Spring is coming to the desert

Last night, Yuma woke me twice to go outside, and that's after I took him out before going to bed.  Then, this morning at 7:30 he was ready to get up, but I wasn't.  Reluctantly, he laid beside me and patiently waited.  Yesterday, I was up with the sun, but this morning, I felt very tired.

At 8, I let Yuma take me outside.  We walked towards the mountains, north of here, until Yuma did his duties and then we came back.  I could tell it was going to be a beautiful day, again.  I just sat in the sun and drank my coffees while Yuma laid at my feet.  He loves laying in the sun.

Today, for the first time, I put up the flagpole.  Now, I am officially an American boondocker.

Home

Late in the morning, Deb and Riley stopped by to say they were heading to Walmart and wanted to know if I needed anything.  Nope, I stopped in yesterday.

This next topic may be a little long and boring for some, but maybe it can help others:

I wanted to use my 275 amp lithium battery to run my motorhome as if I were hooked up to a land line.  Easy enough.  I pulled out my landline plug and with the proper downsizing plugs, I plugged it into a  strong extension cord.  I know I won't be using large amp equipment like A/C units or microwaves or hair dryers.  But I do want the electrical plug-ins in the motorhome to be live, so I can charge my phone, my laptop, my TV, my Dish tuner.  The usual stuff you use a 600 watt inverter to run.

Plugged the extension into the inverter and hooked up the battery and then I used this little Bluetooth app to read how the battery is performing.  Since, I had nothing plugged in, I expected no amps being used by the battery.  Not the case.  I had around 9 amps being sucked out of the battery and I didn't know who the culprit was.

Not being very handy with electrical stuff, I called my brilliant son again and gave him the details.  He said find the circuit breaker panel and switch each one off till the amp pull stops.  Found the panel at the bottom of my bed and there was a Main for shutting everything down.  Don't want to do that.  Then, I had six 15 amp fuses.  Turned each one off till I found the culprit.   When my Bluetooth app stopped showing a draw, I knew it was the one. 

I read the description for that circuit and it said that when you are hooked to an AC landline, the power converter is then available to charge your house batteries.  In other words, my big battery was charging the two 100 amp house batteries.  I certainly didn't want to rob Peter to pay Paul!  Case solved.  I just have to remember to flip the switch back on when I pull the plug.

It was then around 3:30, when I went over to tell Deb and Riley that the problem was solved.  We sat around and talked for about an hour.  We have made plans to head down to Mexico on Thursday, so I can meet with the optometrist I bought my glasses from last year.  Hopefully, I can strengthen my prescription so I can see better, but not see double.

Deb, mentioned that the cactus were blooming, and I would see them if I walked down the wash a short distance.  Yuma couldn't wait to go on a little hike, so off we went.  Following are the pictures taken.  Spring is in the air in the desert.  And certain creepy crawly guys too.

Blooming Brittlebush

The wash

Barrel Cactus

Mojave Desert Wildflower

The brittlebush is very common along the roadways.

Brittlebush dead ahead.

Flowering Ocotillo

The crawly

I was surprised to see a garter snake in the wash, but there it was.  His color matched the sand, so it was hard to see.  Never moved, except for checking me out with his tongue.  Took a few pictures and went on my way, and it did the same I'm sure.

Time for dinner and off to bed.  It has been gorgeous.  Hot sun, but a cool breeze coming through my windows.  Be a great night for sleeping.

Thanks for stopping by.