The Google Domain Name Mystery Solved . . .Or Not!

Hi Everybody:

I just can’t say enough about how blog followers help a gal out when she’s a little stumped!  I got so much help with my Google domain name issue.  Thank you all; I really appreciate it.  Here’s what has happened . . . so far:  I finally was able to get (with help from you) to a place at Google Admin where I could actually explain (in writing) what my issue was.  Lo and behold, about 20 minutes after I submitted my issue the phone rang.  It was ‘Vladimir’ calling from Google; he’s located in Bulgaria!!!  He explained in much detail that Google Wallet (I’d never heard of it before today) was no longer managing the billing for domain names, that they’ve turned it over to another entity and were notifying people in time for them to renew their subscriptions before the domain name would expire and presumably go away.

Vladimir assured me that I must have sought a domain name sometime in the past and that I must have been renewing it each year – huh?  Well, folks, I neither have any recollection of ever applying for a domain name:  mps2343.com, nor do I have any recollection of ever being charged for renewal of same!  However, it is true that if one types in www.mps2343.com, it goes to my blog.  I just started the blog in 2012 and I’ve always used the web address:  www.mps2343.blogspot.com.  Vladimir isn’t familiar with anything having to do with Google blogger; but he was sure I needed to renew this domain name – just because I have it!  I asked, “But do I need it - because many of my blogger friends don’t have a domain name?”  He didn’t know how to answer that and put me on hold a few times while he checked things out (in Bulgaria, I guess).  Finally, the answer seemed to be that I do need to renew it.  Well, by that time I’d been on the phone with him for almost an hour; so I asked him to just get me to wherever I needed to be to renew the darn thing.  He got me there and it’s renewed; when I have the energy I’ll check with enom.com, the company it seems I purchased the domain name from - that I have no recollection of!

Okay, enough of that!!!

So, yesterday I left Goodyear. AZ and drove to Blythe, CA.  Here's the border - I'm back in California!

We stayed in Blythe at Hidden Beaches RV Resort on the Colorado River.  Then, today, after most of the morning with Vladimir, Lacy, Eleanor and I drove west on I-10 from Blythe to Desert Hot Springs, not a long drive under normal circumstances.  But, today we experienced driving through the desert on a really dusty and windy day.  It’s not a relaxing way to drive an RV and toad, let me tell you.  Also, I’ve been trying to use Siri on my iPhone for various sorts of information.  (She's there so why not get in the habit of asking her for directions, etc?).  She directed me to turn off I-10W in Indio on Dillon Road to get to this RV Park in Desert Hot Springs.  Okay, I did that; then, found that I was driving on a roller-coaster back road for 23 miles to the RV Park that’s actually located right off I-10 just a little further west!  On Dillon Road, in the wind and all, I had truckers and hot-rodders honking at me because I was going below the speed limit in the dust and wind.  There were no places I could pull over to let them pass; so they just honked every few minutes.  Geeeesh!

I did see this Saguaro cactus close to the RV park and had to take quick shot of it - probably the biggest Suguaro I've ever seen . . .

This specimen has got to be close to 25 feet tall!  I wonder how long that fella's been around?

The great news for today is that Betty and Joe G. came over to my RV park at about 5 and took me out, which was so much fun to have a nice dinner and to catch up with them again.  I’d met them last August during the time I spent in the Portland, Oregon area having Petunia worked on.  They’re a super couple and it was fantastic being able to see them again.  Thank you, Betty and Joe, for the fun evening and catch up time.

And, finally, thank you all for your Google suggestions and help.  If anybody needs to renew his/her domain name, just let me know and I'll put him/her in touch with Vladimir - in Bulgaria!