Up, up and away

We arose, I showered, Evelyn showered and went for a short walk. I had to go in to get Andrew for our trip to the 4-H science meeting. We arrived too early and found registration in progress. There were “seminars” on forestry, and gun safety. Some of the presenters called and cancelled. I went to a post office that had only a stamp machine. Evelyn wanted some post card stamps and this post office sold only 23 cent stamps, not the new rate of 24 cents. I could not believe it. I went to a local drug store and bought some fish oil that I had run out of and returned to the 4-h site. The kids were beginning to make bottle rockets for launching later in the morning. At 11:30 everything stopped so there could be a hot air balloon launching. There were 30 gallon garbage bags that the kids held over a popcorn air popper with a large can on top. The can had both ends removed. It was interesting to see how long the bag would stay up. Some lasted more than 12 seconds after rising 12 feet in the air. The event ended and the kids returned for the launching. Only two ever made it into the air. The two liter bottles were half filled with water, vinegar and baking soda. There was an air hose attached to the bottle causing the mixture to bubble. A small metal tube was taped to the side of each rocket and slipped over a 3 foot metal rod to direct it into the air. We were all disappointed when the hose stopped attaching to the rockets. At any rate, we then left for home because I was hungry and Andrew was only playing tag with the other kids who were killing time while awaiting the next aborted launch. Evelyn had stayed with Elizabeth (who was still sick) and Stephen while Emily, Noah, and Rosalie went to a wedding. After we were all home, Evelyn and I went to Trader Joe’s to buy three cases of wine to take back. The wine called “two buck Chuck” cost exactly that and is quite good as a surprise to most people encountering it for the first time. I noticed a Saturn dealership and went in to make an appointment to have the oil changed next Monday at 11:00. We also went to Wal-Mart for some supplies for our mad rush back east. Since it was after 6 when we finished, we went to a Panera Bread restaurant for a sandwich and salad. We returned home, visited with Emily and went out to bed. Their plans may have changed because they have learned that the temperature at Mammoth Lakes for next week is predicted at 64-74 degrees, not a good environment for snow skiing. We may leave here before they do!

Home but not relaxed yet.

We must be accustomed to rising early because we wakened at 7:30. We had not showered for a day and were eager to get clean which we did. We helped with breakfast and then went on a laundry-a-thon. We had a ton of dirty clothes: 8 loads worth. We also had to return some books and videos to the library before 10 to avoid additional fines. Evelyn, Rosalie and I walked them 8 blocks to the outdoor depository. Evelyn got to feeling dizzy but struggled on. She continued to feel funny most of the day. We also finished cleaning out the motor home and the Saturn. We changed the linen on the bed, removing the flannel sheets for the summer, I hope. The morning went quickly with the flurry of activity. I tried to find some cheap airline tickets for Evelyn in case Mom dies within the next three days. Hospice has given her 3 days to 3 weeks. I have trouble finding good deals on line, so I e-mailed Tom for help. He did not respond today so he may be busy or may respond tomorrow. We had lunch and then Noah and I rode to the local auto parts store for some oil and a filter for the motor home. It is hard to imagine that I changed the oil less than a month ago but have driven 3,000 miles and need to change it again. We had a great ride on our bicycles downhill but a struggle coming back. Andrew had asked me to get some lawn fertilizer for him and it turned out that it weighed 10 pounds. I had a monumental struggle trying to pedal and maintain my balance with a 10 pound weight dangling from my right hand. We finally got home and I waited until it cooled a bit before changing the oil. It went rather smoothly compared with the previous one when I spilled the oil pan at Trail’s End. Pieder came home from work and we had dinner that was rather tasty. After that they played “dark tag” and we took a walk. When we returned, the boys wanted to play euchre so we did. We will likely not go to Mammoth to watch the skiing because we want to get home. We hope the repairs on the coach can be completed on Monday. We can then leave and burn the pavement for Indiana. It is unlikely that the living room slide can be repaired in one day but we can have that done in Decatur where we park.

Two more days

We were able to leave and get out of Sacramento rather quickly. We took Interstate 5 and went through Stockton again. We stopped and filled the tank at a Flying J for $2.95 per gallon. We drove to highway 152 and headed west to 101. We heard the front slide awning flapping, and I stropped to fix it. The entire process was a disaster. The boys quite reluctantly helped by getting on the roof but were of little help. Finally I had Noah run the electronic button while I tucked the awning in. That worked but I had already ruined the awning by trying to unroll it. We were able to retract the slide enough to drive. It was still sticking out around 4 inches but the awning was not flapping. We were able to drive to Arroyo Grande where we parked along the beach for the night. I put the living room slide out as far as I thought prudent so that there would be enough room to sleep on the floor. I called to let the Rexhall repair garage know we had another problem for them to work on when the begin repairs on May 1. The kids have been really good to travel with but we are all ready to go home. We had to go to bed early again tonight but plan to play tomorrow while Emily goes to her doctor’s appointment. We want to go back to Lancaster tomorrow but she wants the boys to ride a dune buggy on the beach. We hope that can be done tomorrow morning so we can leave in the afternoon and get home before dark.


We arose somewhat leisurely. We had trouble starting the engine again using the chassis battery. We used the coach battery again and were able to get the living room slide in again so we could drive. Emily took the car to the doctor and we drove up to the park on Arroyo Beach where we spent the day watching the children play. The playground was not really very elaborate but enjoyable. Emily returned saying nothing much had changed in her infection so she will try something else from him. I remember telling Stan and Linda that she had found him as he was landing on a local lake one evening. She returned and grabbed the boys to go ride a dune buggy. We stayed with the other three and had lunch. Afterward I took a nap because I knew we had a long drive ahead and I wanted to be alert. When Emily returned they ate something, we hooked up the car and left. We had a good trip home, driving through a rich farming area on a plateau. It is amazing to see the variety of produce grown here: citrus, cabbage, radishes, alfalfa, oats, broccoli, lettuce and many other things. Huge fields of citrus trees in various stages of development. It was quite spectacular. We decided to eat on the way home and had fast food at a Petro travel center. The gas was $3.25, not nearer $3 as I had expected. Elizabeth had vomited at the park earlier and was still sick so she ate nothing. We arrived home after 8. It was dark but we unloaded most of the items. We are just two old people again. Tomorrow is a busy day, however.

Two days

We worked Monday on packing and leaving Stan and Linda’s. We had a great deal of things to launder but found it would take far too long to use their dryer. We left around 1 and drove to Cameron Park for groceries and then on to Sacramento where we took a site at the Cal Expo RV park. We did the laundry and the children played on the asphalt lot. We dumped and loaded up with water for tomorrow. I asked to leave our car here for the day so we would not have to tow the motor home downtown. They said yes and we took a walk along the American River before retiring early so we could get up early in the morning. The kids did watch some of Fiddler on the Roof before bed. We all agreed that we had a great time with Stan and Linda.
Tuesday we arose early, having showered last night. We drove the motor home to Old Sacramento and parked at the Railroad museum. We had some trouble making sure things had been approved but finally left for the California State House. They took the city train and I walked because I had to move the motor home once. The Lord sent two workers to tell me I had parked too close to the Amtrak worker’s reserved spot. I would have caused a real problem had He not sent them. We took a tour of the statehouse and the boys enjoyed it. We also talked with the young lady who assists the assembly woman (representative) from Emily’s district. After that we went to Carl’s Jr. for lunch. We walked to the Museum where Emily, Stephen, Rosalie and I walked through. I was disappointed that the boys were not interested. They missed a very good time. We drove back to get the car but decided to stay another night because of the traffic. We drove to a large park where the children could play and returned to the lot. I used my new Q-grill to cook hot dogs and hamburgers for dinner, and then we retired early again. We want to leave about the same time tomorrow.

More pictures of the range riders.

Sunday ride

We were all up and ready to leave for church by 8:45 and left for church by 9. I had a little trouble finding the church but arrived in time for Bible class. The kids went to two separate areas and E and I went to the adult class. Emily had to stay with Stephen. We also enjoyed the worship featuring a drama about how mad Satan was after Jesus was resurrected. The sermon dealt with Thomas’ doubting and how we also doubt the power we have in Christ. I think I will try to build on this theme during my sermon on Pentecost in Franklin June 4. We came home for a light lunch and went to a neighbor’s so the kids could ride horses while here. Linda took Casey, her horse, and the neighbor had a pony that she uses to give riding lessons. The kids really enjoyed the activity. We were really appreciative of the three women who led and dealt with the kids. We always had side runners in case the horse might stumble and dump the rider. Every child had a tide on each horse and even Emily had an opportunity to ride. We returned and then I took everyone out to dinner at the “Wonderful Chinese Restaurant” in a small village called Pleasant Valley. We had a great deal of food as is nearly always the case when dining at a Chinese restaurant. We returned home and played some cards and watched some TV. We will have to leave tomorrow to spend the night in Sacramento so we can make it to the state house on Tuesday morning

These are pictures of the grandkids riding horses in California

Loafing

This morning we had breakfast, and the motor home people decided to walk up Cuzins Lane. There were eight of us, and we went farther than before. We saw a couple of vistas of the valley and returned the same way. The property that had the vicious dogs last year had some friendly ones now. They also had fresh brown eggs for sale and Emily wanted some. We ventured to the house and met some very nice people who denied ever having vicious dogs. They did bring us some eggs when they left to go to their daughter’s house. We ate inside apart from the Beelis. We spent most of the afternoon watching NBA playoff basketball. Stan and Linda like the Sacramento Kings who were beaten mercilessly by the Spurs. We then watched the Heat barely beat the Bulls. I went to town for some gas and a match light device for Emily because the Ronson refillable one won’t take the refilling fluid. While at home, my nephew Rick called his dad. He also talked with me a while and cited several events that I didn’t remember the same way. He thinks we had tension over some religious things I said years ago. Both Evelyn and I remember that we avoided the subject totally so as not to offend him. I believe he envies the peace we have in our lives but thinks he will be weak if he seeks a higher Being. Regardless of the cause, he wants to stay away from me because he knows I love Jesus even if I don’t talk about Him in his presence. We had delicious hamburgers and potato salad while the Beelis had hamburgers also. The evening featured showers by nearly everyone except me so they could get ready for church tomorrow. The outside people showered inside to conserve the water and holding tank space since there is no place to dump here. We all went to bed around 10:30, Andrew and Elizabeth sleeping inside in their sleeping bags. Andrew planned to sleep in the TV room but Elizabeth got lonely. He graciously joined her in our room to support her.

Loafing

This morning we had breakfast, and the motor home people decided to walk up Cuzins Lane. There were eight of us, and we went farther than before. We saw a couple of vistas of the valley and returned the same way. The property that had the vicious dogs last year had some friendly ones now. They also had fresh brown eggs for sale and Emily wanted some. We ventured to the house and met some very nice people who denied ever having vicious dogs. They did bring us some eggs when they left to go to their daughter’s house. We ate inside apart from the Beelis. We spent most of the afternoon watching NBA playoff basketball. Stan and Linda like the Sacramento Kings who were beaten mercilessly by the Spurs. We then watched the Heat barely beat the Bulls. I went to town for some gas and a match light device for Emily because the Ronson refillable one won’t take the refilling fluid. While at home, my nephew Rick called his dad. He also talked with me a while and cited several events that I didn’t remember the same way. He thinks we had tension over some religious things I said years ago. Both Evelyn and I remember that we avoided the subject totally so as not to offend him. I believe he envies the peace we have in our lives but thinks he will be weak if he seeks a higher Being. Regardless of the cause, he wants to stay away from me because he knows I love Jesus even if I don’t talk about Him in his presence. We had delicious hamburgers and potato salad while the Beelis had hamburgers also. The evening featured showers by nearly everyone except me so they could get ready for church tomorrow. The outside people showered inside to conserve the water and holding tank space since there is no place to dump here. We all went to bed around 10:30, Andrew and Elizabeth sleeping inside in their sleeping bags. Andrew planned to sleep in the TV room but Elizabeth got lonely. He graciously joined her in our room to support her.

Around the ranch

Friday Evelyn and I walked up Cuzins Lane. The road is badly broken up but still as steep in places as ever. We came home for breakfast and coffee. I gave Linda some Gevalia coffee--chocolate/raspberry--and we enjoyed it. I thought the boys would enjoy riding our fold up bicycles around here, but they had too much trouble negotiating around the stones on the road. They won’t use them. We had lunch and then went to the fairgrounds park. Andrew and I went to Wal-Mart to find a skateboard to replace the one we lost out of the basement on the way here. They didn’t have one so we went to the park to meet the rest of the family. No one had much fun so Andrew and I went to a sporting goods store and got a skateboard and a pair of goggles for Noah to use in the swimming pool. We came home and watched some classic basketball games on TV. Andrew and I then played “Shut the Box” for a while. Noah started the game but got behind and quit. As it turned out he would likely have won. Andrew and I continued playing Yahtzee until dinner time. We Waters enjoyed ham and sweet potatoes. After dinner Evelyn and I went to the motor home to watch the first part of A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Evelyn was disappointed because it was too hard to understand. The children knew the plot and had a better grasp of the events. We then returned to the house where we played euchre for a while. The boys enjoy that game. During the day Stan has to do some work on the computer and telephone while Linda cares for the horses. The day started with the threat of rain but them brightened up into a very warm, comfortable day.

Traveling with the family

It is off to Placerville. We weren’t able to start until around 11 because there was still much to pack. Emily is not able to do the extra things while running the house. The children help a great deal but can’t do nearly enough. We drove past many yellow wild flowers and were even able to see one large field of beautiful California poppies. The hills were alive with yellow and orange. We stopped at many rest areas on I-5 and had lunch at one. I wanted to make sure the kids had some time to run around. They traveled very well. We listened to the sound track of O, brother. Where Art Thou? several times. The kids were in love with I’ll Fly Away. They sang along with it many times. They also enjoyed I’m in the Jailhouse Now, Highway to Heaven, and Big Rock Candy Mountain. We found the campground we wanted and packed in for the night. We chose it because there was a playground listed. It was very inadequate in my opinion, but the ones playing liked it well enough. A funny thing was that the man ‘s rest room was being remodeled so the women’s was assigned to men on odd hours and the women on even hours. I guess that the real division was for time to shower but it would be hard to regulate the bladder and bowel to time slots like that. We ate in semi darkness using my 1000 candle power flashlight. We had spaghetti sauce without the pasta because we couldn’t find any. We cleaned up and pulled out the hire-a-bed for sleeping. Some slept on the floor and one on a reclining seat. In all it worked out well despite the trains that came by nearly every hour. I was busy sleeping, but many testified that they came throughout the night.
Thursday we slept very late and had breakfast of cold cereal outside on the picnic table. I had not parked properly last night for dumping so we had to go to the dump station where my hose would reach. I asked the park workers the best way to U.S. 50 and was sent a better, closer way. We stopped in Cameron Park to shop and have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. We also bought some food before going on to Stan’s. We arrived around 2:30 and visited for a while. Noah, Elizabeth and Rosalie donned their swimsuits and braved the 65 degree water. Andrew deferred to another day. Noah, especially, loves the dogs that Stan and Linda have as well as those of Christine, their apartment renter. We ate dinner separately, the Beelis in the motor home and the Waters in the house. It was delicious. We then watched A Midsummer’s Night Dream that Emily had brought from the library. She spent some time on the way reading a synopsis to the children and they seemed to follow the plot well.

Doing not much

We got up and went for the first walk we have taken since we left Texas. We didn’t walk too far but realized we should get back at it. After breakfast we finished the euchre game we had started Sunday. The boys love to play cards. Evelyn did some sewing but this was supposed to be a packing day. I cleaned some of the basement compartments and waited a long time for any thing to pack. Finally I loaded some sleeping bags but not much more. I asked the boys to help in cleaning the front of the coach and applying some Rain-X to the windshield. They did a nice job. I felt better today but am still tired. Evelyn and I took a nap during the afternoon. Emily learned that the alternator Pieder had got for the Mercedes was not the correct one so the car could not be fixed. Evelyn and Emily went to a women’s book discussion group so I was left here alone with Pieder and the kids. I thought we would watch a video but they had something Ninja that I didn’t want to watch. I just spent the evening listening to the Cubs play the Dodgers. I must record how much I dislike the way Pieder treats Noah. He seems to get the brunt of all the punishment in the family. He received a whailing tonight for a very petty reason. This is not an unusual situation. I don’t even like to be around when Pieder is here because he seems to me to be a control freak. He and I are civil but not friendly because of a problem that developed several years ago. In my view he wants to control me like he does everyone else in his family. I really admire his parents who don’t submit to him either. He refuses to call Evelyn and I “Mom and Dad” as he did because, in my view, he couldn’t control us. I will be glad when we leave tomorrow for 9 days and even more glad when we leave the area in early May. I certainly miss seeing Emily and the children but not being here with him. I pray for Pieder to become more loving, especially to Noah. I must also confess to God my resentment toward him.

Same game, different driver

Stephen on his bicycle from Grandma and Grandpa Waters. His brothers assembled it for him.


This the Beeli family with the maternal and paternal grandparents on the celebration of Stephen's third birthday party.


The paint crew hard at it.


Easter continues. We beat the girls up today. They have been coming out to get us around 8, but we went in for my shower (Evelyn showered in the motor home) and breakfast of oatmeal. Afterward we went to have our conversation with the customer service representative at the Aerbus dealership. He was quite accommodating and gave us a fair deal on the price for the replacement part on the countertop. We looked at some of the later model units too, and I was particularly disappointed in that the basement compartments did not come out with the slides. I would never buy one like that. It is extremely uncomfortable to get things out while bending under the slide. We came home for lunch and made a decision to take the Beelis out for dinner tonight. Pieder was to meet us after a therapy session on his knee. But after lunch we finished the yellow wall in the boy’s room. It has been fun to work with the boys. They were nearly always eager to help but not always compatible since we had only one roller and brush work on the trim is too difficult for them. But now they have a room with blue, green, red, and yellow walls. We cleaned up the mess and the grandparents came to the motor home to rest. As I sat here I began to get a headache, perhaps from breathing the fumes or some sort of allergy. When it was time to meet Pieder, he called and said the Mercedes had died again while he was coming home. Emily went to give him a jump but misunderstood where he was, so he called and I went out. I thought she would find him before I arrived and I was right. He was running with her right behind. I turned around and followed. About two miles further, I came upon them hooking up the jumper cables again. Emily and I were laughing because we had played this same game last week. He drove another half mile and had to be pushed around the corner but picked up enough speed to make three corners into their driveway. He had to begin working on the car so the rest of us went in the motor home to eat dinner (at a Panda Express), shop at Sam’s Club, fill the coach for Wednesday’s trip, and get a paper for Emily to get a Wal-Mart grant for her home school. We got home shortly after 8 and I joined in the men’s group discussion even though I didn’t feel too good. After while they laid hands on me for prayer and we parted for the night.

The joy of the Resurrection

Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
We arose at 5:45, and I went to the house to shower but had forgotten to get a key. I tried the doorbell but decided to just come back to wash my hair and shave. I tried the bell a few more times without any response. We were both disappointed that we would not be able to take the boys to church, but as we were ready to leave, out of the door they came. They had an alarm clock. We went to a glorious service with lilies, a bell choir, a brass ensemble and a regular choir. It was a surprise to recognize the sermon as one from esermons.com. It is truly a day when being a believer in the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, is a super joyous day. There was a breakfast after and we all went. The boys ate only fruit, being indoctrinated to avoid food that their mother doesn’t prepare. They also knew that there would be pancakes awaiting them at home. We came home and played some euchre so the boys could learn and then ate pancakes. We then assembled for the “house church” that is a Bible study led by Pieder. I don’t say anything unless solicited because he doesn’t respect my opinions and intelligence. It is just as well because I can learn more of what he is thinking. We finished after a long time and readied for the trip to one of his brother’s house for a party. His brothers are not good practicing Christians, according to our information but do enjoy having a good time. We drove to Stephan’s house--about 1 1/2 hours through some heavy traffic. The entire Beeli family was there and were kind enough to invite us along. We reminisced about their visit to Pieder and Emily’s wedding more than 10 years ago. Stephan also had a very good dark beer on tap that I enjoyed. It was funny to see how Pieder ate nearly everything served even though he would not approve of its being served at home. I guess it is always good to have a respite from the rigors of health. We drove home and had no traffic jams like we had on the way. Everyone went to bed happy to be home.

The pre-birthday party

I arose earlier than usual while Evelyn slept in. She had been awake much of the night. I wanted to get to the boy’s room to finish the green wall before the birthday party began. I did that. I had help from Noah and we finished. We had very little green left. It was used to paint on the wood puzzle Pieder had made for Stephen. I showered and readied myself for the day. Testa and Ursula Beeli were to arrive at 11 and we were to eat at 1. They didn’t arrive until after 12, and Testa offered to help strengthen our Plexiglas shield. He said Plexiglas shrinks so the holes attaching it to the metal bracket had to be enlarged. He also added a piece of wood to strengthen it and prevent vibration. We broke from the project at 2:30 for the meal and returned to finish. The meal was quite good for a change. I even liked Emily’s Sauer kraut and leg of lamb. After a couple of hours we had the birthday cake. It was tolerable but the home made ice cream was gruesome in two flavors. We had a good time watching Stephen enjoy his gifts. We paid for a training bicycle that he would hardly get off of. We also prepared an Easter egg hunt for the children. After the Beelis left, the girls wanted to watch the Sound of Music and I wanted to watch it in the motor home because their TV monitor is in the master bedroom. We are putting them out enough without using their bedroom as a theater. Afterward we packed it in for the day. We have to arise early tomorrow for the sunrise service. The boys said they want to go with us but we will see what happens in the morning.

The great park in California.




Scaling the peak







Kids on the steep slopes


Three of the grandkids scaling the rock


Grandma and Stephen stuck but the rescuer is coming from above.


The group having lunch in a cave. Grandma and Stephen are there but concealed. I am big because I had to rush to the group after hitting the timer flash.

Paint and worship

We got up and went in to shower and have some breakfast. This family eats raw oats, millet and oatmeal every morning. I had some raw oats which was ok, but I also ate some raisin bran. We then went to work on the painting. We opened the new can of blue paint and re painted the wall. It looked very good when we finished. We then decided to paint the red wall instead of re painting the green wall. We finished the first coat around noon when we took a break for lunch of tostadas. This was one of the first meals that was mainstream. We returned to work and gave the red wall a second coat. It looks good also. We had to postpone the green again because “brother Bill” was coming over for a “Good Friday service”. This turned out to be a sort of Bible study in which the emphasis was not on the Crucifixion but on having died to sin and made alive in Christ. I was somewhat puzzled to hear him say from scripture that we who are saved no longer sin. The service began at 4, and I finally stood up and politely left at 6:30. I was blessed by the discussion but would in no way call it a service. We ate a delicious stew for dinner and enjoyed some merlot. Emily and I were the only ones who drank any. Afterward I tried to show her some of our pictures, especially those from NC. We went to bed, planning to finish the green wall tomorrow morning before Stephen’s third birthday party begins around noon. We will have a difficult time finishing the other wall before we go to see Stan and Linda next Wednesday.

On the Rocks

We got up and took showers in the motor home since there was no hot water in the house. We had to wait until the plumber came to repair the valve from the water heater to the house before we could go on our hike. He finished around 10:30, and we were off to Vasquez Rock Park. The kids went wild climbing up to the peaks. Emily got sick and stayed in the Suburban to sleep. They climbed until about 2:00 when we had lunch of egg salad, chips and an apple. Emily had brought all of this. The kids had found a cave so we ate in it. It was a very enjoyable day for everyone. We were overdressed, thinking it would be cool as it had been since we arrived. Instead it was sunny and very warm. We came home and Evelyn and I dressed for church. We had planned to go for dinner somewhere, but were not very hungry, having eaten so late. We also had a difficult time finding the church we wanted to attend for the Maundy Thursday service. It was a very inspiring service in dialogue between the pastor and the vicar, emphasizing the importance of the sacrifice Christ made for us. His sacrifice made peace between us and God. It makes Easter--Resurrection Day--more exciting. We left there and drove to the place where the Beelis square dance each week. It was fun to see them playing together. It is also a blessing to see how happy Emily is in her family and spiritual life. We don’t get along well with her husband, but so what. We will be gone from them and her happiness is what is important. It is also a blessing to see what a great mother she is. She never seems to get flustered and knows when to let the children go and when to reign them in. She never once tried to protect them today while they were climbing. She has great faith in God’s protection and their ability to function on their own.

Pieder greeted us to his home and went to work on the car. We thought it was the alternator. While working, he was made aware that the water heater was leaking. He dealt with that, running back and forth to the hardware and auto supply store. He never got either thing totally fixed. In the meantime the boys and I began painting their room. I did the trim and they manned the sponge roller. I thought from the beginning that there was not enough blue paint in the quart to cover the wall. There wasn’t. We finished what we could after lunch and then started the green wall. This wall had a door so we had plenty of paint. (We didn’t paint the door.) We had a good time bonding together. Unfortunately Noah left a big green spot of paint on the front walk. No one noticed for several hours. I tried to clean it up but will have to work on it some more tomorrow. Evelyn spent most of the day reupholstering two cushions for some chairs and made a pillow cover. She also fixed supper because Emily had to go shopping for many things among which was a gallon of blue paint. The boys and I played Texas Hold ‘Em again until bedtime. I had to kneel and stretch a great deal while painting and will no doubt be very stiff and sore tomorrow. It was a bit warmer and less windy today. We don’t think we will need to use the small electric heater tonight. I called the extended warranty company who will not cover the damage to the counter top. They did suggest that the Koran usually carries a 10 year warranty. I passed this information on to the people at Rexhall who didn’t want to accept any responsibility. Since I have been unhappy with the return call policy at that place, I am going to try getting an appointment with the owner sometime this week.

Jumping and skating

Our daughter, Emily, Rosalie, Elizabeth with Grandma and Stephen in the background.


Here is the little guy learning to roller skate.








We were up for breakfast and a shower. This was to prepare for our day at the skating rink. What an interesting day. Emily took three kids in the Mercedes while we had the two girls with us. First the Mercedes would not start. We jumped it and she drove two miles. It died at a corner and a policeman pushed her across the intersection. We turned around and gave her another jump. She drove another mile and died at another light. We jumped her again and decided to take that car home. She nearly made it when it died again. She was far ahead of us and two strangers pushed her to the side. Once again we jumped her and she made it home to the garage. We think it is an alternator problem. We quickly jumped into the motor home and went to the Wal-Mart to drop off some paint color requests. I went in and bought two pairs of jeans and a sweatshirt. I left a box of clothes we were to bring with us back in Texas, I guess. I can’t find it anyway. We left there and went to the skating rink for two hours of skating. Afterward we went to the RV place just down the road and got on to the parts guy about checking on the Koran stove top. We also dumped our tanks. We went back to Wal-Mart to get the paint. I also tried on the jeans I had not before and exchanged them for a shorter length. We returned home to prepare dinner. It was humus, garbanzo beans, a cabbage, tomato and onion mix, and a no bake cookie. It was the first “edible” meal we have had here. We don’t know what is down the road. We enjoyed a game of Texas Hold “Em and then went to bed. I think we have the heat problem solved in that the power strip we were hooked into last night had a circuit breaker built in that disconnected. We moved the extension cord to the wall outlet. It did get quite chilly last night. Pieder, Emily’s husband, has been in Albuquerque and will fly home later tonight. He will install an new alternator tomorrow before going to work.

April 10

Playing outside in a 40 mile per hour wind. Brrrrrr!


The Beeli family in gift garb from Mexico.



Three year old "Pancho" Stephen Beeli acting his part in a play.


We got up shortly after six and made ready to talk to the people at Aerbus. The service manager said he thought we could get the part for the kitchen counter in about two weeks and would install it May 1. We left there with the motor home because he said he had no place we could park and hook to electricity. We drove to Emily’s where there was a nice spot fairly level in front of her house. We parked there and began to unpack the many things we brought for them. That took an hour and we visited, had lunch and left for a park. I stayed with the children while E and E went shopping for paint for the rooms in their house. They were gone forever and I was freezing. I don’t know the temperature but the wind chill had to be 20 degrees. The kids had a good time and said they preferred this weather to the summer. We had to postpone the planned hike because there was a promise of rain in the forecast for noon. It did finally rain after 5. We gave out some gifts and figured up the price of the liquor, etc, we had brought. The cost was over $125. I knew we had some money invested here but didn’t know how much. I think I still have a liter and a half of vodka hidden somewhere in the motor home but will look tomorrow. We decided to sleep in the motor home for privacy but will shower in the house. We will likely be chilly. What a surprise to go from very hot to very cold in a place noted for its wonderful climate: California. The boys wanted to play some Texas Hold Um, but we still went to bed early. It is a real blessing to see how the family works together. They all have assigned tasks and seem to do them quite willingly. They also each get a day each week on which they get to pray, hand out the day's prayer requests, answer the door and the telephone, get the mail and feed the bread starter. It is a blessed experience for us to be here with them.

Palm Sunday

These are pictures of two of over a dozen holstein cattle feed lots. We have never seen so many cows in one place.




We got up early and dressed for worship on this Palm Sunday. We finally found the church in the daytime. We had a congregational participation worship, reading antiphonally from the passion week scriptures. I don’t ever remember going through the passion week on Palm Sunday. We left Casa Grande around 9 and headed out for the west. We took a much less traveled route and missed Phoenix entirely. We had an early lunch because we had been up since 6. We stayed on I-10 all the way into CA. We stopped at exit 1 to fill up for the last time at reasonable prices. There were so many cars and Rvs lined up for gas that we had to wait about half an hour. I would have gone on but prices were nearly 40 cents per gallon higher in the tax me state of CA. We got into some terrible head winds around Indigo. This was doubly bad because it was during a steep pull. We were barely moving. We pushed on and got to Lancaster. Neither of us thought we could possibly make it today. We were blessed to drive directly to the repair/construction place. We will meet with Emily and family to go on a hike tomorrow after we do what we can to get an appointment for repairs.

April 7

We all met at the local IHOP for breakfast.


Dick Rice, Bonnie and Wayne Norris, and us at the Norris palace.








We got up thinking it was around 8. We were to meet the gang at 10, so we drove to the IHOP on Grant only to discover it was only 8:45. I had figured AZ on DST even though I knew they weren’t. We walked around and went to a CVS to get some herbs. We returned and met with Wayne and Bonnie Norris and Dick Rice. Dick’s wife did not come. We enjoyed a breakfast and then went to Wayne’s to continue our reminiscence. We will see Dick in Portland but Wayne won’t be there. We talked about people we remembered that we might see in June. We admitted that we would not see many of the classmates that stayed in Portland. Dick advanced the idea that they may be quite envious of us who left because we had mostly been successful. We returned to our coach a bit disappointed in that I thought Wayne and Bonnie might want to go somewhere with us. We had a short nap, hooked up and left for Casa Grande. We tried for more than an hour to find the church we want to attend tomorrow or a reasonably priced RV park but found neither. We finally (after dark) came to a small business and pulled around to the back for the night. After dinner, the owner came by and wanted to run us off, but I sweet talked her into letting us stay. She was some sort of “doctor” who held seminars in the building. She thought we were bold to drive onto private property. I explained that we really didn’t know it was private property as she deemed it and could not find the park we were looking for. We played some Kings on the corner and went to bed early, hoping to get up in time to find the church before 8, the early service time. Evelyn tried to call her brother to inquire about Mom four times but never got him. He never returned any of the calls. I think they might be visiting one of their sons. We did talk to the Beelis four times during the day. They are excited that we are finally on our way. We will try to arrive sometime Monday. We are still more than 500 miles away.

April 6

We got up and went to the motel again to check the e-mail in case John had sent more word of Mom. He hadn’t. I checked the Fort Wayne Obituaries as usual but found no names I recognized. We came home and I dumped, filled the water tank, and disconnected everything. We drove on to El Paso where we went to the second worst Flying J I have found. The worst is in Lake Station, IN. We spent nearly half an hour getting gas for $2.499. The kicker is that the pump stopped at $75 (a requirement of the credit card company). I had to have the pump reset and returned to the price of $2.519. The price had increased while I was inside! We went on through El Paso to New Mexico. We stopped at a rest area for lunch of more Valley food--Subway sandwiches. We also called Wayne and made plans to meet them and the Rices for brunch at I-Hop in Tucson tomorrow. We found one last fuel stop for $2.499 at mile marker 5 and filled up again. I was sure (still am) that was as low a price as we will see all summer. The surprise was that the gas in Tucson is only $2.559, much lower than I had thought. We went to the first Wal-Mart we have encountered that refused to let us park. It was a city ordinance that caused us to leave. While driving along, I saw a Lutheran Church and whipped into their parking lot. I called one of the emergency numbers posted and was given permission to stay the night. We ate split pea soup we had brought and went for a walk. We found a place to buy some cheapy tank tops for me. I have two covered with holes that I will now use for rags. Off to bed.

Several day's entries

Note: The entries will bunched together for a while since we won’t always have an internet connection.
Up to pack and exercise. I also went to exercise some 2 for 1 coupons at Whataburger. I got two taquitos, two breakfasts on a bun and a spicy chicken sandwich meal, giving me a Whataburger and a Justaburger. I returned home and cut the grass for the final time this season. I showered and took Evelyn to Knapp for her mammogram, while I went to get two six inch subs at Subway. Guess what? Yep. 2 for 1. I came back and got Evelyn to go home to start the dryer so we could make the bed for the renters. We took long enough that we finally just ate the Whataburger, the French fries and finished off the spinach/artichoke dip. We finished packing what we could remember and hooked up the car. We were off nearly two hours later than planned. We had no trouble driving up 281 through San Antonio. We thought we should eat at the original Rudy’s Barbecue in Leon Springs. There is a defunct dance hall across the road so we just packed in for the night. We walked to an HEB and bought a couple of items. I ran the car through the gears when we came back. We also noticed that the refrigerator had not been working since we left. The geniuses who filled the tank last week had failed to open the valve, preventing and propane from reaching the igniter. I fixed it and we played some Kings on the Corner before retiring. The overhead fan pulled a nice breeze through and we didn’t need to run the generator.
We arose and I went to Rudy’s again for coffee and a telephone book. I called BSF headquarters and found that our friends Paul and Karren [sic] Pentony were there volunteering. We unhooked the car and drove there thinking we would volunteer for the day. We stopped at Rafikki to make a donation and went on up the road where we met them. We planned to meet around 4 at our coach. We had to leave because I was wearing shorts, not in the accepted dress code for working in the printing department. I had intended to make another donation there, but their attitude wasn’t accepted by my donation department. We will donate to some other group that is more understanding. I could have driven back here and changed, but we went to a brand new elegant shopping mall instead. The prices there were frightening. Even more frightening was the number of people paying those prices. Handbags at Nieman Marcus: $300-2500! We spent an hour or so there and returned here to split a southwest chicken sandwich I had brought from Whataburger. We returned to the coach and waited for our guests. I drove the car to gas up at $2.499--quite possibly the lowest price we will see for some time. We talked with Paul and Karren in our coach for a while and then went across the freeway to a very nice Mexican restaurant. We shared a grilled southwestern salmon that was delicious. They had to rush off because they were changing houses. They house sit for several people. We took a walk and came home for a small dish of ice cream.
We got up and left Thursday morning. Praise God the auxiliary batteries started the coach so we could retract the slides, hook up the car and leave around 8. We did nothing but drive from Leon Springs to Van Horn, TX. Evelyn wanted to stay in a campground so we did. Next door was a motel with wireless internet. I came over and hooked on. The weather was much cooler today and, of course, windier from the west. We did have a pleasant day of driving and pray for one tomorrow.

Renewing friendships

Tom and LuAnn Jones, Tom and Sharon Newcomer, and us. We spent much time together in the past two years.






We slept in because I had forgotten to set the alarm. We arose at 8 and had to take the coach for lubrication and brake check. The lube was done but the brakes were fine. That is good news. We went to the bank to cash two checks and get some cash for travel. We then went to pay our homeowner’s insurance. We came home and worked a while until we got a surprising call saying the coach was finished and the brakes were fine. We had some more leftovers and left for Harlingen. We picked up the TV and the window fan. Someone came by looking for some property to buy. They came in and looked around. They were impressed but may find something else. We will pray that they want the place that has been an albatross for us. We also found a man to water the hibiscus outside the unit. We returned, rested and welcomed our friends from NC and Wisconsin, the Joneses and Newcomers. We drank beer and wine, ate snacks and discussed future plans, We always have a good time with them. They are going to Mexico for dental work and will meet for lunch while we begin our trek west. We spent the rest of the evening continuing our packing.

Saying goodbye

We got up late because of the time change. Even that we were almost late for church where we were blessed with Holy Communion. On top of that, there was only one service at 10:30. We came home and had Asian stir fry for lunch. We are trying to eat only things we can’t take with us. We were finished and ready to resume packing when Lois and Lionell Iverson showed up and stayed for two hours. We finally had to ask them to leave so we could get back to work. We were also tired because we had lost an hour’s sleep last night. I took some wire I had borrowed back and also returned some glue Tom Crouch had loaned me. He had been on a cruise and we talked a bit about that. They really enjoyed the trip. We got ready and went to Joe and Bonny’s for a goodnight snack and visit. We took some spinach/artichoke dip and she made some finger waffles. We left at 9:45, came home and called Tom and LuAnn Jones. To our surprise they are parked in the park next door. We made arrangements to meet them and Newcomers for hors doerves at 5 tomorrow evening. One problem created by the cancellation of the dinner with Don and Janice is that we didn’t go and pick up our fan from the unit in Sunshine. I must take the coach for lubrication tomorrow morning.

Onions are great

We began by exercising and then returned to continue packing. We took most of our clothes out and the bathroom supplies. I also loaded the grapefruit into the car but put a plastic sheet down to protect the card table. Ray Stehlik came over and showed Evelyn why he could not build the pergola as we first planned. It will be fine as modified. He stayed quite a long time, and we went straight to lunch. Afterward Emily called and we talked with her and Elizabeth for nearly an hour. By then it was time to go to the onion festival. There was another barbecue contest this year and gave away much of the extras they had after the judging. The charro bean judging must have been next because I was blessed with two samples. One had all the ingredients but was bland. The second was excellent because it was spicy and delicious. We never learned who won but my bote was for number two. We went on to the main area and heard several bands. There was a Christian band but it was too loud and too contemporary. We were blessed to be approached by two young men from the Living Word Church, located near us. They were very personable and reflected the joy of the Lord. We listened to one of the bands for a while in the heat and then headed for home. On the way out we bought 50 pounds of onions for $10. They were huge and hopefully delicious. We will distribute them around the country as we travel. If I can I will buy some more so we will have some left in NC. We came home and decided to go to the dance at Llano Grande. There was a very good band there, and one of the members was a fiddle player we recognize from a band we had enjoyed ten years ago called Rebel Hill. This band played several Cajun style songs but mostly country western. We left a bit early because Evelyn gets tired. She is pretty gutsy though because she was probably tired before she let on. We arrived just in time to learn that it would be in the nineties for the rest of the week. It won’t be much cooler where we will be going.