Media Laser Island Voyages Back In The Day

Status
Not open for further replies.
Here are some more pics of Tombstone:

IMG_8640.JPGIMG_8642.JPGIMG_8643.JPGIMG_8644.JPGIMG_8645.JPGIMG_8646.JPGIMG_8647.JPG

And a few bonus pics of the historic mining town of Bisbee:

IMG_8650.JPGIMG_8651.JPGIMG_8652.JPG

Well, gotta climb back aboard the home rehab horse, the problem with this sort of work is that it doesn't do itself... if ya ever figure out a way to make it do itself, you'll be an overnight billionaire, aye? Next weekend, friends & I are heading for Tombstone (just down the road about 23 miles from my house) to enjoy "Wild West Days" & St. Patrick's Day, should be a good time walking the streets & boardwalks, watching the parade, having a beer or two in a saloon and checking out the gunslinging action, LOL. Probably be more exciting if they used real bullets... have to dodge 'em like in the old days. Alright, youse nautical heroes, time to get off the wi-fi and hit the trail... HASTA LA VISTA!!! :cool:
 
Taking a break today, my feet are tired, been on 'em for the past three weeks... was gonna run down to Tombstone yesterday for St. Patrick's Day, but the weather here was absolutely perfect for applying that elastomeric coating to the roof, so I wound up doing that instead. One full coat anyway, the second will go on in a few days. Got one heckuva view from my roof, I can see at least five different mountain ranges... I'll have to post up some pics when I get a chance, it's a spectacular view. :eek:

Almost finished with the rush job of painting those rooms which will be carpeted, the carpet crew arrives on Wednesday to measure the rooms, then it should only be 3-5 days before the job is done. Once the rooms are carpeted, I can get my stuff outta storage and start living a normal life again... if my life can ever be called normal, LOL. Meh, I'm still above ground, and the kittehs have hung tough throughout this long unsettled period of trying to find a suitable home, aye? :rolleyes:

Gonna drink beer and hang some wall art today, this doesn't really qualify as work but it still needs to be done... I'll hang the nautical chart of San Diego Bay first, it makes a statement wherever it goes and I can simply point to it whenever guests ask me about my home town. Funny thing, I don't miss Coronado at all, that overcrowded dump, but the chart brings back good memories of past voyages, aye? And even though I'm now in the high desert, I can recall those voyages with perfect clarity... :cool:

The high desert has its advantages too, the views are insane and the night sky incredible... a million stars overhead. I'll hafta figure out a way to hang my deluxe Pawleys Island Hammock so I can swing in it at night and look up at the heavens. Well, time to sign off, I gotta run to the store and pick up some stuff, including a big ol' pack of yardbird... for some reason, I have a hankerin' for chicken today, dunno why, but it'll taste good after I drink a river of beer, LOL. Ah, yes, the Bachelor Life, it's a rough gig but SOMEBODY has to do it... CHEERS, YOUSE NAUTICAL HEROES!!! HASTA LUEGO!!! :D
 
Making progress, home is starting to look good... carpet man measured the rooms yesterday, so the kittehs & I will soon have nice new carpet in our home. First thing Sage will do is puke on it, no doubt, he's getting old and he occasionally has digestive problems. Meh, that's why I didn't pay for top-tier carpet, just good middle-of-the-road stuff that'll wear well... both cats will sharpen their claws on the carpet, same way they sharpen their claws on my furniture. I call my leather motorized reclining sofa "the $1100 scratching post"---blasted varmints love sharpening their claws on that thing. :confused:

Gonna knock off early today and have a big ol' BBQ with friends... these are the folks who are putting up a home on 7 1/2 acres a short distance from my house. I went to check out their spread, it's a nice piece of property with heller views, they can even see Mt. Graham, which will be a recreational destination for us later. That's a bad@$$ mountain, it's over 10,000' in elevation and there's an observatory up there because the night skies are so clear. Can't wait to run up there and do some offroading, maybe some camping too... views must be spectacular up near the summit. :)

I hung that wall art the other day, the nautical chart is up and looking good next to the poster of Poseidon, God of the Sea. I also hung my framed poster from the '92 Cup Series, it was signed by Team Espana, the biggest losers in the regatta. One hundred years from now, that poster will be worth a million dollars, as nobody else will have bothered to keep one signed by the Spanish team, LOL. The poster shows a good close-up shot of the America's Cup, the trophy itself which I once wheeled into the San Diego Convention Center on a dolly. It's a pretty cool trophy, I dig the engraving from certain races with lines such as "spars carried away..." :rolleyes:

Alright, time for me to hit the trail and run a few errands, I'm looking forward to BBQing this afternoon and just taking it easy with good friends... these folks are loaded too, but they don't act like the rich wanks back in Coronado, they're from the Midwest (Kansas City) and they act normal, LOL. I bought a HUGE pack of beef from Safeway, two ginormous London Broils that are over twice the thickness of any London Broils I've ever seen before... 7.55 lbs. of beef on sale for $20, they look more like roasts than steaks, aye? I'm gonna slow-cook 'em on my grill this afternoon, LBs aren't my favorite cut but these were too good of a deal to pass up. :eek:

HASTA LUEGO, NAUTICAL HEROES!!! I'LL BE SURE TO DRINK A BEER FOR YA THIS AFTERNOON, LOL... CHEERS!!! :D
 
HaHa, I was many years ago... I was big on enzyme nutrition, food combination, etc., etc., only I grew tired of watching my friends eat greasy pizza and thick-@$$ steaks hot off the grill. Convo went something like this:

Friend: "Hey, E___, ya want one of these Filet Mignons?"

Moi: "Er, no thanks, this celery stick is mighty tasty..."

Pulled the vegan thing for about a year, then said to heck with it and went back to chomping whatever I wanted, aye? No worries, I still employ vegan tactics I learned long ago while juicing fruit straight off the trees, making primo dinner salads, selecting proper food combos, etc., etc. I just planted four citrus trees in my yard about a week ago: Valencia Orange, Dwarf Honey Orange, Eureka Lemon & Minneola Tangelo, they should bear tasty fruit if they survive to maturity, and they're doing well so far, they seem to be over the transplant shock.

Here are some pics of those ridiculously thick London Broils we BBQd the other day, things were delicious and the cold beef left over made for great sandwiches, LOL. Beer can is positioned for scale in photos:

IMG_8692.JPGIMG_8693.JPGIMG_8694.JPGIMG_8695.JPG

So much for veganism, I'll take half the cow for twenty bucks, LOL... ;)
 
Hey, here are some pics of the chart up on one wall of my home, right next to the poster of Poseidon, God of the Sea, LOL. My home is currently a work in progress, but you can see a bit of the layout and the new carpet that went in yesterday:

IMG_8733.JPG

IMG_8734.JPG

IMG_8735.JPG


Chart itself is starting to show its age, but no worries, the discoloration adds character, LOL. Here are some pics of that Cup Series poster I mentioned earlier, the one signed by the Spanish team, don't mind the glare from reflected light:

IMG_8736.JPG

IMG_8732.JPG

IMG_8737.JPG


I was trying to capture some of the trophy engraving in that last photo, but the glare is vicious... BTW, that poster was NOT professionally framed, a friend of mine made that frame when he was drunk, LOL. :confused:
 
  • Like
Reactions: tag
Ya know yer livin' in a redneck town when the local murals look like this:

IMG_8720.JPGIMG_8718.JPGIMG_8705.JPGIMG_8708.JPGIMG_8706.JPGIMG_8711.JPGIMG_8710.JPG
IMG_8713.JPGIMG_8714.JPGIMG_8715.JPG

Nice "GUNS FOR LESS" sign in the first stagecoach shot, LOL. :rolleyes:
 
Here's what the local rednecks sail:

IMG_8697.JPGIMG_8698.JPGIMG_8699.JPGIMG_8702.JPGIMG_8700.JPGIMG_8701.JPGIMG_8703.JPG

And here are some primitive redneck winches:

IMG_8721.JPGIMG_8722.JPGIMG_8723.JPGIMG_8724.JPG

They look like something the Vikings might have used, LOL... but I'll let ya in on a little secret, they're actually pieces of mining machinery, 10-4? Y'all be good, I'm off to buy some cold beer and set up the truck rental for tomorrow, gotta pull my stuff outta storage so I can set up my furniture, pool table, big screen TVs, etc. Still have some home rehab to do, but I might as well live comfortably while I'm doing it, LOL. :cool:
 
Got a few pics of the ongoing home rehab project... y'all can see how this salty dawg is decorating his home, LOL. Not done yet either, but I banged a fingertip with the hammer the other day, so I'm still on light duty, unloading boxes and putting stuff where it belongs. Had to resupply by making a beer run, so I figured I'd stop by the library (free Wi-Fi) and share these pics with ya. Here we go...

IMG_8815.JPGIMG_8816.JPGIMG_8817.JPGIMG_8818.JPGIMG_8844.JPGIMG_8845.JPGIMG_8822.JPGIMG_8849.JPGIMG_8823.JPGIMG_8825.JPG

That blue kitchen island is yet to be painted, it goes in semi-gloss like the kitchen itself which also needs to be done. Pretty cool layout with the diagonal island, it's gonna be sweet once I'm finished, I have some cool art reserved for that island, LOL. Lemme show y'all a few more nautical touches, LOL... :eek:
 
Last edited:
Round #2 of pics:

IMG_8824.JPGIMG_8826.JPGIMG_8827.JPGIMG_8828.JPGIMG_8829.JPGIMG_8830.JPGIMG_8831.JPGIMG_8832.JPGIMG_8834.JPGIMG_8838.JPG

Jumped the gun posting that one... one of my jobs today will be to hang that flatscreen in the Pool Room, I'm putting the huge curved screen in the back room to make a private movie theater, LOL. Pool table isn't done yet either, friends are coming over later this week to help level the slate and reapply the felt. Blanket & carpet remnant serve as covers so the kittehs won't scratch up the felt, LOL. :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
Round #3 of pics:

IMG_8833.JPG IMG_8835.JPG IMG_8836.JPG IMG_8837.JPG IMG_8839.JPG IMG_8840.JPG IMG_8841.JPG IMG_8842.JPG IMG_8843.JPG IMG_8848.JPG

Got my fridge magnets up, LOL... kitchen isn't done yet, there'll be more counter space on that island once I clear all that cr@p outta there. Meh, it's big enough for a confirmed bachelor and two cats, plus we do a lot of cooking on the BBQ outside, so no worries. That's my little guard dragon on the island counter, he keeps a weather eye open for trespassers and tweakin' crackerheads, LOL. :confused:
 
Round #4 of pics, including stuff I need to work on today after I get a few beers in my system:

IMG_8821.JPGIMG_8820.JPGIMG_8819.JPGIMG_8855.JPGIMG_8856.JPGIMG_8857.JPGIMG_8859.JPGIMG_8861.JPGIMG_8846.JPGIMG_8847.JPG

Actually, those pics show what I'll be working on for the next month, LOL. Like the kitchen, the bathrooms are yet to be redone, though I scored two matching cr@ppers & two sinks for $30, some hand in Sierra Vista gave me a deal on those. Deck needs to be redone as well, along with the skirting of the double-wide. Gotta like the two full-length metal awnings on the east & west sides, 60' of shade over those concrete slabs. Two full baths, there's even a separate enclosed shower stall in that bathroom with the garden tub... all on about 1/4 acre overlooking the Dragoon Mountains & Cochise Stronghold, not a bad deal for $36K, LOL. I paid cash, of course, I'm not big on mortgages or debt slavery, aye? BTW, that absolute clusterf#% you see in the third pic is the first mess I tackle after I get home and drink a few beers, gotta reorganize that mess for the final rehab assault, LOL. :confused:

P.S. That's my gong in the third pic, that big brass table... gonna polish it and hang it outside, then make a striker so we can bang the gong while BBQing, 10-4? :eek:
 
Fifth & final round o' pics, just a few shots of my yard on this beautiful sunny day:

IMG_8804.JPG IMG_8805.JPG IMG_8806.JPG IMG_8807.JPG IMG_8808.JPG IMG_8809.JPG IMG_8810.JPG

Those are the citrus trees I planted, they're all doing fine even though the lemon tree suffered some leaf burn when I put the fertilizer spikes too close... had to yank the spikes and reposition them, now the lemon tree is flowering despite losing a number of leaves. Before I sign off and head to WallyWorld to pick up more beer, I suppose I should post a few pics of my supervisors hard at work:

IMG_8811.JPG IMG_8812.JPG IMG_8864.JPG

They move at the speed of gubmint, those pesky home rehab project supervisors, LOL. ;)

HASTA LUEGO, NAUTICAL HEROES!!! I'M OFF TO BUY SOME BEER AND WET MY WHISTLE, AYE??? CHEERS!!! :rolleyes:
 
Walked outside with a cold beer yesterday evening and watched the sunset, just the usual colors, nothing spectacular, the really wild sunsets have flaming colors and take your breath away, but this worked for me after another long day of home rehab:

IMG_8896.JPG IMG_8897.JPG IMG_8901.JPG IMG_8902.JPG IMG_8903.JPG IMG_8904.JPG

Some shots of flowers in my yard, don't know what kind they are but they look good, aye? WTF, this is the high desert, I'll take whatever I can get, LOL...

IMG_8905.JPG IMG_8906.JPG IMG_8907.JPG

Here's Sage chillin' out atop the pool table, one of his favorite places to take a nap:

IMG_8942.JPG
 
Some shots of the wet bar I've slowly been bringing up to speed:

IMG_8913.JPG IMG_8915.JPG IMG_8916.JPG IMG_8917.JPG IMG_8918.JPG

That vase doesn't really belong on a bar counter, but it looks cool with that tall ship and the gal waving goodbye... guess she missed the boat, LOL. :confused:

Made some breakfast burrito mix today, sauteed sausage with fresh hot peppers & onion, folded in some diced vine-ripened tomato, added a quantity of leftover BBQd steak, and threw in half a dozen eggs whipped with a bit of whole milk. Fresh cilantro salsa, sour cream and avocado rounded out each burrito, I could only power down one before I was full... thing was a monster, I'm guessing the plate was around 15,000 calories, LOL. :eek:

IMG_8908.JPG IMG_8910.JPG IMG_8912.JPG

Finally got my AZ Flag plate back on the Mighty Camry, only took what? About seven weeks? LOL... :rolleyes:

IMG_8899.JPG IMG_8900.JPG
 
Some more shots of my bar and the cabinet above the sink... everyday glasses on the left, fine Swedish crystal on the right, I'll bust out the Swedish numbers when I have company, aye? :cool:

IMG_8934.JPGIMG_8935.JPG

Hey, I saved this Chokers glass from back in the day, I'll bust it out whenever I'm feeling like a LOSER, LOL... :confused:

IMG_8936.JPG

"SAN DIEGO SUPER CHOKERS..." Hack, choke, oh, wait, they moved to Smell-A, so I reckon that jingle is now obsolete, LOL. :(

Check out my Japanese bar tongs, I call 'em "eyeball pluckers"---if any jackhole gives me grief while I'm behind the bar, I'll snatch up those tongs and pluck out his eyeballs, LOL. Probably drop 'em into a couple of fresh martinis, "GREEN INFERNO" style, don'tcha know??? :eek:

IMG_8937.JPGIMG_8938.JPGIMG_8939.JPG

A shot of my retro '50s blender base, with a more modern base as a backup, gotta have the blender for margaritas and such... :D

IMG_8940.JPG

Last but not least, some photos of the Napoleonic Era artwork I have hanging out by the Pool Room, this has nothing to do with the wet bar but I forgot to post pics of it last time I was here:

IMG_8919.JPGIMG_8933.JPGIMG_8920.JPG

See that hand lying face-down in the snow at lower left in the picture? Moi, after too many drinks at my wet bar... missed all the action, slept through the entire battle, LOL. ;)

ALRIGHT, YOUSE NAUTICAL HEROES, TIME TO SIGN OFF AND CLIMB BACK ABOARD THE HOME REHAB HORSE... ONE OF THESE DAYS, I'M GONNA SHOOT THAT REHAB HORSE, LOL. :rolleyes:

CHEERS!!! AND "HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU..." :)
 
Gonna hang these mermaids front & center above the bar, just as soon as I repaint the surrounding wooden board:

IMG_8980.JPGIMG_8981.JPGIMG_8982.JPGIMG_8983.JPGIMG_8985.JPGIMG_8986.JPGIMG_8993.JPGIMG_8994.JPGIMG_8995.JPGIMG_8997.JPG

Found some things I'd forgotten I had: that primo sandstone desert art and that lightning ball, or plasma ball, or whatever the heck it's called, LOL. That thing is cool at night, you can set it for continuous action or make it noise-activated, to music or conversation. :cool:

I'm off to the hardware store, gotta pick up a few items there before going to WallyWorld. Gotta check the prices on DVD players, I only have one and I don't wanna move it back and forth from room to room, it's already hooked up to the 65" curved screen in the master bedroom, got my own private movie theater back there, LOL. I was blasting "WE WERE SOLDIERS" last night, might watch the remake of "THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS" tonight, that's a good flick, filmed down at Chimney Rock Park in NC... a great venue for climbers & outdoorsmen, the "Cliff Trail" is radical, same trail featured in the movie, even though Cooper's story is supposed to take place in upstate NY, LOL. :confused:

CHEERS!!! HASTA LUEGO, NAUTICAL HEROES!!! :rolleyes:
 
Round #2 of pics:

View attachment 30655View attachment 30656View attachment 30657View attachment 30658View attachment 30659View attachment 30660View attachment 30661View attachment 30662View attachment 30663View attachment 30664

Jumped the gun posting that one... one of my jobs today will be to hang that flatscreen in the Pool Room, I'm putting the huge curved screen in the back room to make a private movie theater, LOL. Pool table isn't done yet either, friends are coming over later this week to help level the slate and reapply the felt. Blanket & carpet remnant serve as covers so the kittehs won't scratch up the felt, LOL. :rolleyes:
Intrigued by the tile group showing a 17th century Dutch navy vessel (red white and blue flag ).
How did you get hold of that?
Thanks!
 
I think we actually bought that in Portugal, but I could be wrong... so much has happened since we lived overseas as a family. We MIGHT have bought it in Holland, Lord knows we traveled through enough countries in Western Europe, something like 16 or 17 by my own personal count, with my folks and some brothers also traveling through Eastern Europe and the Holy Land. The Western European countries were all done by touring in a VW Bus with a full-length rack up top, our camp gear and duffel bags all lashed down in true nautical style... my pop was a submarine commander, LOL. In those days, we lived & traveled like royalty on just a few dollars a day, that's how it was back in '68-'73... I reckon those were the best years to be there, now the place has gone downhill like so much of the rest of the world. :confused:

Touring & camping like that was heller fun back in the day, my pop would assign tasks to all of us and we'd set up camp in record time, LOL. Probably why camping is so easy for me now, all that training as a youngster has paid off BIG-TIME. Hard to believe that we once had a dozen people in that VW Bus, crammed in like sardines with all our gear up top... the good news is that most of us were still kids, so we managed to squeeze in there and make it work. Every summer, when the school year ended in Athens, Greece, we'd load that VW and hit the road for 2 or 3 months, camping and touring the whole way, and occasionally spending the night in some hotel with the money we saved by camping. It was a real adventure... and things like that tile art help remind me of the good ol' days, aye? Never see the like again, not with both my folks gone. :(

GOTTA RUN TO THE DEPOT IN SIERRA VISTA, I'M WORKING ON THAT DECK AT HOME AND I WANNA FINISH IT TODAY... CHEERS!!! :rolleyes:
 
Wind was howlin' yesterday, still going strong today... maybe I should buy a landsailer, probably run 100 miles per hour and pass trucks on the interstate, LOL. I had planned to go up top on the roof and apply a second elastomeric coating today, but this wind makes it out of the question, ladder would blow over in no time and I'd break my freakin' ankle droppin' off the roof. No worries, I'm still finishing up the deck, and it's on the leeward side of my home, the east side overlooking the Dragoon Mountains & Cochise Stronghold. Leeward side today, anyway, sometimes the wind shifts and blows from another quarter... but today I'll be alright, just gotta trim & glue down the carpet I bought for the deck, then tack on some 90-degree metal trim or flashing round the edges. It's not really a traditional deck, more of a raised dais so that several people can sit in comfy camp chairs and view the Dragoons & Cochise Stronghold from just the right elevation under the broad metal awning. I really like those broad metal awnings on the east & west side of my home, they're at least 12' wide and they run the 60' length of the double-wide, with nice broad concrete slabs beneath 'em... they make for a long carport on one side and a long covered patio on the other. :rolleyes:

Should be receiving my hammock stand via FedEx today, I ordered it by phone and debit card a few days ago... I have a primo Pawleys Island quilted beach-stripe hammock, looks like an oversized beach towel, and that thing is great for swinging and stargazing. No tall pines here like the ones I had in Show Low, and I don't really wanna anchor the hammock between the shed and one metal awning, this hammock stand can be moved around and I can choose the best spot for swinging in the day and stargazing at night. Once I find the best spot for it, I'll anchor it for awhile and secure my hummingbird feeder supports to each end (double shepherd's hooks, so I'll have two hummer feeders at each end of the hammock stand). Anyway, I'm on my way into town to buy some BBQ material, figured I'd drop into the library and rattle your cage, LOL. Gonna go to a circus this weekend, the "Culpepper & Merriweather Circus" to be held under the Big Top this Saturday, rain or shine... WTF, it's right here in Benson, and ya gotta like circus and rodeo action, even the hokey small-town numbers offer entertainment. Might be some good-looking women there too, so I'm all in for a whopping $12, LOL. Better pick up a "short dog" flask o' booze to sneak into the show, makes the action that much better... ;)

I'M OFF TO THE STORE, Y'ALL HANG LOOSE, I'LL POST PICS OF THE DECK ONCE I'M DONE WITH IT, AYE??? BBQ & COLD BEER LATER, WAHOO!!! :cool:
 
Whoooweeee!!! That circus was heller fun, and I got to kiss the hand of the trapeze gal afterward, she was a looker, LOL. The circus was the hokiest rinky-dink one-ring podunk circus I've ever attended, but I felt like a kid all over again... my friends & I had a blast, we were laughing the whole time. There were two tigers and one lion, a solo trapeze act, Captain Jack the knife-and-sword guy, some hilarious trained dogs, jugglers on tall unicycles, two dudes who pulled rad stunts on what looked like a giant bicycle crank with a hamster wheel at each end, etc., etc. The jugglers were awesome, some pretty gals and one dude who juggled torches, bowling pins, and whatnot as they rode in circles or rocked back and forth in position... it was quite impressive. There were other acts too, including the standard clown acts, and we really enjoyed ourselves at the show... the peppermint schnapps I snuck in probably helped in that regard, LOL. Those same friends & I BBQd some yardbird yesterday, along with corn ears in the husk as usual, the only way to cook corn. Took a few pics of ongoing projects I've been doing lately, I'll finish the deck and steps later today... here we go with some pics, aye?

IMG_9059.JPG IMG_9060.JPG IMG_9062.JPG IMG_9066.JPG IMG_9067.JPG IMG_9068.JPG IMG_9069.JPG IMG_9070.JPG IMG_9071.JPG IMG_9072.JPG
 
Round #2 of pics:

IMG_9073.JPG IMG_9078.JPG IMG_9080.JPG IMG_9082.JPG IMG_9083.JPG IMG_9084.JPG IMG_9087.JPG IMG_9088.JPG IMG_9089.JPG IMG_9090.JPG

I was gonna rebuild the entire deck, and I will later, but for now I decided to simply shore it up, replace the carpet, add trim, etc. I still have many other tasks to complete, you understand, so I have to prioritize these tasks. See that trash bin? For two straight months, I've filled that thing to overflowing for every pickup, and we have two pickups per week, LOL. That's my BBQ, that simple $160 Home Depot model, it works just fine, as you'll see in the next round of pics. The hammock stand is functional, but it lacks the long pendulum swings I had when my hammock was slung between two tall pines in Show Low... I'll probably put a post with footing in my yard and sling the hammock between the post and shed, but that also comes later, this will do for now as I take the occasional break or gaze at the stars. That's a Pawleys Island hammock, supremely comfortable, you can Google the outfit to see other models, I just like the beach stripe number, it's like an oversized beach towel, LOL.
 
Round #3 of pics:

IMG_9091.JPG IMG_9092.JPG IMG_9095.JPG IMG_9097.JPG IMG_9098.JPG IMG_9099.JPG IMG_9100.JPG IMG_9101.JPG IMG_9106.JPG
IMG_9107.JPG

Some of those pics just show my 'hood, it's a good area, not many tweakin' crackerheads, LOL. That shed needs a little sprucing up, but again, that's a low priority compared to finishing the interior of my home. Eventually it'll all get done, but today's mission is to finish the deck and drink a few cold beers on it as I watch the sunset, 10-4?
 
Round #4 of pics, final round for the day:

IMG_9093.JPG IMG_9094.JPG IMG_9104.JPG IMG_9108.JPG IMG_9109.JPG IMG_9102.JPG

Those steps will be carpeted today, glued down with trim attached... it'll look the way the deck does in the fourth pic. I'll add some wood trim to the sides of the deck as well, just to hide those ugly posts, LOL. That's my Crackhead stooging around the yard, he likes chasing the birds. Every morning, I sit in one of those camp chairs and enjoy the magnificent view of the San Pedro Valley and Dragoon Mountains, I'll drink a cuppa Irish Breakfast Tea and then mack a bowl of cereal or whatever, kinda like whatcha see in the last pic. Well, I'm off to the hardware store to bag some materials, y'all be good and stay outta trouble, LOL. CHEERS!!! :rolleyes:
 
Wait, for those site members who might wonder what a lifelong small craft sailor is doing in the high desert, here's the answer: my 1440-square-foot home on 1/4 acre has a great view, and it only cost me $36K, LOL. Paid cash so I'm free & clear, just gotta fix it up to my standards and enjoy life here in this AZ paradise... heller offroading and world-class technical rock climbing mere minutes away, AYE??? :cool:
 
WOOHOO!!! Call me the Great White Hunter, I FINALLY caught the pack rat who has been living under my home!!! For two long months, I waged the Great Rodent War against this pesky varmint, and never in my life have I faced a more formidable opponent. This pack rat was not only extremely intelligent, he was cunning to boot... no amount of chemical warfare or live trap baiting could bring the varmint down, he withstood all of it and kept up his pesky gnawin' and a-chawin' in the wee hours of the night, often waking me from sound sleep due to the volume of noise he created. However, the cats placed constant pressure on the varmint, forcing him to lie low for awhile and keep the noise to a minimum. Indeed, I thought the cats had driven him away for good when a week went by with no noise and no signs of the pesky rodent. But early one morning, during a pre-dawn visit to the bathroom, I heard a faint scratching noise and I knew the blasted varmint was still with us. NOTHING had worked: mothballs, foggers, Pine-Sol, ammonia, live trap baiting with all kinds of food, none of it had worked. :confused:

Well, yesterday afternoon, as I was drinking a beer after running errands for several hours, the two cats sprawled out asleep on the nearby sofa, I caught a movement out of the corner of my starboard eye, and I looked over to see the pesky rodent IN MY FRIGGIN' HOUSE!!! Not only in my house, but IN THE POOL ROOM, on my BRAND-NEW CARPET!!! I couldn't believe it... but I knew instantly what had led him to enter my dwelling. You see, among other items purchased during a stop at WallyWorld, I had picked up a 30-pack of Bud and a 12-pack of Corona, and the varmint must have seen me hauling that cr@p from the Mighty Camry to my fridge, yeah? Warm day, and the little guy was thirsty... a misguided effort to steal my beer led to his downfall, as I immediately leapt from my seat to corner the b@stard. An exciting chase ensued as the varmint ran from Pool Room to sitting room to kitchen and back, Sage bailing out the cat door while Crackhead joined the chase... with Crackhead's help, I eventually cornered the rodent in a small closet in the Pool Room, where the pesky varmint hid behind some pool cues leaning against one wall. Crackhead stood guard as I went to the kitchen, yanked a fresh bag out of the plastic trash can, and subsequent;y used the can to trap the rodent (live trap was in the shed, too much trouble to grab in the heat of the moment). :eek:

Now, some folks would have simply killed the pesky varmint outright, especially after he had caused so much trouble and noise in the wee hours, aye? But by this time, the critter had earned my respect for being the wiliest adversary I have ever faced. To kill him would have dishonored my name, and dishonored the most intelligent & clever foe I've met in 56 years on this planet. Therefore, with a coffee table book taped across the top of the plastic trash can to prevent his escape, I carried the varmint out to the Mighty Camry, carefully belted the can into the Governor's Seat, and gave the rodent a limo ride to the outskirts of town, where I released him into some brush far from any homes, 10-4? When I removed the book and tipped the can over with my boot, the little dude shot like a rocket from the can into the brush, vanishing in seconds... Goddard's rockets had nothing on this varmint, I tell you. Anyway, the blasted rodent is now off my property... all's well that ends well, I reckon, and let the pesky rodent go be a rodent elsewhere, ANYWHERE BUT UNDER MY HOUSE, LOL. Maybe he has already found a new home, maybe he's already snake or raptor food, I don't know and I don't care, as long as I never see him again. I have a feeling that, smart as he is, he will be a survivor... not a bad-looking varmint either, as far as rodents go, kinda like a hamster on steroids with a short little paddle tail, didn't look at all like the usual disease vector, LOL. ;)

HERE ARE SOME PICS OF A COOL MURAL NEAR MY HOME, MAYBE THE VARMINT WILL FIND HIS PLACE IN A SIMILAR ENVIRONMENT:

IMG_9115.JPG

IMG_9116.JPG

IMG_9117.JPG

IMG_9118.JPG

IMG_9119.JPG


I'M OFF TO THE HARDWARE STORE AGAIN TO PICK UP SOMETHING I FORGOT... MAHALO, YOUSE NAUTICAL HEROES!!! I'LL DRINK A BEER FOR YA LATER THIS AFTERNOON!!! CHEERS!!! :cool:
 
Last edited:
Yes, my rodent karma is good... remember the old "RAT PATROL" show on TV? [Dating myself here.] Well, I'm about to go on Rat Patrol, pulling a fast recon of Cochise Stronghold to bag some photos of the rocks and crags... weather is awesome here, and I'm just about done with that pesky deck, thing took longer than I expected, LOL. Probably would've been faster to simply tear it down and build a new one, but no worries, it's now looking good (enough) and will serve me well for awhile as I knock out other tasks. The list of tasks yet to be done is dwindling, thank goodness, but I have several weeks of work to still do... however, in this beautiful weather, and before it gets too hot, I wanna start pulling recons of the Stronghold and sussing out suitable routes for an old school climber & mountaineer like me. I'll be taking my Sportivas & chalk bag out there today, just in case I see some primo route I'd like to solo on sight. Nothing too difficult, just some cool route with fairly easy access... I'll have to check the web for a guide to routes at the Stronghold, I'll do that in a moment after I post a few pics of my progress at the Ol' Hacienda. Here we go:

IMG_9140.JPG IMG_9141.JPG IMG_9142.JPG IMG_9143.JPG IMG_9145.JPG IMG_9146.JPG IMG_9147.JPG IMG_9148.JPG IMG_9151.JPG IMG_9154.JPG

That old deck was a real PITA to shore up and improve, I had to place a "spine" between two uneven rectangular frameworks from a previous addition, and it devolved into a cutting & trimming circus. However, it is now rock solid, there's no ankle-breaking gap between deck and door where the huge sliding wrought iron security door and frame used to be, and the new carpet is 1000% better than the funky and moldy old peel-and-stick carpet squares... those things were heller ugly. Later, I'll build a new deck, I just wanted to make use of this one for the time being, that'll free me to tackle some other tasks on the property. I like that swirled birdbath, wanted to buy a pair but the store only had one, so now I gotta find a match or maybe just a bowl for the stump at the other end of the yard, I'd like to have two baths to really bring in the birds, in addition to all the feeders which are bringing 'em in BIG-TIME, LOL. Before the monsoon hits, I'll have to do something about the yard itself, like roto-tilling the main area and sowing some ground cover, wildflowers or whatnot. Hey, I'm really enjoying the home theater set up in my master bedroom, I just watched "BLOOD DIAMOND" and "LAWRENCE OF ARABIA" on recent evenings, those are some good flicks... the desert scenery in "LAWRENCE OF ARABIA" is primo on that 65" curved screen, 10-4? :rolleyes:
 
Round #2 of pics:

IMG_9192.JPGIMG_9193.JPGIMG_9195.JPGIMG_9188.JPGIMG_9189.JPGIMG_9190.JPG

I bought that stained glass in Tijuana many years ago as a gift for me beloved mum, departed now for approximately 3 1/2 years... figured I'd hang it where guests and I can see it on our way out to the deck & BBQ area, aye? Me mum was an excellent green thumb gardener, she could grow anything... moi, I've grown some good dope in my time, but not so much nowadays, LOL. The smaller plastic pieces are hanging in my kitchen, I put 'em where they'll catch the light but not obstruct my view. Here are some shots of work yet to be done, particularly in the bathrooms:

IMG_9153.JPGIMG_9184.JPGIMG_9186.JPG
IMG_9185.JPG

That master bath is nice, but the tub/shower in the other bathroom is right next to the water heater, so it's the one I regularly use, since the water gets hot in mere seconds... but I'll use both baths in warmer months, when running hot water right away isn't such a priority. That other tub is actually deeper than the garden tub, so I like it better, and both bathrooms will look good once I'm done painting them. My very next task (now that the outside deck is finished) will be to swap out the toilet in that master bath, you can't tell from the pics but the base is cracked, so that toilet gets yanked & heaved into the trash bin. Might give the tank to a local handyman I know, nothing wrong with it... swapping out the toilet will give female guests more privacy, as there's a door missing in the other bathroom, LOL. As a bachelor with two cats, replacing that door has been low priority... :eek:

P.S. Pretty sure the tacky (existing) shower curtain and those rusty vise-grips will be hitting the trash bin as well, LOL. For now, they add a classy touch... ;)
 
Last edited:
Round #3 of pics, final round for the day, just a few shots of the decor in this old sailor's home:

IMG_9196.JPG IMG_9197.JPG IMG_9198.JPG IMG_9199.JPG IMG_9200.JPG IMG_9201.JPG IMG_9202.JPG IMG_9203.JPG IMG_9204.JPG IMG_9205.JPG

Well, Johnny Cash isn't really part of the decor, I just snapped that pic for the hell of it, LOL. Dragon art is in the Pool Room... and I've yet to find a spot for Big Mouth Billy Bass the singing fish, yeah? The tall ship & lighthouse switch plate belonged to me dear departed mum, so naturally they went up... the switch plate even features sailboats, LOL. That last shot shows my margarita drinking vessel, something I'll be using in the near future as the home rehab work winds down... double-walled stainless steel for insulation, that metal cup is the bomb for keeping iced drinks cold. Alright, youse nautical heroes, time for me to get back to the Ol' Hacienda and finish that last trim piece on the deck, then load gear and saddle up for the ride to Cochise Stronghold... should get some rad photos of that venue this afternoon as the sun sinks toward the western horizon, WOOHOO!!! :cool:

MIGHT HAFTA TAKE A COUPLE BEERS ON ICE WITH ME, JUST TO ENJOY AFTER THE RECON... CHEERS!!! ;)
 
Hey, check out these pics taken on or near my property, some are enhanced photos snapped with my Canon cam in "Creative Shots" mode, I dig the moonrise photos, LOL. :rolleyes:

IMG_9425.JPG IMG_9426.JPG IMG_9437.JPG IMG_9439.JPG IMG_9440.JPG IMG_9444.JPG IMG_9452.JPG IMG_9469.JPG

Those shots where ya feel like you're aboard the Titanic as the ship is going down, those are definitely enhanced, I was nowhere near that drunk when I snapped the photos, LOL. I like that "Creative Shots" mode, it catches color the Canon cam often misses in "Auto Mode"---go figure. :confused:
 
And now for some shots taken during yesterday's recon of Cochise Stronghold via Dragoon Road, Cochise Stronghold Road, and Ironwood Road, approaching the Stronghold from the north and east:

IMG_9237.JPG IMG_9238.JPG IMG_9240.JPG IMG_9245.JPG IMG_9246.JPG IMG_9248.JPG IMG_9251.JPG IMG_9252.JPG IMG_9253.JPG IMG_9254.JPG

Don't be fooled by these pics which only show one small end of the Stronghold, the rocks are larger than they appear and they get even bigger & badder to the south and west, my recon yesterday was simply to confirm access routes, I never really got a chance to don my climbing shoes and chalkbag, LOL. That comes later, now that I know all access routes to the Stronghold. Most of my climbing will probably be done on the West Side, where there are far fewer badges and many fine rock crags, domes & spires, but this access route wouldn't be bad for overnight trips, as there's a campground at the end of this road. Camping on the West Side is open, no developed campsites there... just the way I like it as a true redneck, LOL. Back in a moment with more pics... :)

P.S. Those Rattlesnake Ranch shots were taken en route to Dragoon, AZ, I liked the dinosaurs and the Gila Monster... that thing was bad@$$, LOL. :eek:
 
Some more pics taken during my recon:

IMG_9255.JPG IMG_9256.JPG IMG_9257.JPG IMG_9258.JPG IMG_9259.JPG IMG_9260.JPG IMG_9261.JPG IMG_9262.JPG IMG_9263.JPG

There's that Gila Monster again, I dug that sculpture... I would've gotten a closer shot of it, but I didn't wanna trespass on private property... a good way to get SHOT in Arizona, LOL. :confused:

Hey, those dirt roads would be great for monkeybiking, LOL... might hafta bring a mini out there, it'd be less offensive than a full-on dirt bike, aye??? :eek:
 
Oh, yeah, these last few shots were taken on the way home to Benson, these rocks are in Texas Canyon, good climbing there but it's mostly private property:

IMG_9264.JPG IMG_9265.JPG
Back in my "trucking daze" I hopped a fence by the rest area on I-10 and soloed some fine crags & boulders on the north side of the interstate... some folks down below filmed one ascent, probably thought I'd peel & die as I made my way upward, LOL. This last shot of some high desert badlands was taken from Sibyl Road... I detoured off the highway to enjoy the scenic roundabout way to my home:

IMG_9266.JPG

For anyone interested in rock climbing at Cochise Stronghold, you can Google COCHISE STRONGHOLD ROCK CLIMBING: THE COMPLETE SET by Tanya Bok, there are even some pics of cool routes to be done, just click on the images when ya get to the web page. I'm buying that book today, LOL... in fact, I'm heading directly to the nearest store that sells the book as soon as I leave the Benson Library (where I get free Wi-Fi, y'all know I'm a cheap b@stard, LOL). After I pick up the book and resupply with food & beer for the weekend, I'm gonna swap out that cr@pper in the master bedroom... and this weekend, when the temp is a bit cooler according to the forecast, I'm gonna apply that second elastomeric coat to my roof, meant to do that earlier but I got sidetracked, as so often happens when pulling home rehab. :confused:

HASTA LUEGO, NAUTICAL HEROES!!! I'LL BE SURE TO DRINK A BEER FOR YA THIS AFTERNOON, MAYBE EVEN MACK SOME BBQ, LOL... :rolleyes:

CHEERS!!! :cool:
 
Railroads played a BIG part in the history of Benson, AZ, and the trains still roll through today... some of those freight trains are over a mile long, the longest I've seen so far from my deck was nearly two miles long, with four engines up front, two in the middle, and two bringing up the rear as "pushers." EIGHT ENGINES!!! Never seen the like, but there's a heckuva lot of freight moving through Benson on this southern route, trains going east and trains going west, with the odd Slamtrak special rolling through every so often. Anyway, I snapped a few mural pics for y'all, there are some pretty cool murals in this burg:

IMG_9513.JPG IMG_9514.JPG IMG_9515.JPG IMG_9516.JPG IMG_9517.JPG IMG_9518.JPG IMG_9519.JPG IMG_9520.JPG IMG_9521.JPG

Pretty cool old trains, LOL. :cool:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Back
Top