At Home in Pahrump, Part IV

Hi again. Our last chapter concluded on Saturday, November 7^th, while we were in our home park in Pahrump, Nevada. Sunday was a stay at home day. Although the rain that we got on Friday was gone, the cold had stayed. I went out and got the Sunday paper in the morning and we spent the rest of the day doing chores and relaxing.

Monday, November 9^th, we left the park around 11:15 and drove to the Mountain Falls Country Club restaurant for lunch with the Lucky Rollers Escapees Chapter, which is the local chapter for the RV park. There were maybe a dozen or so people there and we had a nice lunch. We also met a couple of other couples from the park whom we had not yet become acquainted. After lunch we went into town to pick up mail and do a Walmart run. Once we were done with Walmart we went back to the coach and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in. Tuesday we put a pot roast in the crock pot first thing in the morning. After lunch we went to the nail salon and had our toe nails done. I just get mine cut, Jackie did a full pedi. After the nails we stopped again at the mail store to pick up a package, then stopped at Walmart again. Jackie had to return a blouse she had bought yesterday because it didn't fit. We also had to pick up a small air fryer that we had ordered online from Walmart.

While we were picking up the air fryer in the back area of the store we saw a small refrigerator with a clearance sale sign. It was a 7.4 cubic foot studio apartment type refrigerator that was new but out of the box. It was on sale for $137, which was about half of what similar small fridges were selling for at Home Depot. We were shopping for a small fridge for our shed so we can keep beer, soda and ice outside for when we have people over. Since it was such a good deal, and, according to my measurements, would fit in our car, we bought it. It did fit, after some moving stuff around, but the hatchback wouldn't completely close. It was only about an inch too long, so I just tied the hatch down and we headed home. The fridge was small and light, so Jackie and I got out of the car and in the shed with no problems. We plugged it in and it worked. Yea! I put the interior of the car back together and we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in the coach. We had a nice pot roast for dinner.

Wednesday, November 11^th, Happy Veterans Day. We had a stay at home day today. Our friend Len Forrest came over about 1:00 and we spent a couple of hours in the shed jamming on guitars. We had a good time. After Len left we just relaxed for the rest of the day. Thursday I went out about 6:30 in the morning to the dermatologist's office to have my second MOHS procedure. This is a procedure for removal of skin cancers where the doctor cuts out a sliver of tissue and sends it to a portable lab which has been set up in the office. It takes less than 30 minutes for the lab to determine if the tissue still contains cancer cells. If it does they take another sliver off and this continues until the sample is clear of any cancer cells. A couple of months ago they found two small cancers, one on my ear and one on my neck. They did the ear last month and today they did the neck. Fortunately for me, the piece they took showed no cancer, so they stitched me up and I was done in 45 minutes, albeit with a big hole in my neck. I have to go back in two weeks to get the stitches out, but other than that I am done until next year. After lunch we went to the clubhouse for a couple of meetings. The first was an open house held by several board members just to get input on things going on in the park. The second was a meeting of a committee I joined that reviews and recommends changes to the governing documents of the park. By 3:00 we were done and back in the coach, where we relaxed for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Friday, November 13^th, yes, a Friday the Thirteenth in 2020! The horror! We went out after lunch to run some errands. We drove to the the edge of the desert so Jackie could collect a few rocks to paint, then did a Walmart run. After Walmart we went back to the coach, stopping at KFC to pick up dinner, and then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in the coach. Saturday we went out for a late lunch at the Terrible's Roadhouse Casino and also stopped to get mail. After lunch we went back to the coach and relaxed until about 5:00 when we left to go to the Elks for karaoke. Karaoke lasted until about 9:00 after which we went home, watched a little TV and went to bed. Sunday we had the usual relaxing morning with the Sunday paper. From late morning into early afternoon we did our laundry here at the park. After the clothes were done we put everything away, made the bed, and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Monday, November 16^th, we were up early and on the road about 8:00, heading for Las Vegas so Jackie could go see her eye doctor. Although they have an office here in Pahrump, it is only open on Tuesday and Wednesday. Jackie's doctor has been off for a couple of weeks so their schedule has been upended and they have been changing a lot of appointments. Jackie's second cataract surgery is scheduled for this Thursday and they needed to do some measurements of her eye to determine the size of the lens needed and what adjustments to the laser are necessary to correct her astigmatism in the left eye. The appointment was an hour so, after which we went to a place called The Cracked Egg for brunch. Like the Omelet House, the Cracked Egg had a two for one ad in the Sunday paper and there was one of their places fairly close to the doctor's office. Jackie had an omelet, I had a pastrami sandwich. Both meals were very good. After lunch we headed back over the hump to home, arriving back around 12:30. Other than a run to the mail store, we stayed at home the rest of the day.

Tuesday, November 17^th, we had pretty much a stay at home day. I did go out to pick up some parts to adapt our coach's propane system. In the past we have run low on propane in the coach while parked somewhere we couldn't get propane. I wanted to install a “add on” system where I could use an external propane tank, the 15 or 20 pound size you use for BBQs, instead of the coach's onboard system. I ordered the parts on Amazon and was installing it, but I found after I got everything hooked up, I had a leak in the original hose that led from the coach's tank valve to the coach pressure regulator. The hose is 15 years old and the rubber had gotten very hard. I suspect that in taking it on and off I cracked the hose. I was able to hook up the external tank that I also bought today without any leaks, but our onboard tank is currently not connected. I know where I can get a hose made tomorrow. Late in the afternoon the RV service guy I called came to check on our front air conditioner/heat pump. It worked fine a few days ago, then yesterday it wouldn't run. He got up on the roof and found that the motor that runs the fans was bad. Good news is that the motor can be repaired so we don't need a whole new A/C yet. The bad news is that it is an old unit and parts are hard to find, according to the service guy. He is going to try to find one before we leave, otherwise I will have to wait until we get to Yuma in a couple of weeks. The good news is that the heat is gone, so we don't need the A/C and we can get by without the heat pump now that I have the propane fixed. About 6:00 we left the coach and drove to Terrible's Roadhouse Casino for dinner. Tonight was two for one baby backs. We met Dick and Millie Duffin there and had a very nice meal. After dinner we stayed and gamed for half an hour or so, then headed back to the coach for the rest of the night.

Wednesday, November 18^th, I went out in the morning and ran some errands. I gassed up the car, got some cash from the bank, picked up mail and went to a propane company to get a new hose made for our onboard propane tank. After I got back to the coach I put on the new hose and checked for leaks. Finding none, I declared that project complete. About 2:00 or so we went to the Pahrump office of Jackie's eye doctor for a checkup. It didn't take long we were back home. We spent the rest of the day in and around the coach. Thursday we left the park about 12:30 and headed over the hill to Las Vegas so Jackie could get her left eye cataract surgery. She had a 2:00 appointment, but the doctor was running way behind and she didn't go into surgery until after 3:30. She was done around 5:30, and of course, it was dark by then. We did a quick drive through at In N Out so she could get something to eat, then headed back over the hill, getting home around 6:30. We spent the rest of the night in the coach.

Friday, November 20^th, we left the coach about 11:00 and again headed to Las Vegas. Jackie needed to go to the eye doctor for the next day check up and because of the delay in her surgery we couldn't go to the Pahrump office, which is only open on Wednesday and Thursday. We stopped at a Greek restaurant called the Big Greek for lunch before her appointment. The food was quite good. I had a steak gyro because I don't care for lamb, and it was excellent. After lunch we went to the doctor, finishing up around 3:00. We headed back over the hill, getting home around 4:30. About 5:30 we went over to the clubhouse for bingo. I won part of one shared pot, Jackie didn't win anything. After bingo we watched some TV and went to bed.

Saturday, November 21^st, Jackie went at 10:00 to a meeting of the park's Election Committee, on which she volunteered to serve. I had a meeting at 1:00 of another of the park's committees, a By Law Review Committee. This park is run by volunteers and the Board of Director's has a couple dozen or more different committees made up of residents who assist in operations of the park. After our meetings we went out and ran some errands, going to the mail store and stopping at the Dollar store so Jackie could get some cheap reading glasses. Her “new” eyes work good at distance, but she still needs help with close up. About 5:00 we went to the Elks for karaoke. We had the usual crowd, except that neither of our friends, the Forrests or the Howells, were there. A little before nine we were done and headed home. We watched a little TV and then went to bed.

Sunday, November 22^nd, I got the Sunday paper and we enjoyed a relaxing morning. After lunch we did a Walmart run, returning an air fryer that didn't meet our expectations, and picking up a few items. After shopping we headed back to the park. We stopped and visited with Millie and Dick at their coach for a half hour or so before going back to ours and spending the rest of the day and evening inside. Monday was a stay at home day. Did a few chores, played some games and had a relaxing day. Tuesday I had another committee meeting at 10:00. This one was for the grievance committee. This is the committee that reviews issues that might come up between two residents of the park and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors, who have the final say. After lunch we ran some errands. The little refrigerator that we bought at Walmart a couple weeks ago, and thought we got such a great deal on, quit working! So much for buying cheap. We loaded it into the car again and took it back. Fortunately, Walmart didn't have any issues, just checked the serial number to be sure I was returning the same unit, then refunded our money. We picked up mail and then went back to the coach and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in the coach.

Wednesday, November 25^th, was a stay at home day. I spent some more time taking down decorations and storing equipment for our departure next week. Thursday, Happy Thanksgiving! Today was a cold and windy day. We had another stay at home day, except for a quick run to the local Family Dollar store to get a new bottle of propane. Typical to run low on propane when it is cold and you need the furnaces. Jackie did a great Thanksgiving dinner for just the two of us. We had turkey breast, sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce. Yum! After dinner we cleaned up and spent the rest of the evening with the TV. Friday morning we left about 10:30 and drove to the health center, where our primary physician's office is, to go to the pharmacy there and get our flu shots. We had held off getting them because we didn't want the possibility of any minor side effects, like a fever, to interfere with Jackie's eye surgeries. However, being the Friday after Thanksgiving, the place was closed except for the urgent care, which doesn't do flu shots. We went back to the coach and spent the rest of the day at home. I did some more clean up in the early afternoon and about 3:00 our friend Len came over and we jammed with our guitars for about 90 minutes. After Len left, about 5:30, we had dinner and relaxed with the TV the rest of the night.

Saturday, November 28^th, we had pretty much a stay at home day. About 1:30 we left and drove to Red Sky BBQ for a late lunch. As usual, we had the full rack of baby back ribs, eating half and taking the other half home. After lunch we picked up mail and then went back to the coach for a while. Around 5:00 we left again and went to the Elks for karaoke. It was a little smaller crowd, so we got to do four songs each. Our friends Len and Debbie were there. Tom and Phyllis didn't come because Tom was not feeling well. We were done about 9:00, after which we headed back home and watched a little TV until bedtime.

Sunday, November 29^th, we had pretty much a stay at home day. I did go out and get a newspaper in the morning and we relaxed with the paper. I spent several hours in the afternoon taking down decorations and getting our lot cleaned up for our departure on Wednesday. Everything we are taking is now stored under the coach and we are getting close to being ready to head for Yuma, via a week in the Coachella Valley. Monday we were up early and on the road by 9:30, headed for Las Vegas for Jackie's last eye doctor appointment. She is getting the final checkup and clearance on her left eye after cataract surgery. The doctor told her she is doing well and said see me next year for a follow up. After the eye doctor we stopped and had lunch, breakfast for Jackie. We then stopped so Jackie could get a haircut, then headed back over the hump, arriving back in Pahrump before 3:00. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening relaxing in the coach.

Tuesday, December 1^st, our last full day in Pahrump. We did some chores, checking things on the coach and doing a Walmart run and picking up our mail. Wednesday was a travel day. Today we went about 180 miles from Pahrump to Victorville, California. We stayed in a park we have never been in before, called Shady Oasis. The park is an old KOA that has gone private. Had it not been late in the day we might have just gone in, looked, and left. The park was old, poorly maintained and appeared to be almost all “full time” folks who can't afford to be anywhere else. We did stay because it was just for one night, and everything was fine, but we wouldn't come back again. Normally we stay down the road in Hesperia at the Elks, but with the virus stuff we weren't sure the Elks would be open. Thursday morning we left the park around 10:30 and continued on 120 miles to Indio and the Indian Waters RV Resort. It was a very stressful two and a half hours. Traffic was terrible, with big trucks everywhere, traffic tie ups, accidents and construction. In addition, the Santa Ana winds came up and the last 80 miles I had all I could do to hang onto the coach. By the time we got to Indio my tummy was in knots. We got checked in and set up for our one week stay and just relaxed and chilled out for the rest of the day. At least the weather here is nice, in the low 70's today.

Our arrival here in Indio marks the beginning of our winter travels, a week here in Indio and two or three months in Yuma. It also marks a good place to close out this chapter and get it published. Until next time, ponder the words of author and radio host Bernard Meltzer. “A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.” See ya soon.