2021 in Review

What can be said about 2021 that hasn't already been said?  What a different year it was!  For us there was lots of construction on our new home base at Eagle View.  We worked on, and for the most part, completed the Shop building in 2021.  We learned about supply chain issues and gouging prices of various materials, and we are probably in for more of the same in 2022 as we continue construction at Eagle View with a small house.  With the utilities completed, we finally moved onto Eagle View in June, just about 1 year from the purchase of the property.  We had our first RV visitors, and continued to work the house plan, ending with a nearly completed foundation.  When we departed Eagle View in October, we made a detour through Yakima, Washington to visit dad and family there.  After a shortened visit, caused by construction delays at Eagle View, we continued south for our winter stay.  We returned to our old Sun City standby, Paradise RV Resort, where we are close to mom and can visit frequently over the holiday season.  A great event for us in 2021 was our baptisms on November 26th, 2021; perhaps the most important and meaningful events of our lives.  We departed Paradise before the end of December and made an adventure ringing in the New Year with our Idaho kindred spirit friends in the middle of the desert near Quartzite, AZ.  All things considered, 2021 was a difficult, although hugely rewarding year.

Our first day living on Eagle View site, June 1, 2021.  Troy and we had just installed the driveway and parking pad on that east side of the Shop the previous day.

First thing we did when we got settled was CELEBRATE!

The pictures below are the reason for the celebration.  We had spent the previous three months installing water, sewer and electric.  Below is a shot of some of the sewer.  It was a war zone around there for weeks!  Penelope the 5th wheel ended up parking right over this sewer area, quite a change in a few weeks.  More reason to celebrate!

And yes we did spend considerable time in every single trench that Troy dug.  We fit pipes, sleeved pipes, moved gravel and soil to shade the lines and compacted the same.  Lots of hard work and more reason to celebrate!

Gari pulls the water line out of the way while Troy opens up the west side water line trench.

Gari spreads the soil shade for the water and sewer lines on the east side of the Shop.  That look in her eyes says she is ready to CELEBRATE!

Gari and Troy plumb the east side water hydrant.  That is a 5 ft + deep trench.

Gari measures and plumbs the 2-1/2" galvanized electric service entrance conduit.  That piece of metal cost $300!  We were shocked; given this is electric work, we suppose that shocking is appropriate.

Just about finished with the electric service entrance.  We set the meter base, and two disconnects; a 200A service for the future house, and a 100A service for the Shop.  You know what that look in Steve's eyes says?  That's right, let's celebrate!

Our first overnight RV visitors at Eagle View, Ed & Sandi from North Carolina.  Another just in time event, where Troy just set the front gravel and we just finished compacting it the day prior to Ed & Sandi's arrival!

There was nothing left to do but CELEBRATE!

Next visitor was our sister from another mother.  Gari and Michelle were found horsing around at the end of the rainbow.

Gari and Keith set up the Solo Stove for our first campfire with company.

There's the whole gang on a hike in the foothills of the Grand Teton mountains. L to R: Steve, Gari, Keith, Michelle, Jim.

We increased the size of the campfire with our Streamer family.

Of course, there was nothing left to do but CELEBRATE!

We got a good lick in on the house foundation in 2021, but couldn't complete the flat work as the overnight temperatures were falling below freezing.  Gari surveys the backfill mere days before we departed in mid October.  We had already been snowed on two or three times; it was time to go south.

We detoured through Yakima, WA, on our way south, and had a good although short visit with dad and family.  Below we had some competitive card action with dad and his friend Alice.

Our next stop was Paradise RV Resort in Sun City, AZ.  This was our 7th year staying there October through December.  The group of friends at Paradise has really developed over the last few years.  We had lots of fun and games and yes, celebrating 😃

We got to visit with mom most days while we were in Sun City, and there was lots of celebrating to do with mom too!

...and good eating.  Below was bagels, lox and champagne morning.  Yum!

Below we were baptized by minister Bob at Lake Pleasant on November 26, 2021.  Another great reason for us to celebrate!

We rolled out of Paradise and pulled down to the BLM area south of Quartzite, AZ to meet our Idaho kindred spirit friends John & Susan and ring in the New Year.  We parked Penelope in the middle of nowhere and found our friends 10 miles beyond nowhere!  A magnificently beautiful setting indeed.

Cheers to you all and a very Happy 2022!