82nd Street Renovation

Well, what do you suppose we would do in Scottsdale after only one week. Well, look for a spec home to reno and flip, get it and then, of course, start work on it...Something makes me think of grass on a rolling stone.......hmmmm
So, here is the front of the house. Corner lot, in a ascending neighborhood, close to schools, downtown, a seniors center, and a lot of playgrounds and green space. Oh, yeah, a free trolley that takes you downtown and back again. Love it. Lovely curb appeal. The front yard and door. The property has some nice growth of trees. We do need some new plants in the planters but hey...still looks awesome.
The peice d' resistance...a lovely Koi pond, featuring a water fall, with 9 large Koi, lily ponds, and flowers. We showed up today and there were a bunch of little birds taking a bath in the fountain. The sounds of a babbling pond in the desert is very very appealing. See the orange Koi in the middle of the pond. Oh yeah, there is a big kids play set made of wood in the front yard as well. And, just beyond the pond, a putting green. Very cool.

Then, there is the back yard. Quite a bit of work to do here. But there is good "bones".

A large pool that has a spot for a large diving board. Nice deep pool. We will ditch the fence and clean up there with some grass I think.
A new block cement fence will help with privacy and make the yard a lot cleaner looking.

The kitchen, before the demo started today...we are planning a 8 foot sliding glass door where the window is in the dining area beyond the kitchen. Lets bring the outdoor and indoor living togeather! The pool is behind those blinds.
The formal dining/living area. We are going to make the door bigger in here and let the room become more of a open living area. You will get more access to the kitchen. Also, going to open up the wall on the left side of the piano to make the room larger.

Master bedroom....

Scary master/main bathroom!!!!!!!!!!

Second bedroom.

Third bedroom YIKES!!!! How green can green be????? 2nd bathroom off this room and joining the kitchen/dining room

2nd bathroom. This has a stand up shower in it as well. Kinda like the vanity pedestal sink.

The fourth bedroom/playroom/office/laundry room. I think this was a garage at one time that they made into a extra small room and laundy room, then opened it up to be a at home office. We are taking that out and adding carpet and making it more of a all purpose room. I said "mud room" and they all laughed at me. Yeah Shannon your not in Kansas anymore. Not alot of mud in the desert. No wet boots to put up before you get into the house!!!!

I guess you can take the girl out of the country....LOL

That's all for now folks!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

LEAVING LAS VEGAS!!!!!

We got to spend a week in Las Vegas after arriving from the trip south...Funny, when we got into town, two groups of friends from the island were in Las Vegas. I got to visit with Jackie and Lyle who were in town for a week, and got to visit with Ron and Barb at Chrissy and Ryans house (they had a party on the patio!!!!0

We had our motorhome parked outside Steve and Jackie Hesse's house. They are gracious hosts who share everything they have....

Jackie and I enjoying margarita's in the hot tub!!! Rough life. Many thanks to all my friends in Las Vegas for the hospitality. And so great to see our northern friends down south as well.
And, when we left Las Vegas we got about a hour and a half from there (just past Searchlite NV) and my bike decided that she was tired and didn't want to run anymore!!!! What the heck????
Yup, no charging system anymore..... There were some really nice views along the way though....

But after taking 12 hours to do a 5 hour run, we were ready for some sleep. My old girl would run for about 80 miles and then cough and sputter and then die. Well what do you do when your in the middle of the desert miles from any civilization? You wait for the big guy in the RV towing the truck to catch up and then you charge your bike from the truck battery of course!!! LOL

Yup 12 hours....and yes we are laughing, NOW! tee hee

Talked with my guy in Coombs and after some testing, I have either no regulator or no stator, or both...So lucky for me, I met a gal in the RV park here in beautiful sunny Scottsdale that rides. She gave me the name of a guy in Tempe who worked for HD for 8 years and has opened his own shop....

So, my girl is in the hospital for Harleys right now. She should be out early next week....glad to say that parts are cheaper here for sure!!!!

HAVING TROUBLES WITH THE BLOG

I can't seem to get any of my drafts published and I am frustrated.....I will keep working on it. Sorry!

ITALIAN FESTIVAL IN LAS VEGAS

At one of the new hotel, spa and casinos in Las Vegas, called the "M" (very south on Las Vegas Blvd) they held a Italian festival.

We enjoyed some of the sights and sounds....the "people"getting ready for the grape stomping contest.

They had a local "personalities" (tv, radio, ect) competing in the grape stomp....this gal was REALLY doing her job well. They have a "stomper" and "swamper" (someone who clears the fawcet of grape debris, and the wine jug holder under the spout....

Unforntunately, although she worked it really hard, they came in second....

The festival included different boths that held really good Italian food of all different kinds. Includind a fresh veggie market and (yes I bought a big old loaf of ciabatta bread) and bakery...

Some wine and food and music too.This is a booth with roasted artichoke hearts...yummy

The setting here with the band stand in the background...and my friend Jackies head in the front. Sorry Jackie!!! Held at the pool at the M casino....very nice spot

The most fun was watching the kids in a Spaghetti eating contest.....I laughed and laughed and laughed....

And as you can see, they weren't allowed to use their hands at all. I just love that kids do things without a care in the world....

ROAD TRIP 2009

So, we loaded up the bus, the truck and had the bike ready and raring to go...we headed down south to Victoria and took the ferry across the Port Angeles. Spent the night there and headed out in the morning through the Olympic National Park. Very pretty, even at this time of the year. It was a bit cold but I was still smiling.
The bike ran great except for a tired battery in Victoria at the ferry terminal and some bad fuel in California.
The short version is that we made it down, taking our time, into Las Vegas on the following tuesday. Some days we drove/rode for 5 hours and some for 8. I like the 5 hour days best. You don't have to sore of a butt at that point. LOL
I had to get a picture of the girl in front of the Las Vegas sign....so we road right up to it and stood in line like all the other people. There were some young girls there that were loving it that I was on the bike and getting the pic done. Funny

She is a 1994 and already had 66 038 kms on her when we left but she made a good run for me and put on another 1700 miles.
Today, she is having a battery fit. Not wanting to start but I have her on the charger now and will see what that brings. I think that it will be good, might have been the electric coat plug in draining the battery so, I disconnected it and am giving her some juice.



We are off the Scottsdale tomorow for some more sunshine (it has been about 90 degrees here this weekend) and to get some work done down there.

Isn't my girl pretty. I am very happy with her.

Till next time
Shannon

SPIDER LAKE, BC, CANADA

Beautiful peacefull Spider Lake on Vancouver Island in BC Canada. This small lake is home to lots of fresh lake trout as well as kayak's, canoes and tons of families enjoying the sun and sand.
This is a provincial site and allows you to come and enjoy the beach and the lake with limited access to power boats or other vessels. You can row row row your boat all day long, but you can't add any power to it at all. Very nice ambiance...no loud putt putt bang bang going on

My friend, Melvin and I enjoyed a walk from Pat and Chris's place (about a 1/4 mile up the road from the lake) Melvin loves all the smells and people around the lake.

Pat and Chris's place in Spider Lake is a amazingly quite and peacefull spot. They have 5 acres with a gorgeous one level, 3 bedroom home that boasts a lovely pond with goldfish and beautifull rhododendrums...of all kinds. This is just one of them. Located across from the pond and beside the quite forest.....a little jazz tunes and some good wine...Yeah baby

Mr. Rooney, making sure the pond is up to snuff. He added some more water before he (and the goldfish) were really happy

Just a few of the Rhodo's that actually made it through the awefull winter that the island had. The Lawson property at Spider Lake actually faired quite well considering the BAD BAD winter they had.

Such a really great space...the house, with it's big old bathtub looking at the forest and the pond, and all that peace and quite and privacy.

Thank you Pat and Chris for letting us enjoy your space in BC while you were still in Denver....loved it.

FLASHBACK TO THE ISLAND.....just found this in the archives and had to share it with you all

My girlfriend Teresa manages a pub and beer and wine store on Vancouver Island in Nanaimo. She is a great lover of good wine, and gave me the opportunity to go along with her and her manager from the beer and wine store to a private tasting at a island winery.

Averill Creek Winery is located just on the outskirts of Duncan (about a 45 minute drive south of Nanaimo)


When you come to the property gates you have to make a bit of a climb up the mountain to get the the winery itself, but when you turn around, the view is amazing....that is the valley of Duncan below and about "11 oclock" in the picture is the ocean. I believe it to be Cowichan Bay. Very stiking view. The vineyards are both on the left and the right of this picture. The owner of the winery didn't realize how great of a view he had until he had all the trees and brush cleared away...and then "viola". Beauty abounds

The patio leading to the deck on the side of the winery....as you can see it is still spring here on the island and the trees look a little bare. The day was very warm and bright actually.

You will see that the owner took pride in making this winery a very upscale area to enjoy a sip of wine and a great view.
This is the back patio at the winery. Great rock work.

And leading back to the enterance of the winery...so pretty. Oh and by the way, the wine is FABULOUS. Averill Creek winery holds awards for their Pinot Noir for 2006. Yummy stuff. They also make a wine called Cowichan Black. It is not called a port but has the same richness that port does. I believe that they have to call it a fortified wine as it doesn't come from Portugal and as such cannot be called port. But let me tell you it has a wonderfull flavor of blackberries that transport you back to eating warm blackberries off the bush as a child. Very good.