2016 Year In review pictorially speaking

We did not cover a lot of miles in 2016 (Total miles driven in Newell in 2016:  2,130), but the year was jam packed with activity!  We celebrated New Year's with my son (Chris) and his family in Octotillo Wells, CA (near Salton Sea), and what a time we had........

Amazing sunsets in Octotillo Wells

(Aerial photo courtesy Steven Dempsey)......our Octotillo Wells encampment

Michael Viccari and I taking a hike

Below sea level

Took a Jeep ride in Chris' YJ

Moved up to Borrego Springs around January 3rd with friends Michael, Liz, Steven and Linda (Liz not pictured here)

We enjoyed many campfires together

We then traveled to Quartzite for the annual RV show (photo courtesy Steven Dempsey)

 Got a flag pole and flags at the RV show

 The Quartzite RV show

 Met up with long time friends Chris, Cherie and Becky at Quartzite

Got my windshield replaced at Quartzite!

Headed for Wittmann to visit our good friends Tom and Darlene

 

 Spent time helping Tom install his compressed air system.....

.....and wrapping his AC ducts with insulation 

Headed to Los Algodones for dental stuff....stayed at Quechan Casino for the first time

Back to Borrego Springs for a few days  to visit with Steven and Linda again.....very, very windy!

Sharon and Brayden James born in February

Back in SoCal for a couple of months.....Tim and Laila

A lot of bike riding was done

Bought ourselves new recliners....TLE's above and mine below

Tim and Laila engaged to be married

On our way to SLT*

First glimpse of Lake Tahoe in 2016

 Snowed the night before we arrived in SLT* at TVC** on April 30th

All set up

 The 'Ranger' golf cart

Many bike rides around SLT

 Jolene Rose born in June

 A lot of great beer consumed at our favorite SLT micro brewery - Sidellis

 Assembled a lot of picnic tables at TVC

 Rangering

 Rode up to Emerald Bay numerous times during the summer

Lucky '13'

Our first annual beer tasting party

 Spent a day with friends at Incline Beach

Met Paul in Mammoth for a day of mountain biking

 Meredith and Amy drove up from SoCal to spend the 4th of July with us

 Made new friends

 Meredith came by to visit us while on a business trip

 Newell friends Guy and Sue Cobham

Guy and Sue's 1984 Newell

Had dinner with long time friend Don Neff

Our 45th anniversary dinner at Nepheles'

 Hiked to Mobius Arch while at Tuttle Creek

 Tuttle Creek sojourn

 Moi with Brayden James

TLE with Jolene Rose in November

Christmas 2016 family portrait - 19 strong now!

.......our family has grown larger over the past year.  It has been a memorable year to say the least.  What awaits us in 2017?  Stay tuned, and thanks for stopping by!

* SLT = South Lake Tahoe

** TVC = Tahoe Valley Campground

Post Sicko - Day 1 - The last of the 'Sicko' posts

7:55 am - Mountain Time - Sunday - 47º F, humidity 63%, wind 3 mph out of east.....partly cloudy......projected high for Sunday  71º F......YAY.....finally broke 70º again!  Slept wonderfully last night with no assistance from pharmaceuticals of any kind!

So, after 10 days I believe I can pronounce myself healed.......not yet hitting on all 8 cylinders yet, but getting closer.  Tom, as he always does on real Saturday, sent me a message around 9:15 am asking if I wished to accompany him to the weekly Wittmann Flea Market over on Center Street and SR-60, to which I responded in the affirmative.  We left around 10 am in Tom's car.....it takes just 4, or 5 minutes to get there from Tom's home.  This was probably the biggest turnout of vendors I have seen since we have been here, and certainly the biggest in all our stays in Wittmann......as far as scale it reminded a little of the South Lake Tahoe Flea Market, which I love, however, when it came to the quality of the offerings it was disappointing.  Neither Tom, nor I found anything without which we could not continue living.  After a brief stop at the local Family Dollar Store where I picked up some honey for my 'Honey', and some milk, we headed back to the homestead.

That's the first time I have been off Tom's property since Tuesday when we drove over to Los Algodones.  In the interest of not over exerting myself, which has been my habit after past colds, I spent the rest of the day reading, and napping......ipso facto, I did nothing.  It is very difficult for me not to be doing something, or working on some project, or repair, or whatever.  At times I feel as if I am watching paint dry......nonetheless, the alternative.....a relapse, gives me an extra dose of patience.

There were two NFL playoff games on tap for Saturday.......for the uninitiate, this is what is known as the 'Wild Card' round.....first game up began at 2:30 pm Mountain Time between the Oakland Raiders and the Houston Texans.....if you follow the NFL you will know that the Raiders star quarterback, Derek Carr broke his fibula a few weeks ago and is gone for the season.  In addition, their second string quarterback, Matt McGloin, suffered a concussion so they were down to their 3rd string quarterback, Connor Cook, and there is a reason why he is third on the depth chart.  The Raiders lost a mistake riddled game 27-14, and it wasn't really that close.  The Texans played error free football and that was the difference.  The second game had the Detroit Lions playing at the Seattle Seahawks for the nightcap at 6:30 pm Mountain Time.   The Seahawks dominated the game winning 26-6, which is a good sign for 'Hawks fans.

TLE is holding her own, and not doing too bad.....as I reported yesterday, she appears to be made of much sturdier stuff than I, for which I am most grateful each and every day.....we were off to 'slumberland' by 11 pm......

Thanks for stopping by!