Barbaraok

We got our first computer in May 1984 when the first wave of Macs were available on college campuses and have never looked back. It isn't easy anymore to keep up with the latest developments, but both my daughter and son-in-law grew up with computers always available so when I can't understand something, I give them a call. I remember my parents full timed in the '80s and mom had a bag of quarters with her at all times for making long distance phone calls and doing laundry. We even had a personal 800 number put in so she could call us without worrying about the costs. Until she died in 2019, she would always worry about talking to long to us on the phone. 🥰

We have used TurboTax for years. Since it pulls information from prior years, it enters most of the data and I fill in new totals for the year, it checks and then alerts me if there is something I've forgotten to do. What I especially like is the "What If" worksheet that you can use to plan out your anticipated taxes for the next year and adjust withdrawals from tax exempt funds and see how that affects your tax liability. My goal each year is to come out as close to zero due or refund.

A 50%/50% mix provides the best freezing protection. If you go with 75% of antifreeze it becomes the solvent and you won’t have the best mix. It has to do with the number of particles in the solution, called the colligative properties of solution. In addition to lower freezing temperature, it also raises boiling point of a solution. That what you put salt into a kettle of water to boil the pasta. 😎

Except when you are talking about full-timers, they don't pay property taxes in Texas, and most of the time they are traveling so they pay sales tax to whatever state/locality they are currently in when they shop, eat out, etc. And while a lot of don't pay federal taxes in retirement, by your own figure at least half of us do. So we are doing things like figuring out how much we can pull from tax-deferred accounts once we are retired and how to do it. Things like pulling money for a major upgrade you have done in January - you pull 1/2 in December and the rest in January.

I think that each year out you become more complacent about not trying to battle Mother Nature - the dust will win in the end. Of course we are people that believe if the coach needs washing, it will soon rain and the worst stuff will be gone. At our age, life is too short to worry about dust or having a 'clean' coach/car.

We spent the winter in Mesa, AZ. Took us about 5 years to pick out the spot we wanted. Greater Phoenix area has lots of Arts Centers with concerts of all types all winter, great museums (Heard Museum and Musical Instruments Museum are outstanding), great restaurants, shopping, etc. Plus in 10-15 minutes we can be out in the desert hiking, etc. And the bonus - Spring Training with 15 teams within 30-40 minutes of anywhere in the valley! We've been coming here since 2010 and wouldn't have it any other way. In fact, we changed physicians to the Mesa area since we spend several months here and it is easiest to get all poking and prodding done while we are here.

Switch the litter to SWheats cat litter - it's made from wheat and that really reduced the amount tracked about by our cat. We also got the "puppy" training pads and would put one under the litter box sticking forward, that caught any litter sticking to her paws and any 'drips' that the old girl had getting into and out of the box. Since we spend the winters in the desert, I just don't worry that much about the dust. It will always be there, use the Swiffer for tables, door jams, etc., and vacuum regularly and that is it.

Look above the grill, see the ‘cut-out’ where the slide for the generator is? Common on DPs. Different than the front on a gasser. Plus door in front of front wheels is a DP. There are some mid-entry DPs, we have one, but not common anymore.

New Aire are DPs.

Verizon lifted data caps last May. But they haven't recently. You assume that all of us have access to huge amounts of data. We don't.

Bruce, not a problem. Sorry we didn't all catch the humor - things have been a little stressed here. Also, can't imagine have highways that could take quadruple towing, wow! Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and a much, much, much, much better 2021.

I got a notice from Medicare saying that they are covering the full cost for anyone on Medicare for both shots. I understood that all states would be providing it for free for those who didn't have insurance.

I hope your luck also continues. I wish I could say that no one in our complex has gotten the disease, but unfortunately I can't. Fortunately, we can all distance ourselves from each other as necessary, not everyone can. My problem is people who don't take it seriously and question that it is really happening. Say you've been lucky and don't know anyone who has been sick or died, but don't try to insinuate that it isn't happening, that the media is lying just because you aren't paying attention, etc.

Then don’t say the news isn’t covering this. Just learned that my daughter’s sister-in-law, who works in the office in a hospital, has COVID. And she lives with her retired parents, both of whom are medically compromised. Daughter and SIL can’t do anything to help since they are 500 miles away and SIL is immunocompromised because of medication he takes. And millions of families are going through the same thing all across the country!

Can’t help that you watch news that isn’t complete. You never saw pictures of the Morgue trailers in El Paso with families up on roof looking at rucks with their loved ones bodies? https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Midland-County-receives-mobile-morgue-trailer-15793516.php Last night lots of pictures of hospitals in CA with 130% capacity and people in the halls, some in chairs because they ran out of beds. 3000 a day and you haven’t seen the pictures? Pull your head out of the sand and catch up, because clearly you are trying hard NOT to see what is happening!

This wasn't on the news, it was on the Maricopa County Public Health website. You don't check on things that effect you?

Of course, think of how much sales tax money that Florida gets from winter visitors wo purchase things during their stays, plus all the people employed to provide services to them. Some restaurants might make it through the winter if they can stay and get their shots rather than returning north.

Arizona REALLY enjoys the income from Winter Residents. Plus, a lot of people I know (including me) were sending emails to the health department (they asked people to submit questions for the FAQ page they were putting together) asking if Winter Visitors would be able to get the shots. I especially like their suggestions that people remain in the Valley for the whole month between shots - spending money here instead of somewhere on the way back. 😎

They don't know yet, but I'm betting it will be at Pharmacies like Walgreen/CVS, plus maybe some clinics. I figure middle of February into March. We aren't planning on leaving until mid-April. The Maricopa County Public Health site will have everything laid out on their Covid-19 pages. They had identified at least a couple of months ago, so it is probably here. This isn't the first mutation, so relax - they all mutate. So far m-RNA vaccine is good against similar spike proteins on variants used to penetrate cells. Don't know yet about the other vaccines in the pipeline which are based on different methods of vaccine development. Everyone will get a card when they get the first shot, the second shot will be noted on it, and then you have it to carry. Airlines could go to "No shot record, No fly" requirements. Also, schools may require proof of vaccination just like they do for mumps, measles, chickenpox, etc. next fall.

All I know is that I have been at a Pilot when NOT one truck was pumping while the tanker was filling a tank. We were in line and everyone was standing around. Took about 10 minutes and then everyone started pumping again and soon we moved up and could fuel up. BTW, to tell what a tanker is carrying, look at the red placard on the truck. If the number is 1203, it is gasoline, if it is 1202 (or 1993) it is diesel. And don't ask why there are 2 possible numbers for diesel.

It is an Either-Or thing. Use whatever you have that will have your birthdate on them. A lot of people don't have driver's licenses but do have employer badges, especially housekeeping individuals in large hotels, etc. I'm betting for most of us we will be able to get them at Walgreens/CVS and they will have all that info on file anyway.

Since we spend a lot of time each summer in the PNW, having unobstructed view of sky from our rooftop isn't always possible. So for us, we have a tripod and 150' total of cable available. And yes, we have had it dish out 100' from the rig to find spot where we could get a signal. Usually the 50' cable works, but not always. Yes, it take a few minutes to set up after we pull in. But I'm getting really good at honing in on the signal after all of these years.

From the Maricopa County Public Health Website under their Covid19 info FAQ

Of course. How else could you expect to track a package. "Big envelop sent to Grandma in Seattle, WA with hearts on it?" Come on, if you want to be able to make sure it gets there, you have to ship it with tracking, and yes, you pay more!

Have been through many truck stops where I've seen all the trucks stop filling as the guy starts pumping the diesel. Lore, maybe. Should all the filters take care of it, yes, but depending on time of year, how much rain they've had, how careful they are, etc., I just get in line and sit and wait until the trucks in front have decided it is ok and let them fuel up, then I'll fuel up. If the truck stop is big enough, they don't pump out of the tank filled that day, but let it sit and switch to that one the next day or two.