July 16 - 22, 2018 It's Me Again!

Monday - 16th

We got up early about 7 AM and did our walk and chores. The RV Mobil Tech came today to check our Air Conditioner.  He found out it is worn out and he would get back with us on the cost of a new unit. The unit can be serviced, (coolant added) but you have to have a special tech and equipment to do it.  That is not available her. Our RV is a 2004 - so it is 14 years old. We discussed it and when he called us back with the price - we decided to go ahead and buy the new unit. We met the guy at Echo Lake cafe and gave him a check. He said the unit should be here in about a week, give or take a few days.  Then Steve and I went into Bigfork and checked out the Boating Fishing Access site there. We got ice cream also! Yum.  When we got back to the RV Steve worked on the TV cabinet while I blogged. In the evening, a "concerned lady" came and talked to us about 45 minutes. She was wondering what we do. She was unhappy about thee fast boats and jet skis wake.  We told her we have no control over that.  She kept talking, figured out later - she was inebriated. We gave her the manager's card so she could talk to him.

Spare boat trailer tire & Boat oar - finds from the parking lot

Buster peeking out of the curtain - front window of RV - his perch for watching the action

Tuesday - 17th
We walked and did our chores. Then we loaded up the dogs and ourselves in the pickup and drove to Kalispell to get a small window Air Conditioner for the RV.  It is just too hot inside the RV without air conditioning. It is fine at night - but the daytime is a different story. Steve worked his butt off getting the unit installed in the window by the dining table. It was 90 degrees inside and 87 degrees outside.  Needless to say - we went outside and let the RV cool off after he got it installed.  What a day!

Everybody needs a Rubber Ducky!

Wednesday - 18th
Same routine in the morning but Steve also did some weed eating. Then he worked on the dinette seat cushions - the spring was trying to poke through. It get pretty hot inside the RV even with the little window air conditioner - but it is bearable. The outside temp was 86 degrees today. I called and talked to my sister Nancy, she didn't feel too good.

Thursday - 19th
Pretty routine day today. We took it easy some.

Friday - 20th
Today continued the same. We went to Bigfork and did the check there. I also mailed cards to Nancy and Austyn. We also mailed a check to the guy who is mowing our yard.  We got a mail package from Hazel today. We even stopped and got a few groceries at Bigfork. I talked to Pam today.
We drove over to the Krause Interpretive Trail area we like and saw a deer.

There is a deer by the log

Forest

Rabbit

Huge leaves on plant in forest

Sunset Echo Lake

Sunset

Saturday - 21st
This morning is was 60 degrees inside the RV at 8:00 AM. We walked the cabin loop road and then did our chores. We hung out inside and outside the RV.  Didn't leave the lake today.

Zoey playing with a ball cap we found

Sunday - 22nd
Today we got up early and did the chores and shortened our walk. We went to Kalispell for groceries before it got too hot. We left the dogs in the RV - so we hurried. We didn't want them to get too hot.  We accomplished this mission and got the groceries and meds and back to the RV before noon.
These are the two eagles we saw on our way to Walmart at Kalispell!

Kind of a Redneck Pontoon Boat - No rail at the front.  They just put lawn chairs up front!

July 9 - July 15, 2018 Trying to Catch Up!

Monday, July 9th was sunny and hot. The high was 88 degrees. The RV air conditioner isn't working quite right. It is not cooling adequately.  The breakers keep popping off. We talked to a mobil RV tech and he suggested we try new breakers. We did our usual chores and also went and checked on the Bigfork Access. We stopped at NAPA to get brake fluid so Steve could bleed the brakes on the pickup.  Tony, our supervisor called to check on us and see how we did over the week-end. My sister Marsha called and we visited. I tried to educate four teen boys about staying off the dock. It worked for a little bit, then they were back on it. I returned and talked to them again, then the dad to some of them pulled up and said "they are boys".  Boy, I wish I could think of witty remarks.  Just because they are boys doesn't mean they can be on the dock. Oh well, we have no authority - so that is all. I just walked away.  I had told them I could call the ranger and they could be banned.  Absolutely no-one reads the posted signs!

Tuesday I helped Steve bleed the brakes on the pickup. This consisted of me sitting in the driver's seat and pushing on the brake. We did this after our regular chores.  I also talked to Pam today. I again told someone about not swimming by the dock and boat ramp - but they didn't move far.  Later we drove to Kalispell to look for breakers for the RV air conditioner.  We tried Lowe's and Home Depot - no luck. Then we picked up supper at McDonald's and enjoyed our drive back to the RV.

Blooming bush I like!

sunset on the road 

Geese blocking the causeway road

Wednesday we got up early and did our chores. Then we went to Bigfork to Sliters Hardware. They did not have the breakers we need - so we drove back towards Kalispell and we stopped at Gardner RV. They had what we needed, so we bought them and came back to the RV. Steve installed the breakers and we took a nap.  We also drove up the Strawberry Lake road and walked the nature trail and the road. It was about 5 degrees cooler there in the forest.  This is Zoey and the bottom of a large tree!

Thursday the 12th of July - we did our chores and went to the Laundry. While we were headed to town, Marsha called and said Nancy had been sent back to the hospital Emergency Room. So we talked about that and talked to Pam also.  Found out later that the hospital had sent her back to the Nursing Home.  While we were doing laundry - a 4 year old child ran out into the street and was hit by a pickup with a camper. We read later that she was stable at the hospital in Kalispell. Such scary things happen and everyone should hug their loved ones! Steve & I both got haircuts at a salon next to the laundry. They were really needed because we were getting shaggy.

Two ducks on the Lake 

 Later that evening on our walk we saw 3 deer.  We really enjoy seeing the wildlife!

Friday was basically the same. Steve did a little weed eating while I picked up the trash.  I checked with Camping World about the air conditioner repair we had done before we left Oklahoma.  We had a circuit board replaced and that was April 2nd.  We talked to the mobil RV Tech and made an appointment for him to come down Monday and evaluate the situation.

Sunset from 2 different spots - Echo Lake

Saturday brought a repeat of the walks and chores. It was a hot afternoon. We tried to stay cool and took a nap. This area is finally heating up and that is when our air conditioner goes on the fritz, of course!

Nice Boat! Oklahoma State  Colors!

Sunday, July 15th we got up early and did our walking and chores. The morning air is about 65 degrees and perfect for being outside. You can feel the coolness on your bare skin. We finished about 8:45 and headed to Kalispell for groceries at Walmart. Even though we had made trips to Kalispell, we had not bought groceries. We bought gas there, then went to Walmart. The Walmart experience was much better than the previous one. It was not so busy!  We need to come early in the morning every time.  It had been almost 2 weeks since we bought groceries-so we did good.  Sometimes we fill in a few items in Bigfork at Harvest Foods.  We got back to the RV at 11:30, well before my self-imposed deadline of Noon. I fixed us a hamburger and fruit for lunch. The rest of the day we worked on staying cool.

Morning Mountains with Hay

Canola field near Creston, MT

We saw this unique RV when were were leaving Kalispell!  Pretty neat!

July 2, 2018 through July 8 2018 What's going on around here?

Monday, the 2nd of July ended up being rainy. We did all our regular chores plus we went to Bigfork and took care of that fishing access site also. Our friends Martina & Jim from California were in the area and we met up with them for supper. We had a great visit and it was so nice to see them again. We became acquainted with them in 2015 when we volunteered at Farragut State Park.  We ate at the Sitting Duck. The food was pretty good and we would go back. But the best part was visiting with friends.  I didn't get a picture - dumb me.

Deer we saw on our walk
 

Evening at Echo Lake

Tuesday, the 3rd of July we did our chores and then went to Walmart. Wow was it packed! Of course it was social security payday and also everyone was getting their supplies for the 4th of July.  We survived!  We also went by the FWP office and turned in our volunteer time sheets.

Wednesday the 4th of July we put up our sign on the dock about no jumping and swimming by the dock or boat ramp. Steve bought some metal tape and we attached it good! Our manager, Tony came by just before noon and checked out the parking lot and hung out about 30 or 45 minutes. Today the Game Warden, Justin was also here from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM.  His presence really helped keep things in line I think. We also took a nap.  There were lots of people here enjoying the holiday!

Mountain Bluebells (possibly)

4th of July outfit we observed

Thursday, July 5th was also very busy. Lots of people were here.  We did routine stuff and monitored the boat ramp.

Friday after we did our chores we drove up to Kalispell and went to Snoopy's (sporting goods store) and Steve got some new shoes. I got sport sandals. We also went to Cabella's, but they did not have the shoes I wanted.  In addition, I had to pick up my medicine at Walmart. We also saw a deer on our walk this morning, but the picture isn't that great with the phone, so I didn't include it.

There is a rodeo in Bigfork this week-end

Canola Field on the way to Kalispell

Saturday, the 7th was the same routine in the morning, walk, chores, lunch.  This place was packed and very busy again today.  To get away from the crowds, we went to the Fish Hatchery at Creston. It was quiet and peaceful. By the time 9:30 arrived we were down one car in the parking lot. Yea!

Sundown at Echo Lake

Sunday- again the same routine in the morning!  It was sunny and warm.  After noon we drove up to Lake Five to see the other place where there is an FWP camp host. We still like the place we are best. This is a beautiful lake and a convenient setting.

More Huckleberry Ice Cream!

Lake Five Host Site

Lake Five

June 25 through July 1, 2018 Catching Up

I am never quite sure how this happens, but when we are staying in the same place - blogging doesn't seem to be so important.  Anyway we have been doing our routine things daily. In addition, We put a a no fireworks sign and re-hung the no swimming or jumping off the dock sign (2 times now) . This will be Steve's focus this summer - the dock sign!

On Monday, the 25th the sewer truck came and cleaned out our sewer and the latrine here at the fishing/boating access.

Finley Point State Park RV Site

On Tuesday, the 25th I found out that my sister Nancy was back in the hospital (SW Integris - OKC) and we drove to Finley Point State Park. We wanted to explore that state park because we had considered hosting there this summer. We are very happy that we have the spot we are in now.  We picked up a pizza on our way home.

Host Sites Finley Point

Finley Point - Host site

Marina At Finley Point SP

Cherry Orchard

Flathead Cherry Orchard

Flathead Lake

Flathead Lake

Flathead Lake

Wednesday, the 27th we got a visit from our manager - Tony.  He thought everything was doing OK.  I took a nap and we ate at the Flathead Brewery. I got a Caesar Salad with chicken and Steve got a burger. His burger looked awesome! My salad was so so - the chicken tasted OK but looked like rubber - definitely no grill marks.  If we go there again - I will order a burger.

Thursday after we did our usual chores we did the laundry and paid some bills and emptied our holding tanks. Later that day we drove to Strawberry Lake Trailhead. The hike has a lot of elevation gain, so we did not head up the mountain.  But there was a beautiful clear stream there and a neat little bridge we went across.

Friday, the 29th of June was pretty cool. The temperature was 56-60 degrees and it was overcast most of the day. It got a little windy so we rolled up the awning.  The dust control people were out to do their thing.

Saturday it rained a lot.  It was gloomy and overcast all day. It rained a lot! Steve was able to weed eat some. We didn't have many people here at Echo Lake.  Sunday was basically a repeat, except I also had a nap! Martina, a friend from Farragut and her guy Jim were in the neighborhood. They have been in Montana vacationing. So we made a tentative plan to get together and eat out and visit.