Today

Above, Christmas is ready for her next carrot. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today is Halloween, but that has not been on my mind.

The passing of Sean Connery at 90 put a sad pall on the day. The only living superstar that I can think of that compares in stature to Connery is Clint Eastwood, who is also 90. There are plenty of actors, some are even good, but they pale in comparison to Connery and Eastwood. Most though, seem to have come from the same "cookie-cutter".

I watched The Hunt For Red October during dinner tonight. It is one of Connery's better movies during his later career.

Above, Buddy enjoying a carrot. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

But I did do some Jeep driving today. I confined my driving to the Flying J and around the community. One of the things I did was to give some carrot treats to horses Buddy and Christmas. The snow storm of last week must have taken care of the fly problem as both horses had their fly masks off.

I also put more anti-freeze in the holding tanks of The Beast and put a heater inside of the GOCO Beast Barn so the motorhome's holding tank heaters will not be overused and last longer.

Outside of laundry, tomorrow will be taken up with a drive to the Tee Pee Trading Post in Lupton, Arizona.

Sean Connery, The Greatest 007 of All, Dies At 90

This one hurts.

Very sad news has been announced from the United Kingdom.

The Independent reported:

 Legendary James Bond actor Sean Connery has died, aged 90.

The Scottish Bafta-winning star played the British spy in seven films from 1962 until 1983.

He died in his sleep in the Bahamas. While a cause is yet to be announced, it is believed the actor had been unwell for a long period of time.

His first appearance as 007 came in Dr No in 1962. His other Bond films included From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), and You Only Live Twice (1967). 

He returned to the role twice more in Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983).

To say Connery was a giant in pop-culture would be a gross understatement. Thankfully, he had a long life and passing away the way he did is the best way to go. 

Akiko Wakabayashi, who co-starred with Connery in 1967's You Only Live Twice (set in Japan), said in a G-FAN interview (by yours truly and Brett Homenick) of Connery, "James Bond in the movie is a ladies' man, but Sean-san is a warm-hearted honest man. He has a clear vision as an actor. He can be stubborn from time to time, but he is a real man with a bit of old-fashioned taste."

To read more, go here.

Back To Standard Time!

 

National Frankenstein Day

Above, Boris Karloff in Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Universal Pictures.

According to International Business Times, today is National Frankenstein Day.

In an article they posted on October 25:

In a world where there's a national holiday for almost any and everything, it's only right that Frankenstein has one too. Friday marks the 22nd ever National Frankenstein Day.

What is National Frankenstein Day?

The special day was created in 1997 by Ron MacCloskey from Westfield, New Jersey, and is celebrated on the last Friday of October each year to celebrate the birth of one of the most iconic horror characters (Frankenstein's monster) and its creator Mary Shelley. 

The author began writing the story of Frankenstein when she was just 18-years-old. The novel tells the story of a young scientist, Dr. Victor von Frankenstein, who, traumatized by his mother's death, becomes obsessed with the idea of bringing the dead back to life. Eventually, he succeeds in bringing to life a creature made of body parts from various deceased people. Though Shelley never names him, many fans call the monster "Frankenstein."

To celebrate, people would do something Frankenstein related.

I chose to watch the original 1931 Frankenstein, starring Colin Clive, John Boles, Mae Clarke and Boris Karloff in his immortal first portrayal of the Monster. 

There is another "Frankenstein Day" that is celebrated on August 30, Mary Shelley's birthday.

To read more, go here.

"Moo!" To You, Too!

Above, a solitary cow alongside Six Mile Canyon Road. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today, I decided to take a little jaunt in the Jeep to the gate to Cibola National Forest/Six Mile Canyon.

Before reaching the gate, where the cattle pen is located, I noticed a cow grazing next to Six Mile Canyon Road. Further up, several cattle were at the cattle pen, not inside it, but wandering around it.

Above, cattle wandering around the old cattle pen. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There is a cattle guard at the gate, but it wasn't doing its job as the cattle were walking on it without any difficulty. This isn't new, cattle have been known to wander in our community on occasion.

Above, a couple of cattle near the gate. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The snow we had earlier this week is pretty much gone, with only a few spots of it left.

It reached the low 60s today, so that's why the snow melted away. Much of the ground is soggy with some spots with puddles and lots of mud. I had to hose off the Jeep when I got home as mud was caked underneath.

Above, the cattle guard definitely was not doing its job. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Still, it was a nice drive.

Social Security Cost-of-Living Increase In January

There's good news for those who are receiving Social Security retirement benefits.

There will be a cost-of-living benefit increase starting in January 2021.

From the Social Security Administration:

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 1.3 percent in 2021.

For more details, go to the Social Security Administration website here. 

C'mon, Man! Top Ten Trump Ads

 

U.S. Economy Grew At 33.1% In 3rd Quarter

Normally, I don't usually quote CNN, but this is such important news that even the "Counterfeit News Network" can't ignore it like the Biden Crime Family scandals.

They posted:

New York (CNN Business) - The US economy in the summer recovered much of the historically enormous ground it lost in the spring, expanding at the fastest rate on record in the third quarter, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Still, the recovery remains incomplete. The economic crisis that Covid-19 brought on is far from over, and the pandemic threatens to plunge the American economy into turmoil again as infection numbers continue to rise rapidly across the country.

The third quarter, however, was one for the record books. Gross domestic product — the broadest measure of economic activity — grew at an annualized and seasonally adjusted rate of 33.1% between July and September. This was a faster rate of expansion than economists had predicted.

It was also the fastest growth rate since the government began to track quarterly GDP data in 1947. It represented a sharp, albeit partial, recovery from the prior three months, when the economy contracted at an annualized, seasonally adjusted rate of 31.4%.

President Trump has said the recovery is "V" shaped. This proves it.

As the Clintons liked to say back in the 1990s, "It's the economy, stupid!"

To read more, go here. 

Golf Legend Jack Nicklaus Endorses Trump

Jack Nicklaus, pro-golf's legendary champion, has endorsed President Trump for re-election.

He posted this on Twitter last evening:

 

RV Storage: Winterizing Need-To-Know Information

Above, getting ready to put The Beast into its garage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last week, I went to Lake Havasu, Arizona for the weekend. The temperatures there ranged into the 80s and 90s.

When I got back home, I found that a winter storm (and we're still in autumn) was on the way. So the day after I got back home, I put my motorhome into my RV garage and did some winterizing chores. I added anti-freeze to the water lines and tanks, plugged the RV into the garage's electrical outlet (30 amp) and flipped on the holding tank heaters.

These tasks have worked well for me during the past two years since I moved to New Mexico. Do It Yourself RV has an article on "need-to-know" information on winterizing RVs.

They begin it with:

For most RVers, this is the time of year to lay up the rig for the winter season. In some areas “winter” means severe weather and below-zero temperatures, while in others it may be just the occasional hard freeze at night.

In either case, there are a number of chores to attend to so as to protect our RVs while not in regular use. For most folks that means more than the traditional RV winterizing of the water lines. Here’s what you need to know about RV storage for the winter.

To read more, go here. 

Camping Without Reservations?

Above, The Beast last week at Crazy Horse Campground in Lake Havasu. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV sales and rentals have gone through the roof since the outbreak of coronavirus. This begs the question:

Can you still go RVing without camping reservations?

That question is discussed by RV Life and they provide some tips on traveling without making camping reservations.

Last week, I went to Lake Havasu, Arizona for a few days. I stayed at Crazy Horse Campground. I checked the weather and it was in the 80s and 90s. Since these were the perfect temperatures for water sports enthusiasts, I decided to reserve a campsite. Good thing I did, the campground filled up over the weekend.

They begin with:

COVID has made the nomadic lifestyle more popular than ever before. As a result, many long-time RVers believe that it’s now impossible to go RVing without camping reservations ahead of time.

But is it really? If you’re willing to think outside the box, I believe that you can still travel spontaneously around North America.  

The line between “peak season” and “off-season” no longer exists at RV parks and campgrounds thanks to the pandemic. With so many people working and roadschooling remotely, the endless summer vibe blurs into winter. Most RV parks still shut down in cold northern climates.

But when new full-time RVers chase warmer winter weather, expect crowds wherever you roam. You can still enjoy a spontaneous RVing lifestyle without camping reservations. Just follow some common sense travel tips.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Today: Matsushima's Moods and Marvels

Above, one of Matsushima's islets. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2006, I went up to Matsushima in the Tohoku region of Japan to see where my dad was briefly stationed during the Korean War.

He had sent my mom a photo of himself in his military police uniform in front of the Godaido temple at Matsushima's harbor. I had a local take a photo of me at roughly the same location. After this, I took a cruise that took me around the islets in Matsushima Bay.

Above, yours truly at Godaido in 2006.

Matsushima has often been compared to Carmel-By-The-Sea in California for its scenic beauty. 

Japan Today has posted an article on the moods and marvels of Matsushima.

They start it off with:

MATSUSHIMA, Miyagi - Matsushima, on the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, is widely regarded as one of Japan’s three most scenic destinations, thanks to the pine-dotted islands in its broad bay. For good reason, it has been a popular travel destination for centuries (literally!). It has great natural beauty, religious and historical sites, and delightful local culture.

Cruising the bay

The “must do” activity at Matsushima is a sightseeing cruise around the bay to enjoy the scenery of the bay’s 260 islands.  Although tsunami waters found their way here in March 2011, thanks to the bay’s south-facing opening to the sea and the position of many islands at the mouth of the bay, the inundation was not as bad as at other areas of coastal Tohoku, and the area has recovered well.

To read more, go here. 

Sunny and Warmer Days

Above, the driveway and GOCO Beast Barn yesterday morning. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The snow we received during the past two days is mostly melted (about 70% when I last saw it). But that's okay, the water from it is now watering the plants and trees.

The weekend looks to be a comfortable one. The temperatures will still be at freezing.

Above, much of the snow was already melted yesterday afternoon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

According to the National Weather Service:

 Today

Sunny, with a high near 57. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around 27. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 61. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Friday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 32. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming south in the evening.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 62. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming north in the afternoon.

Saturday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 32.

Sunday

Sunny, with a high near 62.

Trump In Bullhead City Today

Above, President Trump disembarks from Air
Force One at Bullhead City. Photo by Holly Killen.

A crowd waited at the Bullhead City, Arizona in windy weather to greet President Trump at a rally today. The President arrived at the airport aboard Air Force One following a rally in Las Vegas.

Friends Mitch Geriminsky and his girlfriend Holly Killen arrived early along with over 15,000 people. I watched it at home.

The event was an enjoyable one from all accounts, but there was an "incident" that took place.

From Fox News:

The U.S. Air Force intercepted an unknown aircraft flying too close to President Trump's campaign rally in Arizona Wednesday. 

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said it dispatched F-16s, a type of fighter aircraft, and launched signal flares before establishing radio contact and escorting the plane out of restricted airspace "without further incident." 

To read more, go here. 

Sunny But Foggy Out

The sun's out, but it is a bit foggy out.

I just did some snow shoveling and it is feeling somewhat warm out (if you want to call 21° warm). I didn't put on a jacket, but I still felt comfortable enough to do some shoveling on the deck.

Some pictures:

 

Looks Like My Thermometer Is Busted

Above, the thermometer this morning. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For the past several days (at least since I got back from Lake Havasu), I noticed my outdoor thermometer is stuck near 40°. 

It is currently around 18° outside, so it is obviously not working.

Looks like I'll have to get a new one unless I can fix this one. 

L.A. Dodgers Win The 2020 World Series

Above, the last home game I attended in 2015. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Finally, since 1988, the Los Angeles Dodgers won a World Series.

Until they decided to join in the misguided stunt of having "BLM" on their field at Dodger Stadium when the season started, "BLM" jerseys and giving money to "BLM" organizations, I have been almost a lifelong fan. Many, along with me, have shunned professional sports over politics (Black Lives Matter are Marxist organizations). 

Because of that, I did not follow the World Series this year. Back in the late-1970s to the early-1990s, I spent a lot of time (and cash) at Dodger Stadium.

I have no idea if, or ever, I will ever become a fan again.

The Bobulinski Interview: The Bidens Are In Deep Doo-doo!

Watching the Tony Bobulinski interview on Tucker Carlson Tonight. This is a major major story against Joe Buy-den. Corruption at its finest. The American people need to learn more about this!  - Rush Limbaugh

The Bidens are vomiting blood right now. #TonyBobulinski - James Woods

From Fox News:

Tony Bobulinski, a former business associate of Hunter Biden, will tell "Tucker Carlson Tonight" in an exclusive interview Tuesday evening that Joe Biden's denials of knowledge or involvement in his son's foreign dealings are "a blatant lie."

To read more, go here.

Tonight's Going To Be A Cold One

Above, the ol' homestead this afternoon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It's a good thing I plugged in The Beast (my motorhome) and flipped on the holding tank heaters yesterday.

Right now, it is about 25° and it is forecast to go down 16-18° overnight and then to 14° tomorrow morning at 7:00. Brrr!

Above, the GOCO Beast Barn today. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This snow will continue through tomorrow and then the temperature will go up into the 40s Thursday and then into the 60s over the weekend.

The good thing from all this snow (we got around 2" of it) is that the plants outside will have gotten a good watering. 

The heaters will be on tonight!

Xochitl Torres Small's Campaign Funded 75% From Outside Special Interests

It is interesting to note that Rep. Xochitl Torres Small's campaign is being funded by out-of-state interests to the tune of 75%. 

John Block of Piñon Post reported:

On Friday, initial Federal Election Commission numbers for Quarter Three (Q3) were published, and Rep. Xochitl Torres Small from New Mexico’s Second Congressional District raised approximately $2.4 million, with a vast majority of contributions coming from out-of-state.  

Out-of-state contributions made up 75.65% of Torres Small’s Q3, with  $1,833,143.25, and in-state contributions only made up $590,109.60 or 24.35%. $380,761.27 came from California, $184,266.58 from New York, and $544,441.03 from Washington, D.C., and $73,195.27 from Illinois. 

To read more, go here. 

A Quick Walk Outside

A little while ago, I went out to check the trash container at the road to see if the trash truck came by to empty it. It hadn't.

While I was out, I took a couple of snapshots of the GOCO Beast Barn/Barking Spider Acre and Buddy, my neighbor's horse.

It is surprising that we have such heavy snow for October. Last year's first snow was much lighter.

Here's the photos:

Above, Buddy in his pen. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, GOCO Beast Barn and Barking Spider Acre. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Route 66 Casino Hotel Closed 2 Weeks Due To Coronavirus

Above, The Beast at the Route 66 RV Resport, which remains open. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whenever I go to Albuquerque, I stay at the Route 66 Casino RV Resort. While there, I usually dine at the Thunder Road Steakhouse and Cantina. I plan on going there within the next two weeks.

Above, Route 66 Casino Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

However, KRQE reported that the casino hotel has been closed for two weeks due to cases of COVID-19 among employees.

They wrote:

LAGUNA PUEBLO, N.M. (KRQE) – Route 66 Casino Hotel is shutting down for the next two weeks. A spokesman for the casino says officials made the decision to close the casino Sunday at 5:00 p.m. because of a surge in cases among employees.

They say that until this past week, they’ve had less than nine cases since re-opening in late June but their most recent test yielded 13 positive cases in one week. The casino says it will stay closed while they sanitize and utilize contact tracing.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, the RV park and travel center will remain open.

To read more, go here. 

A Bit Cold Out

Above, a view of the front of the house. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A little bit ago, I got back inside the house after taking the trash container out to the road for today's pick up.

It is a bit cold out (around 23°). Brrr! 

According to my weather app, it is supposed to stop around 1:00 this afternoon. We'll see.

Still Snowing

Above, the yard behind the garage this morning. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today is day two of the season's first snow. It is snowing right now. 

In a little while, I am going to have brave it to put the trash container on the side of the road as today's trash day.

Depending on the weather, I'll have to venture out to the Flying J to check the mail. I took the Jeep there yesterday. Its big tires give me better traction and control on the snowy/icy roads.

A Happy Glenn Strange

Until I saw this posted on Facebook, I don't think I've ever seen this photo of Glenn Strange with some gals. It appears to have been taken in 1948 during the production of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. It is definitely a Bud Westmore make-up job.

Obviously, all seem to be having a very good time.

 

Jamestown Snow Pictures

Above, the GOCO Beast Barn and Barking Spider Acre. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During a lull in the snowfall, I went outside to do some snow shoveling and to take a few pictures.

The snow accumulated to a little over an inch on the deck. It is melting a little faster on the ground. The walkways are fairly clear as is the gravel driveway.

We are expected to get more snow tonight. Whatever snow we get, it will likely not last as we're supposed to have temperatures in the 60s towards the end of the week. 

At least the plants are getting some water out of this.

Some of the photos I took:

Above, the front walkway. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the mesas. Photo by Armand Vaquer

Above, a later view of the front yard. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the patio table set and deck. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, part of Barking Spider Acre and Buddy's pen. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

First Snow

Above, a very light dusting on the deck and outside furniture. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This qualifies as the first snowfall of the autumn/winter season in Jamestown, New Mexico.

We are having light snow showers right not, but it is barely staying on the ground, deck and patio furniture, It is around 36° outside, but it is expected to go down to 32° (freezing) later in the day.

This snow arrived two days earlier than last year's. 

Signage

At the Trump parade Saturday in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, I managed to get some signs for the front yard.

 

12 More Hours To Go

Well, according to Facebook, I am supposed to be out of "Facebook Jail" in twelve hours from now.

The whole thing was ridiculous anyway. They were very vague on the reason I was put on restriction (something about 2019 violations) in the first place. 

First Snow Today?

Above, last year's first snow came on October 28. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Thanks to thunder and the pelting of hail, I woke up around 3:30 this morning.

We're expecting snow showers this morning according to the National Weather Service. This is not unusual for Jamestown, New Mexico. We get our first snows in October, at least it has during the past two years I've lived here. 

So far, we've had hail and rain (which we need).

According to the National Weather Service:

I'm In The Havasu News!

It appears I made it into the Havasu News!

I am in the background in the black Stetson hat and red shirt:

The main story is on President Trump's upcoming visit to Arizona this coming Wednesday in Bullhead City.

They wrote:

President Donald Trump is planning a campaign stop in Mohave County on Wednesday. The final details are still being organized, but the president’s campaign office plans to visit Bullhead City and Goodyear on Wednesday according to Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward. 

Ward made the announcement during Saturday’s Red, White & Blue Parade in Lake Havasu City. 

To read more, go here. 

Winter Storm Forecast

It appears that we're in for some winter weather. I was going to put The Beast in the GOCO Beast Barn tomorrow, but I decided to do it this evening. So that's all completed.

If the governor says so about the weather, it must be true (wink, wink). She Tweeted:

A major winter storm will be hitting the state over the next few days – be prepared!

Bring pets inside and protect pipes and plants. Limit your travel and check 

@NMRoads511 for road conditions. Be safe New Mexico!

She also posted this:

More Trump Parade Photos

The Trump parade in Lake Havasu City yesterday was a lot of fun. I posted about here. 

The photos I posted with it barely scratched the surface. Here are more from yesterday of the participating vehicles at the assembly area.