready to go.

We made our way to Sam's and parked out a ways in the lot.  A pleasant walk to the entrance, since the high today was 87º.  Joan got everything on her list, we paid with the Sam's Club app (no standing in line), and headed to the van.  The parking lot hadn't filled in any since we parked, but this was fun...

Yep, the whole parking lot, including a lot of spaces closer, but whoever was driving the black pickup felt the need to park right by us.  Far enough away that he couldn't door-ding us, though.  We loaded up our groceries, put stuff in the fridge and freezer, then got ready to roll.  A guy in a sedan pulled up by me as I was getting into the van; he rolled down his window and asked, "How much does an auto like that cost?"

I gave him the advertised price and the shock on his face was very apparent.  He then asked, "You can camp in that, too, right?"

People are often surprised by the price of Class B vans... and the wide variety of price points, since many don't understand that not all Class Bs are created equal.  I know I had sticker shock when we first considered one of these.

I was really feeling like Alice Springs Chicken for lunch, and the only place to get that is Outback Steakhouse.  Less than 1/3 of a mile from this particular Sam's Club.  I parked to the edge of the parking lot...

Lunch was good, our server was friendly and efficient, and we left with full bellies.  And when we came out, no one else felt the need to park close.  One in a row.

Back home, we emptied our purchases out of the van, then drove to the storage place to swap back for the Equinox.  A stop to fuel up the car, then another stop at Fry's to get the grocery stuff that Sam's Club didn't have.  We won't have to eat out for a while... but, I'll still want to.  ;-)

Well, that was simple...

 

There was a rattle in the back of the van.  Joan narrowed it down to the passenger side wall, where there are two windows.  I expected to remove the wall panel and find that something was disconnected.  I removed the wall panel...

Nope.  Everything is solid within that wall panel.  Nothing loose on the van structure.  I moved the sliding shades around: yep, there's the rattle.  It is within the shade itself, and there's nothing loose in there... it is just the shade moving within its track.  The solution is simple: leave the shades open while underway.  That would have been some good information to have before taking the wall panel off.  Roadtrek has done a nice job with the cosmetics on the interior, so I wanted to be sure it went back just the way it came off.

I couldn't hold the panel by myself while lining up the first two screws with the holes... I enlisted the help of my big strong son-in-law Dan for a couple minutes.  Back in place.

Joan is busy cutting and tacking down carpet in cabinets and storage compartments.  All that should help with a quiet ride.  Realistically, there will always be "noise makers" in any RV: silverware in the drawer, glasses and plates in a cabinet.  Even though you space and/or pad them, "contents may have shifted" while enroute.  ;-)

 Everything went back together...

That gray cabinet in the back/middle is the one we bought at IKEA.  It is storage (the front opens) and a solid top that will serve as a nightstand between the two beds/lounges.

 

Swapping...

 

Partners?  Oh, hell no.

Today, we swapped out the Equinox for the Roadtrek.  Well, we took the Equinox to our previous storage place to bring the cargo trailer to the new storage place.  The storage site we have is long enough to handle the cargo trailer and the van.

The weather has taken a turn towards the cool side.  Yes, really - it was 56º this morning and light rain.  That's two mornings in a row of light rain.  I put on a thick flannel shirt before taking Murphy out this morning.

The van is now in the driveway.  For a couple days.  Joan wants to line the cabinets with carpet and I want to take off the wall panel to check on a rattle coming from there (I'm thinking it is something to do with the sliding window shades).

Plus, I like having the van where I can see it.  :-)

--------

And, just because he's so handsome, a couple Murphy photos...