What did you do today? 2016 version

[FIREd]

We had guests for the past week. They just left to go on an RV trip through the Western states. I drove them to the RV rental place yesterday. They had rented a 22-foot Tioga model and I did the training/walk-around with them (doing the translation in German since my guests spoke little English). It was fun!

 

[Walt34]

For the second time in two days we had the phone co. (Frontier) guy here for static/hum on the phone line, now we have a temporary above-ground line on the front yard from the box in the next-door neighbor's yard. Apparently a different crew has to put in the underground line. Weird that the underground line would just up and go bad like that - usually it's from someone digging and hitting it.

Then at her suggestion took DW out to lunch at Outback and we both had filet mignon for a late lunch. At 2:30 in the afternoon we almost had the place to ourselves. Not frugal at all but it's nice to splurge once in a while.

 

[Vireo]

Spent the day getting the RV in tip top shape for a long Trip. The plan is to meander from Florida (home) into Alabama, Georgia, and Virginia, stopping to look at possible retirement towns, while on our way to Maine to spend the month of July then make our way back home before hurricane season heats up.



Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Huston55]

Veterans Resource Center (VRC)

Volunteered @ the VRC in Marin County (SF Bay Area) today. Wednesday is my normal day; have been doing this for 3 mos now, since we opened the VRC, which is made possible by a small federal grant.

We've helped about a dozen Vets thusfar; still trying to advertise our existence to the ~15,000 Vets in Marin county. But, business seems to be picking up the past few weeks.

I'm still learning but, it's great to meet Vets (and their family members), hear their stories, and help them.

 

[travelover]

DW filed for retirement today - nine years after I pulled the plug. Evidently, there is a gap between when her employment officially ends (she is a teacher) and when the retirement insurance begins, so I need to see if I can pull her onto my insurance to fill the couple of months. Always some glitch.

 

[W2R]

DW filed for retirement today - nine years after I pulled the plug. Evidently, there is a gap between when her employment officially ends (she is a teacher) and when the retirement insurance begins, so I need to see if I can pull her onto my insurance to fill the couple of months. Always some glitch.

How exciting for both of you that she is retiring soon! As for the insurance, I suppose that if nothing else works out, there's always COBRA?

 

[Ronstar]

Went to the annual dinner put on by DW's FA. Learned a few things and the food was good. Downside was wearing dress pants/shirt/shoes for the first time in 9 months.

 

[NW-Bound]

We are now stuck in an RV campground not too far from Denver. Looks like this unexpected winter storm is going to make us forfeit the 1-week timeshare stay we already booked not too far from Vail. The temperature next week there will be in the teens, even after the storm clears. Leaving the motorhome freezing is a big nono.

So, I am waiting out the storm staying cozy inside the motorhome, watching TV and surfin' the Web. Then, in a few days, will head south to warmer climes.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. The first 2 weeks of this RV trek were nice.

 

[ivinsfan]

We are now stuck in an RV campground not too far from Denver. Looks like this unexpected winter storm is going to make us forfeit the 1-week timeshare stay we already booked not too far from Vail. The temperature next week there will be in the teens, even after the storm clears. Leaving the motorhome freezing is a big nono.

So, I am waiting out the storm staying cozy inside the motorhome, watching TV and surfin' the Web. Then, in a few days, will head south to warmer climes.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. The first 2 weeks of this RV trek were nice.

Was this a bargain booking? This is the biggest downside to "off-season" bargains IMO...the low season exists for a reason

Will you be able to recoup any of the costs/or points used for this no-show?

 

[NW-Bound]

Yes, it was the low price that tempted us into booking. We enjoyed a very nice week in Glacier NP in a very nice condo. This 2nd week in Vail does not work out. My wife was curious to see what the condo looks like, but I would not drive my motorhome into the temperature in the teens, let alone with snow on the road.

Timeshare condos require cancellation something like a month in advance for partial reimbursement. So, this time it is a total loss. It's OK. That's the risk we take.

PS. Another possibility is to leave the motorhome in a Denver campground where the low will be above freezing, and just drive the towed car to Vail. I am debating that. The problem is what to do in Vail, since it is so cold and we are not skiers.

 

[outdoorgirl02]

Watching it snow today in Denver and looking forward to the warmer weather next week. DH and I are heading to Lowes to pick up new tile for one of our bathrooms in the house. Snowy weekend = house updates.

 

[braumeister]

You have to understand that mountain areas can change in a flash.

Some years ago I had a week in a rented condo not far from Vail in late September, when I expected the fall colors to be at their peak.

Freezing and snow the whole week.

I feel for you.

 

[ivinsfan]

Yes we use that route to travel between MN and family in Utah. We are usually driving in the wintertime and plan our entire driving time on the weather between Denver and and the Utah border. Sometime we take an extra day to avoid driving it snowpacked in the dark. My SIL had a guys trip to Vail and left with some friends and his group left extra early for the airport, another group took "one" more run and got in on some snow..the plane was back in MSP before the second group got to the airport.

 

[Hermit]

Went to the annual dinner put on by DW's FA. Learned a few things and the food was good. Downside was wearing dress pants/shirt/shoes for the first time in 9 months.

I feel for ya. I have to go to a gala dinner and silent auction for the kid's camp tomorrow evening. First time in a suit in many, many years. It will be practice for DD's wedding in the fall.

At least this one I don't have to get my hair cut.

For DD's wedding I will get the hair cut. Something about nice pictures...

 

[Hermit]

I drove down to the city to get my oil changed. That took about 5 hours. Long drive for an oil change. We were supposed to have an off road Jeep run tomorrow and the oil really needed changed. When I got back the run had been canceled due to weather. Now I have to go do a few hours of snow plowing.

 

[MRG]

I drove down to the city to get my oil changed. That took about 5 hours. Long drive for an oil change. We were supposed to have an off road Jeep run tomorrow and the oil really needed changed. When I got back the run had been canceled due to weather. Now I have to go do a few hours of snow plowing.

That storm actually came?
We just got back from Estes, left about 7:30 AM local.There was only an inch or two then. I didn't know what happened, expected more according to the local weather. It snowed till KS then strong wind and mist. Around Limon things were looking very bad, see why they close 70 in bad weather! It was a nasty ugly 687 miles. Normally DW will drive out in Colby, Hays, Salina areas so I get a break. Not today, I was struggling to keep the truck in a straight line.

Chatted with a guy in a Chevy 3500 pulling a fifth wheel while getting fuel. He said he was doing OK but only able to do 55-60.

 

[Hermit]

I grew up on the eastern plains of Colorado. That is not a good place to be in a spring snow storm.

This storm came up from the south west. I don't think it went too much farther north in the mountains than I am. I'm north west of Colorado Springs.

 

[travelover]

How exciting for both of you that she is retiring soon! As for the insurance, I suppose that if nothing else works out, there's always COBRA?

Thanks, yes she could do COBRA, but it would be $600-ish a month. If I can put her on my subsidized policy, it would be about $120 a month - so worth pursuing, even for a few months.

 

[aja8888]

Went to breakfast with an old friend in between the heavy rains.

Discussed the market, low interest rates, preferred stocks, municipal bonds, income in retirement, paying taxes, and the VW diesel crisis events. Resolved nothing, still got 15% off at Denny's using his AARP card. He paid the bill.

 

[Gumby]

A few months back, a new Bass Pro Shops opened about ten miles away. I finally went to see it today. I still prefer Cabelas.

 

[Souschef]

I volunteer on a tourist railroad in California. This week was our Railfest, and we had the 1913 Baldwin steam engine pulling the train. At one point, we stopped the train outside of the tunnel, and let the passengers off. The train backed up then came through the tunnel on a photo run by. Everyone loved it!

 

[Huston55]

Went to breakfast with an old friend in between the heavy rains.

Discussed the market, low interest rates, preferred stocks, municipal bonds, income in retirement, paying taxes, and the VW diesel crisis events. Resolved nothing, still got 15% off at Denny's using his AARP card. He paid the bill.

Wow!

He paid & you got 15% off. Pretty awesome to get PAID for eating breakfast.

 

[aja8888]

Wow!

He paid & you got 15% off. Pretty awesome to get PAID for eating breakfast.

I handed the bill to the cashier and his AARP card was with it. He paid the bill.

I was the delivery boy.

 

[NW-Bound]

Last Thursday, they forecasted 5 to 10" of snow for the Denver area. It turned out to be not as bad. The temperature turned out fairly close to the forecast, however. We woke up this morning with the following scenery of the nice municipal RV park. All that snow melted later in the day.




That's quite a contrast compared to the view we had from a condo up in Montana 2 weeks ago.



The forecast weather up in Vail was also revised to be much better. The low temperature will go up above freezing early next week, and with no precipitation. So, we will hang out another day or two, then drive the motorhome from Denver to the rented timeshare condo on Monday or Tuesday. The 1-week stay will not be a total loss after all, and we lose only 2 or 3 days.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Yesterday we went out to eat at a South American restaurant for lunch and then saw a musical in the evening. Today we attended an art and wine festival with live bands.