Off to Lake Perris

Today, I am going to Lake Perris a bit south and east of Victorville. I'll stay 3 nights, and Danny and Stella are going to come up on Saturday. I'm hoping the camp site is lovely...pictures don't always give a good presentation online. I'm hoping the people are lovely, and I hope the dogs are leashed. We all walked last night, and a beautiful Husky was loose and on the street. He was so friendly and wanted to play...and get to know Willow...who of course freaked out at first. His mama finally showed up and after a lot of attempts and about 15 minutes, we were able to get Daddy on his leash. He jumped their fence...it's tall! He was a sweetheart and I'm so glad he is back safe at home. Now, about that fence....

My Winegard internet booster is kaput still. Danny climbed to the roof and reset the sim card to no avail. I may not be posting while I'm at the camp, but I've got some options to try. We shall see. 

I got my haircut yesterday...it was just too long and in my face and scraggly looking. The sweet young woman who cut my hair had no fucking idea what she was doing. I had pictures. I had to direct, redirect, and almost just got out of the chair and left. One hour and 45 minutes later, she finished. OMG. It is different lengths on the sides of my head. Her idea of layering was to cut super short layers under the longer hair on top. The face framing I told her was important is a straight cut just under my ear lobes. Well, one side anyway. The other side has a bit of a slant toward my chin. WTF. Thank goodness I am practiced enough to fix a few of the uneven bits. Lanae, (my amazing stylist in Phoenix) I wish you were here! I know you are likely reading this...I'll send you a photo. Just laugh girl. It will grow fast. 

Well, time to make Minnie travel worthy for the drive to Lake Perris. I hope I find some cool hikes and photo opportunities! 

Be well. Peace, Watson

What's on your mind?

 Just spending a Sunday night sitting in my RV in D&S's driveway, windows open, ambient lights on, Ray La Montaigne station on Pandora playing in the background. Wine on the table, dog under the table, feet up on the buffet lounge, typing. I replied to a text from Roz, crazy lovely woman whom I adored working with, and I said, "life is simple and kind." I am so blessed to live as I do, and I will always give thanks for that. 

RV living has great advantages. I mean, beside the obvious of no rent, no mortgage, no utilities, no HOA Karen with her abacus, there are other things. No one really pays attention to RVers. I shower every 3 days and my clothes are clean unless I smell pee. (Thanks Grandma Edna and Aunt Mary for that one.) It's like, expected! I imagine conversations as my new neighbors consider my situation.  "Well, she lives in an RV...she looks like she showers every 3 days and ensures her clothes don't smell like pee. Thank you Jesus. She's okay."  And we live and let live in this Victorville, CA neighborhood and in the California State Parks. I think California State Parks made money on me when I ran into a light post in a camp at the Avenue of the Giants in 2014. What was that cost? $500? I have become a bit of a McGyver...I could have pushed that lamp post back into place, shored it up, replaced the light bulb, and wahla, $25 bucks and a little sweat equity later...fixed! 

So, there are more motorheads in Victorville than my hometown in the 70s. That's saying a lot. When gas was what, $.50 a gallon, having a big bad motor with cams and shams and a girl in a tube top, motor heading was cool and affordable. Cigarettes were $.40 a pack and a 6 pack of PBR was $1.50...I think...I just asked others to buy it until 1976. I was a wild child back then. I think I'm a wild child in my 60s. I guess the young mold don't change. Plaster of Paris is what my spirit is made of. Never really changing. I'm glad. I like my mold. Kind and simple. A bit wild inside. My girlfriend Nellie, I've known since I was 15. She lives up on a high plateau above Cottonwood AZ. Her spirit and mine have always collided. Her animal spirit is a Raven. And that she is. A shaman trained in the native ways. She is like home to me. I learned from her, during a sage filled ceremony, that my animal spirit is the horse. Strong. Fits my life path. I've never been able to be weak. And I am so glad.  That strength brought me to this moment. We got nicely stoned after the ceremony, while we sat on the porch of a cabin in Pine AZ, and laughed like we were 15 again. Thank you Nell Bell. I love you girl. 

Give me a moment, the wine tastes good tonight, I'll write a poem. Ha! I'll leave you in peace. Much love, Watson

Silverwood Lake Recreation Area

 We stayed at Silverwood Lake Recreation area Tuesday and Wednesday. It was a gorgeous park, one of the California state parks. Not many campers but enough to feel safe. My neighbors were Bree and Matt and their dog Luna. They are accountants, from South Carolina, with their own firm and have been working from their RV for a year slowly traveling through the southern part of the country and are now going up the coast in California. They have a travel blog: NoPlaceLikeGone.com. They left Thursday morning for Lancaster, CA for the Poppy Festival. Unfortunately, Willow did not want to get too close, so we didn't get a chance to just sit and talk, but we at least got to know a bit about each other and exchange blogs. 

Tuesday was cool, so we didn't get to take a long hike. Wednesday was beautiful, and we hiked down to the lake and then up into the foothills overlooking the lake. Beautiful setting. 

We hiked back to camp on a different trail, and we came across the sign for the Pacific Crest Trail. We were on the trail! One of my many trail goals! We weren't on it for long, but I was elated. 

 

As we continued back toward camp, I wanted to find a trail versus the road, and as we wandered the bike path,  a park ranger turned onto the path in his truck. I asked him if there was a trail back to the camp, and he said, "Yes, I'll show you. There's a branch reported to be blocking the path, so follow me, and I'll clear it for you." There was something about this ranger, Jason, that Willow trusted right away. She followed behind him like she had a new owner. Well, the branch wasn't a problem, but the mud was a bit much, so he hiked the rest of the way to the camp with us. I sat down to rest when we got to the campfire center, and Willow just sat by me calmly while we talked. I told him she has never done this before with anyone, and he said he had three rescue dogs, so maybe she sensed something about him. Anyway, if Jason were 30 years older, I would have invited him to my camp for a cocktail. :) 

The night was cold, so we packed up fairly early in the morning, and headed to Miller Canyon, on the other side of the lake. The West Fork Mojave river runs through the canyon. Except for a man and his dog returning to their car, we were the only ones in the area. It was beautiful. 

We found a trail that ran alongside the upper bank of the river and followed it until it got a bit steep for my liking. Willow was just leading the way like she was born for this. When we got back to the main road, I turned to continue further down. I heard a fairly loud noise down near the river, and Willow whined a bit and turned back up the road. The girl has instincts, so back to Minnie we went. It is bear and bobcat country, and the rare mountain lion. I thought it would have been kinda cool if it was a bear fishing in the river. I would have snapped a photo and rapidly left. I carry bear spray on hikes, so I'm prepared. LOL. Big talk. Who knows how I really would react in that situation? Like a pussy I'm quite sure. 

So we have been back at Danny and Stella's, and the walking just isn't the same. I swear this neighborhood is never quiet. There are barking dogs in most of the yards, people are in and out, garage doors opening and closing, Rings warning that "you are being recorded", music playing, cars driving too fast...it's a lot. I plan on going back to Silverwood Lake next week, choosing a sunny spot...number 105 is on the list...and hiking down to the marina and main beach. Until then, we will hang out with D & S, play some cards, and have a few cocktails...well, I will. Danny will have a couple, and Stella will drink a little of his. I make up for their low intake. :)

Before I sign off, I'd like to ask everyone to send positive and healing thoughts to my closest friend Carol. I call her AZ Carol because I have my good friend Nebraska Carol as well. After some vision and other issues, Carol had an MRI and there is a tumor in her brain. No more info yet...referrals done and waiting for additional tests. This woman has survived, skin cancer, breast cancer, and kidney cancer. She never (okay rarely...we are all entitled!) complains, she is such a kind, happy, sweet soul. She was my labor coach for both my kids, my longtime roommate, and Allex's other mother. She means the world to me and to anyone who knows her. I can't say more, I got tears in my eyes, but I have hope in my heart. This girl will beat this fucking tumor like she always has. 

Peace and love, Watson

 

 Today, I am off to camp at Silverwood Lake Recreation Area. I have been staying inside Danny and Stella's while they are vacationing in Hawaii. It's been a nice change of pace, but I am ready to continue my RV life. 

Willow found comfort with just her mom in the house, and has been spending her days chasing lizards and grasshoppers in the back yard. She also got a bath and teeth cleaning. She is so soft and white now. We'll see how long that lasts. 

Today will be in the 50s and windy at the lake, but tomorrow will be perfect weather for hiking. There is a host at the camp, thank goodness, so I foresee a serene couple days for us...without stray dogs! I sure hope those dogs were found and will be given a good home. 

My internet is still on the fritz in Minnie, so likely I won't be able to post pictures of the lake until I return Thursday. Friday night, I will be driving to LAX, in Danny's Rav4, to pick them up on their return from the islands. I drove home from LAX when they left, so I got this...even though it will be dark...and without Maps I have no idea where I am...and Danny's car is brand new...yeah, a bit of anxiety around all that. 

Be well all. Peace, Watson

Monday, to ensure Willow ate, I fed her breakfast in bed...my bed. It worked. It was time for a change for us, so I booked 2 nights at the Mojave River Forks campground just outside of Hesperia and about 40 minutes from Danny and Stella.  I thought getting her to a place that was just us and nature might bring her some peace. It has worked well! She is eating normally and is overall content. Whew!

Here is our view.

The weather is beautiful. Breezy enough to keep Minnie cool inside. We walked twice yesterday and on the second walk, I saw 2 dogs trotting around the area. Later, as we are sitting outside, those dogs paid us a visit. Willow was scared, and frankly so was I. One is a large Pit Bull, very friendly, and the other a German Shepherd, a bit stand offish. They had no collars and appeared to be looking for someone to love, feed and water them. Willow and I would go inside when they came around and then go back out after they went away. They kept coming back. Grrr. 

We walked again yesterday morning, and sure enough they came to join us and were trying to sniff Willow's parts, if ya know what I mean. She was so scared. I picked her up and walked away, and they didn't follow when I said, "No!" I called the park office...closed. I called animal control and they said they would be out this afternoon or tomorrow. Good lord. But we luckily got away without them seeing us and took a nice long walk. And then they came back. Willow seemed to want to meet the pit bull, so I let them meet. Started out friendly enough, but he had more in mind if ya know what I mean, so I got her away and inside Minnie. 

This park is large and has group and equestrian camps as well. Here's a photo of the valley on the other side of the park. 

As we were driving out to the park, there was a clear river flowing gently, and I was super excited to hike along it. No such luck. This park is on the dry side of the dam. 

Woke up this morning and again, damn dogs and no animal control. I was able to take Willow on a long enough walk to take care of all her business thank goodness. Then I put her inside and proceeded to begin the task of sewer dumping. Fun times. The elbow I bought fit better than the first, but I still had to McGyver the damn thing to stay fully attached. WD40 and a handy wrench did the trick. Without the elbow that fits to the sewer hose and then to the dump hole, there can be quite a mess. Yuck. Luckily all went well and the elbow came off nicely so I could store it appropriately, and put the hose in it's tidy home inside the back bumper. 

The camp was home for six Hispanic men. They didn't speak much English. One lived alone in a huge 5th wheel....he fed the dogs; thus, they hung around. The other 5 lived in a smaller 5th wheel. They would all go to work in the morning and come home late afternoon. Very respectful and quiet guys. The neighbor next to me was a single guy, also who went to work during the day. He seemed to want to spend time with me after I asked him if he knew who owned the dogs. He stood and talked from a distance for awhile, and I said that I may leave a day early because of the dogs. He said "I sure hope you don't leave. Maybe I'll see you tonight." Uh, no. If the camp would not have been so sparsely populated...with only men...I wouldn't have been worried. I let myself get campy looking as the day went on, and luckily he did not try to socialize. LOL. Looking like you need a shower is a good defense. My daughter, Allex, had told me to wear a wedding ring thinking it might keep unwanted advances at bay. I'm definitely buying a cheap band and wearing it when I feel a bit unsafe. 

Back at Danny and Stella's for awhile. I am driving them, in their car, to LAX tomorrow morning where they fly to Hawaii for a week, after which, I will pick them up. Now that will be a new experience for me. I don't fear driving, but LA is a whole nother ball game. Wish me luck!

Peace, Watson

 

I've been a bit distracted with worry about Willow and how difficult this change is for her. She is not eating regularly and even her favorite, mom made food, is not enticing her. She will eat beef hot dogs...the saga continues. 

This is my home for the next few weeks...with the exception of a few trips to parks in the area. The area is high desert, and with the amount of snow in the Big Bear area mountains (San Bernardino Mountains in the Sierra Nevada range), the wind blows cool right now. I'm used to the desert cooling down at night, but here it happens fast. The mornings warm up quickly too. 

We went to Mojave Riverwalk yesterday. The Mojave River source is the San Bernadino Mountains, and it is underground in many places of the desert. It is flowing well right now and it is wide. We went off trail most of the walk where the ground is fairly deep sand. As we walked along the river's edge, my hiking sandaled feet were exfoliated.  Note to self: wear hiking boots near sand and water. Willow loves to walk and I think she could have stayed there all day if there was shade to be found. 

It's time to find a sewer dump, and typically I use Flying J/Pilot Center dumps. My Good Sam RV membership provides decent discounts with Pilot. The Pilot was about 9 miles away, and I circled the parking lot looking for the dump. Nothing. I walked inside and inquired about it's location and was told they did not have a dump. Great. I googled another dump and found one with great reviews about 15 miles the other direction. I do like driving around new places, so not a big deal for me to drive that far. Except when the drive ends in a 40 dollar dump fee. I'm out. So today, I am going to an RV camp that allows use of their dump for 5 bucks. That's more like it. 

Danny and I are weeding the yard today. LOL. I actually like yard work as long as I have a beer at hand. Dump first, beer and weeds later. Have a marvelous Sunday. 

Peace, Watson

 Today started out great. Willow finally ate breakfast, which she hadn't been, and we departed for our morning walk. Neighbors were outside across the street, and I waved and walked up the sidewalk with my wandering mind. Suddenly, my toe slammed into something and I began falling forward like a felled tree. I caught myself on the palms of my hands, and as I looked up, Willow was running up the street like a bat outa hell. "Surely", I thought, "this is just a bad dream and I will wake up safe and snug in my bed soon." Wishful thinking. That kind neighbor, asked if I was okay, got the keys to her car and said, "Get in." We found her, followed her as she ran when I called her name, and finally got her to stop. I got out of the car, and began walking up the sidewalk so she would follow. She did, and soon she caught up to me and I caught her leash. I picked that little girl up and got in the car, and that kind neighbor, Toni, who had 4 Siberian Huskies who often ran away, drove us home. 

I know that I've taken on a lot with a rescue dog who is afraid of every person and every dog, and whose anxiety has increased 10 fold with my decision to live wherever, whenever I choose. But, we have grown closer in the 7 days we've been living in Minnie, and I believe she will find her way through the changes and come to love this life. 

Here's a photo of Minnie in Danny and Stella's driveway. That's all I got for now. Maybe soon I'll post a photo of me and I'll ask you to answer this question...what's different about my hair? 

Peace, Watson

Hmmm...technical difficulties with photo. Will try again tomorrow. 

 I have been in Victorville CA since Sunday. Moving my things into storage, deciding what I need in my RV for the next several months, and the pure fear of change for Willow, created a level of stress I have not had for some time. Willow fought her way out of her collar after the movers emptied the house and she was roaming the neighborhood for an hour before I could convince her to come home. The next day I prepared to move into Minnie, my RV, and clean my lovely rental home. My garage door was open and Minnie was in the drive when I noticed a truck pull up behind Minnie. It looked like a tow truck, and I thought, "Oh crap. The HOA Karens have called a tow truck to take Minnie away." I had broken the golden rule: an RV can only be parked at a house once a month for 72 hours. Minnie had been at my house 3 times that month. Only for a couple hours the prior times, but Karen across the street has Minnie's stays on her abacus at her front door. I ran out of the house to plead with the tow truck driver, and left the kitchen door open. Willow ran out and crossed the street while I talked to the driver of, not a tow truck, but a City of Scottsdale truck with the intent of checking the water meter. For one hour, I did everything I could to entice Willow back into the house to no avail. My lovely landlady, Sue, showed up and said she would watch Willow, who just frolicked across the street like she hadn't a care in the world. Finally, Sue suggested I open the side gate to my back yard, and Willow scampered right in. Whew! Needless to say, the house did not clean, and I dumped everything I needed in my RV on my bed and over the cab. I started to pull out of the driveway feeling like one of the Beverly Hillbillies. Immediately, Willow squeezed her way in front of the drivers seat and laid on my feet. Three attempts later, she was safely secured, and I drove to my brother Dan's in Rio Verde to camp for a couple nights. I immediately asked my sister-in-law, Susan for a shot of tequila, sat down in their beautiful yard with a mountain view for miles, and thus began my true retirement journey. 

That was a lot, and Victorville presented cold winds and more anxiety for Willow; although, she did well on the six hour drive here. Change is not easy for her, and her fear of people and dogs piles more anxiety on her. Slow but sure, she and I will find our way to peace. 

Peace, love, reuse. Watson