San Francisco (12/12/2004)

This was a rather frustrating week for us. It started OK, we spent the weekend in San Francisco with Ken (Rich's brother). Max and Wasabe (their female Bichon) had a great time chasing one another around the house and yard. It was fun to watch. We spent some time visiting the city (Fisherman's Wharf) and seeing out old haunts; our old apartment, Lincoln Park, Cliff house, and the beach. It was a beautiful weekend.
Then we drove back to Red Bluff thinking the truck would be fixed. Not so, the transmission had to be completely replaced on warranty and the transmission (expected friday) had not yet arrived on Monday.
Since we still had the loaner car and time, we decided to buy a Dish satellite reciever. Bought it at Radio Shack, which turned out to be a bad plan. They sell primarily for house and apartment use and had no idea what was needed for a mobile home. Their idea was to have the Dish people install the system. Radio Shack sells 2 of 3 parts you need for a dish and tripod system and expect the installer to supply the third. But Dish installers do not install mobile dishes, you have to find a mobile Dish installer for that. One week and 180 miles later a very frustrated Sue and Rich still do not have a dish signal.
Thursday morning we got the call to come pick up the truck and we were mobile once again, without dish technology but mobile none the less. We are now settled in the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Ca. It's getting warmer!
22 years ago when we traveled the country for a year with an old Suburban and a 21 ft trailer, things did not seem so dificult. I am sure it's partly due to faulty memory, and partly due to different expectations. Then, we did not expect to have full time computer access, telephone access, and television access, we expected to be 'roughing it'. This time we expect to have all the amenities of home adding mobility to the mix. For whatever reason, things not working seems to make us a little 'mad'.