Got A New Camera. Not The One I Wanted, but a camera. Caution, don’t look if you are squeamish…..

After studying the different cameras available on the market, and talking to several knowledgeable people, I had decided to buy a Nikon D5000.  It is a digital SLR camera with good reviews and a lot of good features. At around $700 for the body and two lenses, and a battery charger and an SD card, it would have been a good camera for me to use while I learned how to use a digital SLR because it would also take pictures in automatic mode. That’s where the camera does all the settings automatically so you don’t have to think about it. But, alas, it was not in the cards for me to get that camera right now.

That is because the night before last, after dinner, I broke my partial plate. For anyone who wears dentures or a dental device like a partial plate, you know how expensive that can be. I got the plate in 2005, when we were still living in south Texas, 8 miles from the Mexican border. I walked across the border, had six teeth extracted, and had the partial plate made, for a total expense of $400. That included an antibiotic and pain meds to take after the extractions. I never thought about the thing breaking. Heck, I didn’t even know it COULD break. And I didn’t know you could only expect a partial plate to last for five to seven  years!

After my initial shock, I did what any other sane person would do–I googled the internet for “repairs to partial plate”. The most important thing I learned from that search is that MY partial can not be repaired, because it broke on the metal part. They can only make repairs if it is the plastic part that broke.

My next search was for what it would cost to get a new partial plate made. In the United States, a partial plate like mine would cost me a whopping $1500 to $2000 at a regular dentist’s office!  I know dental work is expensive, but this is not even a full set of teeth we are talking about here.  At discount denture place I found, I can get a new set of teeth for about $650, but I would still have to drive down to Phoenix, twice. And that would also involve staying in a motel overnight both times, because it is just too far to go there and back in one day. So, we are still trying to decide whether to go to Yuma and walk across to Mexico, go to Phoenix, or wait and go to the outlet they have in Georgia in November.  I CAN eat, just not a steak or a pork chop. And it would be sooo much easier to wait and go in Georgia when we get back east.

At any rate, in anticipation of having to spend at least $650 out of pocket, I decided it wouldn’t be prudent to also spend over $700 for a new camera, even though I really really want it.  So, when we went to Kanab today, I bought an Olympus SP-600UZ. It is NOT an SLR camera, but it is a pretty good digital camera for under $200.  It has lots of good features, including taking pretty good videos. The pictures come out clear and with good color. Which is what I want a camera to do.

It takes pretty decent photos of people:

It does pretty good on close-ups:

Landscapes:

And zoom:

Full sun does not wash out the color of the sky and forest:

And just because I like this photo:

So, even though I didn’t get the camera I wanted, I DID get one, and that is a good thing. Now for those teeth…..

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Let’s Go To Kanab, Utah

I know I have said this before, but it is an 85 mile drive from the North Rim to Kanab, Utah. We go down to Kanab about every two weeks or so to stock up on groceries and stuff. Today we went down there, primarily because I had an appointment for a pedicure. The only pictures I took were of the scenery on the trip, though, so that is what you will see today.

We had several things to do in town besides the pedicure. First stop was the Dollar store. I was looking for some baby t-shirts for a project I have in my head. They didn’t have any. Oh, well.  I can wait for another day for that. Then to Houston’s Trails End Restaurant for breakfast. They have good bacon.

I went to the Ace Hardware store, where they have a quilt shop in part of the store. I wanted to get measured so that I can order my mother of the bride dress that I finally found. While I was in there, I of course I found some more fabric that I could not leave in the store.

Then I went for the most fabulous pedicure I have ever had.  The girl who did the pedi took a lot of time to do it right, and I was very impressed with that. But then, when she was doing the foot massage at the end, she asked me “Do you have trouble with your hip?” and when I said I do, she asked “Is it your right hip?” Yes. She went on to ask me if I had been having trouble with my kidneys recently, and if I had had my gall bladder removed. Yes, and yes. I could not believe she could tell all that from touching my feet. Especially since I had never met her before today. She told me she has the gift of a healing touch. I am a believer because, well, I was there today. I will definitely be going back.

After a run through the grocery store, we met our friends, Marcie and Chris, at Nedra’s Mexican Restaurant for lunch. Mmmm, tacos! But the best thing about meeting them, was that Chris had made me a batch of gluten free oatmeal cookies. Delicious! I always feel so special and loved when someone takes the time  and makes the effort to make things for me that I can eat. Thank you so much, Chris!

So, after a pretty full day, a truck full of goodies, we headed home. One last stop at Jacob Lake Inn for a milkshake rounded out the day. Yes, a long, long trip to get groceries, but what a fun day! And that scenery on the way? Priceless!

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A Day In Kanab, Utah

Remember this? Well, today we added more to it. We got  up very early to go to Kanab, Utah. It’s an 85 mile drive, with a one hour time difference once you cross the Utah border. We wanted to get there by 8:00 a.m. Utah time  because we were having work done on the truck. So, we left about 5:50 (Arizona time), went to pick up Gaelyn of Geogypsy, and took off.

Early morning in the Kaibab National Forest, just outside the gates of the Grand Canyon National Park, is always interesting. You might see deer, turkeys, a coyote, or a buffalo out there. Today we saw this beautiful sky.

We got to the auto shop just at 8:00, and dropped off the truck. They gave us a loaner vehicle so we wouldn’t have to sit around there all day. We went to Houston’s Trails End Restaurant for breakfast, then headed about a mile or so north of town to the private campground where our friends, Marcie and Jim, and Chris, are staying while they are workamping in Kanab.  I didn’t think about taking pictures while I was there, but that campground has some wonderful scenery around it.

Marcie and Chris are going to be staffing a booth at The Kane County Farmers Market, which will be held every Saturday from the last weekend in May through the middle of October, beginning at 9:00 am to 11:30 am. Chris makes some really cute “tea bag wallets”, which are big enough to hold 4-6 tea bags for hot tea. What a great idea! Marcie makes crocheted items, which I unfortunately did not see. But, if you find yourself in Kanab on a Saturday morning this summer, go on over and check out our stuff. They are going to be selling some of my things, too. Thank you so much, girls! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that.

When we left their place, we went over to the Family Dollar store, where I picked up some packing tape and another cute dress for Amelia. (yeah, I know, I have it bad, hehehe).  There just happened to be a thrift shop next door, so we went in to see what they had. I picked up a luggage carrier for a good price to use to take my laundry to the laundry room. By then, it was almost time for my hair appointment.

Since the post office is right behind the hair salon, we parked there and I finished packing up the things I had to mail out. Heads up to all my kids, I sent gifts out to all the grandkids today. They should get them soon. Got the hair cut and made an appointment for a pedicure in two weeks, and another hair cut in 5 weeks. Yay!

We went to another thrift shop, the one for the hospital auxiliary, where they had these cute fabrics for 50 cents a piece, for 1/2 yards!

I also picked up all this lace trim, for practically nothing!

The best bargain of the day, though, was this fabulous thread bin, full of thread, for $15! Some of that thread is silk. And all of the spools are wooden, which I haven’t seen in years. OH, I am just loving this!

And last, here is a lovely piece of fabric, all pink and flowery. It is actually an 84″ X 26″ curtain panel, that I picked up for $4.00 in Deja Vu Antiques. I am planning to use it to make a fluffy dress for Amelia. Yes, like Scarlett O’Hara, she will be wearing the drapes before she is old enough to walk.  Hahahaha. But, don’t you think that is just soooo pretty?

Somewhere in there, we went grocery shopping, and ate some lunch at Escobar’s. Finally, around 4:00 p.m, they got finished with the truck.  They added a Banks Intercooler under the hood. See all those new manly pipes! FabGrandpa is in “guy heaven”.

And FabGrandpa finally got to add the Banks sticker to our truck. One on each side. He says they only cost $1100, each.

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Isn’t That Just Like An Appliance?

So, we spent a week driving through heavily populated areas, then spent a whole week in Flagstaff before we headed up the plateau to the North Rim, which is exactly in the middle of nowhere. 200 miles from the closest RV dealership. No repairman in their right mind would come up here, even if they could get in the gate. And, on the second day here, our water heater gave it up. It heats water no more.

It has been cold here, with temps below freezing every night.  With no water heater, there have been no showers. We have been using the coffee pot to heat water for washing dishes and for washing ourselves at the bathroom sink. Not a very efficient process, but a temporary solution to the problem at hand.

I have ordered a new water heater from an online RV parts provider, who said it would take 7-10 business days for it to ship. Which means, here, we should receive it by June.  Since we are, you know, on the moon.  Well, ok, in a very remote place. We should be glad we get UPS deliveries at all.

So, while I wait for a new water heater, I will have to be going over to the laundry room, where there is a public shower, soon. As in tonight. Some things you just can’t put off.

And, for your viewing pleasure, here are some lovely scenic photos straight from the Cold Water center of the universe:

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Becky and The Parents Day Three: Bryce Canyon National Park

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Becky and the Parents, Day Two continued: Zion National Park

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