January 2010

Welcome to January, Hopefully NEVER as expensive as last month!

We are also going to be experimenting with trying to live off of our "grid" by getting enough food, water and fuels to last us at least a month. I do not think the water will last that long (because of Sasha's long showers, hint, hint,) but not having to go to the grocery would be a good idea. We shall see if it works.

Well maybe not, as we are at a campground sort of place, so we have full hook-ups, so that really does not work.

Expenses: Hopefully not too bad.  Check out pictures below:

Well, it was not as much as before, which is good. I was volunteering for Lake Mead National Recreation Area, so our housing and utilities were paid for, we topped up for the propane. We were not buying that much food to eat in as my parents came out for about 10 days, and so we were in Sedona for a while with them, and other places, so we ate out a bit more. We also gambled a bit, did not really win anything but it was fun to play.

Of course whenever you go to a new place to park it for a while, it seems that every campground or volunteer/employee spot is different and therefore needs different things. At this one we needed to get another house heater (it got cold there baby!), another door mat (cause ours flew out of the truck back...don't know how, but it did), and a hose elbow for the rig (I am not sure where that was supposed to go...I just see these things on the receipts and put them down, I do not know what it was for.)  

Our friend Richard came over to stay for a little while with us, and he and Sasha took a hike to Liberty Bell Arch. Although they never found it, I have a few pictures of the hike, one of the best is the first one.

<====Richard & Sasha

Something in the rock ======>

We also got a Post Net Box - meaning that at Lake Mead there was no way to get mail, so we had to get our own mailbox. We used Post Net for that. We found out afterwards that the post office would have done it as General Delivery for free. But what can you say, except live and learn. We had great internet and cell phone access, being so close to civilization.

At the visitor center, there is a cactus garden; this picture is of a teddy bear cholla, with a nice view of the lake.  

We paid for Sasha's health insurance in December and did not have to pay again until February 1st, so that is why it is not showing for January. Mine of course we pay every month.

We did some fun stuff, actually got a Nevada State parks pass for the year - it cost more than the yearly pass for National Parks! Oh well, what can you do?

I also got a book, it is the roadside geology of Las Vegas, NV area. I needed it for the program that I wrote. Although I did not present the program, I did write it and show it to the District Interpreter and my boss Bertha. They both thought it was good. I even made a PowerPoint presentation, but was not able to present before it was time to go.

Some other pictures:

Picture	Explanation
	My parents came to visit us as well as going to a meeting in Las Vegas, so this was the day that my Dad had to go to the meeting, so we went around Las Vegas with my Mom.
	The fountain at Paris
	So Funny!
	Fremont Street
	Lots of lights the next bunch of pictures.
	I think you get the idea, there are lots of lights here in Vegas.
	We had lots of fun at Fremont Street Experience, I would strongly suggest it to anyone that wants to see the old time view of Las Vegas.
	We also thought this was funny to see. I guess people have tried to get them to leave, but they don't want to go. My parents went down to Sedona, AZ to a timeshare and we would come soon afterwards, but first we went on a hike. It was part of my "work time" so I was glad to go.
	Liberty Bell Arch. Sasha went again, to try and figure out where it was that he and Richard went wrong. The trouble with the trails in Lake Mead is that there are not enough cairns, or that people knock them over or that they fall over when there is a storm. Anyway, the leader did not know exactly where the trail was for part of the way, so we had to figure it out.
	We found the path, as this was the same mining equipment that Sasha and Richard found.
	This is the side of the arch, can't see it yet just wait!
	We found our way out of the canyon, as you can see. And Sasha is pointing to the way in. There are no cairns there.
	So we went from Lake Mead NRA to Sedona, AZ to visit my parents in their timeshare. We had gone there also with my parents a couple of years ago. The area is beautiful.
	We went on a nice hike with my parents. This was the best shot. We were a little worried that the camera would fall over, as it was a little windy, but we got this great shot.
	Love the colors, and a big storm coming.
	This place was very nice, but it was a little bit too cool to go in the pool.
	We went out to dinner and it was very nice.
	So Sasha and I headed back. There was a major storm in the area, and they were afraid that there would be so much flooding that the major river through Sedona would flood. But that did not happen. Still, it was big news. But there was a bit of flooding in the area as you can see. Of course with rain comes Rainbows as you can see in the last picture.
	I think you get the picture, there was a bit of rain.
	My parents came to visit us at our place, but I had to work, so they went with Sasha to see Hoover Dam and then we went out.
	Another nice picture of my parents.
	The next day I had off, so we did a road trip to Calville Bay Marina and checked out houseboats. This was on their party boat.
	I think we must have taken about 10 of these pictures, but this was the best one.
	Another good picture of my parents and the mountains.
	We then went to Valley of Fire State Park. We went at the perfect time, right around 3 or 4 pm. Enough time to see the red rocks pop in their color and see some amazing geology and biology. Check out these pictures below.
	Some amazing beauty. Mom, Sasha and I went off to try to find some bighorn sheep, but Dad stayed by the car. We heard him calling out, and we went to see why.
	You might have to click on the pictures to see them well. A great end to a great vacation with the folks.

Check out Next Month: February At Lake Mead for Another Month, plus lots of applying for jobs, and a Job Offer!