BEST INVENTION EVER!!!  Waffle maker!!  I make a big batch of batter every week and then after our morning shake (drink not dance) it’s waffle time.  Sometimes it’s a fruit version, sometimes I mix spinach in – it’s all about variety with our waffles over here!  Our guests are always asking if they can use the waffle maker, but I have found, that although I love their help, the cleanup is much easier if I make them!  Happy Breakfast!

– xoxo Victoria

When we bought the new bed I said, “Buddy is not allowed on the bed”!  That lasted a week.  So when the new couch – made of dog hair clinging and impossible to vacuum material (microfiber) –  arrived I really put my foot down, obviously!  At least he’s laying on a blanket. I have no control in this house.

– xoxo Victoria

HAHAHAHAHA!!! I woke up yesterday morning and couldn’t stop sneezing for a good fifteen minutes.  My nose was running, I was tired and my head was pounding.  I can’t just curl up and sleep the day away so I decided to look through my essential oils and try something new.  I read that a few drops of these oils in my water would help a cold.  I added these and some fresh lemon juice and drank away all day.  This morning I woke up and felt 95% better.  I am going to continue this today and hopeful this little spring cold will be gone.  

We’ve been using some oils on Duane and in the diffuser and we have been indifferent to them…well I think I am going to start using them regularly now.

– xoxo Victoria

The other night the wind was howling and the rain was pounding when I finally crawled into bed.  I turned the diffuser on and pressed play on the nighttime mediation playlist and hoped for a restful night for the both of us.  I immediately fell into a deep sleep.  A few hours later I was awakened to a pounding outside.  I, obviously, immediately thought it was a serial killer, trying to break in and murder me and steal my dog.  After a few terrified moments I realized the noise was too steady to be a drug fueled killer and thought of other possibilities for the noise.  

One option was all the pool equipment outside on a shelf, another was the table and chairs, or coolers, or dog toys.. I leaned over and Duane was sound asleep, so was Buddy…So I grabbed the remote control (my weapon of choice) and tiptoed out of the bedroom.  Realizing the noise was coming from the backyard I scooted to the back door, quickly flicked on the lights and saw the robber – sleep robber.  My SIMPLIFY sign – which is know living in the front hallway. 

-xoxo Victoria

A few months ago when we were still living on the yacht, San Diego had a horrible rain storm, the rain did not let up for four days.  We managed to stay dry even as the boat started to leak a little.  One night in the middle of the storm we went to bed early having given up on the weather clearing.   A few hours later Duane woke up and elbowed me, “We need to get up NOW!!”  I went through our getting up routine of sitting him up, dragging him to the end, sitting him up again and then pulling him off the bed.  As I helped him slowly move to the living room I smelt the fire.  I looked at him wide-eyed and he said, “Yep – HURRY!!!”  Once we were in the kitchen he had me check all the outlets in the back of the boat, when those were all okay he sent to the bathrooms.  One good – and then I opened the master bath door and saw this….The outlet had exploded and caused a small electrical fire.  I initially thought that somehow the toilet exploded – that’s what it looked like.   

Everything was fine and we were fine – he said he woke up and heard a pop and then a bunch of little pops – he knew what it was all along.  I was so scared after that.  We slept in the living room for the rest of the night to avoid the electrical smell as much as we could.  

The best part of this story – the thing we still laugh at is that he looked at me and told me to HURRY – like I was the one holding us up! hahahahaha

–xoxo Victoria

We were able to move into the Havasu house early, which meant we wouldn’t have our new sleep number bed for over a week.  After a few uncomfortable nights switching between an air mattress, a chair and a beanbag we decided to head to Vegas and buy a bed that would get us through the week and then work in the guest room.  

Our plan was simple – go to Vegas, buy a bed, pick up the Family Truckster and Mastercraft and head back to Havasu.  All went as planned until RC Willey tied the bed to the roof of the metallic pea grocery getter; within 10 miles the mattress had slid off the box spring.

I pulled over in Boulder City, and with Duane’s direction tried to retie it to the roof.  After 10 minutes of frustrating tears, his not mine, we decided to try and put it in the boat for the 200 miles back to Havasu.  With Duane in the car, I pulled and pushed and dragged and lifted the mattress and box spring into the boat.  They were in, they fell out, they were in, they pinned me against the motor… I looked around and saw people just watching and laughing and pointing.  Blown away by the completely rudeness of people the tears started.  Then a truck pulled up and a man and his niece asked if they could help.  They got out of their truck and helped me move and retie everything down.  They took about ten minutes out of their day, but it saved me hours.  I couldn’t thank them enough.  

We were then back on the road headed home – waving to all the people who slowed down to look at us as they passed us!! 

If you see someone on the side of the road that obviously needs help – please stop and help them – you could literally save their day!

– xoxo Victoria

We made it through the new year, we made it through almost two straight weeks of pouring rain, we made it through icy docks, a lot of low tides and more than 6 months living completely and totally on the yacht.  After a few two many close calls we decided it was time to settle on solid ground.  Lake Havasu City here we come!!!  

Living on the yacht was amazing!  Fishing whenever we wanted, amazing sunsets and being lulled to sleep by the motion of the ocean.  We couldn’t have asked for a better living situation.  As time has passed Duane has become more unstable and needs more assistance to do everyday tasks.  Getting on the boat, especially after a full day has become dangerous and we have taken a few too many falls.  So in search of more room for Duane to use his walker in, a larger bathroom that we can both fit into and a stable ground we decided to dead to Arizona.  We found a great house and can’t wait to continue our adventure in “The Grand Canyon State”.  

As we pack up and head to our new home we hope you will continue to come visit us… and in the words of Ron Burgundy – “You Stay Classy San Diego”!

– xoxo  Victoria

Thank you for joining us on our journey.  We are happy you found us and encourage you to stick around and follow us through this crazy life.  We have have spent the last nine years laughing and smiling and fishing our way across the country.  We are so lucky to have had so many amazing times and can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.  

I am going to post as often as possible to try and catch everyone up to this point.  I will probably be jumping around, back and forth and up and down depending on the day and my mood!  HAHAHA! If you have and questions or comments please feel free to leave them.  We have always loved hearing from people as they read our blog.  

Check out our old blog (www.victoriataber.blogspot.com) for tons of laughs and adventure as we spent four years having fun, fishing and drinking all over the country!!

-xoxo Victoria