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April 7, 2020

Stay Home – Grocery Shop Online

Shopping for groceries online is not a new thing but its become almost a necessity during the Covid-19 pandemic. With social distancing mandates we can put in a grocery order online and then pick it up curbside at the store. Online shopping with curbside pick-up is available at several stores in my area: Meijer, Kroger, Busch’s, and Walmart. (Aldi also offers curbside pick up but requires an Instacart subscription.) The fee’s for using these services vary from free to $6.95. I put in several orders at Meijer, Kroger, and Busch’s. Here is what I learned.

Curbside Pick-Up Comparison

Store	Fee	Website	Mobile App
Busch's	$6.95	Buschs.com	None
Kroger	$4.95 (First 3 Free)	Kroger.com	iOS and Android
Meijer	$4.95	Meijer.com	iOS and Android
Walmart	Free	Walmart.com	iOS and Android

Each store allows you to place your order using their website. Some also have a mobile app. My experience placing an order at each store was very different. Busch’s website was not very user friendly. Unlike the Meijer site and the Kroger site, Busch’s does not offer guidance on order quantities. For example, when ordering 8 chicken thighs I had to figure out how many pounds this would be since the number of pounds is the only option for the required entry. This took more time to place the order because I am more of a visual shopper. I know how many of something I need, not necessarily the number of pounds or ounces. This difficulty was glaringly apparent when I reviewed my order and discovered I was about to buy $63 worth of dates! Meijer allows entries by “pack” or “package” with a photo of the item. However, I had to switch departments when shopping for non-grocery items such as tooth paste or antibiotic ointment. I found the Kroger site to be the most user friendly by listing the usual number per package in the item description. I could also search for my non-grocery items with the same search engine. Overall, I found the Meijer and the Kroger sites much easier to shop with confidence that I was going to get what I wanted.

Two of the three stores I shopped also offered a mobile app, Meijer and Kroger. The Meijer app never really worked for me. The first time I tried it it came up as gibberish and code. The two times after, I was unable to find the order I had already started from my computer. The Kroger app worked perfectly and synced my order from computer to phone allowing me to quickly add items to my cart whenever they came to mind.

Once your order is placed you can select curbside pickup. For $6.95 Busch’s allowed me to pick up my order in 24 hours. The wait at Kroger was much longer 5 – 6 days. Although, their pick-up fee is less $4.95 (free for me since Kroger does not change for the first three pick-ups.) I was also able to add or modify my order up to 24 hours before the scheduled pick-up.

A week later I put in my Meijer order which only offered pick-up times two days out. With this smaller window, all of the possible pick-up times were taken. I’ve since discovered that all of the grocery stores have experienced an explosion of online shoppers. While stores are amping up their ability to accommodate the number of curb side pick-ups, shoppers should check the store website often to grab an available pick-up time. I am still working to place an order at Meijer. I expect this online/curbside pick-up trend to continue as the pandemic continues. Those of us hoping to join the trend will have to be patient as grocers scramble to adjust and hire more workers to keep up with this new demand.

Pick-up at Busch’s, like their website was a little unknown. I pulled up to the pick-up site at my scheduled pick-up time and called the number given to me on my confirmation email. The haggard clerk answered and told me that they would bring it out to me “when they get a chance”. About 15 minutes later a nice young man brought my order out and left me with the cart. The Kroger pick-up also took about 15 mins. I arrived at the pick-up site in the parking lot where the sign instructed me to call the number on the sign. A clerk answered and reviewed the process that was also included in my email confirmation. She told me to open my truck and sit in my car. An employee would bring me my order and load it into my car. Once the groceries were loaded I would need to close the truck. This happened as planned and I happily closed the truck once the employee left.

I did not receive a full order from either Busch’s or Kroger. The Busch’s order lacked sugar, and dates. The Kroger order was missing chicken thighs, and a cake mix. I was not charged for these missing items. Even with the missing items, my experience left me feeling safer and I hope to continue using this option even after the threat diminishes.

March 11, 2020March 11, 2020

Not Just the Flu

As I wash my hands for the millionth time today I am reminded (as I always am) of a flu season not too long ago. A time when I didn’t know that the flu could be a trigger for an extremely rare disorder called, Guillain-Barré syndrome or GBS. GBS can be triggered by a respiratory infection and/or the stomach flu. Although, GBS cases are only 1 in 100,000 it somehow made its way into my family’s lives changing us forever in a matter of weeks.

When we are sick our bodies respond by producing antibodies which attack the organisms that are making us sick. We begin to feel better as our antibodies conquer and kill off these invading organisms. GBS occurs when our antibodies make a deadly mistake and attack and kill the myelin covering on our nerve cells. This damage to the nerve cell prevents the nerves from transmitting signals to the brain, causing weakness, numbness, paralysis, and even death. The exact cause of Guillain-Barré syndrome isn’t known. The disorder usually appears days or weeks after a respiratory or digestive tract infection but may also be triggered by any of the following (causes and symptoms reported by the Mayo Clinic):

Most commonly, infection with campylobacter, a type of bacteria often found in undercooked poultry
Influenza virus
Cytomegalovirus
Epstein-Barr virus
Zika virus
Hepatitis A, B, C and E
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS
Mycoplasma pneumonia
Surgery
Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Rarely, influenza vaccinations or childhood vaccinations

A couple of years ago my husband Ted, and I contracted a horrible stomach flu which lasted about two weeks. We experienced extremely high fevers with chills, nausea, and diarrhea. The worst flu I’ve had since I was a kid! Just when I thought we were on the mend, my husband started experiencing some other symptoms that he did not share with me. He started loosing muscle function in his feet, particularly his left foot. This impaired his ability to walk and to even take his shoes off. Over a matter of days, he began falling as the paralysis ascended up his legs. AND STILL HE DID NOT TELL ME. He reasoned that his body was fatigued from the flu we were both getting over but in fact he was experiencing the beginning symptoms of GBS. Other signs and symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome are listed below:

Prickling, pins and needles sensations in your fingers, toes, ankles or wrists
Weakness in your legs that spreads to your upper body
Unsteady walking or inability to walk or climb stairs
Difficulty with eye or facial movements, including speaking, chewing or swallowing
Severe pain that may feel achy or cramplike and may be worse at night
Difficulty with bladder control or bowel function
Rapid heart rate
Low or high blood pressure
Difficulty breathing

A little over a week from the onset of symptoms, Ted began experiencing severe pain in his hips. The pain became unbearable at night although we tried ibuprofen, hot baths, ice and heating pads. After the second sleepless night I implored him to see a doctor. 24 hours later he was in the emergency room with a neurologist telling us about Guillain-Barré syndrome. We listened horrified with tears streaming down my face as he told us Ted needed immediate treatment and would probably need to be intubated soon as his neurological tests showed signs of further damage in his upper body which could shut down his ability to breathe.

Although there is no cure for GBS, there are two courses of treatment which can help speed up recovery and therefore reduce the severity of the illness:

Plasma exchange (plasmapheresis). Blood is removed from the patient and separated into cells and plasma. The blood cells are then put back into the body without the plasma in the hopes that the plasma is carrying the antibodies that are attacking the nerves. This triggers the body to produce more plasma to make up for what was removed.
Immunoglobulin therapy. High does of immunoglobulin is given intravenously to the patient. The immunoglobulin contains healthy antibodies from blood donors which compete with the damaging antibodies. At high doses, the healthy antibodies can block the damaging antibodies access to the nerve cells.

Ted received five treatments (once a day) of intravenous immunoglobulin to block the paralyzing effects of his own antibodies. These treatments arrested the progression of the paralysis but unfortunately did not reverse the damage that was already done to his nervous system. Nerve damage repair became a major part of his recovery.

Recovery begins about four weeks after the onset of symptoms and can last six to 12 months, though for some people it could take as long as three years. About 80 percent of adults recovering from Guillain-Barré syndrome can walk independently six months after diagnosis with about 60 percent fully recovering motor strength one year after diagnosis. About 5 to 10 percent have a very delayed and incomplete recovery. Later this year, we will cross the three year mark for Ted’s recovery. The neurologist has told us that after that point we should not expect any further repair to his nerves.

Although Ted’s recovery has been on the longer side, it is typical of others suffering from this syndrome. His recovery includes medication to deal with severe nerve pain, physical therapy to help cope with fatigue, regain strength and proper movement and psychotherapy to help deal with depression and adjustment to his new life.

Thankfully, his fatigue has lessened, his walking has improved, he’s able to perform daily tasks, and has regained some of the feeling in his legs and feet. But, it only takes a cough or stomach cramp from him to send me into panic mode. Statistically there is only a 3 percent chance of relapse but I am determined not to miss the signs again.

So, while we are all religiously washing our hands, please note that for some the flu might be the least of your worries. But, the first course of action is to avoid the flu by washing your hands! I hope our experience will help you to identify GBS symptoms in you and your loved ones.

March 6, 2020March 23, 2020

Finding My Funny Lady

We could all use a little laughter right now, am I right? Isn’t laughter supposed to be the best medicine? If I were a doctor, I would prescribe everyone a healthy dose of laughter everyday. If I could, I would go door-to-door and deliver the prescription myself because I LOVE to make people laugh.

I was born with an uncontrollable need to make people laugh. As a child nothing was more satisfying than getting my mom and sister to laugh. Even better if they peed their pants. When I was about eight I grabbed an electric fence just so my cousin could “see my skeleton”. (By the way, the skeleton thing turned out to be a huge myth–so STEP AWAY FROM THE ELECTRICAL FENCE!)

I grew from class clown to “that friend” until I finally decided to take a stab at stand-up comedy. Not knowing where to begin, I decided to take a class entitled “Stand-Up 101” (no joke). This class, through the Laugh Index Theatre, (LIT) in Washington D.C., promised to help me (and six other students) create and perform a five minute set over the course of five weeks.

At the first couple of classes we, the stand-up 101 students, were given writing prompts and simply told to write several paragraphs on each prompt. Below are some examples of comedy writing prompts:

I really hate…
I am in love with…
I am most annoyed by…
I am so proud that…
What really terrifies me is…
I’m embarrassed by…
I’m obsessed with…

The trick here is to NOT overthink this. Just write! Let whatever your thinking flow out onto the page. We then shared our writing with the class and discussed what we liked about each person’s responses and what, if anything, was funny about our writing. This helped us figure out the core idea that made the story funny.

Next, came the hard part. The next couple of classes we worked on whittling down our stories to the core ideas. Figuring out how much set up each story needed while being as concise as possible. This is really hard but, it forces you to choose your words wisely. Before I knew it, I had turned my stories into my own unique jokes! Now all that was left to do was to string the jokes together into some sort of cohesive flow for a five minute set. Sounds easy? Its NOT!

We tried to get our literal “act together” by the last class so we could perform in front of each other before our big performance at the actual comedy club in Adams Morgan in front of a real audience. The practice session didn’t go so well. I don’t think any of us were happy with our practice sets. I was forced to spend the next several days writing and rewriting and then practice, practice, practice in front of mirrors, my husband, my phone, my husband, my kids, oh and my husband.

Performance night was unreal!! I was sooooo nervous. It was very hard to watch the other acts as I sat there waiting my turn. As I walked up to the microphone I told myself, “just go for it”! Thankfully, the bright lights were in my eyes and I couldn’t see the crowd. I really don’t remember what I said, but I do remember the feeling— exhilarating!

Afterwards my husband exclaimed, “Wow! You were funny!” Like he had never seen my set before, (except for the million times I had practiced it in front of him)! For a fleeting moment I thought he meant that he didn’t have the heart to tell me that he thought I was going to bomb and I almost screamed, “OMG, AND YOU LET ME GO OUT THERE ANYWAY??” But, I was riding too high off of my five minutes of fame to care. (Turns out, my jokes lost their “funny” around the tenth practice session but bright lights, a live audience, and a big dose of fear and panic helped with the delivery.)

You can view my short career as a stand up comic on LIT’s YouTube at: https://youtu.be/Ya6e7QWLNv4. Will I do it again? All I can tell you is the process is sooo hard but also sooo rewarding. I highly recommend trying it at least once! And what a perfect time to work on a comedy set during these trying times when we need laughter the most! If you decide to tickle your funny bone and write a joke a two, please post to social media and tag me. I would love to see it.

February 24, 2020February 25, 2020

Creating a Stairway Gallery

If you’re like me you’ve accumulated quite a few photos over the years. I love the look of a photo gallery and thought this would be a great way to showcase my favorite photos. Even better, I thought, would be to create my gallery on the stairway wall. This turned out to be quite a challenge, but I absolutely LOVE the final result.

Step 1: The first thing that I did (after perusing Pinterest for ideas) was to determine where to place the bottom, and the top of the gallery wall. A little bit of online research determined that the photos should start at 19 inches from the floor (or stair in this case) so I measured 19 inches from each stair and dropped a line of painters tape.

Step 2: I decided I wanted the photos to frame a wall hanging I purchased at HomeGoods so I place the wall hanging in the center. The wall hanging’s diameter determined the top of the photo gallery. I measured from the top of the wall hanging to the stair below it and repeated this measurement (47 inches) at the top stair and at the bottom stair. I dropped another line of painter’s tape using these reference points. This created two parallel lines with the same slope as the stairway.

Wall Hanging Centered and Top Line Set at 47″ from Molding

Step 3: Using painter’s tape and the slope of the stairs, I recreated this space on the floor so I could lay out the framed photos I had selected. The slope of the stairs was determined using good ole rise and run. The rise being the height of each stair (for my stairs this measured as 7 5/8″). The run is the depth of each stair. My stairs are 11″ deep. I placed a vertical piece of painter’s tape on the floor for reference . Next I measure 11″ perpendicular from vertical then 7 5/8″ down and parallel to the vertical tape reference measurements. I marked this spot with a small piece of tape and repeated until I had got to the other side or end of the stairway template. Repeating these over and down measurements created a sloped line along the floor representing the bottom line of my gallery. The top line was created by making several marks along the length of the bottom line at 47″ (the diameter of the the wall hanging.

Bottom Line of Template Created Using Rise and Run From Vertical tape. A Template of the Wall Hanging Created in the Center Using Painter’s Tape.

I tried to use a good mix of different size photo frames (4×6, 5×7, 8×10, and a few odd shaped frames). I arranged the photo frames in the template and moved them around until I was happy with the result. Once I had the layout, I took pictures to remember where each photo belonged. Most importantly, I kept track of how many photos I used of each daughter to keep it even!

Step 4: Lastly, I hung the photos (okay, my husband hung the photos). I considered using paper templates of each photo to hang and replace with the real frame but it seemed to me this would take an eternity. Instead, I decided to live dangerously and use a tool called “The Picture Hanging Tool”. This sells on Amazon for $12.99 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083TLSGNH/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_glWtEbDEYH390). This tool saved me hours as it allows you to figure out where you want to hang the picture and mark the wall before picking up the hammer. Using the layout photo and hanging tool, I carefully transferred each photo & frame to the wall.

I absolutely LOVE my staircase gallery and plan to update photos and frames as the years go by.

November 26, 2019February 20, 2020

Instant Pot Freezer Meal Prep

I feel so late to the Instant Pot party! I’m sorry but when I heard my co-workers raving about a pressure cooker I was NOT excited. I mean, my mom used a pressure cooker, therefore it WAS not cool. But, then I discovered on my best friend, Pinterest, some Instant Pot freezer meals and I am completely converted.

Instant Pot freezer recipes are perfect for RV trips

For the most part you just put all of the ingredients into a freezer bag or container, freeze, and take out when you are ready to eat. Some recipes are finished in as little as 40 minutes–that’s straight out of the freezer! The recipes I found are from Pinch of Yum at: https://pinchofyum.com/freezer-meals. These meals are delicious and I will definitely be looking for more instant pot recipes.

Fourteen freezer meals fit perfectly into my RV freezer

Even better, I’ve discovered that most any recipe can be converted into a freezer prep. The cook times should remain the same regardless or whether or not the meal is fresh, thawed, or frozen. Just remember that the Instant Pot will take much longer to come to pressure for the frozen meal than it will for the fresh/thawed version. So while it will only take say 15 minutes to cook, it might take the frozen version 20 minutes to come to pressure, while the fresh/thawed version only takes 5 minutes to come to pressure.

November 21, 2019

RV Packing List

Below is the packing list we use to prepare for RV trips. Since our trips take us to warm and cool climates, we pack for both. Most of our meals are Instant Pot freezer meals which I prep ahead of time.

RV Items:

National park pass (Obtain at first park visit)
Surge protector
Electrical adapters
Toilet chemicals
Sewer kit- sewer hose ramp
RV-friendly toilet paper
Water pressure regulator
Drinking water hose
Leveling blocks
Tire pressure gauge
Extension chords
Wheel chocks
Shovel
Electrical and duct tape
Extra cotter pins
Extra motor oil
Extra transmission fluid
Flashlight
Scissors
Battery jumper cables
Emergency road kit
Fire extinguisher
Fuses
Saw or hatchet
Yoga mat
Free weights
Towels
Sheets and blankets
Pillows
Cooler

Kitchen and Cooking Supplies:

Water bottles
Cutting board (Our sink lid converts into a cutting board.)
Utensils
cutting knives
Can opener
Instant pot
Kitchen scissors
Tongs and skewers
Dish soap
Laundry soap/softener
Camping griddle and pie iron
Bowls, plates and cups
Coffee pot
Coffee
Toaster
Paper towels
Garbage bags
Plastic wrap
Re-usable Zip close bags
Potholders
Dish towels
Pots & pans
Disinfecting wipes
Matches and lighter
Food storage container(s)

Food Staples:

Batter mixes
Butter or margarine
Cereal/Oatmeal
Condiments, including mayo, ketchup, mustard, relish, etc.
Eggs
S’more ingredients
Freeze dried meals
Salt, pepper, herbs and spices
Bread
Baking items, including flour, cornstarch, sugar, etc.
Canned foods
Peanut butter and jelly
Snacks, including crackers, chips, pretzels, etc.
Cooking spray or oil
Soups

Clothing Items:

Hat (sun & cold weather)
Rain gear
Shoes, including sneakers, hiking boots, sandals, etc.
Bathing suit
Sweatshirts and jackets
Socks
Underwear
Pants and shorts
Short and long sleeve t-shirts
Clothes hangers

Personal Items and Toiletries:

Phone chargers
Laptop/iPad
Cash and credit cards
Reservation confirmations
First-aid kit
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Batteries
Watch
Medications and prescriptions
Glasses or contact lenses
Sunglasses
Travel map and campground directory
Sewing kit
Soap
Shampoo and conditioner
Brush and comb
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Floss
Deodorant
Hair ties
Lotion
Makeup
Razor
Shaving gel
Nail clippers

Camping and Fun Gear:

Camping chairs
Hammock & hammock straps
Binoculars
eBooks and magazines
Playing cards
Puzzles
Headphones
Notepad or journal

November 20, 2019February 28, 2020

Grand Circle Road Trip

“Buy an RV and see the world,” was something I said–NEVER. This was always my husband Ted’s dream. Over the years my response to his discussions about our impending adventures ranged from mild eye rolling to a simple smile and nod. But, after a significant health scare which prompted my husbands early retirement, I decided to quit my job, suck it up, and embrace the open road. Ted purchased an RV and I did what I do best, I planned a trip.

Ted and I Ready to Start Our Excellent Adventure

For our very first road trip we decided to take on “The Grand Circle”. The Grand Circle is an area in the Southwest containing the largest concentration of national parks and monuments in the United States. Mesa Verde, Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Arches National Park are just a few of the parks you will find in this space which covers over 500 miles in parts of five states– Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Nevada. The Grand Circle takes two to four weeks to discover only some of it’s hidden jems. Many travelers use Las Vegas, Nevada as the start and end for this road trip but other fly in destinations are Salt Lake City, Utah or Phoenix, Arizona.

We spent almost four weeks on the circle visiting ten parks: Grand Canyon-North Rim, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, Arches National Park, Canyonlands, Horseshoe Canyon, Mesa Verde, Lake Powell and Grand Canyon-South Rim. Below is an overview of our trip as well as a few travelers tips. We traveled in a 24 foot motor coach and towed our Jeep Rubicon to make day trips from camp and do some 4×4 drives. Details on packing, food prep and itineraries for day trips may be (or will be) found in my posts.

Day 1 – 6 (151.9 Total Miles)

NOTE – I did not include the additional 2,000 miles we traveled to get to Jacob Lake from Michigan which included a stop in St. Louis to visit friends and another stop in Denver, Colorado to visit our daughter 😍

Make camp at Kaibab Camper Village, Forest Service Rd 461, Fredonia, AZ 86022
Grand Canyon-North Rim Day Trip (42.4 miles from camp) – Hiking and 4×4 Drive
Zion Canyon Day Trip (2 Days) (67.1 miles from camp) – Hiking

Tips for The North Rim & Zion:

The North Rim of the Grand Caynon is filled with stunning views, great hiking and even a 4X4 road adventure–actually, that is true of all of the national parks! If you’d like to dine at the North Rim Lodge, you’ll need a reservation. See my post on the North Rim for a complete itinerary.

The day trip to Zion is 67.1 miles making for a long drive after hiking all day. A better plan would be to break camp after the north rim and make camp closer to Zion or in St. George where you could spend another day exploring.

An even better plan would be to obtain a permit from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to Coyote Buttes North adding a day or two before heading to Zion to explore “The Wave”. Unfortunately, this is a highly competitive process since a very limited number of hikers (20) are allowed access each day. More information about hiking the wave may be found here. The permit lottery is held online (months in advance) or in person 24 hours in advance. I tried my luck at the in person lottery with no joy.

Zion is a very busy park, even in October when we visited. Be prepared to hunt for parking. Self driving is NOT permitted during the busy times of the year and visitors must wait in line to board the shuttle system that stops throughout the park. The most popular hikes at Zion are “The Narrows” and “Angles Landing”. If your planning to hike the Narrows at Zion, you’re going to need waterproof gear. The water temperature was around 50^o F when we did it. You can rent gear at one of the shops within walking distance just outside the south entrance gate in Springdale. (This is also where you can find additional parking.)

Day 7 – 9 (117 Total Miles)

Make camp at Ruby’s RV Park & Campground, 300 So. Main Hwy 63, Bryce Canyon, Utah 84764 (113 miles from last site)
Bryce Canyon, 2 Days (1 mile from camp) – Hiking

Tips for Bryce Canyon

There are some great hikes a Bryce but watching the sunrise is a must do. It really doesn’t matter where you watch the sunrise: Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, anyplace in between. Although the sun is rising in the East, make sure to look left and check out the rock formations in the west. As the sun casts its morning glow, a glorious spectrum of colors are released from the rock. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Bryce NPS Site

Day 10- 11 (117 Total Miles)

Make camp at Sand Creek RV Park in Torrey, UT (106 miles from last site)
Anasazi Indian Village Museum, en route
Capital Reef National Park Day Trip (5.5 miles from camp) – Hiking, Apple Picking

Tips for Capital Reef

The heart of Capital Reef is the historic settlement left by Morman pioneers who planted orchards of fruit trees. Be sure to see what is in season and go picking. We picked apples during our visit and honestly, I’ve never had an apple so good.

Capital Reep NPS Site

Day 11 – 14 (423.4 Total Miles)

Make Camp at Moab Rim RV Campark 1900 US-191, Moab, UT 84532 (160 miles from last site)
Arches National Park Day Trip (8.1 miles from camp) – Hiking
Canyonlands National Park – Island in the Sky Day Trip (43.1 miles from camp) – Hiking, 4X4 Drive
Canyonlands National Park – Needles Day Trip (80.5 miles from camp) – 4×4 Drive

Tips for Canyonlands

Canyonlands is really four separate areas (Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and The Rivers) that may not be accessible from one area of the park to the next. Check out the park website and map before you leave for logistics.

Day 15 – 17 (234.4 Total Miles)

Make camp at Mesa Verde RV Resort, 35303 US-160, Mancos, CO 81328 (122 miles from last site)
Mesa Verde National Park Day Trip (21.6 miles from camp) – Hiking, Ranger led hike to Cliff Dwellings
Durango & Silverton Railroad Excursion (34.6 miles from camp)

Tips for Mesa Verde

Mesa Verde is home to the famous cliff dwellings. Self driving tours are allowed and cliff dwellings can be viewed from various viewpoints. However, the park also offers Ranger guided tours which allows you to climb into the dwellings. These tours are limited and are not open during parts of the year. Be sure to check the park schedule when planning a trip to Mesa Verde National Park.

Mesa Verde NPS Site

Day 18 – 21 (271.6 Total Miles)

Make camp at Page Lake Powell Campground, 849 Coppermine Rd, Page, AZ 86040 (225 miles from last site)
Lake Powell Boat Tour to Rainbow Bridge National Monument (7.8 miles from camp)
Antelope Canyon Day Trip (5.1 miles from camp) – Hike into/through slot canyon
Glen Canyon Dam Tour (4.4 miles)
Horseshoe Bend Day Trip (6 miles from camp) – Hike

Tips for Lake Powell & Antelope Canyon

Tours are available at the upper and lower canyon through several companies individually owned by members of the Navajo Nation. It really doesn’t matter which one you choose, or what time you go. Antelope Canyon is breathtaking and you will not be disappointed!

Day 22 – 23 (273.2 Total Miles)

Make camp at Grand Canyon Railway RV Park, 601 W Franklin Ave, Williams, AZ 86046 (163 miles from last site)
Four Corners’ Monument (En route)
South Rim Grand Canyon Day Trip (55.1 miles) – Hiking, Scenic Drive on Shuttle

Day 24 – 28 (60.6 Total Miles)

Make camp at Rancho Sedona RV Park, 135 Bear Wallow Ln, Sedona, AZ 86336 (60.6 miles from last site)
Three days of mix and match Sedona site seeing, hiking, and 4X4 drives (walking distance from camp)

Tips for Sedona

Sedona is filled with awesome hiking and 4×4 drives. Stop by the ranger station on your way in to get suggestions and maps. Click here for online versions of the hiking map and a 4×4 drive map.

November 16, 2019September 21, 2020

Keep it Spicy (with Ghost Peppers)

Two summers ago I discovered Ghost Pepper Margaritas–Delicious! I learned the recipe for these beauties contains Ghost Pepper Jam. I also discovered that ghost peppers and its resulting jam are hard to find! I decided to grow them in my garden and make my own jam. Below is the recipe for Ghost Pepper Margaritas as well as my recipe for a variation of Ghost Pepper Jam using raspberries. This jam is delicious on brie, croissants, toast, ribs, chicken–in fact I’m still finding uses for it! Enjoy!!

Ghost Pepper Margaritas

Ingredients

1.5 oz Tequila
1.5 oz ghost pepper jam
0.75 oz orange liqueur
2 oz fresh lemon juice
1 dash (a spoonful) of agave

Directions

Salt the rim of a glass and fill with ice. Fill a shaker with ice. Add all the ingredients and shake. Strain into glass.

Ghost Pepper Raspberry Jam

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 green bell pepper, halved and seeded
5 ghost peppers, stemmed using gloves
6 cups white sugar
2 (12 ounce) packages frozen raspberries
1 box pectin
9 Jelly jars with lids and rings
Canning jar lifter
Canning funnel

Directions

Fill a large stockpot or canner at least half-full with water. Cover and bring to a simmer (180°F). This will be used to pre-heat the jars as well as processing the filled jars.
Check jars, lids, and bands for cracks, scratches, and nicks. Jars with nicks, cracks, uneven rims or sharp edges may prevent sealing or cause jar breakage. The underside of lids should not have scratches or uneven or incomplete sealing compound as this may prevent sealing. Bands should fit on jars. Wash jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water.
Lower the jars into the stockpot or canner to pre-heat in the hot (180°F) water. Leave lids and bands at room temperature for easy handling. Lower the jars into the water until they are filled. Keeping jars hot prevents them from breaking when filled with hot food. Leave lids and bands at room temperature for easy handling.
Blend vinegar, green bell pepper, and ghost peppers together in a blender until smooth. (I use gloves to handle the ghost pepper and resulting pepper mixture.)
Stir pepper mixture, sugar, raspberries, and pectin together in a another large stockpot; bring to a boil and cook until the jam is smooth and the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
Use a jar lifter to remove a pre-heated jar from the stockpot/canner. Fill one jar at a time with jam using a ladle and a canning funnel leaving 1/4 inch head space at the top. Run a knife or thin spatula around the inside of the jar to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp paper towel to remove any jam residue. Top with lid and screw on band until fingertip tight. Repeat for remaining jars.
Once all jars are filled, return them to the hot water bath using the jar lifter and leaving space between the jars (about 2 inches). Pour in more water if necessary to bring the water level to at least an inch or two above the tops of the jars.
Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, process for 15 minutes.
When processing is complete, shut off heat and remove the lid. Allow jars to rest in the canner for 5 minutes.
Move jars from canner and set upright on a towel. Leave jars undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours to allow them to seal. No need to re-tighten the bands as this may interfere with the sealing process.
After 24 hours, check to see if the lids are sealed by pressing the lid in the center. NOTE: There should be no flex when center is pressed. Remove the bands and attempt to lift the lids off with your fingertips. Properly sealed lids will remain attached. If a lid fails to seal within 24 hours, immediately refrigerate the product.

November 15, 2019November 17, 2019

Grand Canyon North Rim Day Trip

The north rim on the grand canyon was the first stop on our National Park Grand Circle tour. This first stop definitely set the bar high for the stops to follow. A little research will tell you the best time to travel to north rim is March through May and September through November when daytime temperatures are cool and the crowds are thin. We arrived at the rim in chilly October and were rewarded with stunning views, great hiking and even a 4X4 road adventure.

October greeted us with high temperatures in the 40’s and 50’s and lows in the 20’s–yes you heard me 20^o F. Although, we were prepared for the cooler daytime temperatures we were not expecting the frigid nights and had to make some modifications in our RV living. First being, unhook the water line every evening to prevent freezing and second, installing a Styrofoam block around the instant water heater each night.

As the less popular grand canyon destination, the north rim has less traffic which means you may self drive the entire park. Driving from our campsite at Jacob Lake we entered the park from the north entrance station on highway 67 and drove east on Cape Royal Road to view Point Imperial, Roosevelt Point, Wahalla Overlook, Cape Royal, and Angels Window. Each of these breathtaking vistas each may be viewed with less than a mile walk round trip.

Driving back to the main drive, we discovered on the map in fine print: “Point Sublime. Four-wheel drive, tow-strap, and saw recommended.” This immediately peaked our interest and we decided to take a detour out to Point Sublime. This turned out to be a 17.8 mile wild ride out to absolutely stunning views. Once back on stable road we finished the day with dinner at the Grand Canyon Lodge followed by an amazing sunset viewed from Bright Angel Point.

North Rim One Day Itinerary

Scenic drive with short hikes to view: Point Imperial, Roosevelt Point, Wahalla Overlook, Cape Royal, and Angels Window.
4X4 Drive to Point Sublime
Dinner at Grand Canyon Lodge
Sunset at Bright Angel Point

Map of Grand Canyon North Rim from National Parks Service

Interesting to note are the animal crossing signs we encountered throughout our trip. Everything from deer crossing to prairie dogs. I hate to admit that it did take a scare for the “crossing” part of these signs to sink in. Driving on 67 to the north entrance we passed a Buffalo crossing sign. After dark on the way out well, lets just say that evidently, “crossing” means “roaming”.