Sunday, January 24th, 2010

It is only 35F at 7:00 am. Still lots of moisture in the air from the storm. I misinformed you of the viscousness of our storm on Thursday. There was a tornado touched down in Blyth, California just 20 miles from here and Truda said they heard on the news that a tornado touched down in Tyson Wells which is just a mile from here. The wind gusts were up to 80 mph. There was extensive damage, the big tent was shut down around 10:00 am because of fear that it may collapse, one of the walls of the repair tent (set up a motorhome repair tent by the Big Tent) collapsed. We heard that Friday morning at the Pow Wow vendors were just gathering up what was salvageable and leaving the twisted metal and mangled tarps and going home. The Pow Wow is held at the QIA, both inside the building and all over the parking lot. It took us 5 hours with just a few minutes for a hot dog to cover the vendors on the parking lot. We didn't go back to see the damage. Vendors all over town would have felt the destruction of the wind.

Our neighbors, Ron & Jerilyn lost their tent in the last storm and had replaced it with another only to have it torn to bits on Thursday. They tried to get it down, but the winds were so strong and the rain was pelting down so hard, they just gave up. None of the long term "visitors" to this part of Arizona has seen weather like we are having this year.

Friday we were going to go to Blyth for groceries, but the traffic snarl was at least a mile long and because we had to make a left hand turn into it, and there was little hope that that could be accomplished, we drove straight across the highway to LaPosa North and went to visit Glen and April. By 1:30 pm the traffic was a bit lighter, and we were making a right hand turn into it, so finally got into Quartzsite and headed to the bank. Friday must have been a "right hand turn only" day for Gordon, because coming out of the bank he turned right. We ended up visiting with Tom and Lucille. I mentioned to Lucille I needed more cut off my hair, and as the lady that cut my hair lives just to the back and over one from Lucille she said, "come on, I'll go with you" so I got a hair cut while Gordon and Tom had coke and cookies. When we got back home Bonnie and Kathy were just returning from Lake Havasu where Kathy had rotator cuff surgery this morning. She gave the medical staff a scare, as they couldn't wake her up in the recovery room. There were eight nurses working over her to get her to come back to us.

We went to JR's to the jam tonight. Our Okie (Larry & Yvonne, George & Pat from Oklahoma) and Colie (Lloyd & Pat) neighbors went also. It was a good jam. Went to bed around 10:00 and was up from midnight to 3:30 sick sick sick!

Saturday morning we got up at 7:15 and left to do the laundry at 8:00. Gord came so he could get a shower. For $5.00 you get all the hot water for as long as you want, and they provide towel, face cloth and mat. Can't beat it every once in a while, as the RV showers are certainly not lengthy ones. When you have to pump water into the RV and they haul it out, water conservation is a top priority. When we got home with the laundry Jeanne went to bed and Gord took care of the laundry. Kathy stuck her head out the door and said she had been in a great deal of pain until midnight, but things settled down and she spent a better rest of the night. Jeanne didn't go too near because the last thing Kathy needs is the stomach flu. Gordon had a quiet day as well, he read a bit, visited a bit, and had an afternoon nap. Jeanne was in bed all day, except sat up long enough to watch a movie, and just about didn't make the end before rushing back to bed, where she stayed until 6:40 am Sunday.

Pictures are of some of the rocks we saw at Pow Wow. The first two are a sandstone formation. They looked as if they had been painted, but we were assured that they hadn't been altered in any way. I would have liked to have one as they are very unique. The next three are just interesting colors or formations. Next one is a slab of jade, and the next is a slab of petrified wood. The last one is of our quad trailer and our neighbor's motorhome. Some fellow parked his motorhome in that space. He was no more than 5' from the neighbor and desert rules - 15' minimum. Neighbor came out and told him he would have to move. That is why we park the quads and trailer where we do, or we would come home and wouldn't be able to get to the door of the RV.