HALFWAY BENCH

6/30/20

Dirty Air

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-30-2020
Clic the pic to enlarge


A cloud of dust and a hearty ayyy-yi-yi-yuk as we realized the foreign dust had finally made it to Del Rio Tx. In looking for a good side of the mess, we realized that the dust cloud was keeping the sun from burning the OFM’s bald head.  So we guess it is not all bad.

In the meantime the OFM’s keyboard and mouse we have had since forever had finally caused too much trouble and needed an immediate replacement.

 After some research and consulting with my private computer consultant (son) we hit up Walmart and came home with a cordless mouse and keyboard by Logitech. It cost $19.99 plus tax.  Installation amounted to plugging the transmitter into a port and waiting about ten minutes for the equipment to self set up EVERYTHING.  Wow the new stuff even came with the batteries needed.



Not having the extra 12 feet of cords for the external keyboard and mouse getting in the way makes the Castle seem three feet longer with all the extra space we have now. The new equipment is working fantastically.

We did a little house cleaning and cooking but mostly just let the left foot heal and by tonight the foot swelling is gone and the pain is non-existent.  So the taking it easy on the foot has been the right thing to do.  That means tomorrow we will be clear to run around again trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/29/20

Swollen

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-29-2020
Clic the pic to enlarge


Morning brought an OFM with left foot and ankle swelling from yesterdays foolish walking path effort. So we sat around all day until late evening when a short walk got us this sunset photo.



Tomorrow we plan to do better on the trying to have tooooo much fun. 

6/28/20

Tough Walking

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-28-2020


 The morning walk was on a surface of loose rocks and boulders.  The OFM was trying to add some extra exercise into the effort.  Well let me tell you he added plenty of extra exercise. Lots of tripping hazards and plenty of loose rocks to roll under foot and try to create a sprained ankle.  Thankfully he did not hurt himself but we will not be hitting up that area again.

Since it was Sunday the entire town of Del Rio seemed to be out for fun at the lake access points. We think it is great to see folks out playing at the lake.  So we stayed at the Castle and played it safe after the hazardous walk.

A  neat blog is named the Rolling Steel Tent.  Al roams all over the place and reports in on lots of neat places he camps and tries to have tooooo much fun.

6/27/20

Unusual Event

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-27-2005
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

 The OFM got the teams out for some good walking exercise this morning in spite of a wild unusual natural event.  After Sierra got us safely to Diablo East Parking area in the slight misty rain, the OFM grabbed the camera and his hat and walked over to the overlook area to take this astounding picture.




In the forty years we have been coming here, this is the first time we have seen so much precipitation coming into the area. As it worked out the OFM Walking Team got in a good walk in the light rain. We do not know how far we went but the time frame was almost an hour of good aerobic walking before the rain started to get heavier.  We hopped into Sierra and headed for the Castle.




Now why is the OFM’s hat hanging from the bedroom ceiling.  Since the OFM was wearing the hat in the heavy air for the walk it was damp. So he brought the hat in to dry it out. When he had it in the house he noticed that the head band and crown of the hat were filthy.  So the hat got to take a soapy bath in the tub.  Actually it took three baths to get it clean.  The hat will likely weigh about 6.9427 pounds less the next time the OFM wears it. 

Naturally the hat was soaking wet wet after all that water fun. So what you see is the hat hanging from the bedroom ceiling where the circulation fan can blow on it and help it dry before tomorrow.

Having a fresh clean hat is a great way of helping your head to feel better when you try to have tooooo much fun in the sun.

6/26/20

Whataburger

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-26-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

 The OFM decided to finally give the Whataburger a try today. The dining room is open in a C-19 style.  They opened about a week ago so we gave them time to work out the kinks.

We pulled in and got a great parking spot.  Mask was readied and away we went. We were met at the door by an employee who showed us the hand sanitizer and gave a quick speech of where we could sit and could not sit. Then the meal was ordered.  They have to bring everything to you including your drink and napkins.

One person was apparently assigned to keeping EVERYTHING sanitized at all times. In all they really had everything in control and well staffed. A couple of customers did not wear masks but most of them did. The dining room apparently was at 25% capacity allowed.

The service was great, the burger was just fine and the employees in the kitchen area were all well masked and gloved. It was a much better experience than any of the other places the Teams have visited in the last few weeks.

It made the OFM feel as if it was a safe place to eat and stay healthy.  That means we will be back on occasion as we run around trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/25/20

Washington State Hike

Adventure Location:  Yakima, Washington
Adventure Date: About 6-25-2005 We guess.
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

 The OFM was day dreaming a few weeks ago about some of the great hikes he made in Washington State when he was a young man in his late 50‘s. One particular viewpoint popped into his mind of a resting tree on the top of a barren hill that overlooked the trail ahead somewhere west of Yakima we think. This led to tonight’s painting.

Anyway it was a nice day with decent weather and few bugs. The hike up had been nice and reasonable slope and we topped the high point and looked forward to the down hill trail back to the car.  As you will see in the painting there was still a lot of up and down to go before we finished the adventure. But the lone tree at the top had polished bark on the side where lots of other hikers had rested over the years.




It was another great day of trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/24/20

Gentle Cooking

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-24-2020
  

To poach is to slowly simmer food in liquid until it is cooked. It is a very gentle and gradual way to cook, fitting for delicate foods such as eggs, fish and fruit. 

The OFM has always preferred his cooked foods to be cooked more gently than most other folks. For instance he much prefers BBQ prepared in the indirect heat style. He has for years thought that poaching style cooking is just another name for boiling the food. A couple of months ago he found out the real difference and has found it to be very good for cooking nearly everything he eats. 

The downside to most folks is it takes a few minutes longer to prepare the food.  The upside is the food is not as dry and retains most of the delicate flavors that makes many foods taste special. We have found that poaching and microwaving run a close race for keeping the food flavors in the food.

Today has been a slow day. The high spot of the day was the afternoon snack.  Fresh strawberries and cheap rootbeer made it great snack. YUM YUM.

As you can tell things are slow around the Castle these days, but we still do our best to try to have tooooo much fun.

6/23/20

Nailed It

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-23-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

The refrigerator was checked right after the morning walk and found lacking in supplies the OFM was interested in eating today. We are only 4.1 miles to the Super Walmart in Del Rio so food is always close by.

The OFM thought about it and decided the Teams needed some more fresh fruit and vegetables. So the list was put in his pocket and away Sierra took us on the long drive, six minutes, to the store.

The goofy OFM is like a kid in a candy store with money when he gets into the vegetable section of Walmart. We kept him down to a reasonable amount today.  A fresh yellow squash, a fresh green bell pepper and that was all the vegetables. A few more items that were needed and out the door we went for just under $10.

Then the rest of the day was very peaceful, especially the nice half hour nap right after lunch.  Then we worked on planning some more paintings when the one in progress is finished.

As the day slid on toward evening the OFM’s tummy reminded him he needed to consider what to have for supper. After a big mental battle (for him anyway) he came up with a great plan.  We would cut up some squash, bell pepper, onion and two of the small ham steaks we got today and do a modified poach/stir fry for supper.

Well supper time got close and he got busy. The squash, bell pepper, onion and ham were put into a 2 quart pot. Fresh ground black pepper was added and then a healthy sprinkling of Italian Seasoning was added.  Water was added, about an eighth of an inch, along with a good dollop of olive oil.  

The concept is use a heat setting that barely boils the water so the vegetables get steamed. Then when the water is gone, about a minute of conventional stir fry is done.  That gives us done vegetables with just a hint of crisp. And let me tell you, The OFM absolutely nailed it today. That was some excellent eating FOR SURE.



Good grief that was a good finale to a day of trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/22/20

Goat Shade

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-22-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

The website for the Pecos River boat ramp said it was open for use.  The last time, a few weeks ago, that we were there there was no water at the ramp.  So we needed an adventure and headed to the area to check out what was going on. The short answer is   drought is going on.

It was a nice ride and we made in down into the canyon on the long boat ramp.  Sierra got stopped and the OFM Meandering Team got out and took this picture of the “ramp”.



It looks like someone took a piece of equipment and made a small channel that kayaks could float in to get back to the ramp from the “river”.



Granted this is a major river running area from way upstream. Trips lasting several days are common.

We walked out on the dried mud of the river bottom and got a nice picture looking upstream.  Check out those clouds.



After messing around on the river bottom for a few minutes we headed back to Sierra to go up the ramp and across a couple of parking lots to the point from which we could see the Pecos River joining the Rio Grande River.



This is a picture of the mouth of the Pecos. See the small brown water ditch. That is what is left of the Rio Grande River. All the land on the other side is Mexico.  Notice the goat herd.  The rancher on the other side of the Pecos has had goats ever since forever. Notice the big rock ledge that looks like a chunk broke of some time ago.

We panned the camera to the right (upstream) a short distance to get a picture of the hanging gardens of the Pecos River.  Apparently some fault  in the rock catches enough dirt and water for the desert plants to grow there and thrive.



Check out the goats gathered in the shade of one of the gardens.  These are the smart goats to get out of the blazing sun.

And now the Teams had been in the 100 F air and the hot sun long enough. We hopped into Sierra, kicked on the AC and headed for the Castle 35 miles away. It was a good effort at trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/21/20

Backing Up

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-21-2020
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It was a HOT one today.  The new AC is earning its keep for sure. We think it only hit 101F at the peak today but the Castle stayed decently cool inside. 

After the fresh fruit trip to Walmart we did not feel that the OFM could handle the heat to get out brisk walking. It is nice to be 4.1 miles from a SuperWalmart and still out in the desert.  A bit of Castle cleaning and some reading about how Val Verde County, which includes Del Rio, is backing up on the opening of the area from the flu.  It seems they have recorded a sharp uptick in the reported cases in our area.  So the powers that be reset the restrictions back a few weeks. 

The OFM Teams think this was warranted from all the not masked folks clustered in large groups all over town and at the lake. Keeping the volume of cases down to a manageable volume for the medical facilities is wise in our opinion.

So after lunch the Teams decided to go see how bad the Pecos River was down. some nice pictures were taken. However they will have to wait for culling and editing tomorrow.

While sitting here getting things organized this evening the OFM looked out the window of the Castle and saw a huge odd cloud hanging over the hill near us. We thought it was pretty neat.



Then a couple of minutes later a cloud like another crashed jet trainer plane came up.  We are pretty sure it was just an ordinary cloud because we did not hear any explosion or emergency vehicles out on the road.



Tomorrow is supposed to be another day of over 100 F. so it should be a good one for being inside with the AC when we are trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/20/20

The Motto

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-20-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  


A friend of the OFM took the motto (Don’t wait. Do it now.) under the header title to heart about a year ago. He sold his business and moved to a new town in an area he really likes. The OFM was really happy for this mid-50s friend to get some quality time into his life.

Recently the OFM found out his friend has been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. Here is what the Internet told me.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. This thickened, stiff tissue makes it more difficult for your lungs to work properly. Life expectancy is 3-5 years after diagnosis. 

This puts even more meaning into the motto for the OFM. 

Now everyone grab that motto and go out as soon as you can and try to have tooooo much fun in your life.

6/19/20

454 Boat Ramp Area Walk

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-19-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

It was a cloudy morning with lite sprinkles so the OFM Shopping Team headed to Walmart for fresh vegetables and fruit for the weekend.  The store was not crowded at all and the shopping was nice. $24 later we made it back to the Castle ready for the weekend.

The day turned hot and sunshine with nice skies so we went for a walk at the spur 454 picnic area. Sierra got us parked at a nice spot near the boat ramp and the OFM got the water bottle ready to take a walk along the cliffs. There is no trail exactly.  Fisherfolks have left evidence of passage but you still have to choose your own walking place on the edge. Here is the place we started.





All you do is meander along the edge of the cliffs and the brush line. The brush is not fun to fight the thorns and grass burrs so we stay near the edge. As we made our way along the cliffs there were many opportunities for great pictures. Here is a couple of pictures before the turn around.


               


We had hoped to make a look around and come back at the boat ramp but a steep ugly arroyo got in the way and we had to back track to Sierra. As the OFM stood there he realized that across the road was another loop on the other side of the boat ramp road that went out to a now exposed peninsula that we had never explored.

We crossed the road to a “trail” that led around a hill to the edge of the slope down to the water. At the edge of the slope we took this picture to show the destination.



Then we started down the loose rock slope for the water.  It was a bit of a difficulty picking our way down through the loose rocks but we made it just fine. When we got to the far waters edge this picture up the slope was taken.




As we looked around here and there the OFM noticed a black object swimming toward us in the extremely clear water.  When it got close enough it was identified as a very large catfish. This picture is an enlargement from the original.  The fish was about a hundred feet from us.



With the disappearance of the clouds and the temperature climbing quickly, we chose to retrace our steps up the slope and head for Sierra and the AC.

By the time we returned to Sierra it was up into the high 90‘s F and we were ready to get in out of the HOT sun. But it still made a great adventure for trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/18/20

Beans

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-18-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

Tonight is the night we swap over to the new Blogger system.  So the post is simple and silly.

The OFM has noticed that in the stoup cooking he has realized that he much prefers pinto beans over black beans.  The pinto beans just plain ole taste better to him.

And good food is a great way to have a good day of trying to have tooooo much fun. 

6/17/20

WARNING!!!!

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-17-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

First things first.
RUN FOR YOUR LIVES THE OFM IS BACK IN THE BLOGGING WORLD!

You have been warned.

The OFM woke this morning with no pain for a change. It felt so odd he laid there checking if he was still breathing, heart pumping, eyes working, bladder very full. Yep to all of it so he got up and got busy. 

The most obvious thing he noticed is the hunger.  Migraines knock his hunger down a lot.  Today has been a makeup day. He was eating nearly everything in sight. For some reason Sierra got hacked off when the OFM took a bite of its front bumper for a snack when we were out running around this afternoon.

The early walk was wonderful after missing three days.  The temperature was nice and a good breeze sure helped also.  We hit the Diablo East area to get prickly pear cactus pictures for the computer storage.  The boat ramp is so steep it takes us 20 minutes to go down it and back up. Then we cut across the parking lot and down to the marina parking lot. Then back up to the upper parking lot. Then we took the short loop trail along an arroyo.  In all it was about 2 miles and the OFM legs were tired. especially for climbing the mountain called the boat ramp.

Along the ramp walk was a goofy looking plant that caught our attention. The OFM grabbed  a quick pic of it and we went over to look closer. Here is the distant picture.


The close up picture proved to show it as a much nicer looking plant we think.




We were very successful in getting many pictures for the art archives of prickly pear cactus and their fruit.  According to the Internet both the pads and the fruit are quite good to eat. Be warned that both the pads and the fruit have skin penetrating thorns on them.  Several of the fruits in the area have been having some critter chow down on them. However we found some fresh ones to show our readers.




The new AC is cooling much better than the old saltwater eaten on. It was wonderful while in the miserable throes of the migraine to be able to be comfortably cool. That $$$$ was well spent to replace the fifteen year old unit. 

Having a cool home is a wonderful way of trying to have tooooo much fun in the summer desert. 

6/14/20

Family Fun

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-14-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

We started the day with a gentle awakening for a change. Then a comfortable trip to Walmart for some food things. After that we did very little productive except empty stuff from the cabinets and set it in the clubhouse for others to take if they want it.  It was about five Walmart bags of stuff.  We soon will be attacking other cabinets with the same idea in our head.

In the later afternoon the OFM decided to try our luck at doing some gentle fishing down at the 454 public picnic area.  It was a hot day but he put in about an hour of fishing.  The gold spoon kept getting hit by a fish.  However it must have been just bumping it away since the lure was never grabbed.

Here is a view back toward the boat ramp of the folks really enjoying the day with family activities.



Then on the way out the OFM stopped to grab a picture of more folks in the picnic area.



It was great that there was a lot of folks out today trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/13/20

Nice Morning Walk

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-13-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

A nice gentle morning for a great walk was surrounding us as we climbed into Sierra and headed to 277 North Campground area. After Sierra got us parked we headed down hill for the old abandoned bridges that are under about thirty feet of water at full lake level.

The breeze was nice and cool and the air dry with a beautiful sky over us. It is about a mile one way but easy walking on the old highway road.  The sun was not yet hot so we really enjoyed striding along enjoying the wildlife like deer and rabbits greeting us.

When we got to the end of the walking strip there were two ducks there mucking around in a large puddle. They just ignored the OFM standing above them on the old road.



We turned around to take a picture of where we had come from and it looked like a good length walk from our spot.  The blue arrow marks where Sierra was waiting for us.



We took one more picture of some of the nearby rugged terrain.  It made us glad to be on this old roadbed.



Back at Sierra we thought about going to another trail nearby but the sun was started to get a bit warm and AC in the Castle was calling us.  So it was back to the Castle after a good morning of trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/12/20

Um Um Good

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-12-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

We were at the repair place at 0745 this morning. The Castle was not ready until mid afternoon. Why an hour and 20 minute job took that long is every bodies guess. Any way we are set back up in 98 F heat at 1731 and have very nice COLD air flowing around in the Castle.  That means that tomorrow will be a great day of trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/11/20

Early Rolling

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-11-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

The Castle is ready for a quick getting rolling in the morning.  We have to be at the repair facility about 3 miles away by 0800. Then the OFM and Sierra have to go away until we get THE CALL and come running back to finish paying the bill.  With a little luck we will have the Castle back to lot 36 before noon. The credit card will be a lot heavier.

But it will be nice to not be worried if the A/C will make it another month or not.  The lack of worry makes for a lot better situation for trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/10/20

It Is Time

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-10-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

The Castle is a 2005 model 22H Arctic Fox travel trailer. It has served well and we want to have it around for a long time to make great use of its experience. So when the A/C is wearing out,  it did not take long, like about a half second, for the OFM to conclude that it was time to drop some money and have the A/C replaced.

After 15 years of running for long times at max output we think it is time for the Castle to get a newer unit that has heat exchanger fins that are not corroded half off the unit by the salt air of the coast and a compressor that doesn’t rattle like  baby toy. It is still cooling but the 104F day did not let it shut off for over 12 hours and the Castle is only 149 SF.

The new unit will be installed Friday morning and we will be really happy that a slightly larger cooling capacity unit will be installed. The control system will change from analog to digital which we hope is a significant improvement also.

Having a quieter unit with better cooling should be a good change toward having tooooo much fun when it is HOT outside.

6/9/20

"Cool" Tour

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-9-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

Spur 406 campground here in the Amistad NRA was recently reopened for camping.  We decided to go take a look and see what shape it is in. So Sierra got to get on the road and run a little for a change.  The campground is about 20 miles from where we are camped at Broke Mill.

We found the entrance road just fine and easily rolled down the road between the hills to the entrance to the park.  It looked to be in good shape for camping with the freshly cut weeds and the shelters in good repair. Here is a couple of the camping sites.



The road goes straight through the campground to the boat ramp. The boat ramp is just the old highway going on into the lake.  However with the lake being 46 feet low, you get a tour of what used to be lake bottom for abut a half mile before you get to the lake water.



This is open for paddle craft launching and fishing. We recommend that trailer launching a boat not be attempted. 

We grabbed another picture to the left of the one above just to show the area and the ponding that happens when the lake drops lower.



This campground has the only dispersed free camping in the NRA so we slipped in to check if it was in shape for use.  Yet it was ready for some totally lonesome camping experiences.

As we headed back home, we paid attention to the vault toilets and they were ready for campers.  The trip back to the Castle was a nice ride through the dry HOT countryside. However the tour in the air conditioned Sierra was a nice way of getting out of the Castle and trying to have some “cool” tooooo much fun.

6/8/20

Too Hot

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-8-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

The day was plain until we got to the Diablo East Boat Ramp Parking Lot for a long walk.  After Sierra got us set up in a great parking spot, things started getting better at every new turn of events.

The OFM got his walking hat, water bottle and the camera and we were off to the walk. He decided to do the steep long ramp first this morning. It turned out to be a wise choice.  As he turned to head to the ramp a new friend was coming across the parking lot to greet us.  The OFM gave out a nice Howdy like a good Texan should. the new friend paused and waved a leg.  We visited a few minutes and got a nice picture of the new friend.



We think it was a female and a very large female at that. But she had things to do and had to hurry on along. So we said our good-bye and headed on out for a nice walk.

The walk down to the ramp is tough on the legs due to the steep incline and the OFM legs were not happy with the chore.  They made the Teams stop and rest at the resting shelter about half way down.  This was not usual. Then we made it to the bottom and saw a couple of fish swimming right along the ramp. The OFM could not identify them but they were fast swimmers.

After a little meandering around the ramp area, we started back up the ramp. Boy o Boy the OFM legs were not liking that. And the temperature was already getting pretty warm.  The wind blowing was like a hair dryer set on high.

About half way back up the OFM noticed a ridge trail he had not walked in several years. It would be a less steep trail to enjoy as a break.  Here is the head of the trail that runs along a cliff next to the ramp.



As we got going on the trail, it seemed a lot rougher than 5-8 years ago but we were taking our time and doing ok. This is only about 1/4 mile trail. The OFM was still having a bit of reluctance from his legs but we carried on anyway. The sun got hotter fast. Near the end of our outward walk the OFM got near the edge to take this photo of a boat launching down below us. With the hot sun reflecting off the water it made a neat picture.



We soon headed back to the start of the trail and made it back to the steep ramp to head on up to the top for more walking.  At the top the OFM legs were discussing how much more they could handle. The decision was to do a loop on the moderately level parking lot and then see how things were going. By the time we got that loop done, the OFM was getting too hot in the high temperature hair dryer wind and sun. We went back to Sierra.

As we were putting things in order, the OFM turned on Sierra and the dash temperature gage showed 98 for the outside temperature. Now we knew what the real trouble was ...... heat cramps.  So getting back in Sierra and the AC soon relieved the discomforts and the Team members did a lot better the rest of the day. Just for general info in the afternoon it hit 104F.

The AC in the Castle has been running steady all day without a rest. That is wonderful.  Staying inside in the AC on HOT days is a great way of trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/7/20

Filleting A Cantaloupe

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-7-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

Not a lot of excitement today but we will start with the most exciting part.  The OFM was filleting a cantaloupe at the sink. The cantaloupe was behaving very well but for some reason the OFM stuck the super sharp knife through the cantaloupe and about 3/8“ into the end of a finger.

 We never knew a finger could bleed like that. It seemed like it took about three days to get the bleeding under control. Probably the wet hands and cantaloupe juices helped keep the flow moving right on along.

Anyway the bleeding got stopped within a few days it seemed. Then a bandage was wrapped across the end of the finger and the puncture wound is doing just fine tonight. For a few minutes there the OFM was afraid he might have hurt himself.

With more research on the stay or roll issue it became obvious that the best place for the OFM Teams for the next couple of weeks is right here in Del Rio.  No civil unrest and only 16 total flu cases since it all started in March. No deaths were recorded either. So the OFM signed us up for another month here in Paradise. 

One idea the OFM has in his tiny brain is to take a few day trips to some locations we have not been to in a good while and check out the current situation at them.  That could work out to be a pretty good way of trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/6/20

Homework

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-6-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

It was about 0855 when we got started on the walk from the Castle. It was going along well and uneventful until we topped the rise at the far end of the loop. Then a few feet farther along something looked wrong over in the near desert brush. So the OFM slowed and got very careful. When we found the right clear view it was a big surprise.



Our guess is that a big wind grabbed a folding chair from the area and carried it over the desert and let it go. We were about a half mile out from the campground and there was no crushed brush to look like a human had been involved.

This afternoon the OFM decided to do some homework on his art efforts. A recommendation on one of the many videos he has watched is to pick out something you are not good at but need frequently and practice it.  Well the OFM definitely needs help on leaves.  So he got busy doing leaves. He wore out seven erasers and three pencils but eventually produced these four leaves.



We think this was a serious improvement over the usual  product. We chose a C- for a grade on them.

Then he finished out the afternoon visiting with neighbors until it was time to head back inside. Yep it was a good day of trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/5/20

Customizing Lighting

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-5-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

The first set of LED lighting we installed had dark white light covers that stopped way too much light. So we took them off and have had good luck without them.

However the side glare from them is noticeable and bothersome.  So today the OFM tried his usual trick on the light cover for RV lights.  He took his hole saw and drilled a 2.25 inch diameter hole in the cover right directly under the LED board.

Now the LED could shine brightly down on what needs light, The darker white sides cut the glare back a big bunch for the rest of the trailer. This one worked so well that the other two are now on the modifications list. Some day they will also be modified.

Here is a picture of the light off so the location of the hole shows clearly.



This next picture is  when it is powered up. This shows well how much light comes down to the work area and how little light goes sideways as glare. This light is over the lavatory in the bathroom. It also shows how much light the white plastic stops to the sides.



Having excellent lighting in your living quarters certainly helps in trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/4/20

Another Gentle Day

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-4-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

The OFM woke up still alive so he was excited. 

A little bit of chicken cooking went well. Now we have a few more meals in the freezer.

With all that done and a nap to the drone of the AC, the OFM was ready to go cook himself in the sunshine.  So we headed to the old fishing hole and he waddled around on the rocks chunking lures into the water. The rest of the Team laid back and enjoyed the scenery of the beautiful day.

The Old Fishing Hole


The rest of the day was piddle here piddle there and goof off.  Which made it a comfortable day of trying to have tooooo much fun.

6/3/20

Puff Ball Parade

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-3-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

A really calm day. A resupply for fruit to Walmart was the first chore of the day. We enjoyed the items we brought back quite a bit this evening for supper.  The shrimp were delicious in the salad.



The other somewhat spectacular show today was fancy beautiful clouds moving through for a few hours. It was a great sight to admire during the bright sunshine.



The cloud show went on for a couple of hours as they moved through the area. The moisture deficit air really makes a lot of photos really sparkle with brightness.

The great food and the cloud parade combined to make a nice time of trying to have tooooo much fun. 

6/2/20

More Than A Hundred

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-2-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

The very HOT weather is due in day after tomorrow.  Over 100F type of misery. That means the A/C will be running up the electric bill.  Nothing much happened today. We started a nice walk this morning but it quickly evolved into a gentle inside the campground quick paced stroll.  One hip and both knees were being difficult so the tone of the stroll was gentle but we still got in about a mile and a half total.  

The rest of the day was painting and thinking about our near future traveling. The big decision made this evening is that tomorrow will be a day to cook some chicken in BBQ sauce, acquire some potato salad and use the salad makings we have to construct some great meals for the next couple of days.

Of course some more painting is going to happen. The OFM is really happy to be getting on with a new painting project.  With the HOT weather we doubt a lot of hard outdoor activity will be happening during the afternoon and evening.  So take a hint from the OFM Adventures Blog and kick back and stay in the cool A/C if it is hot where you are.

We have noticed that in the last month most of the folks coming into the campground must not be around full timers very often.  They all seem to be very interested in where your real house is.  When the OFM tells them and points to the Castle, they have trouble comprehending that a person does not have to have a building stuck to some dirt somewhere to be happy person. Long ago we quit trying to explain why we live without a structure some where to maintain and pay expenses for not using it.

In the meantime find a cool comfortable place for trying to have tooooo much fun during the HOT weather.

6/1/20

Easy Money

Adventure Location:  Del Rio, Texas
Adventure Date: 6-1-2020
Click the pic to enlarge it.  

As the OFM was walking by the closed door to the Castle, he winced at the strong beam of hot sunlight streaming inside the Castle.  WOW that needs to be stopped outside and not allowed into the Castle.

We used to have a foam sheet that covered the frosted door window but it is not right close by to grab it.  The OFM went to work looking for the already cut to fit foam and, thanks to the Castle being so small, was able to discover its hiding spot. Then a couple of screws were placed in the holes in the window frame.

Next an old shoe string was tied in such a way as to hold the foam in the window but still allow for removal if desired.  The foam fit right in and the string was just right. The heat drop entering the Castle was immediate and large. Now this is an excellent improvement to keep out a bunch of heat.



And that was about all the excitement for today.

 However we do think saving some money and being more comfortable is a good way of trying to have tooooo much fun.