Well it has been a week now since my last post so let me bring you up-to-speed. When last we met I was recovering from a 14 inch snowfall ... since then we have had another 10 inches with a crusting of about a half inch of ice on top of that. Needless to say I have been pretty busy the last few days digging out the driveway, raking the roof (that's right - we rake our roofs here in Maine when the snow gets as deep as it is right now!!), and shoveling off the deck.
Today I started to get the motorhome ready to move. I hadn't visited it for a few weeks so I was sorta apprehensive as to what I might be facing. I keep the motorhome stored at my friend Don's property about a mile away. He has a large piece of land and allows me to park the motorhome behind the "barn." The barn is actually a very large and very old building where he and his parents before him raised chickens. The chickens have been gone for many years now and the barn is used mainly for storage of "stuff." Don stores a few cars in the lower level of the barn - including my Chevelle. Don knew that I was going to want to get the motorhome out around this time and has been nice enough to plow around the front and one side of the rig - making my preparations a whole lot easier. Since there was about a foot of snow on top the cover I keep on the motorhome over the winter - I used my roof rake to get most of it off and then did a bit of hand shoveling to clean up what had been knocked off the top.
Tomorrow I plan to go over and install the batteries, start the engine and run it for awhile, and check out a few systems (generator, heat, etc). I may also do some more shoveling around the sides and may take off the main cover and the tire covers. We'll have to see how ambitious I am tomorrow! I can't procrastinate too long - we are now at T-18 and counting!!
When we were in California last year my sister Jamie gave me 5 old reels of 8mm film that my parents had taken around 1965 or so. I remember they had been given a 8mm movie camera and had taken a few rolls of film - but they never really got into the home movie thing much more than that and we never did have a projector to show the movies. Since none of us (including mom) really remembered what was on these reels - I thought it would be a cool thing to have these old 8mm reels transferred to a DVD - so I did. I had the transfer done by a local firm here in Maine and got the DVD yesterday. Talk about hilarious! There is nothing funnier than looking at old home movies that you didn't know (or at least didn't remember) existed that were taken when you were a teenager. Peg (she and her family were in one of the films) and I spent last evening Laughing Out Loud. I know Nan, Marcie, and Jamie will also get a big kick out of seeing these oldies - but goodies. Copies will be in the mail soon!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Standing By to Stand By
In my last entry you may recall that it was snowing and that I was expecting 6 or so inches of new snow. Well it turned out that the "6 or so" turned out to be "14 or so!" However, I am glad to announce that we have had less snow so far this year than last year but the total is still somewhere around 50 inches for the winter - so far.
In spite of dealing with the snowy weather and feeling a little under the weather (minor head colds/sinus infections) Peggy and I continue to plod along doing what needs to be done. Along with the "normal" stuff - she is getting prepared to do some training for other folks preparing to teach Vacation Bible School later this summer and I try to stay out of her way while continuing to add to and subtract from my list of stuff that needs to be taken care of before we leave next month (T minus 25 days and counting). I've pretty much done what can be done until it's time to uncover the motorhome and REALLY get serious about getting ready to go. Depending on the weather - I think maybe I'll take the cover off next weekend, put in the batteries, and awaken the rig from it's winter nap. Then the urge to get rolling and headed south will REALLY be in full swing!
Until then I guess I will practice the old Navy tradition of standing by to stand by!
In spite of dealing with the snowy weather and feeling a little under the weather (minor head colds/sinus infections) Peggy and I continue to plod along doing what needs to be done. Along with the "normal" stuff - she is getting prepared to do some training for other folks preparing to teach Vacation Bible School later this summer and I try to stay out of her way while continuing to add to and subtract from my list of stuff that needs to be taken care of before we leave next month (T minus 25 days and counting). I've pretty much done what can be done until it's time to uncover the motorhome and REALLY get serious about getting ready to go. Depending on the weather - I think maybe I'll take the cover off next weekend, put in the batteries, and awaken the rig from it's winter nap. Then the urge to get rolling and headed south will REALLY be in full swing!
Until then I guess I will practice the old Navy tradition of standing by to stand by!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Shoveling and Shivering
Here I sit watching more snow come down. The good news - it had to warm up a bit in order to snow! The last few days were pretty brutal here in Maine with lows in the MINUS numbers, around minus 10 or so here near the coast and a reported minus 50 degrees up near the Canadian border! So we get another 6 or so inches today but we get to look forward to some warmer temperatures next week. I hear it may get up near freezing on Tuesday!
In between shoveling and shivering I have continued planning and preparations for our 2009 Winter Getaway trip next month. Part of the preparations included gathering some RV related supplies that we will need and a few more on the "want" list. So Peggy and I made a day trip to the local Camping World store yesterday. By "local" I mean in New Hampshire. For us Maineiacs - I suppose that's local - it was only 114 miles one way! Nice day for a drive as long as you didn't venture outside the car. The Camping World store in Chichester is associated with a local RV dealership and there were a few RVs on display inside the store so we got to tour a few - and that only increased my desire to "hit-the-road." Nothing like touring a new shiny multi-hundred-thousand-dollar rig to get in the mood and to appreciate that what you already have is plenty! So we picked up what we had on the list and the other stuff that wasn't on the list - like the 12 volt heated throw for Peggy to use to keep warm in the co-pilot seat when I keep the heat turned down when traveling (or the A/C turned on in the warmer months) - and the insulation pillows to put in the ceiling vents to help keep the warm air from escaping while traveling in the winter. Staying warm is high on our priority list!
I have also been dabbling more in doing genealogical research. Last year I researched and found out a lot about my dad's side of my family - and I have started to find out more about my mom's side. I am amazed at the information you can find on the internet! Yesterday I learned that one of my great-great-grandfathers was a true '49er - emigrating to the gold country of California from Italy - one of the first Italians to do so. His story sounds pretty typical of the day. He apparently started out mining for gold and then owned a hotel and then a grocery/general store. From all I've read - you got rich quicker during those days by selling goods to the miners - not from being a miner!
Well I suppose it's time to put down the computer and get out and shovel some snow - or not - it's still pretty cold out there.
T-minus 30 and counting.
In between shoveling and shivering I have continued planning and preparations for our 2009 Winter Getaway trip next month. Part of the preparations included gathering some RV related supplies that we will need and a few more on the "want" list. So Peggy and I made a day trip to the local Camping World store yesterday. By "local" I mean in New Hampshire. For us Maineiacs - I suppose that's local - it was only 114 miles one way! Nice day for a drive as long as you didn't venture outside the car. The Camping World store in Chichester is associated with a local RV dealership and there were a few RVs on display inside the store so we got to tour a few - and that only increased my desire to "hit-the-road." Nothing like touring a new shiny multi-hundred-thousand-dollar rig to get in the mood and to appreciate that what you already have is plenty! So we picked up what we had on the list and the other stuff that wasn't on the list - like the 12 volt heated throw for Peggy to use to keep warm in the co-pilot seat when I keep the heat turned down when traveling (or the A/C turned on in the warmer months) - and the insulation pillows to put in the ceiling vents to help keep the warm air from escaping while traveling in the winter. Staying warm is high on our priority list!
I have also been dabbling more in doing genealogical research. Last year I researched and found out a lot about my dad's side of my family - and I have started to find out more about my mom's side. I am amazed at the information you can find on the internet! Yesterday I learned that one of my great-great-grandfathers was a true '49er - emigrating to the gold country of California from Italy - one of the first Italians to do so. His story sounds pretty typical of the day. He apparently started out mining for gold and then owned a hotel and then a grocery/general store. From all I've read - you got rich quicker during those days by selling goods to the miners - not from being a miner!
Well I suppose it's time to put down the computer and get out and shovel some snow - or not - it's still pretty cold out there.
T-minus 30 and counting.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
T Minus 35 and Counting
It was really hard - but I survived. Peggy made it home safe and sound last Saturday and I remembered to pick her up at the airport - so all is relatively back to normal here in Maineiac land. Normal - but getting really cooold. These next two weeks are historically the coldest of the year in Maine and it looks like this year will be no exception. Today we made it all the way up to freezing and the upcoming forecast for Friday is for the high to be around 8 degrees. Yup - that's right - EIGHT! I suppose I ought to happy that we aren't in the upper midwest where the temps are around minus 35 degrees right now.
So it's time to start some serious planning on heading south for the remainder of the winter! Our rough plans having us leaving 5 weeks from today so I better get busy. I got a start yesterday by picking up some motorhome spare parts. I decided to pick up the spare serpentine belt that I should have picked up before we went to California last summer and a spare fuel filter that ought to be changed before we leave - but considering the temps - it will probably have to wait until we hit temperatures more conducive to laying on ones back underneath the motorhome. At least I have it now so I'm ready when the weather cooperates. There are some other standard maintenance items that I would normally do before we leave that will also have to wait for a warmer climate! T minus 35 days and counting!
So it's time to start some serious planning on heading south for the remainder of the winter! Our rough plans having us leaving 5 weeks from today so I better get busy. I got a start yesterday by picking up some motorhome spare parts. I decided to pick up the spare serpentine belt that I should have picked up before we went to California last summer and a spare fuel filter that ought to be changed before we leave - but considering the temps - it will probably have to wait until we hit temperatures more conducive to laying on ones back underneath the motorhome. At least I have it now so I'm ready when the weather cooperates. There are some other standard maintenance items that I would normally do before we leave that will also have to wait for a warmer climate! T minus 35 days and counting!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Abandoned and Playing With Toys
Would you believe it - Peggy has abandoned me! She left snowy Maine yesterday and flew south to North Carolina where I'm sure it is much warmer! The information I got was that she was being sent to NC to learn about setting up for and then teaching Vacation Bible School later this summer - but I think it was a plot for her to leave snowy Maine and go south to enjoy some warmer temperatures - just like I did to her last winter!
She called last night to let me know she made it safe and sound - and I'm sure that she will be working hard the next few days as she attends all her seminars - but it had better not be really nice weather down there or I'll not hear the end of it.
As for me - I'm simply surviving here in Maine. I spent the morning shoveling some more of the white stuff we got yesterday and then the mailman arrived with my new toy. Since I learned last week that the federal taxman is going to be nice and return some of the money that I lent him last year - I decided to stimulate the economy a bit and I ordered a tire pressure monitoring system for the Motorhome/Car. I have been wanting to get one of these units for some time and especially since our flat tire experience in late 2007.
The unit arrived today via USPS Priority Mail. Two days total from Mission, TX to Topsham, ME - not bad! The unit consists of a receiver/monitoring unit that will mount somewhere on the dash and 10 sensor/transmitter gadgets that screw onto the 10 tires that need monitoring (6 on the MH and 4 on the car-in-tow). Not only will the unit allow me to read tire pressures remotely from insde the MH - it will also alarm if any tire pressure decreases or increases by a set percentage. Although I had a very loud notification when the tire "blew" in 2007 - the hope/plan is that this unit will provide plenty of pre-warning that a problem is developing and allow me to fix it before it becomes a big problem.
Although I will have to wait awhile before I install the unit in the MH - I did get to play with it a bit here in the house while installing the sensors on the car tires outside. It's always fun to play with a new toy!!
Speaking of playing ... you may note that I have been playing a bit more with the blog. I learned how to use Google Maps to make a map that pinpoints where we stopped on our various trips and how to attach that to the Blog (all thanks to fellow Rvers Jim and Chris Guld at Geeksontour.com). I have attached a couple of examples. Let me know which type you like better! If you don't like either - keep that to yourself! You need to enlarge the maps by clicking on the "View Larger Map" words below the map to see the whole picture. You can also get a bit more info by clicking on the icons that show where we stayed during the trip(s).
Now I have to figure out how to feed myself with Peggy gone ...
She called last night to let me know she made it safe and sound - and I'm sure that she will be working hard the next few days as she attends all her seminars - but it had better not be really nice weather down there or I'll not hear the end of it.
As for me - I'm simply surviving here in Maine. I spent the morning shoveling some more of the white stuff we got yesterday and then the mailman arrived with my new toy. Since I learned last week that the federal taxman is going to be nice and return some of the money that I lent him last year - I decided to stimulate the economy a bit and I ordered a tire pressure monitoring system for the Motorhome/Car. I have been wanting to get one of these units for some time and especially since our flat tire experience in late 2007.
The unit arrived today via USPS Priority Mail. Two days total from Mission, TX to Topsham, ME - not bad! The unit consists of a receiver/monitoring unit that will mount somewhere on the dash and 10 sensor/transmitter gadgets that screw onto the 10 tires that need monitoring (6 on the MH and 4 on the car-in-tow). Not only will the unit allow me to read tire pressures remotely from insde the MH - it will also alarm if any tire pressure decreases or increases by a set percentage. Although I had a very loud notification when the tire "blew" in 2007 - the hope/plan is that this unit will provide plenty of pre-warning that a problem is developing and allow me to fix it before it becomes a big problem.
Although I will have to wait awhile before I install the unit in the MH - I did get to play with it a bit here in the house while installing the sensors on the car tires outside. It's always fun to play with a new toy!!
Speaking of playing ... you may note that I have been playing a bit more with the blog. I learned how to use Google Maps to make a map that pinpoints where we stopped on our various trips and how to attach that to the Blog (all thanks to fellow Rvers Jim and Chris Guld at Geeksontour.com). I have attached a couple of examples. Let me know which type you like better! If you don't like either - keep that to yourself! You need to enlarge the maps by clicking on the "View Larger Map" words below the map to see the whole picture. You can also get a bit more info by clicking on the icons that show where we stayed during the trip(s).
Now I have to figure out how to feed myself with Peggy gone ...
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Mikee's First Edition Cajun Style Gumbo - Made in Maine
2009 has started off kinda strange for me. I had a thought the other day (NO! that's not the strange part!!) that I really wanted some cajun gumbo. Those of you who know me well - know that I don't cook. I might make myself a bowl of cold milk and mini-wheats for breakfast but that is about it. But I really like cajun style food and the thought of some gooood gumbo just wouldn't go away. So whataya gonna do if you crave gumbo and you live in Maine? - why you go to the store and buy a bunch of stuff and throw it all together and then eat it - I think they call it - cooking!
When I told Peggy I was thinking of making some gumbo she immediately took advantage of the situation and challenged me. Off to the internet I went to find some instructions for making gumbo - I think they call it a "recipe." I found a couple of recipes that both sounded pretty good so I decided that I would use some of one and a little of the other. Then I had to make a list of stuff I needed - cooks call this stuff "ingredients." But they make up some pretty strange names for this stuff like parsley, thyme, okra, and roux. After making my list we headed to the grocery store where I gathered all the ingredients I needed. I think it must be hard to find okra in Maine in the dead of winter because that stuff is more expensive than heating oil! Oh well - when you want some gumbo - ya gotta pay the price I guess. While we at the store I also bought some wine. I remember watching a cooking show where Justin Wilson - the Cajun Cook would make his gumbo (or whatever else he was making) and was always adding some wine (and drinking some as well) - so I figured if I was going to be a serious cook - I needed some serious wine.
Yesterday was gumbo making day so I engaged the services of my trusty cooking assistant - Miss Peggy and went to it. I learned that the secret to a great gumbo is the roux. Roux is a fancy french name for fat mixed with some flour. But of course it's not that easy mon ami. You must carefully heat the fat (canola oil in my case) while slowly mixing in the flour and constantly stirring or you will burn the roux and then you have to start over. Who ever thought this cooking stuff could be so difficult?!
So after making the roux, sauteing the vegetables (okra, celery, onion, green pepper), adding some water, adding diced tomatoes and then some spices (parsley, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper) - now we had something that was starting to look and smell pretty good. But it wasn't gumbo yet - next we added some sliced and sauteed kielbasa. At this point I decided that the brew needed to simmer for a few hours and then sit overnight in the frig so it could do whatever such mixtures do to mix all those flavors together. I also decided that the wine would have to wait until tomorrow when the final gumbo making steps were taken - so a martini sufficed while I stirred and sniffed.
Today was gumbo eating day! So back on the stove went yesterday's brew with a couple pounds of shrimp added in, made some rice (I found out that rice is pretty easy to make if you follow the directions on the box - I have no clue what I would have done without the box), and heated some french bread. Oh yeah - and opened the wine!!
Two of my favorite girls (Peggy and Stacy) happen to be at the house so I treated them to some of Mikee's First Edition Cajun Style Gumbo - Made in Maine.
I think it turned out pretty good! After adding some Tabasco sauce to taste - I think it rivaled some of the better gumbos I have had in New Orleans - including at Emeril's! - But then I am a bit prejudiced I guess.
When I told Peggy I was thinking of making some gumbo she immediately took advantage of the situation and challenged me. Off to the internet I went to find some instructions for making gumbo - I think they call it a "recipe." I found a couple of recipes that both sounded pretty good so I decided that I would use some of one and a little of the other. Then I had to make a list of stuff I needed - cooks call this stuff "ingredients." But they make up some pretty strange names for this stuff like parsley, thyme, okra, and roux. After making my list we headed to the grocery store where I gathered all the ingredients I needed. I think it must be hard to find okra in Maine in the dead of winter because that stuff is more expensive than heating oil! Oh well - when you want some gumbo - ya gotta pay the price I guess. While we at the store I also bought some wine. I remember watching a cooking show where Justin Wilson - the Cajun Cook would make his gumbo (or whatever else he was making) and was always adding some wine (and drinking some as well) - so I figured if I was going to be a serious cook - I needed some serious wine.
Yesterday was gumbo making day so I engaged the services of my trusty cooking assistant - Miss Peggy and went to it. I learned that the secret to a great gumbo is the roux. Roux is a fancy french name for fat mixed with some flour. But of course it's not that easy mon ami. You must carefully heat the fat (canola oil in my case) while slowly mixing in the flour and constantly stirring or you will burn the roux and then you have to start over. Who ever thought this cooking stuff could be so difficult?!
So after making the roux, sauteing the vegetables (okra, celery, onion, green pepper), adding some water, adding diced tomatoes and then some spices (parsley, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper) - now we had something that was starting to look and smell pretty good. But it wasn't gumbo yet - next we added some sliced and sauteed kielbasa. At this point I decided that the brew needed to simmer for a few hours and then sit overnight in the frig so it could do whatever such mixtures do to mix all those flavors together. I also decided that the wine would have to wait until tomorrow when the final gumbo making steps were taken - so a martini sufficed while I stirred and sniffed.Today was gumbo eating day! So back on the stove went yesterday's brew with a couple pounds of shrimp added in, made some rice (I found out that rice is pretty easy to make if you follow the directions on the box - I have no clue what I would have done without the box), and heated some french bread. Oh yeah - and opened the wine!!
Two of my favorite girls (Peggy and Stacy) happen to be at the house so I treated them to some of Mikee's First Edition Cajun Style Gumbo - Made in Maine. I think it turned out pretty good! After adding some Tabasco sauce to taste - I think it rivaled some of the better gumbos I have had in New Orleans - including at Emeril's! - But then I am a bit prejudiced I guess.
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