And, we're off...

 

Some would say, "About half a bubble."

I was feeling nostalgic... one of the first motorhome outings we did back in 1990 was to Arizona.  We got turned away from RV resorts in Mesa because... we weren't old enough.  Who knew there were RV resorts that discriminated because of age?  These days, I am just fine with a 55+ park - we had never heard of that back then.

The first place we felt welcome: Laughlin, Nevada.  Some would call it the town that Don Laughlin built, and he welcomed RVers.  By the thousands.  Over the years, we've been back many times.  It has changed over those years, but it has been about 5 years since we've been there, and I was looking for any kind of escape in the RoadTrek.  And, Joan was onboard.

Murphy looked at us while we loaded the van this morning: "We're going somewhere, aren't we?"

 The boy knows.  He was the last thing loaded into the van, and he wasn't happy about it.  If any neighbors were outside, they would have thought he was being abused.

He settled in quickly, and we headed northwest.  We have driven this road a time or twelve over the years.  I am traveling "lite" with camera gear this time: only the Sony mirrorless and the DJI Pocket 3.  Each can handle the obligatory selfie-in-the-van...

 Sony above, the DJI Pocket 3 below...

 The traffic seemed heavier than usual as we left the Phoenix area.  Once past Wickenberg, it dropped off...

 The route takes us past the Joshua Forest Parkway of Arizona...

 Then, into the rocky higher desert terrain...

 And, of course, road construction and stopped traffic...

 But, my favorite part of the drive is climbing, then descending, the mountain between Kingman and Laughlin...

 Great silhouettes with the terrain, then the view of the Laughlin casinos.  Neither of us are hopped up about gambling, but we will "try our hand" while we're here.  Again, it is for the walk along the river, and getting a site at the Riverside RV park that re-kindles that nostalgia of our early visits here.  We didn't book a site until an hour out of Laughlin, and we were able to get one with just the view I wanted...

 We pulled forward into the site (it's a back-in) so we'd have that view out our windshield...

 Settled in, we're chillin', giving Murphy some time to catch up on his meals, and then we'll take the shuttle that picks you up at your site and takes you to the Riverside Casino.  Maybe get a bite to eat.  See if Joan can win us enough to pay for the trip.  ;-)

 

Monday, Monday...

 

If you said, "The Mamas and the Papas, 1966," you get 10 bonus points.  Only 10??  Oh, come on - this was probably the easiest music trivia question ever.

"Can't trust that day?"  Yeah, back to the lyrics of that song.  We're retired, so Mondays are no big deal.  We do have some tasks today, but it is for the fun of it...

 Well, there was some work involved (the RoadTrek got a bath and is getting loaded), but not on a schedule.

We were going to get away for a few days a few weeks ago, but the excrement hit the fan with some HOA stuff and Joan said, "You're going to be on the phone dealing with this, so let's do it another time."

It's time. 

 

Photo shoot...

 

Yeah, I was a photographer.  Retired from that almost 20 years ago.  That industry and the world has changed.  I enjoyed that career while we were in it, but like the time, I have moved on.

So, you can imagine what went through my mind when I was asked to do a photo shoot a couple weeks ago.  This has been a long-time "client."  Oh, and blood.  The fruit of my loins.  Yeah: Steph.

She asked if I would take a photo of them, with all the animals.  In matching pajamas.  That's two adult humans, three cats, and one big black dog.  In matching pajamas.

I agreed.  Because she is "the fruit of my loins."

Today is the day.  They were ready on time, told me what they had in mind, and I set up my minimal gear.  Minimal?  Yeah.  Available light.  My Sony a6700 mirrorless camera on a tripod.  And the little bit of gear that makes this all come together: a wireless remote for the camera.  Once I have the shot set up, all I have to do is press the shutter release on the remote; the camera focuses and sets the exposure.  Yeah, the industry has changed.

Steph knew what she wanted, so they assumed the pose.  Joan helped with wrangling cats and getting them to look in one general direction.  I had to hit the shutter when the timing was right.  Two humans, 4 critters.  Truth be told: it went relatively easy.  It probably helped that the cats were in pajamas, which made them less prone to run off.  Or even move much.

The request: "Get us one good pose, and then we can do one that is total chaos."  I can do that.

The results...

 And...

 My payment for the shoot: I got a cookie and a hug.  Yeah, we're square.

 --------

A few images I got with my phone while waiting for cats to get pajamas on...

That's Alfie above.  He looks like a big boy, but it is mostly fluffy fur; you see his real physique in those pajamas (above).   Dan and Dicha looking on while Steph gets Tango into his PJs... 

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.

--------

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!
 
--------
 
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.

  --------

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...

 --------

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.

--------

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.

--------

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.   

An observation...

 

I was behind a guy in line at a store today.  While the woman at the register was scanning his items, she asked, "Do you live around here."  Just making conversation, I'm sure.

The guy said, "I moved here from New Jersey 4 months ago.  Seems like most of the country thinks people from Jersey are mean and nasty - they are way meaner here in Phoenix."  The lady at the register agreed with him, and they discussed road rage and other recent incidents.

They aren't wrong.

To be fair, this is a big city.  And, I think it's a given that people in big cities are less friendly people than in small towns.  To be even more fair, that is a gross generalization - it depends on the person.  I've come across some very nice people here in Phoenix.  And, cold, prickly people, too.  There's just so many more people, and you tend to notice the nasty ones more.

I have a theory.  It's not just the big city thing.  When I first posted photos of our house here, a few friends asked me about the 6' wall around the property.  It isn't just this community - I would guess that over 95% of the homes built in the Phoenix area in the last 30 years have a block wall around them.  Maybe it's a desert thing, as I've seen this in other desert areas.

Here's what AI came up with when I asked about these walls: homes in Phoenix have block walls for several reasons, including

durability, privacy, security, and adherence to local codes. Block walls are resistant to Phoenix's extreme weather, can help keep out wildlife like coyotes, and are often required by homeowner associations (HOAs) for privacy and fire safety.

Seems to me that those block walls keep people from knowing their neighbors: they landscape their walled-in yards for outdoor living... swimming pools, hot tubs, outdoor kitchens, pergolas/ramadas (providing shade), patio furniture and umbrellas (for more shade).  They don't get to meet their neighbors like back in the good ol' Midwest.  

Summer is too darn hot to be outside, even in the shade.  This time of year, though, is pretty nice; it was mid-70s for a high today.  As it gets colder (and it will), some of us have propane patio heaters.  Ours is like new 'cause the only time it was used was to try it when we first got it.  I enjoy being outside, but not enough to try to heat the whole outdoors.  Sounds like something your parents said to you when you left the door open when you were a kid, huh?  ;-) 

 

 

Feline Saturday...

 

Yeah, I know it is supposed to be "Small Business Saturday," in keeping with the theme from the last few days.  But, we'd rather spend time with Murphy than be out shopping.  Which is why they invented Amazon: so people didn't have to leave their home to shop and could spend all that extra time with their fur baby.

This afternoon, I got out my Sony mirrorless camera while Murphy was wandering around the courtyard...

 Unlike previous felines, Murphy is not a poser.  I don't mean that in a derogatory way - he doesn't "find his light" the way Izzy and Rufus did.  I have to grab a shot when I can, with this guy.  On the flip side, I did get these 4 shots in fairly quick order, without having to delete a bunch of images...

 While out there, the moon was showing off in the middle of the afternoon...

 Not a bad shot with, considering it was an 85mm lens that I had on the camera to get the photos of Murphy.