Pet Parade & Mallery's Update

3/2/2010


The days are drifting away, as we have been here in Yuma for 3 weeks already. Really haven't done much sight-seeing. Just catching up on odds and ends and just relaxing. The weather has been great, couple of rainy days, but otherwise sunny, highs in the 70's to low 80's and lows in the 50's at night.
Our RV park has an annual Pet Show, which as we found out, is very popular. Residents bring their dogs (one cat entered) to the big dog park and when their name is called they walk their dog around the marked square and the commentator reads a previously submitted description of the pet and his or her personality traits. If your dog does tricks the owner shows them off, or if you dog has an outfit, it shows it off. Fun idea! Spectators vote for best dog in different categories and simple prizes are awarded.
We didn't enter Malley, partially because we didn't understand what the pet show was all about until we walked over and started to watch and partially because Malley has become such a shy dog with people and other dogs, so I doubt she would have been comfortable out in the show square. Too bad, Diane has many outfits she could have worn. Mallery jumped and shaked when the crowd clapped for the contestants.
Line of people and their pets, waiting for their name to be called.
Diane liked the sky shot in this picture.
As you can see there were all shapes and sizes and outfits.
Here is our little girl watching the show from the safety of her stroller. To update Malley's health status; After taking her to the vet 2 weeks ago, we returned to the Vet a few days later to have blood test done for "Valley Fever" a fungal infection that some dogs get in southern AZ and TX. We discussed with the Vet that we couldn't understand why Malley's coughing and chocking symptoms in the middle of the night went away when she took her antibiotic medicine that we were given by the Vet in Quartzite. We felt that if she had Valley Fever, which is a fungal disease, she would not have got better like she did, while on the antibiotics, which is for bacterial infections. We talked to him about our concerns that her symptoms were being caused by her trachea problems. He said the only way to confirm that idea was to have X-rays taken ($150). We decided to go that route before trying the blood test which cost about the same. The X-rays confirmed the collapsed trachea, which her Cedar Rapids vet said she had, but never confirmed with X-rays. Her case is a very severe.The x-ray showed a very narrow opening in a part of the trachea. The vet gave us some medicine and told us to buy some Benedril at Walmart and to experiment with small doses of each together to see if they would help Malley breath better. So far it seems to be working, as she has only had a couple of minor episodes in the past few days. So far Diane has spent $550.00 on her sick little girl. The Dr. was surprised that Malley is doing so well with the severity of her collapsed trachea. He told us she could have a surgery that can help with her situation, but according to Diane's research and what other Vets have told her, the surgery is very expensive and is not real successful. This vet seem to think the surgery can be successful if you get a board certified Vet surgeon.
One dog came over to show off her outfit and to say hi to Malley. Her name was Phoebe and she was very confident and out going. Her parents didn't put her in the contest, and at one point she walk over to the end of the line and sat down. Diane said Phoebe said, "if my mom and dad don't enter me, I will enter myself, and I know I can win". Her dad had to go get her and bring her back to his chair.
This was her brother or sister?
Most people here have a golf cart or rent one and use it for golf and just to run around the park in.
Pottery and crafts rooms
Practice putting greens.

Entry to Cantina, where there is a bar with tables and chairs in a screened in area. A band was playing at cocktail hour and it was very lively in there.
Another view of the large putting area. It is really more of a nine hole golf course for putting. Another nice feature we have discovered is that some fresh organic produce is brought to the office parking lot on Tuesday and Friday mornings. So you can purchase your fresh produce without leaving the RV park. They also have a seafood guy that comes once a week, but kind of expensive.

Cocopah Golf & RV Resort in Yuma, AZ.

2/23/2010

We have been here at Cocopah RV & Golf Resort in Yuma, AZ. now for about 2 weeks. We are in the city that has the most sunny day a year in the USA. The temperatures have ranged from low 70's to low 80's during the day, with a couple of days of wind and sprinkles. Best weather so far this winter for us.

View down our street at Cocopah Resort in Yuma AZ.
Joe and I have gotten back on a walking schedule around the park before breakfast or dinner for 40 to 50 minutes as per Dr's orders to keep healthy.
Between all the streets of the permanent mobile homes runs the golf courses fairways. You need to be careful though, not to be hit by a golf ball. One day, Joe and I heard a loud yell, "FORE". We immediately moved into someones driveway as a ball hit the street.
Pond in front of the office where we pick up our daily mail forward by Joe's mom Kay. Thanks Kay for all the trouble you go through for our mail. We really do appreciate all you do for us.
On our walk, we pass the bar and grill.
Cocopah Cantina
Bar & Grill (you can see golfers on the golf course on the other side of the Bar & Grill)
Swimming pool we have not used yet. One morning on our walk we saw a water aerobic class being held.
Tennis courts. I have seen people playing couples who were older than us.
Fitness Center. Joe walks up and we looked around in it. It is much bigger than it looks. I said to Joe we will have to come up here and use the equipment on rainy days. He said he did not want to come here and work out. I ask why he wanted to look in at it, if he wouldn't want to use it. He said he just likes to see what all is here.
An open model mobile home. We went in one like this one for $79,000. It was not much bigger than our Nest.
Another shot of Office, pond, and water tower.
Birdie at the pond. I have not yet picked up a bird book, so I can't tell you the name of it. We saw some of these last year in the gulf also.
Cocopah water tower.
First time we have ever seen this in a RV park.
Pet wash station.
Paths between the streets of RV sites.
Looking up our street. We are located far up on the left side, but you can't see us because we are shorter than the RVs between us.
We have passed our Nest now and you can see the fields at the end of our street.
Field of romaine lettuce. The far right has been harvested. The left side will be in a few days.
The huge piddle patch. This park is very pet friendly. That is Mallery coming with her ball.
On the second throw she did not want to fetch the ball. There are too many smells here and her ball is now contaminated.
I have to fetch the ball.

On the third throw she pushes the ball around till she finds a spot that smells OK and brings it to me. She has been on antibiotics and feels better.
On the forth throw she brings her ball again,
and then decided to add her smells also. After that she wouldn't play ball anymore.
Shuffle board court.

Another bird on the golf course. There are a ton of these eating away at bugs or something in the grass on the golf course.
Something scared it and off it flew.
On the back side of the park are ponds with lots of ducks,
and more ducks.
Mallery looking pretty with her new barrett I got for her in Quartzsite.
Doggy patch cemetary with plaque of all the doggies who have gone on to heaven while staying at Cocopah RV & Golf Resort.

Not doing much site seeing here, but have been very busy. I have seen a chiropractor 3 times, Mallery has been to a vet again for an annual shot, and Joe has been working on our taxes. Before we started traveling, I use to see my chiropractor once a month for neck pain. I believe, the neck pain is from the 15 years of bending over my patients as a hygienist. It is hard to find someone when you are traveling so much. Tomorrow I have my dental appointment, and Mallery has another vet appointment. She gets another annual vaccination and is having some blood work done. She just finished her second round of antibiotics and her breathing problems are back. The vet wants to check her for valley fever. I guess valley fever is some kind of fungal disease animals and people can get down here, in the far southwest. You get the disease from breathing in fungal spores from the dust in the air. The blood work will cost $150., to see if she has valley fever. She has already cost me $221 in the last month with her breathing problems and a annual shot. In December while I was in AL., Joe had his dental visit and that is when Mallery started her middle of the night breathing problems in Casa Granda. Mallery's problems have progressively gotten worse, except while she has been on antibiotics. In Casa Granda, Joe also had time to get the Honda's body work and air conditioner damage fixed which was damaged in the late summer, from an on coming flying blown truck tire. These monthly stays are great for getting things done that we don't other wise seem to find time for! Joe has also been trying to get a piece of corian counter top replaced on our stove. One day we heard a loud crack sound and realized the corian on the stove top cracked. We found a corian dealer here in Yuma and he found a piece that will match up with our countertops. The first piece he cut too short, so he is cutting us another piece. He told us he has a ton of RVers needing fix-ups on cracked corian. When we first started looking for RVs, anyone who had corian countertop bragged them up. According to this guy, you do not want them in RVs; as one person stated ; RVs are like an earthquake going down the road. Joe and I, also have been pulling everything off or in the Nest to take inside pictures. We have decided after 16 months on the road, that we love this kind of life and realize it is going to take another 3 more years to see the entire US. Because we have decided to be full timers for at least 3 more years, we would like to step up to a deisel motor RV, but we need to sell our Nest first. We plan on putting it online for sale. That is how we found it, and hope we can sell it that way as well. I have checked online for a deisel RV in our price range and have found many we would buy today. If we can't find a buyer we will continue our journey as is. We just feel for resell purposes, this is the right time to sell the Nest, to get the most out of it. Our Nest is at 19,000 miles. Please pray for a buyer to come along who is looking for just what we have; our cozy little Nest. Lastly Joe has been enjoying, Thursday and Sunday night playing Texas Hold Them in the card room with who ever wants to play. The first night Joe played, he came in at 3rd place at his table. Prizes are given out only for 1st and 2nd place. Darn!

On the Road Again to Yuma, AZ.

2/10/10


On the road again! Quartzite was fun, but 30 days in one location gets old for me. Diane on the other hand enjoys staying put so she doesn't feel rushed to run around and see things everyday. She enjoys just staying home and spending time surfing the net and doing projects in the nest. We are headed further south to Yuma, AZ. We will be staying there for 28 days.
The weather turned cloudy and rain started to come down shortly after we left Quartzite. Wouldn't you know it, I just finished washing the Honda yesterday, oh well, such is life on the road without a garage.
Weather started to lighten up as we get further south. One corner caught me off guard and our set of knifes that we forgot to put away for the drive went flying. Thank goodness they flew to the side and not toward the front at us.
Must have rained hard here, see the water alongside the road. Outside of Yuma, fields and field of agriculture.
Looks like a break in the skies ahead. Check out the green tree's along the road. We haven't seen this much solid green in some time. Citrus fields of some sort.
Flat ground and green, reminds us of Iowa. Our GPS tells us the elevation is only 100 ft above sea level as we arrive in Yuma.
Don't know why someone planted this straight line of Palm trees? Dark skies returning. And solid fields of vegetables.
Fields of cabbage?
We heard this was a big produce area that feed lots of the USA.
Coming into Yuma. The streets are wet and muddy from the heavy rains they received last night and today. Dirt from the fields gets washed onto the road in very heavy rains.
We start to leave the city limits following our GPS to our RV park. Must be out in the country somewhere?Irrigation canal we cross over. Neighborhood looks a little iffy.
Road is rough and cracked, no sign of RV park. Field of large fresh produce everywhere.
Another irrigation canal.
Our route along the canal to find our park.
See the people in the distance? Harvesting whatever is growing in this very wet field.
Big puddles in and along this narrow road, hope we are getting close to our destination. At least there is blue sky ahead.
Nothing ahead? Has the GPS got us lost again?
We come over a rise in the road and there it is, way off in the distance, our destination. See the water tower? Sure glad we don't have to find a turn around spot on this very muddy road.
Crossing the last canal. Pretty full.
Getting closer. Bet you wish we would hurry up and get there as much as I do. More green fields on both sides of the road. Still can't decide what is growing out there. Sign on right warns that the road ahead is muddy and people may be working close to the road.
We are here! Passing the check-in booth. Will drive down to the office to register.
Lets see now, where is the office? At least the road in dry and not covered with dirt here.

This is the first official sign.
View of the golf course that is built in and around the RV park. I didn't realize when I made our reservations here, that the golf course was actually part of the park. Many of the fairways run between the roads and the RVs. No its not free to play. Costs $18 dollars for 18 holes and more if you want a cart. Many people bring their own golf carts.
Now I am more impressed as we round the corner and head down this road to the office.
Looks like the pond in front of the office is almost ready to flood over its bank.
Here we are at our site. Small concrete patio, the rest is medium sized gravel. Nice paved roads in the park. Not much in the way of privacy or green landscaping. Just an occasional bush or small tree. But that pretty much is the norm at many RV parks. The front of the Honda is completely cover in mud and so are the sides of the RV. I know what I will be doing tomorrow.