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Borrego Springs, CA

Friday, January 13, 2012

A little shopping, a little tour prep, and one odd duck

After talking to my daughter, Robyn, yesterday, I was on a mission this morning to the nearby Walgreens.  Robyn had suggested that I get a wrist brace from Walgreens to help with the pain.

66 MS Sandhill Crane NWR 20122

I went in with a list of two things to purchase; the wrist brace and a heating pad.  As this body has aged over the years on the road, I’ve often wished I had a heating pad to ease minor aches and pains.  I found both the brace and the pad pretty quickly, but as I made my way down the aisles, a few other items called out to me.  There was a special on Jean Nate After Bath Splash that I couldn’t pass up.  I don’t have a bathtub, and I live alone, but I still like to smell good before I go to bed.  Winking smile Then there was a sale on Lubriderm.  It’s my daily hand treatment to use to ward off cracked fingers.  Last week my battery run can opener bit the dust after only 5+ years.  I found a new one at Walgreens.  It’s a necessity for someone with troublesome wrists.  And what can I say about the sale on Ghiradelli caramel filled dark chocolates?  I also found three pairs of sweatpants for $10.  That’s what I wear in the evenings, and the elastic had expired in the pairs I’ve worn for the last ten years, so that was a no brainer.  I was lucky to get out of there just a little under $100!

On the way out the door to the parking lot, I noticed a couple of Red Box movie thingies.  I’d like to watch the movie “The Help”.  I don’t know anything about Red Box though.  Do you have to be a member, or can anyone just go up and get a DVD?  Things like this are usually not so close to the refuges I volunteer on.

_MG_5692This afternoon, I took Al out to show him where the eagle’s nest is located.  He and Phyllis will be leading a tour tomorrow and this will now be an added stop for visitors.  The eagle is still sitting on the eggs.

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As we searched for a turn around spot for the van, we came across a few deer near one of the release pens.

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Our approach scared up four Mississippi sandhill cranes, and one of the deer took off as well.

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Then the second deer headed for the woods.  These young cranes were just recently released on the refuge and tend to hang around the release pens for a while.  I’m sure they settled right back into the savannah after we left.

Al and I went into the Visitor’s Center upon our return, and saw a look of relief on Phyllis’s face.  Turned out there was a rather unusual young man visiting (one odd duck).  Don’t know how long he was there with Phyllis before we arrived, but he sure had some interesting tales and questions for us.  The thing that seemed to be bothering him the most was the identification of a bird that had pecked a hole in the gas tank of his motorcycle while he was in Central Park in New York City. (?)  Well, every once in a while you get some most unusual individuals while working a visitor’s center.  Some times it gets a little scary.  At this refuge, there is a panic button to push that goes to the sheriff’s office.  That’s a good thing especially when you’re working alone.  Eventually, he left.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy  

23 comments:

  1. If it wasn't for my dgt, I would know how to use Red Box either. You just pick out your movie, put in your ATM card and the movie is sent to you thru a slot -- very easy. Can't beat A buck for a movie. The Help was the first movie I saw thru Red Box:) We like Walgreen's but they no longer take our ins, which makes us sad as we used it all across the States & we bought other things while we were there as well. Great pics as usual!

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  2. Haven't tried Red Box yet, but probably will once we are out there more! I have had to wear a wrist brace when I sleep from time to time because I tend to curl my wrists when I sleep and that causes pain in my upper arm. After a while I stop doing it and I can put the brace away for a few months.

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  3. Red Box is great Judy. They are all over. You can pick up at one and return movie to another. You use your credit card. You can actually go to Red Box online and reserve a movie, then go pick it up. It is 1.00 plus tax per night, slightly higher if you go to the box and order there rather than online. Online you can find where all the Red Boxes are near where you are. Walmart, McDonald's, Walgreens are just a few examples of locations. They send you and email when you pickup and another when you return so you know there are no problems.

    http://travelinglongdogs.blogspot.com

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  4. Love the story about unusual young man. I really think one of the most wonderful parts of life is the interesting people you meet along the way. As a retired photographer one of the great pleasures was time I spent chatting with clients before/after their shoot. Truly, NORMAL is what we grow up with, or become accustomed to -- and that leaves a lot of room for variation and diversity.
    None of which may be pleasant to be around at certain times.
    It's funny -- 50 years ago we had a visiting pastor staying with my parents -- and he and I were talking -- old man to young boy. I asked him about his travels and he said he would never stop at a rest area or "wayside" as they were often called at the time unless there were more than one cars in the lot. Nowadays people are far more concerned about security than they were then, but still it pays to be concerned about finding ourselves in places that aren't public just because on one else is around.

    Cheers, Peter

    Away We Go

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  5. Are getting ready for a visit from that secret admirer?

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  6. Ditto what the others said about Red Box - it's great. I had to laugh when I saw your new can opener. I thought it was a blood sugar meter, before I read the text. Russ uses a One Touch Ultra meter and it is about that shape - couldn't tell the size from the picture but I am sure the can opener is larger!

    Great action shot of the birds and the deer all in flight.

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  7. You can rent movies on your computer using Amazon.com.

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  8. Sounds like you were really on a shopping spree! I did some of that earlier this month and now I'm flat busted broke for the rest of the month!

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  9. Well, now that you just bought a heating pad, I found something that I like even better. It's a wrap that has either rice or some sort of peas/beans in it. You put it in the microwave for whatever time they say, and it stays warm for a long time and uses no electricity so if you fall asleep on it, it's okay. What I like most about it, though, is that you can sort of mold it around what hurts. I hope your wrist feels better soon.

    I buy a lot from Amazon and have the prime membership. Each day I can download a free movie. Pretty good deal. Right now, though, as I'm laid up with my back I've been reading "The Help" which is excellent. I'll watch the movie afterward. I'd recommend the read to anyone.

    I wish I hadn't given this book away. "Queen of the Road". I think anyone RVing would laugh as hard as I did. http://tinyurl.com/6s9djdc

    You get the most unusual pictures. Love visiting your site.

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  10. Our daughter got us the move "The Help" for Xmas...We tried to put it in tonight and our DVD player is broken!!! That really sucks!! You and I have one nasty thing in common...cracked and bleeding fingers...Does Lubriderm really help?? I have tried EVERYTHING ..EVEN CARMEX!!

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  11. The Help is the greatest move I've seen in years and years! It sticks to the story line of the book. What an eye opening movie.

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  12. I loved "The Help" Very true to the book. I have an app on my Android phone which gives you codes for Redbpx, to rent for free. Wonderful wildlife photos.
    Mike and Dee
    www.gonerving.blogspot.com

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  13. Guess I'm from the old school. Prefer my movies in a theater with big sound and a big picture.

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  14. Another thing that will help those fingers after you get a crack, put a triple antibiotic ointment (Walgreen's) on the crack and cover with a band-aid for a couple days, even one day will take away the pain.

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  15. Chocolate and red box. Just about the perfect combination. Need to throw some popcorn in the mix too. We love red box. Even I figured out how to use it so you know it can't be hard. Stick in your card, pick your movie, and enjoy.

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  16. OHHH - the chocolate AND carmel. No better combination.

    We will catch up with you when we hit Moss Point probably around the 26th. We are thinking about driving over that way today to find our contact and decide what day would be best for us to arrive. Some NOMADS are there now but will be leaving as we arrive.

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  17. Red Box is great. Don't have one here in Port O'Connor but what we like most is you don't even have to return it to the same place just to another Red Box. We have that can opener and love it. We tried to find a good hand crank opener and they just don't make them like they use to and we wanted one that would fit in a drawer so this was perfect. Hope yours works as well as our.

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  18. butterbean carpenterJanuary 14, 2012 at 10:26 AM

    Howdy Judy & Emma,

    I wished I'd known you needed a hot-pack. My daughter has one of those rice-filed ones and likes it, but told us something that didn't cost anything, nada, 'DAMPEN' A WASHCLOTH OR HAND TOWEL, PLACE IT IN THE MICROWAVE 10-20 secs PLACE IN PLASTIC GROCERY BAG, PLACE ON PAIN AREA.. VOILA!!! NO PAIN IN 5-10 seconds!!!

    IT REALLY WORKS!! HAVE USED FOR JOINTS, MUSCLES, TOOTHACHE, HEADACHE!!!

    If anybody knows cold-cracked hands JANNA oughta!!! -20 to -30 degrees!!!

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  19. To start using Redbox you can sign up online with a credit card. Once you have established an account, you can rent at any box across the country. We love it. We rented The Help last weekend and I loved the movie. Most of the time the movie is not as good as the book. Although I did like the book a bit better, the movie was also great. Hope your wrist is better soon!

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  20. HOpe you tried Redbox...they do work great. And Iagree....the Help...was really good. Along with hot chocolate and pop corn, what a night!

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  21. I don't know that I can approve of you throwing around "odd" and "duck" in the same sentence. Why ducks, people? Why aren't they "odd herons," or "odd seagulls"? I mean, if there was ever an odd bird, it would be the seagull.

    Chocolates and sweatpants are the PERFECT combo.

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  22. Cracked and bleeding fingers ..... Cornhuskers Lotion at WalMart, or Bag Balm, yes made for cows and critters but works wonders, gat at a Tractor Supply or other farm store.
    Sweatpants at WalMart, $6 with wide comfort waistband, wonderful. Have a great weekend!

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