Month: December 2009

Another year gone. Been a crazy one for us. Lost my job in Oct ’08, and got one in March. I hate it, but it’s a job. Sharon’s business is good, but we had a scare last week when she was admitted to the hospital with chest pains. She’s OK, but we were a little freaked out. Gillian is pregnant – due in August (Imagine me, a grandfather!), and Nikki graduated from ASU -now the challenge of finding a job. We adopted a dog – Fergie – and Emma, our 12 year old cat, torments her. I found almost a cache each day, and at this rate I should hit 1000 by the end of the year. So here’s to 2010 and wishing you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.

Out for a few on a grey, cool day. It’s amazing how many unfound caches there are in my area – over 120 within a 10 mile radius and over 500 within a 15 miles. I have my work cut out for me! Today’s finds were relatively easy and didn’t tax my “geomojo” too much except for this one – this was rather clever given that my GPS was telling me to go about 25 feet away from it’s location.

My mother is in town from FL for Nikki’s graduation and wanted to hunt for a few caches. Picked one up yesterday that I’d looked for a few times without success, and I walked right up to it. Today we went outside Fountain Hills on the road to Payson. Another gorgeous winter day in AZ as we found two while cruising around.

Sharon & I hiked into the McDowell Sonoran Preserve along with my uncle and aunt who are visiting from Michigan. We missed a turn, and ended up taking a much longer hike than planned. Along the way I found one cache that I’ve been meaning to get for a while – there are still two more out here to grab. It was a gorgeous day, Murray and Irmgard were real troopers and came through without too much difficulty.

Nikki graduated from ASU today and we have family in from out-of-town to help celebrate.  After lunch I took my uncle Murray and nephew Phil out to hunt down a couple of caches and give them a taste of geocaching.  The first one we found is my 17th FTF. Eagle-eyed Phil found the 2nd. I also showed them “Alvinize” (GC1E0QY), the first one I hid which is in memory of my father

Technically 703. Fergie and I found the most recent on a grey overcast day. She’s been a real trooper riding around town and being taken on walks and in washes she doesn’t want to go down. At least the temperature is above 50 and there is no snow on the ground. Nikki graduates from ASU in a week, and an uncle of mine is coming to town to celebrate and escape the cold in Michigan, and I’ll drag him out to find some. Next up, 725.

This isn’t an 80s retrospective for one hit wonders, but I have to say I was, and still am a fan of New Wave, and after coming up a couple short of 700, I couldn’t help but think of this of this song and change it slightly – “Two[sic] shy shy Hush hush, eye to eye”. I don’t understand the lyrics either. Tomorrow 700.

A few months ago we adopted a Cardigan Corgie named Fergie. She is 3 years old and we’ve known her since she was a puppy. She belonged to Nikki’s former roommate who couldn’t keep her in the place she moved to. So, given that my house is being retiled, Fergie and I had to find something to do, and after conversing with her(!) we decided to go hunting for some caches. Five for five. She was a real trooper and I wore her out traipsing through the desert and along some suburban trails.

OK – some days I’m lucky to get one. Today I got two. Out with Nikki and Fergie, we grabbed a couple, ate some lunch and came home. Twelve to go.

No this isn’t a Dick Van Patten post, although he was pretty good in Spaceballs. I decided to get out and grab a series I put off looking for since late summer. Had I looked for them when they were first placed, I probably would have added to my FTF total. Such is life. Along with finding two others, I had a 100% day. The road to 700 continues. As Yogurt opined, “Never underestimate the power of the Schwartz!”