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THE
JOURNAL
ONLINE
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QUIRE
ELEVEN:
CHAPTER
TWELVE
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The Quest for The Solace, Part Four
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On Loving the
Brotherhood
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A Journey of a Thousand Days, The Forth One Hundred Days
Wednesday, 21 September 2016 through Thursday, 29 December 2016
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The Sojourn in the
Desert (Continued)
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24,224 DA, 1340 DR70 or 5000 DR80
(Day 301 TB) 64°F, 5:58 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at
Palm Avenue Rental
My eyes open and methinks that it is nearing the cockcrow and then my alarm goes off. I rise, put on my blues and drive to the w-mart for coffee and to upload my journal entry. Then at seven-forty am, I return to begin working on the shower stall, hoping to compete it this morning. After gluing the second and third wall pieces I run out of glue so I text Richard about needing more. He calls and ask me if I will go buy some to which I agree. He also tells me to finish cleaning the rest of the windows. At about eleven am, I leave for the hw-mart stop to buy the glue and see that there is a contractor event going on so I walk up to the registration booth and get a tick for the drawing which also provide for my lunch, a Mexican meal catered by a local restaurant. After eating, I go inside to buy the glue and then I drive to the d-mart for a new toilet set, shower head, tp holder and pt holder which comes to less than twenty dollars. b
Arriving back home, I install the toilet seat and then begin washing windows, ugh, trailer windows are the worst to clean. At seven pm, I finish the last window, and then begin installing the two corner pieces for the shower stall. Once this is done, I go outside to look at the sunset and quickly grab my camera for a series of photos. After the sun sets, I go inside and pack out because Richard has given me tomorrow off, after which I take a how bath, put on my summer blues and drive to the g-mart for salad fixings, a bottle of sparkling water and three more gallon bottles of alkaline water.
Packing out to the jammer, I then drive home, prepare my supper and eat while writing my journal entry. Afterwards, I return to the jammer to get horizontal. Tonight, there are stars in the sky but they are competing with the clouds for the sky, but this is after two day of total cloudy days with rain showers.
(Day 302 TB) 66°F. 7:22 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Palm Avenue Rental
I sleep in late this morning, and upon arising, drive to the w-mart, buy a cup of hot and since this is a day off for me, plan to stay here until noon pounding keys. Too, as is customary for myself in this journal, when I have stayed in a new location for ten days, I include in my journal entry a commentary as to how methinks about my sojourn in the location.
First, I did enjoy the time on the Oregon coast and the weather was better that I could have ever have hoped for during the nearly two weeks there, it having rained on only one day. Also, temperatures were perfect for sleeping and the days comfortably warm, just what a snowbirder searches for. However, my sojourn on the Oregon coast seems like it happened so long ago, but in fact ended on Wednesday morning, 07 September by leaving Brookings, Oregon, driving across the state line and down to southern California which began my inland passage east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, heading for southern California to visit Richard and Kim Ekern in Yucaipa.
Previously, Richard had asked me to come to work on his rental in Hemet, California and after arriving here on Monday the 12th of September, just ten days ago, I began work on his rental and at the same time calling this location home. This work, although not too exceedingly hard does involve long hours of standing on my feet, up and down a step ladder, frequent working at floor level causing more up and down, all which are is brutal on this old man, but I will persist as long as I am able because Richard needs the help and he pays me very well. The work on the Palm Avenue rental is near complete and soon, we will transfer to the Johnston street rental and begin work there.
Now, as for my custom of report my thoughts ten days after embarking upon a new sojourn, I turn my written word to report about this location. This city, Hemet, California, (located 70 miles west of Long Beach, California, as the crow flies and 96 miles if driven) has a population of 82,000, an elevation of 1600 feet and is in the desert San Jacinto valley located in Riverside County.
My immediate view of this haunt is that it is too dirty, too noisy, has too much light pollution and too populated with unfriendly and rude people many of whom are homeless panhandlers living on the street. (A typical southern California city.) It is here in southern California that I have seen homeless people pushing shopping carts with their possession. Yes, I said carts, plural, one had three carts and moved one at a time down the street. It amazes me to no end why these people have to amass so much stuff; wouldn′t it be easier with just one cart, or none at all. This makes me feel that I too, really have too much stuff, a whole jammer full. I keep promising myself the I will get rid of more of it, but it is all still here. Methinks that I am really no different than the shopping cart pushers.
Further, the natural features are so very diminished here. The bird song is nearly absent, only heard during the dayspring and even the crow caw, which in no way is bird song, is also weak. The windsong totally is missing, which instead is replaced by dust storms that blow across this desert. The temperatures rise into the high eighties during the day and drop to the sixties during the night sometimes not low enough for me to sleep in the jammer but need to sleep inside near the evaporative cooler.
1
The street that I have been living on is a neighborhood street but is still very busy, with cars speeding by at all times of the day, many with music emanating loudly. Emergency vehicles sirens can be heard all day long, many driving down this residential street.
On a spiritual note, at first, the friends here seem to be occupied with many things, much like it has been in other cities that I have sojourned in. However, after returning several times to the same hall, several of the friends have been introducing themselves to me. There has, however, been two spectacular sunsets, a double rainbow, and except for two day of extremely hot temperatures, the weather has been comfortable enough for me even cool at night.
(b1a11-12-03e-20160920.2003) Sunset as seen from Hemet, California
Nevertheless, methinks my previous thoughts about living or working in the city has changed not one jot, I dislike being in the city, any city no matter how small, but especially these cities which are nothing more than suburbs to a large cities. When I had first arrived here in southern California, I had told Richard that I will stay to work for seven weeks, until the end of October.
At eleven twenty am, I pack out and head back to the rental to work on the second shed and the shower door. I begin with the shed, which needs to be raised up off of the asphalt to stop the rotting of the wood. After using wood slats to raise the shed, removing and packaging the bad wood in plastic bags, I head to the hw-mart for bricks and blocks to put under the bottom frame. I also need more glue for the shower stall so pick up a tube. Then I stop at a sub sandwich shop and buy a sub, return to the jammer and begin the drive home. Once back at the rental, I unload the bricks, go inside, bathe, walk outside and see Venus on the western horizon. Then, I return to the jammer to complete my journal entry. I am horizontal by nine pm.
(Day 303 TB) 53°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Palm Avenue Rental
Up at the first bell, put on my blues and drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot and check my com and then leave by seven-thirty am to gas the jammer and then continue work on the rental. First thing, I complete all the walls, the trim and then the door to the shower stall. I then re-glue two of the panels that did not stick the first time and use sticks cut to size to hold the panels in place while the glue dries this time. Then I go outside and begin working on the second shed when Richard shows up. He helps on the shed, lifting the shed off the foundation frame and setting is aside in order to replace boards on the frame and set up the blocks and bricks, then climbs up on the roof to continue the work there. Then, he leaves to buy some boards and more bricks for me but then heads back to Yucaipa for the circuit overseers ministerial meeting.
I work on the shed for several hours but the old boards are two twisted and hard to work with so I stop, drive to the hw-mart and buy five more boards to replace all of the foundation frame boards. This should make it much easier tomorrow for me to rebuild the foundation frame. Returning home, I go inside to pour myself more of the smoothie that I had made earlier, each two tins of sardines and then drink my smoothie. Afterwards, I write in my journal and then get horizontal to read. Another long day of work and my muscles ache from use. Venus still hangs low in the west.
(Day 304 TB) 59°F. 6:29 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Palm Avenue Rental
Up at the second bell, put on my blues and drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot and to pound keys. At eight am, I return to build the foundation frame for the second shed. At one pm, Rita, the new tenant comes by with her friend Susan to look at the progress. Richard has given her a key and she is also bringing over her vacuum and some of her possessions to put in the rental. I put the vacuum to work cleaning the carpet and moving all the remaining work related items into the back bedroom for access to by way of the back door.
Soon, she leaves and I continue work in the backyard on the wood frame. Rita returns with more items and we talk for a short time. At six pm, I complete the work of putting the wood frame together and painting the bottom side with primer. Then, I put up all the tools, pack out, take a bath and then head out for supper at a Mexican restaurant. Upon returning to the rental, I set up for the evening and get horizontal; it is after nine pm when my eyes close.
(Day 305 TB) 65°F. 5:25 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Palm Avenue Rental
I awake before my alarm but lie in bed until it goes off, get right up, put on my blues and drive to the w-mart for coffee and WiFi. After obtaining my second cup, I leave and drive the the ap-mart for a new filter and gasket for the jammer transmission, then to the hw-mart for more shower glue and finally back to the rental to work on the shower. After applying the final round of glue, I go outside to mount the shed foundation on the blocks and then level the frame with shims. Once I get the frame level, I use construction adhesive to connect the wood to the blocks which will help to hold the shed down when the Santa Anna winds blow across this valley plain.
Rita and her female Chihuahua named baby come by to bring more boxes and I am able to share a few scriptures with Rita about the future paradise. Then at three pm, I clean up, take a bath, put on my meeting clothes and head for the hall. Afterwards, I have two bean burritos and then head home, go inside with my computer and wait for it to cool off outside. Going outside, find Venus one hand above the western horizon and because it is still hot out, decide to bring my sleeping bag into the rental and sleep inside.
(Day 306 TB) 63°F. 5:31 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Palm Avenue Rental
Up early, dress in my summer blues, put my sleeping bag back in it′s place, drive to the w-mart and go inside for coffee and WiFi. At eight, I return to the rental and do the final painting on both sheds expecting Richard to arrive sometime this morning. By eleven, I call Richard and he says that he is on the way, a trip of about forty-five minutes from Yucaipa to Hemet, but has to make one stop. Rita comes by to drop off more of here things and I tell her that Richard is on the way. In a short time, she leaves and I clean pack out all of the tools from the rental to the tool shed. Then I sweep the green asphalt of the debris.
When Richard arrives, he looks over the rental to see my work, then together we go to the hw-mart to purchase a sheet of plywood for the shed floor, more screws and caulk. Then we return to the rental and Richard begins applying the final silicone to the shower stall while I paint the bottom side of the plywood and screw it down to the foundation frame. Once the frame is attached, I ask Richard to help me pick up the shed and place it on the frame, after which, he goes back in to work on the shower stall while I attach the shed to the plywood covered frame and then paint the top side of the plywood.
When the sun sets, I am done with my work and go inside the bathroom, bring Jeanie inside, sit on the toilet and talk with Richard while he continues to work on the shower stall. Richard then stops, we pack out, he drives for home in Yucaipa and I take a bath. Afterwards, I go out for burritos and a milk shake, return to the rental, bring my sleeping bag inside and get horizontal. It has been another hot day.
(Day 307 TB) 64°F. 6:59 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Palm Avenue Rental
After awaking, I take my sleeping gear out to the jammer, finish putting the tools in the tool shed and then sit in the co-pilot seat to write in my journal while I wait for Richard to arrive. He said that he would be here by seven-thirty am, but I am still pounding keys at eight when I get a text from Richard stating: Almost there! When he does arrive in his truck, he is pulling the trailer for us to use today to move Rita′s furniture into the Palm avenue rental.
Richard arrives soon after eight and we go for a sit down breakfast and I have a vegetable omelet, home fries, biscuit and gravy with coffee. After eating, we drive to the Johnston street rental and begin loading Rita′s large items; sofa, bed, television, shelves, two tables and plants, which takes several trips. After completing the move, I go back to the w-mart and use one of my free purchases for a salad and purchase a ice tea.
At four-thirty pm, I leave to meet Richard at the Johnston street rental. He asks me to go back to Palm avenue and finish the final caulking of the shower door, which I do and then put the lock hasp on the newly painted and rebuilt shed, which now becomes the tenant shed. After that, I pack every thing into the tool shed, put away my tools, grab my thing and drive to the Johnston street rental.
Once at the rental, I go inside and take a shower, after which, cook my Repast and eat while sitting on my stool. Then, I wash and put away my dishes and bring in my sleeping bag and get horizontal.
(Day 308 TB) 66°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at
Johnston Street Rental
Awake at the alarm and rise slowly. This hard work must be the ticket for my loosing weight because both yesterday and today, I need to pul my belt to the eighth notch. Not having a scale available, I am not sure what my weight is but I would suspect that it is at or near to 240 pounds. Thus, methinks that to continue loosing weight after leaving this area, I must need resume daily walks.
Leaving the rental, I drive to the w-mart, purchase a tall blonde and begin pounding keys to add words to my journal. Then, at eight am, I arrive at the rental to begin cleaning the exterior in order to paint it green. In the afternoon, I pack out four bags of items that Rita had left behind and bring them to her at the Palm street rental. Afterwards, I return to Johnston street and continue working.
At six pm, I have finished cleaning the outside of the Johnston street rental, pack away the tools, go inside and east my supper. Then Richard calls and we talk for a time after which I walk into the back bedroom and get horizontal for the night.
(Day 309 TB) 65°F. 6:03 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
After a rough night, I rise, put on my blues and head to the w-mart for a cup of hot. Then, I return to the rental and at eight am, I begin removing carpet from the floor. At one pm, I drive to the Palm avenue rental to retrieve items from the tool shed, say hello to Rita, then Jim. Then Jim′s wife, Becky arrives home talking about replacing her car battery, and asks me if I have a wrench to take off the cables. I say yes, retrieve my adjustable wrench and ask Jim if he can drop it off where I am at on Johnston and he says, no problem. I head back to work on the rental and after a long day, I finish the carpet and pad removal as well as the floor clean up afterwards.
It is five pm when I stop work, take a shower and put on my summer blues as it is still about ninety degrees outside. I pack out my tools and then drive by the Palm avenue rental, know on the door but no one answers. So, I leave there and drive to the sandwich shop, buy a veggie loaded baked chicken and drive back by the rental on Palm avenue but still there is now vehicle. I drive back to the Johnston street rental and eat my sandwich hoping he will show up before I have to leave for the meeting.
At six-twenty pm, I get dressed for the meeting and still not seeing Jim with my adjustable wrench leave shortly after for the hall. After the meeting, I drive home, bring in my sleeping bag and get into the sack.
(Day 310 TB) 66°F. 6:05 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Up at early dayspring, put on my blues, pack out and drive to the w-mart for coffee. At eight am, I drive to Jim′s home to get my wrench, then to the hall for the ministry meeting. Upon entering, I am assigned to work with Larry and when we are heading for the territory, he says, "We are only working one hour." When he drops me off at the jammer, I stop at a g-mart to purchase ingredients for nopales soup, then return to the Johnston street rental, bring my bedroll inside and take a nap as it is way to hot for me to do anything, especially outside where much of the remaining work is.
Upon waking just before three pm, I begin making my nopales soup, sit down and eat two Sierra cups and put the rest in the refrigerator. Then, I begin working inside removing the staples, cutting out the stained edge of the old vinyl flooring, sweeping up the debris and then take it all out to the trash. At seven, I have completed the floor and then use the shop vacuum to pick up the dust that sweeping did not remove. Afterwards, I take a cold shower, if you can call the water coming out of the cold faucet cold. Still, it is refreshing enough to cool me off from the work on this hot day. Finally, I work on my computer while horizontal on my bedroll: writing in my journal and reading from Proverbs, after which I turn off the light and sleep.
(Day 311 TB) 63°F. 6:03 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake, pack out and drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot and to check my com. Then, at eight-twenty am, I drive back to the rental, change into my ministry clothes and head to the hall for the nine am ministry meeting. There is over fifty at the meeting and I work with three other brother in the door to door work finding only a few at home, which after an hour, we continue with return visits. Finally, we head back to the hall to stop and Mike, sitting in his vehicle, asks "Is anyone staying out?" to which I say, "I will stay out with you."
We continue for another hour doing return visits and then stop to see a sister who recently had an operation. She says that she just got off of antibiotics, to which Mike tell her that she should be taking pro-biotics to restore her gut flora. Wow, I would never have thought that he would have said that but I chime in my agreement about how important it is to restore the good biotics in your intestines. Finally, we return to the hall and Mike asks if later we could get together to talk about good health. I give him my business card and tell him to call me anytime.
Leaving the hall, I drive to the g-mart to buy some bottled water and then back to the rental to get under the evaporative cooler and out of the hot. It is supposed to cool off tomorrow and stay cooler for the next week. I take a nap. Upon awaking, I eat the leftover nopales soup, then open a can of old paint to use on the entryway floor and around the edge of the floor in the living room. I did this in Oak Harbor when I was remodeling the mobile home that I had purchased long before my retirement. The floor is press board and when it gets wet, it swells up and disintegrates and painting the floor, using any old leftover paint first, keeps the water from getting to the press board, thus protects it from damage.
At about seven pm, I take a shower and then retire to the bedroom and write in my journal, read more of Proverbs and finally, close my eyes.
(Day 312 TB) 55°F. 5:50 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Up at the early dayspring, dress in my blues, pack out and while driving to the w-mart, view the light grow in the east just above the mountain turning into bright orange low lying horizontal strips. Then, I walk in, purchase a tall blonde cup of coffee and sit down to begin my morning key pounding.
At ten am, I return to the rental and continue painting the floor until about one pm when I grab my bed roll for a nap, but less than five minutes into the attempt, my phone rings and Richard wants me to take care of an emergency. A third rental, also on Palm avenue has a stopped up toilet. He does he please, please help me thing and I get up from my horizontal and go to the rental to examine the toilet. It is definitely clogged and plunging it several times does not fix the problem. It is at this time, that I find out that the woman, named Dolores is a sister in the Spanish congregation as she has her La Atalaya study issue and is picked up by another family for the meeting. I tell her in my broken Spanish that I am a brother, I have my meeting at four pm, and I will be back after it is over.
While at the meeting, I talk with Ralph and he suggests that I stick a hose down the roof vent and turn on the water. Arriving at the sister′s home, I grab the hose, climb a ladder, stick the hose about twelve feet down the vent and Cindy, the sister′s adult daughter turns on the water for me. However, this does not work and I go inside to tell the two that I do not have success. I also tell Cindy that I will be back in the morning to remove the toilet and check it to see if it is the problem or the sewer line is the culprit. Then, I leave, return to the Johnston street rental and have a fruit smoothie for supper and then go outside to take photos of the crescent moon.
Finally, I pound the keyboard to input my journal entry an then go out to the jammer to sleep.
(Day 313 TB) 53°F. 6:59 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake at six am but go back to sleep for another hour. Then, I arise, put on my work blues and drive to the north Palm avenue rental to see if I can get the toilet to work. After knocking on the door, Dolores lets me in and I walk to the bathroom and flush the toilet to check it again. It has the same problem, so I go to the jammer, grab my tools, removing the toilet and carry it outside. Then, I grab a five gallon bucket, fill it with water and pour it down the sewer line and it does not back up at all. Then, I carry a bucket full of water to the toilet, set it up, fill the tank and then flush it but it does the same thing it did inside. This makes me think that the toilet has something in it that is causing the blockage. I call Richard and tell him what I have done so far and without me telling him my conclusion he replies, "So, it must be the toilet." I then say to him, "That was my conclusion, and now I just have to go buy a toilet to install."
Too, there seems to be a blockage with the water supply in the house, so I tell Richard about it and he has me check the meter, the on-off valves and then I suggest how I can make a temporary fix until he returns Wednesday. He tells me to go for it, both replacing the toilet and the temporary water fix. I leave for the hw-mart, buy a new toilet, return, install the new toilet, and fix the water supply. After packing out, I drive to the w-mart for my morning cup of hot and while there upload my journal entries. Since today is double star day, I also have a bagel.
At two pm, I return to the rental and as much as I want to nap, I hold off and begin taping the north end of the mobile, then get out the brush and paint the north end. After wards, it is getting close to evening but instead of stopping, I put tape on the west side, then use up the remaining tape on the east side. With all the tape used up, I drive to the Mexican restaurant and have a salad bowl, chips and salsa. After eating, I return home, take some photos of the moon and then play a couple rounds of solitaire, update my journal, take a shower and then come back out to the jammer to get horizontal.
(Day 314 TB) 54°F. 5:45 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
It has been a long day, starting early, and it now being almost nine pm, and I am just now starting my journal entry. When I arose this morning, I begin my day driving to the w-mart for coffee, then leaving a little after seven to get an early start painting. Then by the early afternoon, I am out of paint and leave to go to the paint store to buy two more gallons. Wow, I have not bought paint for a long time, two gallons for one hundred and five dollars. Returning to the rental, I continue and by six pm, I have completed painting the entire exterior a light green called jungle camouflage. I then put away the tools, pull all the masking tape and finally when every thing is done, go inside, clean up, and then fix my Repast.
After eating, I drive to the hall for the midweek meeting and it is really enjoyable despite my legs throbbing during the entire time. I go home, take off my meeting clothes and spend a few minutes writing today′s journal entry before getting horizontal.
(Day 315 TB) 57°F. 7:30 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake first before dayspring, turn over and return to sleep. Finally, upon rising, I drive to the w-mart for coffee. Here, I text Richard to tell him the work is complete and he calls to talk. He says that he and Kim are going to purchase some flooring for the rental and hopes to be here later today. I tell him that I will be at the w-mart taking a long break. Then, I begin working on the final draft of episode one.
At three pm, Richard calls to update me about the flooring and says that he will be here later today. I pack out of the w-mart and go out for supper after which, I head home, take a shower and then wait in the jammer pounding keys.
At one pm, Kim arrives driving her Cube and it is loaded with bamboo laminate. We walk around the home to look at the improvements and she asks if the dining room mirrors can be replaced. I tell her yes, any thing can. Then we unpack the car, putting the pad and laminate in the living room, after which, she heads back to Yucaipa.
Meanwhile, I get busy setting up to lay the laminate and then work until after the sun sets. Then, I clean up, take a shower, get into the jammer and assume the horizontal. My feet and legs are throbbing again making it hard to get to sleep, so I take aspirin.
(Day 316 TB) 56°F. 5:59 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Put on my blues, drive to the w-mart and by eight am, I am back working on the laminate. I keep at it until seven pm, only stopping a couple of times to eat something and once to go to the hardware store for screws and a light bulb for a lamp that was left here.
Today, I work primarily in the back bed room, cutting and placing the laminate to get use to installing it again. Richard calls me in the evening and I tell him that I have relearned how to install the flooring and remember how it is really easy except for cutting all the ends and around door jams.
(Day 317 TB) 54°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Get right up, dress, and drive to the coffee shop for a tall blonde. When I turn on my computer, it takes control from me and performs an update taking three hours to complete. Meanwhile, I get out my tablet and use the time to upload the latest releases, including the October broadcast. When the computer has done updating, I return to the rental and begin working on the laminate.
I have realized that starting the laminate, it is best to work from top left to bottom right like you would read a book, starting in one corner and working to the left and down throughout the home. So, today, I carry my line through to the living room and begin working left to right trying to match up to the first room I began in yesterday. My idea is to have the laminate running completely in one installation throughout the home, not installing it in each room with a door sill plate separating each room from the rest of the flooring.
Once the living room is carried into the middle bedroom, I am able to temporarily connect it to the back bedroom, adjusting the wall gaps so that it all connects together. At this point, the evening has arrived, so I pack up my tools, sweep the driveway where I have been cutting the laminate and then take a shower.
After cleaning up, I head out to a Mexican restaurant for fish tacos, chips, salsa and agua. Then back home to get horizontal again.
My legs are throbbing again and this reminds me about the pain of the step encountered during the first several months on the Appalachian Trail. Methinks that, since I was able to walk through the pain, inuring my body to those throbbing then by continuing to walk, could this pain now just be my lack of conditioning to the work at hand, or in fact because I am out of shape, still needing to loose another fifty pounds? Yes, my earlier thoughts about resuming my daily walking still presents itself as a viable need for me at this time.
(Day 318 TB) 58°F. 7:01 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake at the first bell but return to sleep for another hour and then arise, put on my blues and drive to the w-mart for my morning cup of blonde. Then at eight-thirty am, I return to the rental, dress for the ministry and head to the hall to work with Ernie, Nancy and Ricardo. We do some doors and then calls stopping just before noon. Then I drive to the hg-mart to buy vegetables and a bag of dark chocolate nuts, after which I drive home, carry in my sleeping roll and take a nap until three pm. Upon arising, I walk outside into the heat and clean up the jammer, sorting my food to prepare a shopping list to buy dried foods. When that is complete, then I hose the dust and debris off the driveway and sweep it dry.
At sunset, I go inside and prepare my supper, a bagged salad with added celery, spinach, and both green and yellow onions. After eating, I put a load of work clothes and cleaning rags in the wash and then go outside to finish tiding up the jammer when someone backs into the driveway. Looking up, I see it is the Cube and then Richard and Kim get out, open the rear hatch and say "We have brought more flooring.&" Then both come inside to look at the progress and thank me for my hard work after which Richard and I unload the Cube while Kim take Jane for a walk.
After unloading the flooring, Richard and Kim leave for Yucaipa and I retire to the back bedroom to finish my study for tomorrow, after which I read a couple more chapters in Proverbs. Knowledge and Wisdom is so much the goal of the righteous ones, and the fear of Jehovah is the path leading to it. Finally, I turn off my tablet, set it next to my keys and phone, roll over and close my eyes.
(Day 319 TB) 57°F. 5:57 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake, pack out to the jammer, take a shower, put on my fall blues and then head to the w-mart for a morning of coffee and key pounding. This morning, I will continue working on the final rewrite of e1-v1, and when finished, update it to the Amazon for printing and sale. However, time will tell as to it′s completion.
At two pm, still having forty precent left in the final rewrite, I pack out and drive back home for my lunch and to dress for the meeting. Later, I drive home, read for a while, then go to bed early but sleep take a long time to come.
(Day 320 TB) 58°F. 6:30 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Up after the alarm, go inside to make a cup of hot and then begin working at seven am. The work that I do is set up for the flooring. Opening boxes, loading the plastic wrap and cardboard into the recycle bin, rolling out the underlayment foam and taping it down, aligning the rear bedroom flooring with the rest of the home, and then cutting out a stake of end boards. Finally, I begin laying the flooring boards. In the early afternoon, Ralph, a brother who does car repairs calls and tells me that he will put all four bushing on the jammer for three hundred or less.
At eleven, Richard shows up and we talk for a while, then he heads to the Palm street rental to work on the roof. Later, he comes back and I share a cup of Almond milk with Acai and blueberry powder which he says hits the spot. He tells me that Kim is coming with a sample of paint to try on the wall and arrives just before sunset to paint the wall. I stop working and begin cleaning up. When she finishes the painting, she does not like how the color looks when Richard comes back, they both head to the paint shop to get another sample. I then take a shower, leave to buy parts for the jammer front end. Finally, I head back to the Johnston Street rental, park and write my journal entry. Afterwards, I get horizontal.
(Day 321 TB) 55°F. 7:11 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake, take a shower and then heat water for and Mela tea and coffee. Then, wait for Richard shows up and we go to a local breakfast joint. I get an spinach omelet, home fries, biscuit and gravy. The omelet is good but it is not hot and the home fries are greasy and cold. The only really good part of the meal is the biscuit and gravy. Afterwards, we drive back to the rental and I return to working on the floor while Richard leaves to work on the Palm street rental roof. After working all afternoon, I am able to tie together the living room, middle and rear bedrooms with the floor.
Then at five-thirty pm, Richard comes back and says that he loves the progress that I have made. Soon, he leaves for Yucaipa because he has a meeting tonight. I clean up the rental, pack out my tools and then take a shower. Then, instead of going to the meeting, I go to get the parts ordered yesterday, then to the d-mart to for soap and after to the af-mart to buy gasoline for the jammer and then out to eat at a chain restaurant but I am appalled with the high prices and just buy an appetizer. When I get my check, there is an additional two dollar charge added because I answered a few questions on the table game computer. I told my server that there was no warning to tell me that I would be charged if I clicked on the computer. He had the charge removed from my check and I thanked him and then left for home. At home, I park, write in my journal and soon then get horizontal.
(Day 322 TB) 51°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake first at five-thirty am, but lie in my birth until the alarm rings and get up, dress in mu blues, drive to the w-mart and by six-twenty begin pounding keys on the e1-v1 final update. Then, at seven-forty am, I pack out and head back to begin work on the floor.
Again today, I work on flooring, crossing the middle line of the double wide and begin work on the western half. Now, the living room, middle bedroom and west half of the back bedroom are complete, with the hallway next to do. First, I move the refrigerator out of the kitchen, put it on cardboard and slide it onto the new flooring in the living room. In the afternoon, Kim shows up to look at the paint colors that Richard had put up and tells me that she likes best the first color that she put on but would like to make it a little darker. She leaves to buy a sample and when she returns paints some of the sample in a couple of areas. Then she takes Jane for a walk while waiting for the paint to dry. Richard returns from work on the Palm avenue rental and helps me disconnect the stove and move it outside under the carport. I then begin cleaning the kitchen floor of the old flooring, which is three layers of vinyl and linoleum floors and not to bad for a mobile home fifty or more years old.
Then the sun sets and I begin cleaning up the work site, putting away the tools, packing out mine and then sweep the driveway. Kim returns and says that this new sample is the color that she has decided on. Richard also returns, talks with Kim, then tells me that he will buy four gallons for me to paint all the interior, except for the kitchen and bathroom, which Kim will paint white. Richard also discusses what he wants done in the kitchen, which is to install a new cabinet, new stove, and open the wall above them for a pass through and bar counter. Then Richard, Kim and Jane leave for Yucaipa and I go into the bathroom to for a hot shower. Then, I make a salad, eat and then go out for a plate of nachos and then a chocolate milk shake. Finally, I return home and climb into the back for some horizontal time.
(Day 323 TB) 52°F. 5:36 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Upon awaking this morning, I live in the horizontal trying to return to sleep, but a pain in my right knee keeps me from doing so. The pain persists through coffee at the w-mart and continues when i begin work on the flooring at the rental. However, it slowly diminishes at the morning progresses. I begin with removing the old floor in the kitchen, which continues all day.
I also remove the oven hood and the paneling on the wall so that I can rewire the wall to allow for an open bar which Richard and Kim have told me that is going to be put in. Richard had told me that I am his electrician to which I remind him that I am not an electrician. He replies that after I did the re-wire on him Yucaipa home and the city inspector commented on how well the wiring had been done, my ability as an electrician has been proved to him. Since that conversation, I have gained a new task in the work on this rental, a project which seems to grow every time Richard and I talk about it.
At six pm, I stop work, clean up and pack out, then take a shower, dress for the meeting and drive there to arrive before seven. Afterwards, I stop at at ff-mart for a burger, then head home to get horizontal.
(Day 324 TB) 51°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake to the early sunglow, dress in my fall blues, drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot, upload my journal entries and pound on the keys until shortly before nine am. Then, I return to the rental and resume work in the kitchen. At eleven am, I drive to the hw-mart for two by fours and some electrical items, stop to put gas in the jammer and food in my belly. Then, I drive back to the rental and continue working.
At five pm, Richard arrives bringing with him wire, wire nuts and other miscellaneous electrical parts, but no romex connectors, which I need to continue. He drive to the hw-mart to buy the connectors, interior paint, and plywood, while I clean up and shower. When he returns, we unload the materials and then go out to eat. Finally, he drops me off at the rental, leaves for Yucaipa and I climb into the jammer to sleep.
(Day 325 TB) 55°F. 6:10 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Like yesterday, the dim light on the western horizon back lights the palm trees and mountains and slowly lightens the day. I notice right away that the temperature is lower this morning, near to being in the forties. I dress, drive to the w-mart and upload my journal. Then, I resume my work on e1-v1, reading and pounding keys until after eight am when I pack out and drive home to dress for the ministry today and then drive to the hall. I work with Dave, an elder, who does screen replacements and we go to his territory to work the home on one street. We both get to talk to a person who shows some interest and when that street is done, we then do return visits. At eleven am, we return to the hall and I head home to change clothes, eat my daystart, and begin working on the kitchen pass through wall.
The wall which has the stove and cabinets will be an opening with a bar on the living room side. I will be adding electrical outlets, and installing a new stove hood, new cabinets and the new bamboo flooring. Richard arrives at five and then goes for materials. When he returns, we talk about what other electrical that might be added to the home since there are four empty circuit breaker slots and we decide on a new refrigerator receptacle circuit, washer-dryer receptacle circuit, toaster oven circuit and a bathroom receptacle circuit. Wow, it will be like a new home when we are done.
I begin singing my travel song, "Leaving in a slow van, don′t know when I′ll be back again." Then I ask Richard if he know what it means when I begin singing that song, then tell him that I am wanting to get on the road again. Richard asks me how much longer I will be staying, and I tell him about two weeks, which will complete the seven that I had told him I would stay when I got here. Richard says that he hopes that I will stay longer if needed to complete the floor and electrical work and I tell him that I will finish all of that work. Then Richard heads for Yucaipa while I head into the rental for a shower after which I climb into the jammer to finish today′s journal entry.
(Day 326 TB) 59°F. 5:58 am
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Arise and wait for the alarm to sound to turn it off, dress in my fall blues, drive to the w-mart and begin my day with a cup of hot. Soon after, I have returned to the pages of e1-v1 directly after the sketch of the bull moose and completing through Vermont. At page 325, I am now more that three-forth of the way through this edit. At one pm, I pack out and head to the rental to get ready for the meeting.
After the meeting, I return to the rental and because I have put in so many hours this week, I climb into the back to go to sleep. It is after seven pm and it is already getting dark and I fall right asleep. Then at eight-thirty pm, I awake with the need to go to the bath room, get up and see Richard pulling out of the driveway to leave. I flash my head lights at him and he pulls back in, get out and tells me that he came here to paint but saw that I was asleep and did not want to wake me. What a nice guy, he drove all that way just to turn around and drive back home again because I was asleep. I tell him that he can wake me any time and it will never be an inconvenience to me. We go inside the rental and I sit and talk with him while he paints the bottom of all the walls, getting the walls ready to install the base boards after the floor is completed.
Richard tells me that he will be back here by seven-thirty tomorrow morning, when we will take the jammer to have Ralph install the front end parts and then out to breakfast. We will need to be back at the rental by ten am, as Dave will be arriving to install new screens on the front two windows, the ones that I damaged when I used a hose nozzle to clean them.
He leaves at ten-thirty pm to head back to Yucaipa and I return to the jammer to complete today′s journal entry before returning the the horizontal.
(Day 327 TB) 54°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake, drive to the w-mart, drink coffee and pound keys. Then, I drive back to the rental to wait for Richard to arrive, which he dose at eight am. We drop off the jammer at Ralph′s home and then go for breakfast and a place Ralph suggests, which we find to now be our place to go. Then we both return to the rental to wait for Dave to arrive to replace the front two screens. He arrives shortly after ten, I introduce Richard to Dave and then go to work while Richard and Dave talk as Dave begins to replace the screens. Soon, Dave is done and packs out, while Richard and I get busy working on rebuilding the kitchen wall by using a hydraulic jack to lift a two by six header into place, supporting the header, installing strapping, and tying the new wall to the existing walls.
Ralph calls to tell me about a problem and asks me to come see the work. Richard takes me to Ralph′s home and Ralph shows me how he has only worked on the driver side, got one bushing in all the way and the second in only half way. He tells me that he could not get it in all the way because the bracket are warped preventing the bushing from being inserted but he will look for a replacement bracket online. He puts the tires back on the jammer and asks for a hundred dollars for the work done so far, which I pay him and drive away. Later, Richard asks me about the work and I tell him that Joe said that the old bushings need to be pressed out and the new ones pressed in, not like Ralph tried to do, and that I should bite the bullet and take the van to a professional shop to have the work done.
Then Richard heads out for supplies while I clean up, pack out and take a shower. When he returns, we go to our favorite Mexican restaurant. After he drops me off at the rental, I get into the sack to sleep.
(Day 328 TB) 53°F. 6:59 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Up, get out my stove and boil water for coffee and tea. After, I begin work installing flooring and electrical boxes while waiting for Richard to arrive, which he does just before noon. We then begin pulling electrical wire for four new circuits. I drill the holes in the floor and feed the wire to Richard who is under the mobile and he pulls it to directly under the breaker and then pushes the wire up the conduit that I have just installed. As I am working on the ends and preparing for the next circuit, Richard is attaching the wires to the bottom of the mobile using wire staples.
When all four circuits are strung, we then work on installing the boxes and cleaning up the sawdust from the drilling and cutting. As we work, we talk about additional parts that we will need and then head to the Palm street rental to see what is wrong with the furnace because the blower is not coming on. Reading the circuit diagram, we follow the electric current path and check for power along the way to the blower. It stops at the blower switch and we suspect that this switch is the problem. We drive to the hw-mart and they do not have the switch but then Richard gets a call from Kim reminding him that he needs to head for home. We return to the Johnston street rental and Richard packs out and leaves for Yucaipa.
When he leaves, I begin to pack out, clean up, and then take a shower. Then I drive to Florida street and stop at a small taco restaurant for fish tacos and after eating will never go to that restaurant again, after which, I buy a chocolate milk shake and head home. After one final walk thru, I get into the back of the jammer for some down time.
(Day 329 TB) 52°F. 6:40 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Up reluctantly, drive to the w-mart for coffee and for WiFi but can not connect, so I drive back to the rental and continue my work there, arriving just after eight am. The work left to do is (1) complete the electrical, (2) completer the flooring and (3) install the trim boards, which I will wait to do because Richard first needs to paint the trim boards.
Last night I set out the electrical materials in the locations where they need to be installed, so this morning, I begin installing the material. Also, last night, I made a short list of items needed, but since I can wait to work on them until last, I plan to hold off going until I have finished everything else. In the last morning, Richard texts me to tell me that he would like me to call Rita and make an appointment to diagnose the furnace problem, but shortly after I read the text, Rita stops by here at the Johnston street rental. She concludes that the mobile now looks really cute. I tell her about the furnace and we agree on one in the afternoon. Meanwhile, I get busy on the refrigerator and laundry circuits, installing the boxes, receptacles, the circuit breaker and finally test each circuit and both work just in time for me to drive to Rita′s mobile.
The first thing that I do is to re-install the fan switch, then turn on the system switch, raise the thermostat up to ninety degrees to see if I get power showing on the top of the fan switch by holding the electric tester on the fan switch and waiting. The same thing happens as it did yesterday, the furnace flame ignites, the fan chamber heats up, then there is a humming and the top of the fan switch shows electricity. This tells me that the fan switch works, that the humming is the fan motor trying to start. So, I turn off the system switch, lower the thermostat to fifty degrees and begin removing the blower assembly.
Then, I take the blower assembly back to the Johnston street rental, disassemble it by taking the motor out, us the air compressor to blow out the dust, lubricate the shaft, clean the fan shroud and blades and finally re-assemble the blower assembly. I check for clearance between the fan blades and the shroud which appears to have enough. Packing the assembly in the jammer, I drive to Rita′s home, re-install the blower assembly and start the furnace. While it is going through the start up sequence, I am verbally mimicking Captain Kirk and his engineer Scotty. "Scotty, can you get me warp drive?" "Captain, I am work as fast as I can." Then the fan begins to work and heat comes out of the register vent. Rita says, "You fixed it! Ok, turn it off because I don′s need heat right now, it already is too hot." I tell her, "No, I want to wait for about five minutes to make sure that I will keep running." In about three minutes, I hear a vibration in the blower assembly, then a slight squeal, and I say "Did you hear that?" to which she answers, "No." Then the blower fan squeals really loud and come to a stop. She says "I hear that!" I take the blower assembly back to Johnston street to disassemble it again, then re-center the fan in the shroud, return to Palm street and re-install the blower assembly again. This time the fan runs for over five minutes and then I use my fist to pound lightly once on the outside of the shroud and the motor again squeals to a stop. I tell Rita that the fan motor bearing are bad which are allowing the fan to wobble too much. I leave the system switch off and tell Rita that I will report to Richard who will have to find a new motor.
Returning to the Johnston street rental, I resume my work, finish the electrical in the new kitchen wall and begin nailing on the paneling. I work until seven pm, when I clean up, pack up the tools, and then take a hot shower. Yesterday, I had gone outside to the water heater access panel and increased the heat because the hot water was barely hot enough for a real hot shower. Now, to take a hot shower, I must need turn the cold water on just a little which is perfectly hot for me. After my shower tonight, I make a salad, add oil, vinegar and a tablespoon of my spice mix. Then I clean up the kitchen, walk out to the jammer and eat while I pound keys to composing today&prine;s journal entry. Shortly after nine pm, I climb into the back and get horizontal, but before closing my eyes, read several chapters in Proverbs which have much to think about, especially the need to discern and practice righteousness.
(Day 330 TB) 49°F. 5:45 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake early but lie in the sack until the alarm sounds, then rise, go inside to wash my face and wet my hair. Upon going back outside see Jupiter one hand above the horizon. Last night after the sunset, Venus, Saturn and Mars stood out in a cloudless sky. Today, after viewing Jupiter for a few minutes, I drive to the w-mart for coffee, check my com and to upload journal entries. Then at seven, I drive to the ar-mart to have my upper control arm bushings installed but I am told that I need to make an appointment, exactly opposite from what I was told previously. I leave to search for another shop and not finding one who will use my parts (which have a lifetime warranty compared to the normal shop twelve months) so I drive to a ff-mart for some breakfast burritos. Then, I drive back to the rental to continue work on the electrical.
By sunset, I have finished installing all the electrical except the bathroom circuit because there is not a circuit breaker for it. Then, I clean up, pack out and take a hot shower before going to the jammer and rest up this old man body.
(Day 331 TB) 50°F. 5:55 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake before the alarm, close my eyes and the get up at the sound of the alarm. Dress in my fall blues, drive to the w-mart and pound keys. At eight this morning, I get a refill on my coffee, drive home to put on my ministry clothes and then head to the ministry meeting at the hall arriving by nine. However, upon arriving, realize that the meeting is not until nine-thirty am so I prepare a cup of my Repast and sit at the picnic table to eat my meal and drink my second cup of coffee. When the friends arrive, I go in for the meeting and work a short morning with Hubert, Nancy and Ralph only to stop early, returning home before noon. I have peanut butter and crackers with coconut milk and then take a nap.
Upon arising at one-thirty pm, I walk outside, sit in the jammer under the carport and compose my journal entry while watching it rain. It is still so dry here that much of the rain evaporates before it hits the ground or before it can saturate the concrete and there are dry spot throughout. This continues for over an hour without the ground getting wet. Then at three-thirty pm, I head to the hall for the weekend meeting.
Afterwards, I drive to the hw-mart for tp and a can of white paint, then to the d-mart for peanut butter, chia seed, and coconut milk. As I walk out of the d-mart and grab my grocery sacks, leave the basket in the entrance area, from behind me, someone says, that is not where that basket where it goes. Turning to see who it is, find it to be Richard and he then asks me if I have been cheating on my diet. I show him the contents of my grocery sack and he smiles. I tell him that I suspect that I am now under two hundred and thirty pounds and he says, "I keep forgetting to bring my scale." We walk to our vehicles and drive to the rental, park and while Jane sits on her cushion, he begins to paint a second coat on the upper and lower cut in areas of the walls. I sit inside and eat a green salad composed of spinach, kale, mustard greens and green onions with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Then, I have some peanut butter on crackers and Richard asks, "Are you eating saltine crackers?" to which I show him the box labeled unsalted tops and say no.
We continue to talk, some about the work when he arrives tomorrow and other topics and then at ten pm, I retire for the evening. Richard continues to put paint on the walls, now with a roller as I lay in the jammer with flashes of lightning illuminating the the clouds to the north.
(Day 334 TB) 59°F. 7:01 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake after daybreak to high humidity, go inside to make a cup of coffee and a liter bottle of tea to chill for later. The first thing that I notice when walking through the front door is that the walls in entire living room, dining room area has been painted, the color is called Mindful gray and has a slight bluish tint. This rental is really looking good for a mobile which is fifty years or older. I go outside to sit in the jammer to drink my coffee and it begins to rain, hard, and it no time everything is saturated, then the flashes of lightning begin only to be followed by loud claps of thunder, some four seconds later but most ten or more seconds after the flash. After finishing my coffee, I go back into the rental to begin working, but my dilatory mien keep me for accomplishing much. The work is installing trim as I am waiting for Richard to remove the toilet so that I can do the last section of the flooring.
When walking through the kitchen, I see water on the floor under the oven hood vent and on the kitchen counter, search and find the two roof leaks. After towel drying both spots, I put buckets under the drips, but for now the rain has stopped. Then, I continue working on the trim until Richard arrives at one pm. He works first on the roof to fix the two leaks, then the rain gutters which are totally clogged. As I complete the base molding near the heater vents, I install new screws in the freshly painted white vents and Richard says that he is not going to buy new one, these are just fine.
At six pm, with the cloudy skies turning dark, after having finished the base trim in the living room, dining room, and kitchen, I clean up, bring in the saws, pack out my tools, and take a hot shower. Then, Richard and I head to our favorite Mexican restaurant for supper, after which we go to the hw-mart to buy more supplies, where he has a coupon for ten dollars off a fifty dollar purchase. Richard shops for a while but still has another twenty dollar item to reach his fifty minimum and I suggest a thermostat. We look and then choose a two program digital one for twenty two dollars. After he pays for his purchases, he drives me back to the rental where I get into the jammer and recline to the horizontal immediately.
(Day 335 TB) 54°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Up at the early dayspring to see that the storm clouds are now gone and a waning crescent moon is high and sharing the sky with many familiar stars. Then, I dress, drive to the w-mart for coffee and to upload journal entries. I stay until eight and then head for the bank to deposit a check, then return to the rental and begin prep work for installing the base boards. At two pm, I stop for a food break and then return to the work at hand.
Richard drive into the driveway at three and tells me that he has found and purchased a furnace motor. We set up a work station outside and begin to install the motor into the blower assembly and test it, which it works just fine in the assembly. Then we leave to go to the Palm street rental and install the blower assembly into the furnace, test it and it works there too. Upon returning back to the Johnston street rental, Richard leaves for Yucaipa and I go in to work until six pm, mostly doing small tasks, then clean up, pack out the tools and finally take a shower.
At six-thirty pm, I put on my meeting clothes, drive to the hall for the midweek meeting and tell many of those there that this is my seventh and last week here. Afterwards, I drive back to the rental, change into my sleeping blues and get horizontal.
(Day 336 TB) 51°F. 5:36 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake early and can not get back to sleep so I rise and drive to the w-mart for coffee. At seven this morning, I drive to the ar-mart to see if I can arrange for having my bushings installed but like the other like store, they do not install my bushings. I leave, drive to a f-mart for breakfast buritoes and then back to the rental to begin work
Richard shows up a little after two pm with a range hood and cabinets. We continue working until I go to bed a nine while he continues to paint.
(Day 337 TB) 53°F. 8:02 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Today must be my day for sleeping in as I do so very easily this morning. Upon arising, I drive to the hw-mart for materials, then the bank to get some money for my wallet, then to the d-mart for screws and a hair cut and finally back to the rental to begin working. I try to begin laying floor pieces but the underlayment pad has a wet spot by the tub, apparently from my shower last night. After setting up the fan, go in the kitchen to work on other repairs.
My body is very sore, so I only work a short day today, stopping at seven pm and because I am not too dirty, go to the jammer without a shower, and climb into the back to sleep. Methinks that I must needs go to the mountain soon to rest up from this living in the city.
(Day 338 TB) 59°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
After a long night, the alarm awakes me and I go immediately outside to see the crescent moon and Jupiter in the early dayspring but the clouds have almost entirely blocked them from view and in a short while do. Then, I retrieve my stove from the jammer, go inside and make a cup of hot and another of tea to refrigerate. While sitting in the jammer, drinking hot coffee, pounding keys, the city sounds permeate the morning. I call it the city sounds but in reality, they are all just noises, harsh ones at best constant and the list includes cars driving by, cars in the distance roaring their engines, dogs barking, trucks on the highway, constant screaming of sirens, airplanes overhead, a motor humming, a truck back up alarm sounding... all of them noise, nothing more and there never seems to be an end of the city sounds. This past week, I have been yearning for the silences to be in my life again, which I hope will start soon, even as early as the beginning of next week.
Seven am rolls around and I walk inside to begin laying the last several pieces of flooring. After I finish a room, I cut and install the base boards, then caulk the ends, then sweep up the dust and debris after which I move to the next room. I continue to concentrate on floors, base and caulk and by seven this evening, I am done with the job. Granted, Richard would like me to install more electrical, particularly the bath room fan, bath room GFCI receptacle, and the kitchen oven fan-vent. After the ministry tomorrow morning, I just might come back here to do just that, but no more.
I have been getting more than enough sleep while working here in the valley plain, but what I have not been getting is the rest that my old legs and back so badly need after all this strenuous work. I will leave here soon, drive somewhere in the mountains to find a place to get that needed rest. Too, with the rest, I will begin to upload photos into this text, mostly of sunsets and sunrises because there are no birds or other wild animals to photograph, nor great view, nor great landscapes, nor anything that really causes me to take out the camera. It is now seven-fifty pm and my legs are beginning to throb, so I will shut down the computer an get horizontal for the night.
(Day 339 TB) 56°F. 7:23 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
Awake with the alarm but not wanting to rise, go back to sleep. Then drive to a f-mart for coffee and then on to the hall for the ministry meeting. I work with Darren, this being the second time that I get to work with him and we go on several calls. I tell him that I am done with the flooring and will be leaving soon, to which he replies, "Is the rental close, can we go look at it?" I answer, "Yes, it is on Johnston, just past Elk," He says, "That is not far at all" and drives there. Later, he asks if I want to go to the coffee shop and I tell him, sure, so I get a tall blonde and he has a chai tea. Finally, he drops me off at the hall, after which I return to the rental and begin working on electrical. I do have to stop, drive to the hw-mart for a switch and GFCI receptacle to finish the bathroom electrical.
Upon returning, I set up the switch for the bath room fan; remove the paneling, drill holes in the studs, pull wire thru the wall, connect the switch to the power line, install new paneling and paint it from left over paint. I leave the area for the fan open for Richard to install the fan which he had to special order. Next, I work on a GFCI receptacle; I cut a whole in the wall for the box, pull the wire, connect it to the receptacle, install the box, connect the circuit to the circuit breaker and finally test everything.
With that all complete and testing good, I then begin to clean up, pack out my tools, sweep the drive way and then take a hot shower. After that, I have a salad, eat in the jammer and then read several chapters in Proverbs. Finally, I compose today′s journal entry and then get horizontal right as it turns nine pm.
(Day 340 TB) 55°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
After awaking at five this morning, I remain in the sack until the alarm goes off, then rise, get dressed in my fall blues, disconnect my extension cord, store it in the back of the jammer, and then drive to the w-mart for a cup of blond, check my com and upload journal entries. Then at eight-thirty am, I return to the rental, dress in my ministry blues and head for the hall. I work with Ralph this morning and we go into a territory and work the not-at-homes, finding many people home this morning and a few receptive to the Bible message.
After the ministry, I return to the rental and begin working on the range hood but do not complete before having to stop to shower and return to the hall for the weekend meeting. Before heading to the hall Richard calls to tell me that he is at the north Palm avenue rental and needs the drill, so I drive there to drop it off on my way to the meeting. Afterwards, I greet many of the friends goodbye and well wishes and let them know that I will most likely return because there is more work to do here. Then, I call Richard who says that he is at the Johnston street rental but is heading for the north Palm rental. We meet at the north Palm rental and make plans for tomorrow morning. Afterwards, I stop at the g-mart to buy a quart of chocolate ice cream and peanut butter, return to the Johnston street rental and have a milk shake. After that, I finish today′s journal entry and then get horizontal really early tonight, even before eight-thirty.
(Day 341 TB) 56°F. 7:15 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at Johnston Street Rental
When the alarm goes off, I continue to lie in the horizontal and stretch as I do each morning before I rise but somehow, I did not get up and fell back asleep. Then, upon rising, I go inside and make a cup of coffee and a cup of tea for mixing with water to drink during the day. At eight, I cut the floor boards for the kitchen broom closet and install them, next begin cleaning up, moving tools out to the shed, painting equipment onto the counter in the back bedroom, and sweep all the floors. Richard arrives at nine-thirty this morning and we go out for breakfast after which, we come back to the rental and install the range hood. It work so much better with two people working on the install. After finishing the hood, I sit down and watch him work on his shear wall in the kitchen. Then, at four pm, I drive to the bank and cash my check, the one Richard just today gave me for the past week of work.
Returning to the rental, I check on Richards progress and then, just after sunset, I pack out and drive to Yucaipa, pull in to the outback, park and eat my supper while writing today′s journal entry. I text Richard that I will be at the w-mart in the morning, that when he is ready to begin working on his home, to call me. At eight-fifteen, I shut down the computer, turn off the lights and get horizontal.
(Day 342 TB) 53°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in the Outback
Up at the bell, dress in my fall blues and drive to the w-mart for coffee and to check my com. Then, I begin working on e1v1 endeavoring to finish the last rewrite, having only fifteen percent of the pages remaining to do, which is only one more state to walk through, Maine. By noon, I have completed the update and then begin the upload to the printer which finds one more needed correction. Instead of making the correction, I text Richard who says he is done with his paperwork and we can now begin the work we had planned.
After driving to the outback and parking in the RV space, Richard walks up with his new backpack and says that he is excited about getting his emergency pack ready. He then retrieves all the bags of purchases that he and Kim have made which will go into their emergency packs and we set up outside under the arbor. He gets out his stove to try it out and I say we should make some tea. I go to the jammer, grab two tea bags while he grabs a bottle of water. He sets up the stove, puts on a pot of water and starts the flame. Soon, we are sipping on the hot tea in our sierra cups.
From the bags of purchase, he takes out a package of nylon bags which will be used to store groups of items. There are two of each color so I set one of each color in two different areas, one for Richard′s bag and one for Kim′s bag. "The red bag, I tell Richard, is for first aid." So, he begins to divide the first aid supplies into the two red ditty bags. The green ditty bag can be for toiletries, tooth paste, toothbrush, comb, TP, camp soap, tissue paper, and the like. He begins to put the items into zip bags and then into the ditty bags after I remove the cardboard and plastic packaging. We first load into his backpack his sleeping bag, tent, stove and cookware, and finally the ditty bags. There are two blue ditty bags which I tell him that he should use for clothing and that he should have another bag, maybe a day pack to use as his food bag. We talk about the other things that he needs and I tell him to go to my
website to see the list that I have made, then obtain the remaining necessary item and get rid of any unnecessary ones in your pack.
Then I tell him that I am going to make my supper, grab my sierra cup and head to the jammer. I had a package of salad and green onions that I purchased in Hemet and then put my cooler in the jammer, so I cut up the onions and add my oil, vinegar, spices and begin enjoying. Richard comes out with some previously barbecued chicken that he had in the refrigerator and offerers me a piece. When he goes back inside, I share the chicken with Jane, who has been waiting for me to give her something. I finish eating, and while cleaning up notice the new moon and Venus in the waning sunglow.
(b1a11-12-04a20161101.1820) Moon and Venus in the sunglow at Yucaipa, CA
(b1a11-12-04a20161101.1821) Moon at one day into the waxing crescent, California
I dress for the meeting and then drive to the hall. There, I greet the friends, telling them that I will be leaving Yucaipa tonight. After the meeting, I get into the jammer and drive east until I arrive at Palm Desert, stopping at the d-mart for the evening. It is after ten pm when I finally get horizontal.
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The Journey East across the
Desert
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(Day 343 TB) 62°F. 7:15 am, clear
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Upon rising, I look at my new thermometer to find out the temperature. It is a nice one with both the inside and outside temperature showing with the time. I drive to a w-mart, get caught up on my journal writing and upload my entry. Then, I work on my book, e1v1, to do the final correction, upload it to the printer and then submit the final manuscript. Now, I just have to wait for their review in order to make it so.
Leaving Palm Desert, I connect with the ten and head east, crossing into Arizona and into the Mountain time zone just before one pm. From that crossing of the
Colorado River, I continue on IH 10 through southern Arizona, then Phoenix, next take SH 87 northeast and enter the Tonto National Forest.
(b1a11-12-04a20161102.1642) Tonto National Forest, Arizona
Then, I turn south on the Bush Highway past Saguaro Lake, then the
Salt River where I stop to photograph the gorge, water and the sunset.
(b1a11-12-04a20161102.1724) Salt River at Sunset, Arizona
(b1a11-12-04a20161102.1734) Saguaro on the Canyon Rim, Arizona
Then, I drive back to Mesa to park at a d-mart for the night. Wow, it is really hot here. I plan to drive north to the Mogollon Plateau Ridge hoping to find some cooler temperatures. It is eight pm now and I wait for it will cool down; maybe it will soon.
(Day 344 TB) 70°F. 7:001am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
The alarm, which a couple days ago dropped into a crack, blares at six this morning as soon stops to find me returning to my sleep. There was a heavy rain with wind which rocked the jammer during the night but stopped in the early morning. Upon arising, watch the sunrise while walking a half mile and just as I make it back to the jammer, see a rainbow just before a short cloudburst of rainfall.
(b1a11-12-04a20161103.0700) Sunrise in Mesa, Arizona
Leaving the d-mart, I drive down the boulevard to a w-mart for coffee and WiFi. Then at ten this morning, I head north out of the valley plain up to the plateau resuming my climb up SH 87 and soon come to the two forest service stops along the Salt River on the Bush highway when at the second stop see some wild horses on the opposite bank of the Salt.
(b1a11-12-04a20161103.1230)
Feral Horses in the Salt River, Arizona
(b1a11-12-04a20161103.1336) Saguaro and Boulders, Arizona
When climbing out of the river basin on SH 87, while still in the Tonto NF, the saguaros and boulders abound and I stop several times for photos.
Resuming my climb to the plateau, I stop in Payson, Arizona, elevation 5200 feet, at a g-mart and buy groceries, mostly fruit and vegetables. Before leaving Payson, I stop at the ranger station to get a map of the area and ask where the rim views are. The ranger gives me the perfect map, one showing campsites, even some free ones. Then, I leave Payson, on SH 260 east, continue to climb up from within the Salt River basin and then begin to get glimpses of the edge of the plateau, rock cliffs or more like a bluff along a long line.
Upon driving up to the top edge of the rocks, I arrive at the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest Rim Lakes Recreation Area. The Mogollon Rim is about 7600 feet in elevation and I arrive in the RA with just enough time before sunset to take photos of the remarkable scenery here, one reminiscence of my
Grand Canyon visit in 2009.
(m4camp-08.mog.20161103.1630) Rainbow above the Mogollon Rim, Arizona
After stopping at several photo vistas, I then begin looking for a place to camp which does not take too long. Most of the paid campsites have already shut down for the winter, but after turning left off the SH 87 onto FR 300, and then driving north just over five miles, I find FR 9350, where I turn left and when I see camp site seven leading right out to the edge of the rim, I say to myself, "This is the campsite I have been looking for." I pull down a dirt road, park next to the picnic table and then begin pounding keys to catch up on my journal writing.
(m4camp-08.mog.20161103.1653) Camping on the Mogollon Rim, Arizona
Before this drive through this area of Arizona I had not fully understood what this rim was, even though I have come this way a couple of times before. However, that is different now, knowing that this canyon rim can be compared to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Millions of years ago, this edge of the Colorado plateau where I now pear down from, would have continued at this same elevation all the way across the Salt River basin had the river not had those same years to cut down from the plateau into the earth. Yes, like the Grand Canyon, the south rim of the Salt river canyon is very steep and the north side climbs slowly up from the river to this rim, the Mogollon Rim, where I am camped for the night.
Later, while sitting in the jammer, watch the sunset and take photos from inside the jammer because the temperature has quickly dropped to below fifty. It has been raining this afternoon, mostly off and on, and this evening continues the same. I choose not to cook tonight and will have some canned food. It is five forty-five and already it is dark outside with just a little light left in the western sky. Too, just before reaching Payson, the temperature was dropping noticeably and continued to drop on the way up to the Mogollon Rim. It is now six pm and even the sky is almost totally dark; I will shut down and have something to eat before I get horizontal.
(Day 345 TB) 40°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Campsite Number 7, CRS: 8.5
My alarm goes off and I rise immediately, it is still before the dayspring begins. I start the jammer engine to warm up the inside, then dress in my fall blues, and begin driving out of the national forest campsite. It is easy for me because I just follow the blue trail on my GPS. Soon, I am on SH 360 and drive east looking for a place to purchase a cup of hot because it is still raining and have no desire to get out my stove to make some; I really do not like it when it rains, never have. I suppose that I have, in the several years of living in this vehicle, just learned to deal with it during those times when it does come down.
I make it to the first af-mart and go inside to purchase a large cup, then resume my east bound travel. Upon arriving in Show Low, I turn east onto US 60, soon after which turn north on SH 61, then SH 180A north to connect to US 180. When I arrive at the south entrance to Petrified Forest National Park, I enter and use the park loop as a short cut to take me to IH 40; I do stop in the park to photograph the petroglyph at two locations, one of which I learn about a
Calendric Petroglyph with sunlight pointer.
(m1rock-petroglyph.peti-news-2016-1104.1048)
Petroglyph in Petrified Forest NP, NM
Then, at the north visitors center, I stop in the cafe and have a cup of butternut squash soup and some corn bread. It is just enough to quell my hunger and then I drive to the interstate and head east, crossing the state line into New Mexico at two pm and continuing on the forty and get off at exit 153, head south in the surface streets in the outskirts of Albuquerque and stop at a d-mart on Rio Bravo Blvd (SH 500) in the extreme southern suburbs of the city.
I go inside to buy some nut butter and crackers to eat for supper. Then, I turn on the jammer to charge batteries while I write today′s journal entry. After putting away the computer, I get horizontal and read in the Proverbs, finishing the book tonight before turning of the lights. A few nights ago, I turned on my inside lights and then went outside to see if any light was escaping and was pleased not to find any except two small slivers, but still unnoticeable by someone passing by. I will use some duct tape to cover those leaks when I drive out of this rain. Yes, it has been raining all day, but I was able to spot two rainbows during the few sun breaks.
(b1a11-12-04a.20161104.1424) Rainbow in New Mexico
Now to rest up my legs which are slowly recovering from all the work in Hemet, but I am still taking aspirin in the evening and go to sleep listening to the heavy rain pummel the roof.
(Day 346 TB) 49°F. 6:59 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake, don my clothes, start the engine and drive to a af-mart to put gasoline in the tank. Then, I drive east on SR 500 to SR 47 and head south to a w-mart in Los Lunas, NM. Looking out the window, I see tall brightly lit clouds with blue sky above, hopefully, the storm is done.
As I get into the jammer to drive east, I decide to call Joe in Tennessee to ask him if I can bring my van there to have him install the upper control arm bushings, After talking with him for a bit, I tell him, that I am on my way and will see him in a few. I drive back north through Albuquerque, then east on IH 40 to Santa Rosa, a location on the old route 66 and stop to see and photograph the Blue Hole, a 3000 gallons per minute fresh water spring at a constant 62 degrees, used mainly by scuba divers.
(b1a11-12-04a.20161104.1424) Blue Hole n Santa Rosa, New Mexico
Next, I head south on US 84 to Fort Sumner, east through Clovis, into Texas and continue on US 84 to Muleshoe, Texas where I take US 70 east through Earth, Texas and finally stop at a d-mart in Plainview. It is true what they say about Plainview, "Every thing for miles in ever direction is in plain view." Also, here I purchase my first tank of gasoline for less than two dollars per gallon ever since leaving Texas on 13 March of this year.
After eating, I write my journal entry for today while outside the rain seems to be coming to an end with only a occasional sprinkling. Again, I must needs take aspirin before sleeping.
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The Journey East across the
Wet Side
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(Day 347 TB) 50°F.7:01 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake to the crackles and whining of numerous
grackle who in the southern states perch overnight by amassing within the d-mart parking lot trees. I have learned not to park too close to these perch trees because not only is the noise annoying but the dropping are so plentiful. Then, I drive to the f-mart for coffee but wait in the jammer waiting for the battery in my computer to charge before going in for WiFi. I believe that the antenna on my computer for WiFi has deteriorated somewhat as it can only receive the signals when I am really close.
After the meeting this morning, I leave Plainview to drive east on US 70 across the top of Texas through the towns of Floydada, Matador, Paducah and Vernon, after which I cross the
Red River into southwest Oklahoma where I see a rainbow. Leaving US 70, I continue north on US 183 and then east on US 62 where my map shows a National Wildlife Refuge with a campground. From US 62, I turn north on SH 54, then east on SH 49 into the refuge and locate the campground.
After paying the five dollars camping fee, I retire for the evening have some grapes for supper because during my drive, I ate plenty of rainbow chard stalks with the leaf which stalks are very juicy and crunchy like celery. Earlier today, I had two Brussels sprouts stalks and as on most occasions, I eat these vegetables raw.
Finally, I get out my computer and write today′s journal entry. I was not able to connect to WiFi today and will try again tomorrow in Lawton, Oklahoma.
(b1a11-12-04a.20161107.0720) Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
(Day 348 TB) 60°F. 7:22 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Campsite Number 22, CRS: 8.5
Awake at six am this morning, outside it is still raining so I go back to sleep for another hour. When I do arise, I drive to the shower house for a warm shower, my first since Hemet and then put on clean fall blues. Next, I drive to the visitors center and walk through a wonderful natural display with numerous taxidermy exhibits. When I leave the center, I see several buffalo grazing but do not see any of the wild longhorn cattle that are here.
(m3anch-m.unge-bobo-bison-16.20161107.0925) Buffalo in the Wildlife Refuge, OK
Afterwards, I drive into Lawton, OK and head for the w-mart for coffee and here I am able to get on to the internet and upload my files to the web server. I also go to the online book printer and send a printed proof to my sister Susan, one which should arrive by the sixteenth of this month.
Finally, in the late afternoon, I pack out and while heading to the d-mart for the evening, stop at the best hamburger stand and have a single. It was so good that I had a second one. What a burger this is! Arriving at the d-mart just before sunset, I see that the two hundred thousand grackles have already taken their positions in the perch trees and I stay clear of them. When I check my phone, it having been on the charger while I was in the w-mart, I find that Richard had tried to reach me. It is warm this evening and hope it will cool off quickly.
(Day 349 TB) 61°F. 7:04 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Arise, put on my blues, walking shoes and walk a half mile in the parking lot. The humidity is high here but the air is cool so I do not break a sweat. Then, I drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot and to check my com. The WiFi connection on my computer seems to be working just fine now as I have no problems at all.
At nine this morning, I leave the w-mart and drive to Anadarko, Oklahoma, a town which the characters of Episode Three, Craig and Sandy Ojawasko come from. Here, there are several Indian museums, where I hope to learn more about life for the Delaware in the reservation near Anadarko. Stopping at the first one I see, the curator suggests that I go to the Gold Wind casino and go into the business office where there is a library. After touring the museum, I do just that. The young girl who greets me upon entering says that she is a Lenape, to which I smile, tell her that I am looking for the history about the Lenape here in Oklahoma. She tells me that I can first browse through their artifacts exhibit and then afterwards she will direct me to the library. The security here is tight, everything is locked with cameras on all entrance doors.
After browsing the exhibit, I thank her and then go out and around to the back door where Gina meets me at takes me to the library. She shows me the Lenape historical section and I begin to browse each of the dozen of so books looking for history of the Lenape. There are several which I have never seen before and write down the title, author and publishing information. Gina tells me that most of the books were purchased on Amazon. I tell here about episode three and the two main characters Greg and Sandy who are from here, Anadarko. Also, I tell her that when the book is printed, I will send her a copy for the library.
I tell Gina that I have really learned a lot from the few books she has in her library and give he my card. Then, I thank her for all of her help and greet her good bye, leave out the locked door and drive to the d-mart in the next town, Chickasaw, Oklahoma. Once I park in the outer edge of the parking lot, I have some red grapes for supper and then begin reading in the one book that was for sale in the library, Turtle Tales: Oral traditions of the Delaware Tribe in Western Oklahoma.
(Day 350 TB) 55°F. 6:30 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Rise, drive to a f-mart for a cup of hot and eat a banana and grapes while sipping on the coffee. Soon after, I begin my drive through southeast Oklahoma towards Texarkana, Texas to stop at the auto wrecking yards there. First, I drive south on US 277 and next east on SH 19 which parallels the Washita River, crossing it twice and after crossing under IH 35, turn south on US 77 which continues to follow the Washita River, which also crosses the same river two more times and then the SH begins to follow Homey Creek south (Honey Creek flows north from here to the Washita River), crossing it once before I arrive at Turner Falls Park.
(b1a11-12-04a.20161109.1141) Turner Falls Park in Davis, Oklahoma
After entering the park, I pay the three dollars fee, which is the winter rate for seniors, drive to the falls parking lot and then begin putting on my walking shoes. Soon after, I begin walking upstream and soon after arrive at the swimming pool below the falls. This is definitely a beautiful waterfall with pristine and clear turquoise water. I take photos from several locations and then drive up the hill to the plateau above the falls for more photos. When done with the photo shoot, I drive to the RV camping area, park on one of the concrete pads right next to the bathroom-shower house, open the jammer to dry out the water that made it′s way into the jammer during all the rain this past week.
Once I have swept out all the dust, debris, and dried most areas, I pack it all away again and then walk across the road for a hot shower. Then, I drive out of the waterfall park, drive south on US 77 while the Washita flows southeastward at first but when it flows past Gene Autry, Oklahoma, it turns directly east to Tishmingo National Wildlife Refuge, then south again to Lake Texhoma and flows out below the dam into the Red River. This 300 mile long river begins in the Texas Panhandle, crosses into Oklahoma and flow through the Anadarko basin, then through the Arbuckle Mountains where it cuts through the 300 feet deep limestone gorge called Big Canyon.
Continuing on US 77, I drive to Ardmore, Oklahoma and stop at the w-mart for my third cup of hot today and to find a midweek meeting between here and Texarkana. By three pm, I leave Ardmore and head east on US 70 and plan to cross the Red River on US 259 just before US 70 reaches Arkansas, then down into Texas and east on US 82.
Arriving in Nash, Texas, I stop at a Kingdom Hall and walk inside. After the meeting, I drive further east on US 82 and stop at a d-mart in Texarkana.
(Day 351 TB) 55°F. 7:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Up after sunbreak, drive to the auto wrecking yard and ask if they have an Aerostar. "Yes, just one, would you like to look at it?" I receive the row number, walk out to the van to inspect it and determine that it has parts that I want. Returning to the office, I find the price for the a-frames are fifteen dollars each and the oil fill tube is fourteen dollars. Also, I ask if he has someone who can pull the a-frames and he calls one of his mechanics to come look at the vehicle. I walk with the mechanic out to the van and back, wait for them to discuss labor charges and then the sales cashier says that the labor to remove an a-frame is twenty dollars each. I pay the cashier, including cost for a membership, walk to my van to get my tool box and then go to the van to remove the oil fill tube. Pat, the mechanic is already working on the driver side suspension. I get the oil fill tube out, walk back to the office, pay for it and then go back to the part van to watch Pat take out the a-frames. After two hours, just before eleven am, I walk out with my parts, clean up and I am on the road.
Driving east on US 82, through Texarkana, I turn north on IH 49, connect to IH 30 and drive east until the Caddo Valley exit where I take SH 7 north to Hot Springs National Park. I park in the national park free parking lot, walk across Central avenue to the Quapaw and pay twenty-one dollars to get into the hot spring pool. Then after soaking for almost two hours, I take a hot shower, exfoliate, dress, walk back to the jammer, and drive out of Hot Springs east on US 70 to IH 30, then drive east through Little Rock, Arkansas, connect to IH 40 and drive east to the Mississippi River, crossing into Memphis, Tennessee and continue across the state.
I had hoped to drive all the way to Franklin, Tennessee but at nine-thirty pm, my legs begin to pain me so after crossing the Duck River, I stop at a roadside rest stop, park, climb into the back and close my eyes. It is much colder tonight and need to get out my extra blanket, however, I do sleep good.
(Day 352 TB) 35°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting at IH 40 Roadside Rest Stop
Up at early dayspring, start the jammer, get out and put on my jeans and then drive to Fairfield, Tennessee for a free meal at one of the participating restaurants. Next, I drive to Franklin, Tennessee and stop at a w-mart for coffee, WiFi and to update my journal. Soon, I am on my way to the next restaurant to eat free but stop first at an hg-mart for some groceries and here talk to Jonathan about his company′s product which include mushrooms. I tell Jonathan that I did not know that mushrooms contain nutra-ceuticals.
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We talk for a short time, I give him my card and show him a package of sprouted mung beans. Then, I leave to find a place to eat lunch. After eating lunch in the early afternoon, I stop at another w-mart to pound keys and have a second cup of hot, also free at this w-mart for veterans. In the late afternoon, I call Joe and invited him to join me for supper but even though he would like to do so, his schedule keeps him much to busy to stop for a meal. Upon getting back into the jammer, a very colorful sky causes me to grab my camera and record the pulchritude.
(b1a11-12-04a.20161111.1557) Deep Red Sunset in Tennessee
Then in the early evening, when many are looking to eat, I drive to one final restaurant for a free supper and sit at the bar because it is both Friday night and free food for veterans causing the wait for a table to be over an hour. While I wait for my meal to arrive, I talk with Lori and Katlyn, mother and daughter who have both moved here from Long Island, New York; Lori only being here for a few weeks. Like many other conversations I have had with strangers, this one is no different from the other as I always endeavor to steer the discussion to a spiritual one. After much being said and much being disclosed about each one′s background, Lori discloses "Maybe it was God′s direction that we meet here tonight." I respond to her, "You know, it is because I have searched for God, found him, and now serve him that others have said those same words to me." I remind her what I had previously said, "God can be found and the right path to walk is available for those who quest to find it." When they finish eating, these two ladies thank me and then they leave the restaurant allowing me to talk with the next couple who take the empty seats.
At eight pm, I arrive at the d-mart, check inside for nylon long sleeve shirts but have still not found any even though in some of the larger stores, I have found nylon trousers. I will keep looking and hope that I can find some. Then, I retire to the jammer, put up my shades, read several chapters in Proverbs and then close my eyes.
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The Sojourn in
Spring Hill
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(Day 353 TB) 42°F. 5:40 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake several minutes before the alarm, then at two minutes before six am, sit up, begin getting dressed and when the alarm sounds, turn it off. I dress in my winter blues, drive to the w-mart for coffee and have to wait for some time to connect. After another operating system update, the connection problem is back. I reboot and the problem fixes itself, at least this time. Then at nine-thirty am, I drive to the ap-mart to pick up the ball joints that I ordered but I am told that they did not arrive yet and should be here by four-thirty this afternoon. What a big mix up and I am glad that I am not in a hurry. Next, I drive to the d-mart to buy a wire brush and a can of black spray paint to use to clean up and paint the parts. Then I drive to the shop to see if Mark is awake yet, knock on his door and he answers it a minute later. I tell him that I have need for a garage to do some repairs on my vehicle and he tells me that I am welcome to use the shop. I drive around back while he walks through the front office, which he uses a bed room, and walks into the shop to opens the overhead door.
I drive in and show him the a-frames that I have bought and tell him that I want to replace the bushings and the ball joints. He say that it should not be too hard and we begin working on disassembling the two a-frames and then removing first the old ball joints from the frame and then the four old bushings from the control arm bracket. Once the old ball joints and bushings have been removed, I begin to cleaning and paint the parts while Mark goes inside his bedroom to take a nap. When he comes back out to help press the new bushings into the brackets, we determine that we need a spacer to help press the bushings into the now freshly painted bracket. It is three pm, when we leave to find a spacer and I tell Mark that I will be cooking supper this evening. When we return, we use his vise and spacers to do the pressing, and then reassemble the a-frames. Mark goes back into his bedroom to rest up and a little later, I tell him that supper will be ready in fifteen minutes. I go out into the garage, get out my stove, my large pot and begin cooking my Repast, then cut up and add fresh onions and rainbow chard stalks. Then I tell Mark that it is ready, to bring his own plate and fork, then as he comes into the garage, he tells me that Jessie has come by. We all three sit down and have supper together.
Afterwards, we sit around the campfire, or I should say stove five, wash dishes, have a cup a tea and talk until about nine pm. Mark leaves first to go to bed and soon after that, Jessie leaves. Then, I pack up all of my things and climb into the jammer for the evening and write my journal entry. Then, I shut down the computer and get horizontal.
(Day 354 TB) 32°F. 6:00 am
Overnighting in Stagecoach Auxiliary Shop
I awake first this morning and begin to sweep the garage floor, then I sit down, make a cup of coffee and drink it while it is still all quite. Next, I begin working on completing the repair to the oil fill tube and also wash my air filter. and set it in the sun to dry. At about nine am, Mark comes out into the garage and I offer to make a cup of coffee. He says yes, and goes for his cup, so, I get out the stove, water and instant coffee to make us both a cup. After the break, we begin installing the rebuilt a-frame in the drivers side, the hard of the two to install and true to form, it takes three hours to get it in place.
Mark then says that we need to get ready for the meeting and heads inside to shower. He says that I can take my shower after he is finished. I clean up the work area, pack away my tools, and then head for the shower. When I am done cleaning, we both head for the weekend meeting at the hall.
After the meeting, we go back to work and for a while. Also, Mark begins a load of laundry and asks me if I need to do one, to which I say, duh! He then tells me to help myself and then Mark goes inside to rest for a time. After washing my dirty clothes, I climb inside the jammer and get horizontal.
(Day 355 TB) 33°F. 6:00 am
Beaver Moon or Frost Full Moon.
Overnighting in Stagecoach Auxiliary Shop
First up again, walk outside and see that the dayspring has begun. When, I return into the garage, I grab the broom and sweep the floor, then set out my tools,
In the early afternoon, we drive to the hard ware store for a few bolts. Also, the Chrysler rims that I took off the last car that I drove did fit the lug pattern, however, since that Chrysler was a front wheel drive vehicle, the wheels are designed with a large offset, so that the tires are closer to the engine. This made the tires sit well under the jammer, even rubbing the inner fender walls until I purchased smaller tires. To correct this, I need to have rims from a rear wheel drive vehicle, preferably a Ford, wheels which I find at the salvage yard Mark drives us to.
After purchasing five wheels, all from a Crown Victoria, the cars that many police would drive in the nineties, we head back to the auxiliary shop and I begin scrubbing them one at a time in the bucket sink using a brush and powder cleanser. After all the grease and dirt has been removed, I then use sandpaper to remove as much of the rust as I can. Next, I use a brake cleaner spray to remove any final residue from the wheels before spraying the first coat of primer on each of the rims, front back and inside. After a second coat of primer has gone on the rims, Mark comes out to check my progress and he take me to the d-mart to purchase the finish paint. When we return, I resume the work on the rims, spraying a third and final coat on the entire surface of each rim.
Then, after opening the large overhead garage door I put the primed wheels in the sun to dry them. I go inside the shop to prepare my breakfast and while eating have a second cup of coffee. In the late afternoon, I begin spraying the finish paint on the rims, working one area at a time and this proves time consuming. I am not trying for perfection, but when I am done, I would like the finish on the wheels to have a nice glossy shine. Shortly after sunset, Joe comes by to say hello and Mark asks "Isn′t tonight the full moon?"
(b1a11-12-04a.20161114.1722) Beaver Moon or Frost Full Moon in Tennessee
I reply "Yes" and we all three go outside to see it rising just above the eastern horizon. Later, at the end of my day, I have finished painting all but one wheel, which only needs a final coat on the back side, but I am too tired to do any more.
(Day 356 TB) 36°F. 6:00 am
Overnighting in Stagecoach Auxiliary Shop
Arise, dress, read for a while, and then get up to resume work on painting the rims. After setting the rims in the sun, I get out my sierra cup, make a cup of hot and then my daystart. Being here in the shop, well, not the actual shop but the axillary shop across the alley, has kept me away from access to restaurants and so I have been consuming the food that I carry. Also, I have been inviting Mark to have supper with me each night. After my breakfast, I begin a load of wash and then begin sweeping the garage floor; I keep telling Mark that if I stay her long enough, I will get him to clean up this shop, even if I have to do it myself. Mark does not come out until after eleven am; then I as him to move his truck so that I can put my van on the front lift.
Once the jammer is up on the rack, I begin working on changing the transmission filter and oil, then while waiting for it the fluid to drain, replace the rear axle sensor. Also, I put the final coat of paint on most of the wheels but just become to tired to finish the last rim. I put away all the tools, take a hot shower and then get horizontal.
(Day 357 TB) 39°F. 5:48 am
Overnighting in Stagecoach Auxiliary Shop
Up before the alarm, rise, take a shower, put in a load of wash, then make coffee after which I sit in the co-pilot seat and sit on the cup while catching up on my journal writing. Then, at eight, Mark comes out and we first take a new tire from the front of the jammer and one of the painted rims across the alley to Stagecoach Auto Repair, remove the tire from the old wheel and mount it on the new one but we don′t balance it. We do this so that we may take the new wheel and tire and try it out on the jammer to make sure it has clearance, even under a load; and it passes the inspection in shining night sky metallic, which is the finish paint color. Then we take all the jammer tires and remount them on the five new wheels, after which we pack them back to the auxiliary shop, mount the front two and the spare and set the two rear tires on the ground.
Mark then sets up and begins work on removing the rear shocks, which he ends up having to cut off because the bolts have rusted to the shocks and will not come out. When both rear shocks have been removed, he leaves to go to a physical therapy appointment (required because of the auto accident he was in last June, while I begin installing the new rear shocks.
When the shocks are bolted to the jammer and all the tires are installed on the jammer, I check to see if the shop has an opening for the front end alignment but according to the shop manager, it most likely will not happen today. Then, I pack out, take a shower, drive out of the shop and head for a Mexican restaurant for supper. After eating, I drive to the hall for the meeting, arriving early and just wait for it to begin. The Spring Hill congregation is very friendly and many greet me as I walk in and find my seat. Jessie and Mark both show up and take their seats and I not to both. After the meeting, the three of us go to the local bar and grill to talk and visit for an hour before I have a Charlie-horse and the other two that I need to leave so that I can get horizontal for the evening. I drive to the d-mart, climb into the back and do just that.
(Day 358 TB) 55°F. 7:15 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake before the alarm, turn it off, then go back to sleep and awake again by the sound of my phone. Joe ask me if I got the alignment done on my van to which I answer, "No, they were too busy yesterday." He says that he will call them and get back to me. Meanwhile, I get dressed and drive to the w-mart when my transmission begins to slip, so I stop first at the ap-mart on the way to the w-mart to purchase another quart of fluid to add more. Joe calls back to tell me that the shop manager will call me when they are ready to put me on the rack and that it should be before noon. I head over to the w-mart for a cup of hot, check my com and upload my journal entries.
The phone rings at ten-fifteen am and the shop manager tells me that they are ready to align my front end. I pack out of the w-mart, drive to the shop and Bruce begins working on the alignment. In less than an hour he is finished, so I drive to the auxiliary shop and park in the first lift stall. Then I get out my lug wrench, torque the lug nuts and then spray tire wet on the four tires. Then Mark comes out and I make us both a cup of hot which we sip on while and talk for almost two hours.
(b1a11-12-04a.20161117.1145) Mark Sipping on a Cup of Hot, Tennessee
Next, I drive south through the country side to Joe′s home, drive across the bridge we built last years, drive up the gravel driveway to the top of the property which now has a large barn on concrete pad. I park, go inside and find Joe, who is working with Xavier doing miscellaneous chores. We talk for a long time and then I leave, drive south to Columbia, Tennessee to a car wash to clean the jammer. Then, I go in the d-mart to purchase some fruit and vegetables, after which I drive back to Spring Hill, park in the d-mart and climb into the back to sleep.
(Day 359 TB) 45°F. 5:23 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Arise, dress in my fall blues, drive to the w-mart, and spend over an hour trying to find out why UPS could not deliver the book package to my sister′s address in Texas. It turns out that what happened in Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado this past summer has occurred again. UPS passed the deliver off to the local USPS who, because of being a rival carrier, chooses not to deliver the package, marking it "unable to deliver the UPS SurePost® package as addressed" even though the delivery address is a regular stop for them. I then call the printer to tell them the problem, and the customer service person tell me that he will ship a new package Priority mail. I thank him and then write an e-mail message to my sister in Texas to tell her about what will happen. Then at eight am, when the sun light shines through the window and into my eyes, I pack out of the w-mart and drive to the auxiliary shop to do some final tasks on the jammer.
The first thing to do is to remove the front two wheels, the calipers, the rotors and then repack the wheel bearings. This takes a couple of hours, because even though I can use the parts washer to clean the bearings, I have to hand pack new grease into them. After that is done, I put the wheels back on and a final torque on the lug nuts. Next, I sand the rear bumper, spray the bare wood with dark gray primer and then have to drive to the d-mart to purchase another can of the old iron texture paint. Upon returning to the auxiliary shop, I spray the bumper making it look like an old iron bumper. Then I begin to clean up the jammer, arranging things, putting every thing in it′s place and finally, I begin supper preparations to make my Repast, enough for three. I call Mark to tell him that supper is ready and ask him to call Jessie to see if he can come to. Jessie never shows up, so Mark and I begin eating and then Joe arrives to dump his garbage into the bin. He walks inside, sits down, says no to an offer for food but does talks with us while we eat.
Joe then leaves at seven-thirty, Mark goes in to his apartment, and I begin washing dishes and packing every thing away. Soon after, I am sitting in the co-pilot seat pounding keys to finish today′s journal entry and by eight thirty, I am horizontal and reading.
(Day 360 TB) 41°F. 6:00 am
Overnighting in Stagecoach Auxiliary Shop
Awake during the early morning hours, some time shortly after midnight, walk outside and see that it has begun raining; a cold front had come in. Upon arising, I open the garage door and most of the rain has already dried out. I dress in my fall blues, start the jammer, drive out of the garage and after locking the doors, drive to the w-mart for coffee and WiFi. At seven this morning, I walk to the ap-mart to check for a sway bar suspension part, but find out that I need to make a measurement, so I walk back to the w-mart to get a refill and a cinnamon bagel, sit back down and play solitaire until eight o′clock. Then I pack out and on the way out, stop at the ap-mart to purchase the sway bar link bushing. Leaving the ap-mart, I drive to the auxiliary shop where I put the jammer up on the lift, connect the water hose, start the pressure washer and begin washing the floor and the underside of the jammer.
By one pm, I am finished washing and while sweeping the small pools of standing water out of the shop, Mark arrives home and comes out into the garage. I show him how clean the underside of the jammer has become and then he helps me cut off the old link and install the new one on the sway bar. Then we sit in the camp fire ring which I had moved to near the garage door and enjoy the warmth shining in on us from the sun. It has remained cold all day long. Some time later, Jessie shows up and the three of us continue to sit in the warm sun. Just before the sun sets, we go into Marks apartment and watch a movie. Before we begin the second one, Jessie goes for popcorn, chips, donuts, and when he returns we watch the second movie.
About a half way through the second movie, Joe walks in and asks for out help to unload some insulation, to which I beg off because I am allergic. When Joe leaves, we return to the movie, and when it is done, I depart to come out to the jammer for the evening. Before getting horizontal, I complete today′s journal entry but do close my eyes before eight pm.
(Day 361 TB) 28°F. 6:00 am
Overnighting in Stagecoach Auxiliary Shop
Awake at four something, get up and walk outside to find it dry and cold and then return to sleep inside the shop. When the alarm goes off, I walk outside to see that the dayspring is well advanced, return inside, dress in my fall blues, open the overhead door, drive the jammer outside, lock the shop doors and leave the shop one last time. The first stop this morning is the w-mart for my usual cup of hot, then to the ap-mart to check the price for front brake rotors and finally, drive to the hall for the morning meeting with the Thompson Station Congregation. After the meeting, I walk out to the jammer, and see John talking with another brother. John is a brother who I met when I first came to Tennessee to serve where the need is great, when I was repairing ladders and he and his younger brother would come with me to help work on the ladders. I joined in the conversation and in a short while Mark arrives for his meeting and stops to talk, then Jessie. John asked me something about my book to which I grabbed one of my proof copies and handed it to him telling him "It is a whole new format and this is your copy" Then, another car parks near by and his sister Kelly gets out, I give her a hug and we talk for a short time before she joins her family for their meeting. John tells Kelly that he will share with her.
Leaving the hall, I drive north to stop at both the hg-mart and the o-mart before turning south and driving to the Natchez Trace Parkway where I stop at Meriwether Lewis campground, drive in and park in the space next to the toilet. While I sit in the drivers seat with the engine still running, a man walks up and greets me. I get out, begin talking, and find out that his name is Jeff, a full time sojourner with his wife Mary. Pointing to the restroom, he says "Why are we standing here in the cold when there is a heated bathroom right there!" We walk to the rest room and I say, "Wow, this really is warm." We begin talking about places to camp and he asks me to come to his van to tell his wife about the great places because she is the navigator. On the way, another woman who Jeff introduces as Angel walks up and greets me, and I find out that she is another sojourner traveling around the country and is a widow whose husband died three years ago. We talk for a while and then Jeff tells me that he is going into town to the d-mart and leaves to get his van started. Then Angel asks if I would like to go with them and I tell her, "Sure." We all pack in the large full size van and drive the fourteen miles to Hohenwald, Tennessee and stop at a small home town restaurant for supper. We talk about sojourning, what there is to see in this country and the Bible. I tell them that I am currently reading in the book of Ecclesiastes; also, I give both Jeff and Angel my business cards and ask them to keep in touch.
After supper, we drive back to the campsite and we all head for out own vehicles. Upon getting back into the jammer, I complete today′s journal entry and then get horizontal before nine this evening.
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The Journey to my
Winter Hiatus
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(Day 362 TB) 31°F. 5:59 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Campsite Number 23, CRS: 6.0
Awake at early dayspring and start the jammer and while the inside warms up, watching the dawning of the day when at six-forty, the sun breaks the horizon and lets forth it′s full light, so I grab my camera for a photo.
(b1a11-12-04a.201611121.0521) Morning light at Meriwether Lewis CG, Tennessee
At seven am, I get out my stove, set it up just outside the jammer to heat a cup of hot leftover from yesterday, which does not take long. Then I put on a pot of water and watch for it to boil while I sip the steaming liquid and read in my Bible.
Meanwhile, the jammer becomes quite toasty inside, the thermometer reads 75°. At eight this morning, I drive out of Meriwether Lewis park and head south on the Natchez Trace Parkway. The slow drive is very restful, the fall colors vibrant, the cool air refreshing and the handling of the jammer on the highway superb.
After making a stop in Tupelo, Mississippi at a d-mart to purchase some salad ingredients, I head right back on the Trace. Upon arriving a Jeff Busby campground in the early afternoon, I drive to the top of Little Mountain for the fall colors but the view from this summit is not impressive. While driving at sunset, drive by a large lake and can not help to take some photos.
(b1a11-12-04a201611121.1601) Sunset Over Lake, Natchez Trace, Tennessee
I continue driving into the evening to arrive at Rocky Springs campsite, enter the park and take a space near to the bathroom. Then, I have a meal of canned salmon and vegetables, then turn on my computer to record today′s journal entry while listening to All Things Considered on the national public radio to update my knowledge of what is happening in the world.
This campground is the third and southernmost free campsite on the Natchez Trace Parkway, and since it is dark and there is some construction in the park, I am not sure about if the space is in fact a camping space. However, since it is free, I should not receive any grief from anyone.
(Day 363 TB) 41°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Campsite Number 11, CRS: 5.0
Arise at early dayspring, start the jammer and the first stop is the restroom. Then, I leave the campsite, drive south on the parkway into Port Gibson and purchase five dollars of gasoline, which is expensive in this small town. Next, I drive north on US 61 to Vicksburg, Mississippi and the first af-mart has gasoline for $1.75 a gallon where I fill the tank. From here, I drive west on IH 20 through Louisiana to Shreveport, and stop at the used ap-mart to look at a green door for the jammer. The yard does have a Aerostar with a greed sliding door but it is in worse shape than mine. I do find out that I need to obtain a sliding door from a 1994 or 1995 Aerostar as only those two years will fit.
Driving north on US 61 out of Shreveport, Louisiana, I soon connect to IH 49 and head towards Texarkana, where I connect to IH 30 northeast to Hope, Arkansas, where I take US 281 north to Washington, a town which served as the capital of the territory during the settlement of Texas and was on the road to the only crossing of the Red River into Texas. Years ago, I drove through this state historical park and found out that there is a historical tavern which serves meals at a reasonable price. I have been coming back to Williams Tavern since to enjoy an occasional home cooked meal. I arrive at two pm and have beef tips over rice covered with gravy, corn, and cream potatoes with gravy for seven dollars. Then, I drive south on US 281 back to Hope, and stop at the d-mart near the interstate. It is four pm upon arriving and I am exhausted, so after filling the gasoline tank, I undress and climb into the back of the jammer and take a nap while outside the rain comes pounding down.
(b1a11-12-04a.20161122.1318) Supper at Williams Tavern, Washington, Arkansas
Later, I wake up, notice that the rain has stopped, record today′s journal entry and when done, decide to drive to Texarkana, Texas and park at the d-mart there. It has warmed up considerably from the below freezing in Tennessee earlier the week. Finally, I read in my Bible until I am ready to go to sleep for the night
(Day 364 TB) 43°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake to see the rain has stopped but everything remains wet. I dress and drive to the w-mart but again this morning I have trouble connecting to the internet, so I just work on something else and the problem eventually fixes itself. I begin to design the pages to display the campsites that I have found around the continent and wish to list online so that I have quick reference to the information.
After a full day of work on these pages, I am able to upload much of my work before the internet connection is lost again. I know the problem must be with my WiFi adapter on the computer because I have no problem getting online with my tablet. Too, I am not sure how to fix the computer, nor where to begin to find out how to. At seven pm, I leave the w-mart and drive back to the d-mart for the evening. I get out the salad fixings and make a salad, add oil, vinegar and enjoy my meal with the jammer running to heat the inside. Then at eight pm, I pack away the computer and open my tablet to read more in the Bible.
(Day 365 TB) 41°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake at early dayspring and see both the waxing crescent moon and Jupiter high above. I dress in my fall blues, step outside to stretch and wipe off the heavy dew on the jammer. I have not had to wipe the jammer for over a week because of being parked inside of the shop in Spring Hill, and the accumulated dust on the exterior so must needs be wiped off. Then, I cross over the interstate path to the north side of the exchange to the w-mart and go in for coffee and try to connect to WiFi this morning. The connection does not come quickly but does in it′s own tome and I am able to upload all of my work from yesterday.
When I return to get a refill in my insulated cup, I meet Sami, a young barista who asks me what I am working on. When I tell her what it is about, she says, "I am from Virginia, and I love outdoors and hiking." So, I tell her that I have a copy of my book that I will give to her and she says that she would love to have a copy and be happy to pay for it. I just give it to her because I have several of the proof copies that I really just want to find homes with people who will read my book. As the day progresses, I am able to finish the campsites that are rated nine on the CRS and then begin on those rated eight.
Finally, at six this evening, which is an hour after sunset, I pack out, start the jammer and drive to the d-mart only to find it′s parking lot literally full with Black Friday shoppers. This is such a sad state of affairs when the whole world is more concerned with getting a deal on junk that they don′t even need. I drive to the truck parking area and find a place to park shaking my head in sadness for the masses inside the stores tonight. After eating peanut butter on organic bread, I read through chapter ten in Ecclesiastes, then close my eyes.
(Day 366 TB) 58°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Up before the dayspring, which is getting later each morning, drive to the w-mart and get on WiFi right away. I return to working on the campsite appendix, creating pages for each of the campsites and the uploading pages along with photos. At ten-thirty this morning, I am done pounding keys, so I pack out, drive to the salvage yard to look for some more parts. The same van that I acquired the a-frames from also had a cruise control and I took it out, brought it up to the yard office and only had to pay ten dollars and comes with a replacement warrant if it does not work. However, I said to myself, "Even is it doesn′t work, I am only out ten dollars." I drive away from the salvage yard with a smile on my face thinking that I must needs come back here when more vans are acquired.
I stop at a burger house named What and have one with extra onions. Then, I return to the w-mart to begin pounding the keys again. After hours and thousands of keys, I pack out, walk to the jammer and drive to my respite for the night.
(Day 367 TB) 46°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Up before the dayspring, dress in my fall blues, drive to the w-mart and begin another morning wearing down the surface of the computer keys.
In the early afternoon, I pack out, start the jammer, point it northeast and drive on IH 30 to Caddo Valley where I exit the interstate, drive north on SH 7 only a short distance and stop at a sit down restaurant called the Cracker. Here I have grilled trout, lima beans, a baked sweet potato with butter, two rolls, water with lemon and a slice of chocolate pecan pie for desert. This is what I have been wanting for a couple of days now and as I began my drive northeast from Texarkana, I called Williams Tavern in Washington, Arkansas to ask what was on the menu and found out that it was fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy and pinto beans. Methought that anything fried is just not what I need nor want for my dinner and begin looking for a barrel of crackers.
Leaving the restaurant, I continue north on SH 7 and stop at a w-mart in Hot Springs, Arkansas to located the hall where I will go for the meeting in the morning. It is just a couple miles west on US 70 from where I am and then plan to see if the Quapaw hot tub is open on Sundays. I leave the w-mart after the sun sets, drive across the highway to the d-mart and park for the night. The nights are becoming very long as we approach the end of November but that only means that we have less than four weeks left before the days begin to become longer again. The rain begins to come down late this evening.
(Day 368 TB) 44°F. 6:22 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
After sleeping in a little longer to wait for the dayspring to begin, I drive across to the w-mart for a cup of hot and here I am able to connect right away to the internet, upload my latest web pages and photos. Then, I work on today′s study until it is time to drive to the hall, but first, before leaving the w-mart parking lot for the hall, don my meeting clothes. The hall is on US 70 southwest from town. The rain continues on and off all day, mostly on but I plan to be inside today.
The congregation appears to be quite small as there were sixty or so at the ten o′clock meeting. Still, the friends here are much like many congregations I have visited, in that they are very friendly. I talk with several before and after and then head back into Hot Springs to the Quapaw so that I can get into the hot water one more time and while in the water, talk with several people there and give my card to. After the soak, I head back to the d-mart but first stop at a restaurant called Olive for a salad. Afterwards, and since it is still early, I stop at the w-mart to pound keys and catch up on my journal writing for today. Finally, I head to the d-mart and set up for the evening as the rain continues to come down.
(Day 369 TB) 51°F. 5:30 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Up with a backache after having slept too long, dress, start the jammer and drive across the street to the w-mart for a cup of hot and my computer connects immediately to the WiFi. I will wait here until the rain which began last night passes to the east. Only when it has dried somewhat will I then head west into the Ouachita Mountains to camp and explore. All indications and the online report says that the rain will pass by two today and be clear for several more.
Then at one this afternoon, the first sun break pushes through into the w-mart. Then at three pm, with the sun holding it′s own against the clouds, I pack out and look for a place to have a meal, one with chips and salsa. Then, I drive to a ar-mart to check the air in my tires and next, return to the d-mart for the night. Before climbing into the back, I go inside to buy some red grapes. Finally, I return to the jammer, read a couple of chapters then get horizontal.
(Day 370 TB) 49°F. 5:28 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Up more than an hour before the dayspring, drive to the w-mart for coffee and get online immediately. I have decided that some w-mart locations have customer WiFi overuse preventers; it is the only thing that makes sense. I have had no problems whatsoever here at this w-mart, but at the much busier one in Texarkana, I had a hard time getting on and once connected, it was hard to stay on.
Just before seven this morning, the sun explodes in color in the eastern sky, but the sky is still heavily overcast. Still, the day looks so much better than the last two, so at eight this morning, I pack out and head for the Ouachita Mountains to camp for a few days. Too, I have been told about a scenic drive called by the name Talimena and that it crossed the state line between Arkansas and Oklahoma.
From SH 7, I drive north to the US 270 freeway, turn west and travel along and just south of Lake Ouachita, finding the area overgrown with boat services even though the area is somewhat scenic. When I arrive in Mount Ida, I leave the US highway and turn south on SH 27 to the town of Norman and turn west on SR 8 where the roadway is much more scenic with fall colors exploding everywhere. In just about forty miles, I arrive in Mena, Arkansas and while I am drive through town see a sign stating Talimena Scenic Highway, Next right and the next right SR 88. Very soon after beginning on SR 88, the highway begins to climb steeply, from just over 1000 feet in elevation to almost 2000 feet, passes a national forest ranger station where I stop but find it closed. However, there are some maps in a holder outside the station. The map shows the scenic route going west across the state line, into Oklahoma and lists some thirty places to stop for the view and or amenities, including a couple of state parks and three recreation area campsites.
Returning to the jammer, I begin driving west on the Talimena Scenic Highway stopping for the view and photos many times; methinks that I am the only one on this mountain today. The first state park is in Arkansas and named Queen Wilhellmina after the Queen of Holland who helped finance the railroad through this area. The first lodge on the site was built in 1898 by the railroad and designed as a mountain resort for the rail passengers, but was soon after closed and fell into disuse and ruin. In 1957, the state acquired the land and built a new lodge which began operating in 1963 but destroyed by fire ten years later. The year 1975 found a new lodge operating on the 2,681 foot high Rich Mountain and received major renovation in 2015. Rooms start at one hundred dollars and are much too expensive for this wayfarer but the campground has electric campsites for twenty dollars, water only sites for sixteen and primitive sites for twelve. Discounts are given to seniors sixty-two and older.
(b1a11-12-04a.20161129.1048) Driving on the Talimena from Arkansas
(b1a11-12-04a20161129.1119) Colors Peaked Mid November here in Arkansas
(b1a11-12-04a.20161129.1133) Colors are Still Vibrant in Places, Oklahoma
It is way too early to stop at this state park but it will go in my campsite appendix for future reference. I continue westward on SR 88, cross into Oklahoma only a short time before noon and continue on Oklahoma SR 1 and stopping at the many vistas. Then at two pm, I arrive at the Winding Stair Recreation Area and drive to the Emerald Vista point, get out and here decide that it is time to cook something for me to eat. I stop at a picnic table, get out my stove and begin making my Repast using sprouted grains including rice, mung beans, quinoa, then add chia seed, dulse seaweed, chopped turmeric, chopped ginger, some of my spice mix and coconut oil. Then, I drive back to the campground and seeing that there is no one else in this campsite, I drive around the loop to determine which space to stay. Then, at the cost of two dollars and fifty cents, I check into space #23 for the night, even though it is only one pm. Next, I sit in the jammer and eat my meal while pounding keys to write today′s journal entry. When both of these are done, then I get out, wash dishes, clean up the jammer and then walk over to the vault toilet.
(b1a11-12-04a.20161129.1224) Emerald Vista Stop for Repast, Oklahoma
(b1a11-12-04a.20161129.1300) Winding Stair Campground, Oklahoma
Sitting in the waning sun as it nears the high horizon of the surrounding mountain, I am wrapped in a wonderful warmth; I am only wearing my summer blues and the door next to me is open. An owl cries out in the distance, hoot, hoot, hooooo, then the caw of a black bird. Bees are out for a last grab of pollen and lady bugs fly into the jammer as it has been an unusually warm day for this time of the year. As the sun drops behind the tree line, it′s light wanes. The crow caws again, three times in quick succession, this time much closer to me; then it repeats it three caws only slower. I suspect this may just prove to be a very cold winter, it have been postponed for this long. Then as soon as the sun drops behind the horizon, the air turns much cooler, I close the door and get ready for a cool evening. It is still before five pm so I start the jammer and run the heater to warm it up inside; later, I shut the engine off and get into the sack to read for a while. Somewhat later, I look out from the co-pilot seat at the night sky and it is full of stars, very bright stars, brighter than I have seen for some time.
Too, immediately after sunset this evening and for the next week or so, there will be four planets in the western sky, Saturn, Mercury, Venus, and Mars, leaving only Jupiter to be seen in the morning hours.
(Day 371 TB) 41°F. 5:43 am
24,170 DA, 1400 DR70 or 5053 DR80
Sleeping in the Jammer
Campsite Number 23, CRS: 7.5
Awake long before the dayspring, which is something experienced quite regularly during these extremely short days. I dress in my fall blues, turn on the jammer′s engine, set the heater to hot and begin pounding keys while waiting for the sun to resume it′s place in the daytime sky.
Then, at six-thirty, I look up from the poundings and see that the sky has just begun to illume and methinks, what a long night this has been. By seven am, I am leaving the campsite to continue my drive along the Talimena Scenic roadway, west towards the town of Talihena, Oklahoma where I hope to find a w-mart to purchase coffee.
I do stop in Talihena at a greasy spoon and have an omelet with the coffee but true to the nature of modern day diners, the food really was greasy, so much so that it left me feeling sick to my stomach. I leave the dinner, stop at the visitors center where two places are suggested, one which I choose to go to is the capital building of the Choctaw nation of American natives. The building also has a gift shop and museum which I enjoyed both. The gift shop had several books on the legends of the Choctaw, and like the Lenape, had stories of migrating from one land across water to another, following the herds of game animals. I did not read to many because the books were for sale but cost more than I wanted to pay. The museum was also interesting as the Choctaw people admit to being a conquered people and have come to Oklahoma with the attitude of making this their new home. Leaving the Choctaw capital, I drive back to Talihena to stop at a Kingdom hall where I had seen this morning that there was a midweek meeting being held tonight. I arrive at three-thirty and put polish on my shoes, clean up a little and then sit in the jammer charging batteries and pounding keys.
At five pm, the sun sets and I begin getting sleepy, mainly because I have been going to sleep early each night with the sunset but tonight, I must needs stay up for the meeting. I play a game of solitaire, pound more keys for my journal, even read the remaining chapters of Song of Solomon for tonight′s meeting. It is still an hour until the friends should begin arriving.
Soon enough, the first car arrives, then another and I walk inside to one of the friendliest congregations that I have met in many months. Once inside, I tell one sister, this hall is quaint; she smiles. I ask a brother how many are in this congregation and he tells me about fifty.
After I depart, I drive back up on the Talimena to the first high spot and then stop for the night. When driving around the circle, I see a bobcat, (or possibly lynx) run across the roadway. I park and get out my computer to finish writing today′s journal entry. Then I get horizontal; it is another clear sky outside. Orion is rising in the southeast.
(Day 372 TB) 27°F. 6:39 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Panoramic Vista Turnout.
I awake after the dayspring, get up to a freezing temperature and put on my fall blues. Also, I put away my suit from last night because I did not want to get out of the jammer and instead hung it on the back of the drivers seat. Then I start the engine, let it warm up for just a short time and finally start down from the mountain and back into Talihena, Oklahoma, where I stop briefly for a cup of hot, then continue south on US 271 through the Oklahoma towns of Clayton and Antlers whee I turn west on SR 3 to Atoka, Oklahoma and finally turn south on US 75, a familiar highway from my youth. I drive south through Durant, OK, cross the Red River into Texas and drive to Fairview, Texas where I stop at a hg-mart for some sprouted grains.
After doing the grocery shopping, it is about four pm and because the traffic has increased in this north Dallas metropolitan area, I drive to a w-mart in Allen, Texas to upload my latest journal entries and to pound keys while waiting for the traffic to get out of my way. Not wanting to wait any longer, I decide to I leave the city and begin my encirclement of this concrete jungle. I drive east to Wylie, Texas, cross the isthmus between the lakes on SR 78, then turn south on SR 205 to Terrell, Texas, where I watch the sunset and then the waxing crescent moon set over the brightly lit city skyline. Then, I connect to SH 34, cross below IH 20 and turn southwest on my effort to get around the ever expanding Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. After driving through Kaufman, Texas, I continue on SR 34 to Ennis, a town from when I was a young teenager on a journey with my family and where we overnighted.
(Day 373 TB) 44°F. 5:55 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake just before the alarm, but wait for it to sound before getting up. Then I drive to the w-mart across the street and take up a table to pound keys while drinking a cup of hot.
While deep in my pounding, a young man walks into the w-mart, buys a cup and then sits down at the table next to where I am sitting and begins to read in a paperback book. I look at the title and it seems to deal with a subject much deeper than I would ever consider. After a short time, I make a comment about the book, which initiates a conversation with him and we talk about several things at first. However, as is my custom when sitting at a table in a coffee shop and any discussion ensues, I strive to bring the discussion to a spiritual venue. So, with Scott, we are soon talking about the importance of serving God in a way that he approves.
At six-thirty pm, he has to leave to go to a class and we part in good grace hoping to talk to each other again. Methinks, Scott is a man of moral character, desiring to please God and my hope is that he succeeds. By seven pm, I am packing out of the w-mart, then drive across the street to set up for another evening as outside, the rain pounds on the roof of the jammer.
(Day 374 TB) 47°F. 5:40 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake early, it is still raining which according to the forecast, will continue through the weekend, and I drive across the street to the w-mart, park, put on my hooded sweater and go inside to escape from the wet and spend another day pounding keys. Then, at three pm, I leave, drive across the street to the d-mart and buy two tires for the rear of the jammer, replacing the last two worn tires. I have changed from light load passenger tires to medium load passenger tires so that I can keep more air in them, especially the rear ones. After, that is done, I stop at the burger shop called What and have some beef.
Finally, at seven pm, I drive to the RV parking area of the d-mart and finish my journal entry for today, after which I climb into the back and get horizontal
(Day 375 TB) 47°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake at five something and lie in the sack waiting for the alarm to go off, then get up, dress in my fall blues and drive across the street to the w-mart for coffee. After looking at the weather web site and seeing that Houston will be under a rain cover for all this coming week, methinks that I should drive a little to the west to a drier spot and camp there until this rain pattern works it′s way through the coast of Texas. Still, now that I have all new tires, new shocks and a rebuilt front suspension, I could drive to Houston to take care of my business there and then head west. Methinks that more prayer is necessary.
While at the w-mart, I do my study for the meeting today and then at noon, while dressing for the meeting notice that the tires that the d-mart put on the jammer are the wrong size. I check the receipt but it has the correct size, so the mechanics who installed the tires made the mistake. After dressing, I drive to the hall for the one pm meeting. The friends in this congregation are the friendliest, or is it because of the study we all discussed about being hospitable to strangers.
Afterwards, I drive back to the d-mart and tell the person who asks to help me about the tire mistake; he walks to the jammer, sees that the size of the tire on the jammer is 195x60 and not the 195x65 that I asked for and then proceeds to tell me that there is no difference between the 60 and 65. I look him right in the eyes and tell him, "No, there is a difference! And if you will not put the correct tires on my van, then let me speak to the store manager." He stops trying to convince me about the lack of difference, goes right up to the tire loft and brings down two tires of the correct size. Soon, he is installing the correct tires and I wait and watch him do the job. The department manager does come out and gives him the direction on how to do the paperwork, that is to reimburse me for the wrong tires and then charge me again for the correct tires.
By sunset, I am back on the road and drive on SR 34 south out of Ennis to Italy, Texas where I turn left onto US 71 south across IH 35 into Hillsboro, Texas. Once in the town, I stop first at a ap-mart to buy a package of new lug nuts because several of my current ones have become cross-threaded. Then, I determine to install the new lug nuts later, and drive to the d-mart near the interstate highway, park and set up for the evening.
Climbing into the back of the jammer, I use my tablet to access the Bible, reading the first two chapters of Isaiah, keying in on the expression In the last days at Isaiah 2:2.
(Day 376 TB) 49°F. 5:14 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake early, rise and drive across the interstate highway to the w-mart, walk inside and buy a cup of hot, and while sipping on the hot liquid, go online and purchase new business cards. Now, according to the printer, I must need wait ten days before it will arrive at my sisters home, so for the next few days, I will drive south and also west to search for the dry and get out of this rain. At seven-thirty, with the daylight finally increasing, I pack out and drive away. I cross through town and then work my way westward through a series of Texas state routes, SR 309, 934, 3049, 67 through Blum, Texas, then on to SR 174 which crosses the Brazos River, then north of SR 56 to Brazos Point and continue on SR 56 to Glen Rose, Texas which proves to be quite the quaint little town. At Glen Rose, I drive through the town square around the county courthouse and then west out of town on SR 205 to the entrance of Dinosaur Valley state park, enter the park, stop at the headquarters, park and go inside.
I ask the ranger about renewing my annual pass, and see that the Texas state parks now has several different pass options. When I ask him what the difference is he explains that there is a free senior pass which will get me half off the entrance fees. Then he says that there is also a pass for disabled veterans and asks, "Are you a disabled veteran?" When I answer yes, he asks, "Do you have something to show that?" and I pull out my Veterans health care card which shows that I have a service connected disability. He issues me a Park pass and tells me that the pass does not expire; this in fact will save me seventy dollars when I renew my park pass each year. I thank him and then enter the park, drive to the campground and take a hot shower.
Wow, what a score, and to think that before I decided to come to this park, I had prayed to Jehovah to help me make the right decision about were to go for my winter hiatus. I leave the state park, drive back to Glen Rose and turn west on US 67 to SR 220 where I turn south and drive to Hico, Texas and find it also to be a quaint Texas hill country town and stop at the Jersey Lily′s for Tacos de Pescada, chips and salsa. After lunch, I drive south out on Hico on US 281 all the way to Marble Falls and stop at the w-mart on a high hill overlooking the Colorado river, arriving at three-thirty pm. The last time I was at this w-mart was on 07 December 2014 almost two years to this very day. Too, I will only stay here for a night or two before going into Austin, Texas to the hg-mart to try to find the dulse seaweed that I like.
(Day 377 TB) 48°F. 7:10 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
After sleeping in this morning, I rise, walk into the d-mart to buy some seeded red grapes and then drive south on US 281, cross the Colorado River and drive up the hill to the w-mart, where I sip on a cup of hot while pounding keys.
When noon rolls around, I pack out, drive to Austin to stop at the mother ship of the hg-mart that I frequent to find the seaweed and other item I would like to put in my pantry. I drive south on US 281, then east on SR 71 to Austin, where I enter the center and go into the hg-mart which feels to me like being in the eye of a hurricane (the city). I find all that I had on my shopping list and then drive out of the hurricane by resuming my eastward direction on SH 71 to Bastrop, Texas where I take SH 21 east to College Station, Texas.
From this town, I travel on several more SR including SR 47, 30, 1486, 149, 1375, and 150 east to Coldspring and then turn south on SR 2025 to the entrance to Double Lake Recreation Area and my camp for the evening. I turn on my computer and pound keys until today′s journal is complete.
(Day 378 TB) 49°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Double Lakes Recreational Area
Campsite Number 24, CRS: 5
Upon rising, I go to the shower house but find the water to be barely warm and choose not to take a shower. Then, I drive through the park to see what was done during the recent construction and find another shower house but the temperature is not any better. Leaving the campground, I take a route that I have used many times in the past, and first drive south on SR 2025 to Cleveland, Texas which I leave east and south on SR 321 to Dayton, Texas, then SR 146 south to Mont Belvieu, Texas, next west on IH 10 to exit 787 and turn south on Independence Parkway to the Lynchburg Ferry where I only have to wait about ten minutes for the ferry to take me to the other side of Buffalo Bayou where the San Jacinto Monument stands tall.
(b1a11-12-04b.20161207.0859) Seagull at Lynchburg Ferry Crossing
From the ferry landing, I drive south on Independence Parkway to Texas SR 225, which I take west to the Preston street exit (called South street when I was growing up here) and drive down to Hays Street where I stop at the quarter car wash, scrub the jammer, rinse and drive east on Hays street, turn right on Deepwater street, then left on Chestershire street, and finally right on Yorkshire Avenue past my childhood home. Leaving the community, I drive south on Red Bluff road and then left on SR 146, cross the tall bridge over Clear Creek, then right on SR 518 where I turn off and drive past my sister′s home. Seeing that no one is home, I drive to the nearby w-mart, purchase cup of hot and sit down and pound keys until about six pm, when I leave to return to my sister′s home.
When I arrive, Susan gives me a big hug and then she gives my the latest proof copies that I had ordered and shipped here. Chad had brought some barbecue home from his work and we all ate a sandwich while Susan and I talk about proofing my book. Lauren walks through dressed like a boy with side burns and a beard painted on with face paint. She says that it is a comic character she has created who is also a wear woof. I do not say anything to her but just look at Susan with a scowl, which expression Susan return. Methinks that this fourteen year old has taken on some very odd pastimes. At nine-thirty, I retire to the jammer and soon find myself horizontal. Today is the 26 anniversary of my dad′s death.
(Day 379 TB) 49°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting on a City Street
Under the Oak Tree
Coordinates:
29.515309062964675, -95.0502315326871
Elevation:
20 feet
Up at six-fifteen and work on my computer until I see Susan walking outside and I stop, save and shut it down. Then, I go inside to talk with Susan while she gets ready for work. Then Chad gets up, has a cup and says that he is going to set up the food trailer. When I ask if I can go, he says yes and in a short time, we are in his truck and arrive at the storage where his TexSon Barbecue trailer. I have not seen it since he completed his work on it and begun selling sandwiches and we talk about his business and how it is coming along. Soon, we return to the oak tree house and I go in for a shower while he tries to get Lauren up to go to school. Soon after, Chad tells me that Lauren says that she does not want to go to school and that anymore, he does not let it stress him out any more, but can only do what he can.
I leave and head to the w-mart to pound on keys until the afternoon, when I head down to Bayclff, Texas to buy a sandwich from the TexSon Barbecue trailer. Chad and I talk while I eat the beef brisket sandwich and then I help him pack out to move to the bar for football Thursday evening. Then, I drive back to the tree house, go in to do a load of laundry and then dress for the meeting.
I arrive at the hall but can not find my tablet after looking for ten minutes. Then, it come to me to look under the co-pilot seat because it had previously fallen and I had found it there. With the table and Bible in hand, I walk into the hall and immediately see Toni, greet her with a hug and we talk until just before the meeting. She asks if I am still sleeping in my van and when I say yes, she express concern that it will be too cold for me tonight. I assure her that it will be all right, "It is no problem," I tell her, "one week ago, I was on the Talimena and it went down to 27 degrees and I slept comfortable." "In fact," I continue, "I have slept in the van comfortable down to 15 degrees." She asks me how long I will be here, and I say "A week or two, maybe less, I don′s have to decide because I am retired."
I also see Armondo, a person that I know from the time that I was doing ladder repair, in fact, he was in charge of the home office and he asks me why I am back here. I tell him that I am on my way south for the winter, like I have been doing for four previous years. I also tell Terry, his wife hello also. Then I walk out to the jammer
(Day 380 TB) 37°F. 5:45 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Up at the alarm and except for when I was on the Talimena, this is the coldest it has been this winter but even that night on the Talimena was not too hard to sleep through for me. I drive next door to the w-mart, walk in, purchase a cup of hot and begin my routine of pounding keys until eleven this morning, then even though it is quite chilly, it is dry and sunny, so I drive to the oak tree house to clean out the jammer.
First, I park with the rear facing the sun, remove the items from the very back that are sitting on the floor, set them on the concrete and allow the sun to dry out the damp carpet. Then, I replace the old lug nuts with the new black ones I purchased earlier this week. Then, I get out my pipe wrench and use it to straighten the area of the sliding door that was damaged. This works and I am able to get the door to close much tighter than it had been, which should keep out more of the cold air when I drive, but I still will stuff it with rags where there is still an opening.
At six pm, I drive to old League City, stop at a Mexican restaurant for fish tacos, which comes with rice salad chips and salsa. Then I head to the d-mart for the evening, park and read for a short time before climbing into the back.
(Day 381 TB) 43°F. 5:50 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake, dress in fall blues, drive to the w-mart, buy coffee and begin pounding keys. However, today, I plug in my external hard drive and listen to my music rather than listen to all the commercial Christmas junk. Then at eight-thirty this morning, I pack out to return to the oak tree house to do further work on my burden but at nine this morning, go inside to work of proofing my book and sit at the kitchen board. I had previously asked Susan to help and she sits across the board, begins going through her copy and is very proficient at proofing, most thorough. Susan finds numerous mistakes that I have long overlooked and then, I comment to her that she should do this professionally. Also, during this proofing session, in which we complete the first three passages to page 26, she help me to find words that must needs be listed in the glossary.
Later, I collect together the roots I have purchased, bring them inside, chop them fine to make a salad, add oil, vinegar and then have a bowl. Chad has been barbecue-smoking large slices of meat for his sandwich trailer and also cooks a pork sirloin for family supper. With the sirloin, he prepares turnip greens, mashed potatoes and brown gravy which I also have some of each and really enjoy the meal. I tell Chad again that he should do well in his restaurant business.
Afterwards, I pack out, retire to the jammer and get horizontal.
(Day 382 TB) 65°F. 6:05 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting on a City Street
Under the Oak Tree
Awake, dress in my fall blues, drive to the nearby w-mart for coffee and to prepare for today′s study. Then, at eight-fifty am, I drive to the hall and wait for the hall to open. Soon, I am in the middle of the friends and enjoy the meeting.
Afterwards, I return to the oak tree house, and dig into my clothing bin to get out the new blue jeans that I had purchased in 2009 in anticipation of loosing more weight from were I was. Instead, I went back to Washington to await for my home to sell and when it did not for several years, I became depressed and ended up gaining weight, a lot of weight. It has been seven years and the jeans, size 38 waist, only now fit me.
Later, after supper with Susan, I retire to the jammer for the evening.
(Day 383 TB) 68°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting on a City Street
Under the Oak Tree
Up at the alarm, drive to the w-mart for coffee and to check my com, staying here until three pm and then drive to a Mexican restaurant for dinner.
After eating, I drive to the e-mart to buy a new phone to replace the one that I have had since January 2012. I suppose that five years is all that modern technology will last. The new phone, which is clearly an upgrade with more capability, features, and the cost is one third of what I paid for the old phone. Then I drive to the d-mart and climb into the back of the jammer.
(Day 384 TB) 70°F. 6:20 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting on a City Street
Under the Oak Tree
Up late, drive to the w-mart to work on my new phone and spend the morning uploading apps, and setting it up. At noon, I dive to the oak tree house to see if my package has arrived and to take a shower. When I walk in to the oak tree house, I see the package of supplements that I had ordered, bring it out to the jammer, then grab my soap and go inside for a shower. When I am done, I go back out to the jammer to stow the new supplements and re-wire the interior led light, moving it from the rear side panel to the rear door. This position will provide better lighting when I am working in the back after dark.
Susan calls to tell me that my package arrived and I tell her that I already found it. Then she calls to tell me that she will be home soon and wants to work on proofing with me. I sit in the co-pilot seat, play solitaire and wait for her to arrive. When Susan arrives, she asks me to come in for supper and so we can proof together. She says that she enjoys doing this with me. After we eat, we complete through chapter eight. At about ten pm, I leave for the jammer, put up a curtain across the front and get horizontal.
(Day 385 TB) 64°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting on a City Street
Under the Oak Tree
Up at the alarm, dress and drive to the w-mart for coffee and to check my com. Then, at eight this morning, I pack out and begin my southwestwardly drive in search of my winter hiatus. Much like in recent days past, I drive on mostly state highways, pass through both Alvin and Rosharon, then stop at
Brazos Bend State Park to take a hot shower. Since I received the disable veteran Texas Parks pass, I no longer have to pay the entrance fee, which here is four dollars.
Leaving the park, I drive to Needville, Texas where I take SH 360 north west to US 59 and turn southwest to Beeville, Texas. After refueling, I drive south out of Beeville on US 181 to Skidmore, Texas and there turn right on SH 359 which takes me southwest, crosses IH 37 and to the park road leading to
Lake Corpus Christi State Park. I drive in, get a map and check out the facilities including the temperature of the shower. When I feel that the water is steamy hot and due to the fact that overnight tent spots are just ten dollars, twenty with electric, I will keep this park in mind for future stops.
Leaving the state park, I continue southwest on SR 359 to Alice which goes right by a d-mart, and since it is after four pm, I decide to stop for the evening at the d-mart parking lot. I go in and buy red seeded grapes and a package of prepared salad, then go back to the jammer and have a salad, after which I eat some grapes. Soon after, I am horizontal and sleeping.
(Day 386 TB) 65°F. 6:20 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Up shortly after the alarm, dress and begin driving, through Alice, then San Diego where I remain on SH 359 which turns south to Hebbronville, then west the rest of the way to Laredo. Upon arriving in Laredo, I turn north on the SH 20 loop and search for a w-mart. After three tries, I find one on Del Mar Blvd, park and go inside for coffee and WiFi. At five pm, I leave to drive to the state park for a hot shower, dress for the meeting and then drive to the south Kingdom Hall. After going inside, I find out that there is now nineteen congregations in Laredo, sixteen Spanish and three English.
After the meeting, I talk with Tim and we exchange phone numbers. Then, I drive south out of Laredo on US 83, leaving this big city behind me and head for quieter landscapes. After midnight, I arrive at the park road leading to Falcon State Park but drive into the free county park for the evening.
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The Sojourn in the
South Texas Valley
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(Day 387 TB) 61°F. 8:22 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Dispersed Camping
Up late this morning due to not arriving here until after midnight. When I get up, I drive down PR 46, show my Texas Parks pass to the lady in the office, she goes into here station, runs my pass through the computer and comes back with an entrance pass. Then she says, "You have been here before." to which I answer, "Yes, for the last four years." As I drive away, methinks that it could be that I have been coming since December 2009, but, definitely it has been four years for the hot showers. After my hot shower, I drive to the recreation center and connect to the WiFi to send a couple of text messages.
Then before noon, I leave out of the park and continue my drive south on US 83, stopping in Roma, Texas to visit a couple of favorite places. Then further south on the US highway and make a stop to gas up and yes, it is still under two dollars. Then, I stop for the evening at a d-mart, go in and buy some fresh fruit and then retire for the evening in the jammer. The sun sets soon after five thirty this time of the year.
(Day 388 TB) 61°F. 4:50 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake, dress in my fall blues, start the engine, get out of the jammer and wipe down the dew which has become thick from the heavy fog. Then, after dumping my trash, I drive further south on US 83 which changes to IH 2, get off at the Ware Street exit and pull into the w-mart. After walking inside, I buy a cup of hot, get right on to the internet and then put my ear phones in to listen to some non Christmas music.
After the sun sets, I drive to the w-mart to have supper and set up for the evening. Today, it became quite hot, into the eighties, but after the sun set, it cooled off quickly but stayed warm inside the jammer until late so I sit up with the windows open and study for the meeting tomorrow. There is a mention of a brother from Germany who suffered much as a Christian there and who now lives in Brady, Texas. Methinks that I met this brother when I was in Brady a few years ago. At nine pm, I turn off the radio, computer and jammer engine, then climb into the back and get horizontal.
(Day 389 TB) 47°F. 7:11 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Coordinates:
26.1901745, -98.2098190
Elevation:
113 feet
The northerner that was suppose to come in last Thursday finally arrives sometime after midnight, with strong winds, a light rain and a drop in temperature. My immediate thought is to wonder how long the lower temperatures will last. I sleep in this morning, then dress in my winter blues, drive to the w-mart and use the app on my new phone to purchase coffee. At eight-thirty, I pack out to the jammer, put on my dark brown suit and drive to the which is two blocks to the south.
After the meeting, I drive to the e-mart to check out the solid state drives (SSD). I find that the computers that have a SSD are still three thousand dollars but the drives are now 512 gigabytes and the processor is only a quad CPU. The computer that I currently have has a 700 gigabyte hard disk drive (HDD) which I call a spinner because the disk mechanically spins where as the newer designed SSD has no moving parts. Too, the processor is a dual quad, composed of eight CPU′s. Methinks that the scene looking through the electronics window is still now right, that I must needs wait for another six months or more.
I return to the w-mart where my current computer connects to WiFi immediately and I play solitaire for a time, then work on my online journal of past chapters. After dark, I drive the back streets to the d-mart, find a dark spot and retire for the evening.
(Day 390 TB) 39°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Awake earlier but methinks it is too cold for me to rise so cover my head and go back to sleep until the alarm when I rise, drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot and when I turn on my computer, it connects to WiFi immediately. I continue working on my past chapters and including more photos in the online journal.
At nine pm, I pack out, drive to the d-mart and get horizontal.
(Day 391 TB) 47°F. 7:20 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
I sleep in again this morning, then dress in my winter blues, drive to the burger-mart called What and purchase two egg and potato burritos with a free senior coffee. After eating, I drive to the w-mart and today have trouble getting on line with my computer. So, I begin working on the past chapters again.
At seven pm, I pack out, drive to the d-mart, have some peanut butter on crackers while watching the December JW broadcast and then get horizontal.
(Day 392 TB) 61°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Coordinates:
26.1901745, -98.2098190
Elevation:
113 feet
Up at the alarm, drive to the w-mart for coffee, a breakfast sandwich and to work on the invoices for the work I did for Richard in Hemet, California. Afterwards, I play solitaire until two when I pack out, drive to the state park and take a shower. I meet another camper, whose name is Juan and is from Houston; we talk for a while after which I give him one of my cards.
Then, I leave the park, drive south to Roma where I stop for a burger and eat while driving further south to make the meeting tonight. Arriving after dark, I nearly miss the turn off for the hall but arrive before most all others do. When Daniel arrives, he gives me a hug and we walk in together; then one after another of the friends walk up to greet me, most even remembering my name. This make me feel so welcome, like returning to visit family, no, even better. Afterwards, I drive back to the d-mart, park and climb into the back to get horizontal.
(Day 393 TB) 67°F. 6:30 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Upon arising, I drive to the f-mart for coffee and upon entering, see an acquaintance who I meet when I was here last winter. We talk and then three more of his friends arrive and I am able to talk with them all about the Bible, explaining the hope of living forever right here on the earth. Before I realize it, it is after nine-thirty am, and I have missed the meeting for the ministry at the hall. I send a text to Daniel to let him know that I will not be there.
Then I resume working on Quire Five and chapter twenty-five and get much done today but also eat my meals here, restaurant food. At seven-thirty pm, I pack out to the jammer, drive to the d-mart and retire for the evening.
(Day 394 TB) 61°F. 7:23 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Arise, dress in my blues, step out of the jammer and wipe the dew off of the outside. It is not as thick this morning as it was yesterday morning. The weather has remained overcast since I arrive here but there has been no rain as yet. Then, I drive to the f-mart for coffee and an electric plug. WiFi here is not strong, but I knew that already. Again, today, I work on Quire Five, but finished chapter twenty-five yesterday and will continue with chapter twenty-six.
In the afternoon, when my legs begin hurting, I stand up and walk outside to the jammer to stretch the muscles. In the car next to the jammer, I see a man in the drivers seat pounding keys and as I walk by to the back of the jammer notice he has the co-pilot seat removed and in its place a bed stretching into the back. Immediately, I comment,
So, you are a traveler also.
to which he turns to me, smiles and answers yes. He also tells me that he has been staying in the Falcon county park because it is free to camp there, that he is from Indiana and is here for the warm weather. We talk for a while, find out his name is Steve and I tell him about my traveling, my book, then give him one of my cards and he tells me that he wants to read my book.
Upon returning to my seat inside the f-mart, I see Juan, who I had met at the shower in Falcon state park and go over to greet him and I am able to share the hope from the Bible with him.
Again, at seven-thirty pm, I leave off pounding key, having completed chapter 26 and pack out to the jammer, drive to the d-mart and shut down for the evening.
(Day 395 TB) 64°F. 7:22 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Same routine as yesterday, just less dew on the jammer today as the morning dampness has faded even more and yet, I still wipe it down. Then, by the time I arrive at the f-mart, the blue skies are out, clear as a bell. Arriving at the f-mart, I walk in past the dozen or so older Mexican men, every one wearing a white Texas cowboy hat and who sit drinking coffee and conversing in the same spot each morning and I notice that all eyes are upon me. It must be because today is the first day for me to wear my brown wide brim hat and I say
Buenos Dias
to which I hear each and every one reply in kind as I walk by. Methinks, wearing a hat in this place makes one fit in.
After plugging in to the electric, I purchase a cup of hot and then begin pounding keys to begin today′s journal entry and chapter twenty-seven of quire five. At eight-thirty this morning, I drive to the hall for the ministry meeting with the friends. Hugo, Daniel and I go out in the door to door work and we find several people home and help them to learn about God′s Kingdom. Just before one, we return to the hall and I offer Daniel some money because he drove today. We had been talking about water and I tell him that I have something else for him and he ask, "What, do you have another rock for me?" The last time I was here, in January 2016, I gave him a cube of pyrite and a polished tiger′s eye. I walk to the jammer and get a gallon of high Ph water for him, one from the Adirondacks. He thanks me and departs, while I take off my tie and hang it in the back on a coat hanger. Then, I drive to the f-mart and get online again.
After going inside, I resume working Chapter twenty-seven until it gets dark when I leave for the d-mart to retire for the evening.
(Day 396 TB) 71°F. 6:30 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Last night, this town had shut down for the holiday, with hardly anything open. Too, it was way too warm which kept me awake until late but there was a wind that provided some relief.
This morning is the same, windy, warm and nothing open, so I drive to the hall and wait for the meeting to begin.
(Day 397 TB) 76°F. 5:20 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
After another really warm morning, so I rise early, drive to the w-mart, grab my sweater and go inside the refrigerator to stay cool. I spend the day here and do not leave until after sunset, drive to a sit down supper of grilled trout, vegetables, and a baked sweet potato.
Afterwards, I drive to the d-mart and set up for the night.
(Day 398 TB) 80°F. 5:55 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Just before the alarm goes off a burst of rain pummels the roof of the jammer and wakes me up. Rising, I go through my routine, then drive to the w-mart for coffee and WiFi. Then, because I have noticed that this chapter has been becoming slower over that last few weeks, I decide to brake it up into smaller sections. I am able to complete this project before the sunsets and upload the files all in one day. Tomorrow, I will return to my quire five project and hope to complete it this week.
At six-thirty this evening, I pack out of the w-mart and drive to the d-mart for the night.
(Day 399 TB) 73°F. 5:10 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
After a night of having strange dreams, I wake early, drive to the w-mart and purchase a cup of hot and get online immediately. This morning, I did not wake up covered in sweat like the last two mornings and the forecast show the weather to be cooling this week, dropping into the sixties with a couple nights in the high fifties, which is more to my personal liking.
I drive to the w-mart for coffee and pound keys until noon, after which I drive to Falcon State park for a shower. Then, I return to Rio Grande City, which most people here call Rio, and study for the meeting. When the meeting ends, I drive to the d-mart and climb into the back to one more night of warm weather.
(Day 400 TB) 70°F. 6:00 am
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
I arise, drive to the f-mart for coffee and a short time pounding keys before I pack out, dress for the ministry and head to the hall. There is about twenty at the meeting and except for a few who are just doing return visits, we all go to a territory in La Grulla, Texas. (La grulla is Spanish for the crane.) I work with Daniel and we are able to speak with a few people, most of who do not speak English.
After the ministry, Daniel drops me off at the hall where I change into my fall blues and then head east on US 83 to drive back to the w-mart in Mission, Texas. Upon arriving, I go in for a few hours but then I become sleepy so I drive to the d-mart and take a nap. When I awake, I go inside and purchase a stylus and a twin flat sheet. Finally, I retire to the jammer for the evening.
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