Made My Donation

Left yesterday and headed to Oklahoma to the Windstar Casino. We had to stop at Camping World before we went there. We are looking for a light weight outside patio mat to match the new RV. We saw some that matched but Sherri wanted one she had seen that has a swirl in the design. We also wanted to pick up a toy for Kris. He wanted a RV and truck like Maw Maw's. Sherri said they had one like that there and sure enough we located it. I also was looking at the small Honda generators they have there. We may do some "Boondocking" and a small generator like that would be good for charging the batteries.

Speaking of "Boondocking" I have been reading Howard and Linda's journal about staying in the free BLM land in Arizona and seeing how pretty the settings are and said to myself that I would like to give that a try. I am not one to spend gazillion $$$ on generators, solar panels and the like just to spend a week or two on BLM land. It would take a lot of that type of camping to pay for that additional cost. I am thinking if I stay like we use to at the State Parks all I would need is my battery power. We stayed for two and three days on just our battery back in those days and never had a problem. Once I had to hook up the truck to the RV and charge the battery after we left the outside lights on all night and day...not good. I was thinking that the small generator, like the one at Camping World would be all I need to run a TV and Computer and recharge our batteries. After all if I am out in a drop dead gorgeous spot in the middle of no where why would I want to be watching TV.

OK I will put this question on the Forum and see what I can find out. Sherri is meeting Becky here today and they are headed out to look for some things for Becky's trailer. Sherri bought a collapsible shelf that she puts here towels and wash clothes on. She has it in the bedroom and it is light weight...folds down...and holds all the towels and wash clothes very neatly. They will be on a mission to find one for Becky today...Rodney and I will be on a mission to set here and talk bout things that we need to get done but will not do until later.

That is about it for today. I have to get over to the Forum and post my question about my idea. I will return to post more Somewhere in Time.

Getting Ready To Go

This morning we woke up in the recliners...yes Sherri had stripped the bed yesterday and was going to wash the sheets. She did that but then realized that we were not hooked up to water so she did not wash them. Hey I don't mind sleeping in my recliner it is as comfortable as my bed. Today is suppose to warm up and I will hook our water back up and we can wash.

Sherri and I have an anniversary this coming February the 3rd. We are going to celebrate today because we both work on that day. We decided to head to Oklahoma to the Windstar Casino so we could give them some money. We rarely spend any more than $50.00 for a days worth of entertainment and $20.00 to eat.

First we have to get in touch with Direct TV to find out why we are paying $100.00 for a "Special Offer" that was to cost us $56.00 a month. Why is it that you get these "Special"offers and you never pay the amount they offer?? It is always $$$ more and you are left trying to figure it out. So as I type this post Sherri is on the phone once more with Direct TV trying to resolve this problem. I hope that this time we get it taken care of.

Well I guess I better go and get ready to head out. I will bring you up to date on all our winnings on my next post. Until then my thoughts will be about all of you Somewhere in Time.

Going Back In Time

This will be a short post this morning. I got up made coffee showered and put on my dress pants and dress shirt...yes I have dress up clothes. Today is Service Awards Day at Taylor Publishing Co. This is the day that we recognize all the folks that have been at the company for 2o plus years. We have three employees out of the press room that have been here 45 years and today is their day to be honored at the luncheon. I have been chosen to speak at this luncheon about two of these people who I worked with for years. I am now their supervisor and very proud to have them working for me.

I started at Taylor in 1971 right after I returned from overseas. I was 24 years old and had been through more than most 30 year old at that time. I had been 4 years in college two years in the Army and when I returned I had nothing but my discharge papers and my wife. We had three children by then and no job. Sherri was working at Taylor then but husband and wife could not work there so I got in and Sherri got out. She had put her time in there and it was time for me to take up the responsibility of my family. I originally wanted to get on at the Police Department but being injured overseas prohibited me being an officer. That had been my one dream that would never be lived. I was with Taylor for 8 years and then left for a short time to work in the home building business which did not pan out so back to Taylor I went and have been there ever since. Over 30 years there and that is almost half my life. It has only been a blink of the eye long and now I am only 4 months away from retiring. As they say life is short and I can sure agree with that.

Well as much as I would like to reminisce about my life I must get everything ready to go. By the way Sherri comes home this morning. If you read this my love I would like to say.... it has been a great life with you....it would not have been as fun without you...thanks for sharing your life with me and the life to come Somewhere in Time.

Did I Say Cold

Did I say it was cold yesterday? Well I really meant to say that it was cool. Today...It is Cold. Right now as I type it is 23 degrees and we have about 1/4 inch of ice on the Arizona room windows. I undid the water last night and wrapped the hydrant with insulation. I have my hose wrapped but when it gets in the 20's it is time to button up the RV. I am running off the pump right now and will until the temps get back in the 30's. No sense in taking chances on freezing up my outside water when I don't have to. No way I am going in this morning. They will just have to wait on me to arrive. When the roads clear and the traffic dies down some I will venture in that direction...and not until then.

It gets cold here in North Texas during January and February and sometimes we have snow in March but for the most part it really does not get that bad for a long period of time. I would like to avoid even the short periods of time when I can. I have become very intolerant to cold weather in my later years. I have service connected problems that are starting to bother me when it gets cold and I would like to stay as warm as I can during the winter if it is possible. I know that we will find us a place that will suit us both.

The picture above was taken in our RV Park here in Carrollton Texas. This could be out first trailer?? We had a Layton exactly like this one when we lived here in the 70's. Sherri and I stopped in our tracks when we saw it. It sure brought back old memories of fun times with the kids and Sherri's Mom and Dad when we headed off to Colorado pulling the trailer with our little Chevy 1/2 ton pickup. Crossed over Wolfe Creek Pass without a care in the world....did we have electric brakes then....doubt it.

Isn't it astounding...for no better word...that we would just pack up the trailer and the kids and head out to parts unknown...no reservations no plan just head out and drive non stop to Colorado for a vacation. Never had pulled this type of trailer in my life and to think I was headed to the mountains with my children on board...I shutter at that thought now. We had the Lord on our side I am sure...he was looking down on two dumb kids...with kids... doing some pretty stupid stuff. A couple of years before that trip we headed to Colorado with a pop-up camper pulling it with a Vega...4 cylinder engine....again kids on board and going through the mountains with no fear. Now we are planning our trip back to Colorado and points North and West with such detail. I have the Mountain West book of passes and the road atlas to make sure we take the safest route. We are joining camping clubs to get the cheapest campgrounds and "Reservation" to be sure we have a place to stay...where is the fun in doing all that????

I took the two pictures of the sunset while I was at out place in the country. They look like scenes from a horror flick! I better work on my sunset pictures. You'll have to understand that Sherri and I do not own one of those high tech cameras with all the lenses and fancy stuff that make pictures jump out at you. We do have a very good camera that does take real good pictures if we knew how to use it. Why spend hundreds of $ on cameras any fancier than the one we have when we can't even work it correctly? So in my travels you will just have to bear with me as I work on perfecting this camera. I will try to make each photo recognizable so you will know what we were looking at. For these two photos...as I was saying they are taken from the back of our RV looking toward the West ...of course it is...It is a sunset.

Sherri and I have started back walking around the RV Park here to get some exercise. We were doing that every day months ago but with Sherri working and me on 10 hour days that has been hard to do. here are some pictures of our site here. We have a corner lot and it is so nice to have our "Front Yard" without a trailer next to us. We waited for one full year to get this site and it was well worth it. In June we will be giving it up, however, for a new site that we have not yet found. We are working on that and will find one Somewhere in Time.

Why Is It

Good morning to all you out there. This morning is working on being a very cold day here in North Texas. We have freezing temps coming in about an hour and we have rain now. Well you know what that means...I have to go to work in this as so many times in the past. Only once or twice did I get caught in bad weather and I vowed I would never do that again. I think I am going to try it this morning and see if I can make it in. I believe the going home is going to be the big deal today. We will see and you will get a full report of that later.

I got up anyway...pending bad weather and all...started the coffee and took my shower. This morning unlike most I turned on the TV to listen to the school closings to see if they were shutting down. If the schools close I will too. That was not to be but it sure brought back memories of days when I was in school and it would snow or sleet and I would wait to see if the schools would close. It was so exciting when they would announce the closing and we could go out and play in the snow. Those days have long past and now if it snows I dread it. Now I long to graduate from work and move south to where there is no snow and the sun warms your soul.

Last night I made it to the chat room and actually got to type to some folks. I did jam up every once in a while but overall I did OK. I like to type to my friends and see what they have been up to. When I don't get to communicate with them I miss them...how strange...we are all so far apart but when you are typing to one another it feels like we are setting with each other having a conversation. What is really amazing is that we are all so scattered out. North South East and West but we all are in the same little chat room visiting and having a good time. Yes I miss that when I can't be with them. If you have not visited our chat room please do. We would love to talk to you and find out where you are and share some time together. We are on the RV-Dreams web site main page under chat.

Not much else going on today in my life. Sherri is still gone and I miss her. I need her guidance in all that I do. I don't know if I have done things right unless she is here to tell me. I have a pretty good idea that I have not but it is better if I know it for sure. I will just have to do everything wrong so she can correct me later. You know you may laugh but I bet there are those men out there that feel the same way. You know that what you are doing is not the correct way but you go ahead and do it so that the wife can correct you later. It happens to me in the parking lot of all the stores we go to. Sherri always tells me that when she comes here she always parks here or there for this reason or another...I got to thinking one day...I always drive when is it that she parks here or there?? The sad part of that is I listen to her and believed it for all this time. That shows you how slow I am...

OK it is getting close to the time for me to head out of here. I better get an early start so I can get behind the pace car on the track. I just hope we don't have too many yellow flags on the way in. I don't mind fighting the traffic it is the wrecks that get to me. Just setting there and waiting for them to clear whatever and wasting all that diesel...that I could be using to travel to great destinations....here I go again...my mind wondering off....

Somewhere in Time

So Much To Learn

Alarm! I know one day that word will mean something entirely different to me than it does now. It went off this morning I had just laid down from my middle of the night bathroom run when it went off! GEEE a guy can't even lay down without an alarm disturbing his peace. When I set my alarm at work...the one to go home by...it never seems like it is going to go off. I wait and wait and it just slooooowly ticks away. Why is that? Like waiting for the coffee to get ready...takes forever.

OK we covered that subject good enough. I was talking yesterday about Kerrville and that we would be staying one week. Well we might be staying two. I don't know...these decisions are getting harder for me to make. Sherri and I are probably going to go down there with Rodney and Becky...depending on when she gets off from her job. She does payroll at her place of business and she can only get off for one week. So whenever she can go is when we will go and then we might stay two weeks. I hope I can get Sherri to make some of the decisions when we start traveling. I just can't make up my mind on where to go how long to stay. I guess once we get to traveling there will be many things that will decide that for me.

Well last night I left my g-kids and had to travel back to Carrollton. I have to tell you that I am having a hard time leaving that little buddy of mine. Now the others are older and the youngest is too young but little buddy is at that age that he does not understand that Poppa is coming back. He did real good right up until time for me to walk out the door and then he looked at me and his lip started to quiver and my lip started to quiver and he started to cry and I started to cry...his arms were reaching for me and....I can't go on my eyes are tearing up now...sorry. Well I guess I am going to have to get over this. How will I be able to travel and do the things I want to do if I have to say good-bye to him like this each time??? If I sneak off everyone says I am a coward and if I say good-bye and walk out I have a break down...I would rather be a coward.

OK you get the idea and I will just have to deal with it. Sherri is gone again to East Texas. She is in Marshall this week. She wont be back until Thursday so I have to take care of the cleaning and lunch fixing. I made me some egg and sausage burritos this morning. I will have a good breakfast when I get to work. For lunch I have a quick fix lunch in a box...add water and viola you have lunch. What an exciting life I lead. Everyone else is telling you about walking in the desert and looking at the sunsets...and me....I am telling you what I fixed for lunch...WOW!

Well got to go dear family and friends. Miss you all and will join you later Somewhere in Time.

Best Laid Plans Of Mice And Men

Oh yes...I had good plans made. Down to the last detail on what I was going to do while in Wills Point. Don't ask me what I got done cause I will be embarrassed when I tell you the truth. I could lie and tell you that everything was done and I was ready to start a new set of plans but then you would want pictures and then the lying would start. So I will just be honest and tell you that not one thing got done while I was there. Not one limb trimmed not one plug installed not one light hung NO THING...

Now I will have to tell you I am not the lazy sort at all. I have good intentions of getting things done just as I plan but sometimes things come up that just keep me from doing those things that I need to get done. Several things came up this weekend...one was the weather...I know that is not a good excuse but I was planning on trimming some tree limbs that over hang where I park the trailer. It was cold and windy and I just did not feel like climbing up in trees cutting limbs. Another reason was Jennifer went for her squad car driving test and was gone all weekend long. So that meant that Sherri and I had the kids which means that we had to look after them. We split the responsibility down the middle and that left us both busier than a one armed paperhanger. I could not do any wiring with my little buddy trying to grab all the wires to H O P E me...that is his word for help me. I tried for about one second and knew right then that this was not going to work out.

Anyway Sherri and I spent the biggest part of the two days there just watching the kids and feeding them and picking up after them. I will have to say that this babysitting is a tough job for old folks. We enjoyed every last minute of it and will do it again and again. I know that the next time I go down there I will have to get some things done. I know that the time before I retire seems to drag by but I also know, that it will be here before I know it and I want to have my place down there ready for me when I get there.

I know many of you are down on the coast having a great time. I want you to be sure and take many pictures for Sherri and I so we can look at them and imagine being there with you. That reminds me that I need to confirm my reservation for Kerrville this week. I believe we will be staying one week...probably the second week in March. I am not sure when Jennifer graduates but I want to be free for that. I will let everyone know our plans as soon as we make them. I think we will be coming down with Rodney and Becky...but I am not sure what week that will be. Anyway we will be there and we will be ready for some fun.

OK I guess I have worn out my welcome tonight. Sorry chatters I missed you tonight I got back late and needed to post. I will see you all tomorrow night. Must get my stuff together for you know what tomorrow. Take care and watch for my return Somewhere in Time.

Friday Morning Pictures

This morning is a stay away from work day. It is so nice to wake up in the morning look at the clock and say to yourself..."I don't have to go in today". And that is exactly what I said. Sherri was up and headed to the kitchen to make coffee and I was not too far behind. We do have plans for this day but non of them include showing up at a job.

Last night we were up until 1:00 am working on Sherri's Face Book page. She has 4 friends...is that cool or what. If you want to be Sherri's friend just go to Face Book...I have been trying for years to be her friend...LOL There is so much on these computers now days...one has so much to keep one occupied. I worked on my Yahoo Messenger. Dee got me started and Netters and Debbie helped me finish. I still don't know how to put my picture on the chat page. I know some kind soul will come along and help ole Speedy out. I really have to find a picture of me that would be worth putting on a Avatar.

This morning Sherri is on her computer reading journals. She is wishing she and I were down on the coast with all our friends. We know that we will be there soon enough. Next year we will work out schedule out and see if we can spend some time down there.

I have a few more projects to complete in my shop when I get to Wills Point. I also have to run my electrical in conduit outside for the RV plug. I have to fix the wiring on my desk so that it is not piled up behind the computer. Under the desk I am going to install a shelf so that I can put all the surge protectors on it and then put a door that closes to hide them. This will look much better and the desk will be clean on top.

Sherri will be looking after the two little ones this weekend. Jennifer is headed off to do her squad car driving test. They have some kind of obstacle course they have to maneuver through without hitting anything. I hope she does good. She is so excited about becoming a law officer. I worry of course but then I worry about too much sometimes. I have a few pictures of my bays that Sherri and I organized. We are getting so ready to leave out and I think that we have narrowed our stuff down quite well. I know we have reduced out weight down considerably. We want to squeeze every ounce of mileage out of our diesel that we can. I get about 17 to 18 in town not towing and about 8 to 9 towing. We are getting closer to 10 the more the diesel gets broke in. We only have 17,000 miles on it now and should not have over 20,000 when we leave out. My Tech told me that we would have to have 50,000 to see a difference.

Our place in East Texas on our daughters land. We have a barn just to the left of the trailer that Sherri and I have halved . She has a side for her office and setting area...which the kids will use to watch TV and play instead of the trailer...if you know what I mean....LOL. The other half is mine and I have a wood shop in there that is small but with all the power tools on wheels I can move them in and out when I need them.... more on that at a later date.

The Front Bay holds all my tools and supplies for the trailer. I have plastic cabinets with drawers to put Light bulbs and batteries in. Also my outdoor faucet adapters and electric adapters are in drawers for easy access. Fishing boat motor oars and supplies are located next to tackle box and fish nets. I keep my fishing poles in the main bay hanging on the walls out of harms way. Which reminds me I need a new rig for retirement...Next project get new fishing pole...then go fishing.

My side bay has the new tray in it and Sherri got us totes to put all our needs in. This keeps everything organized and leaves nothing loose and hard to find. Each tote has specific items in them so we can find them when we need to. The front tote here has my outdoor electric grill in it along with all the tools to cook with. Also have some spices and picnic supplies in there all for outdoor use. I have a gas cook top for cooking stews and chili's outside so we don't heat up and smell up the house. I have to keep the totes stacked low on this side because of the outside entertainment center which is something I thought I would never need. Now that I have it I like it and can't wait for warmer weather so I can set outside BBQ and watch TV...Cool!

Well that about sums up that project. I will have to get pictures today of the shop and those upcoming projects that have to be completed before take off.

OK I guess I best sign off here and get ready to head out. Sure have enjoyed speaking with you all today and I know that we will see each other very soon Somewhere in Time.

What Is Going On

Many of you might be saying what is Speedy doing to his Journal??? I know things keep changing...I am experimenting with pictures to replace the small one I had at the top. I have several that I am sizing to fit the page and have not found the right one yet. Just have patients with me and I promise to hone in on the right one soon. So You might see several different ones before I get the one I want.

I will add to this post later today.


I know that I said that I was looking for just the right photo to go at the top of my page and I really am. I have not located it yet but as I was searching all the pictures I noticed that my son in Kansas had sent me the pictures of our boys. They are so good and seeing as how I have nothing to write about this day I will share some pictures with you.

These fine looking gentlemen belong to Sherri and I. They are our grandsons! We do not get to see them but twice a year and when we get pictures of them we get excited. It is so hard to know that they are growing up and we are not a part of their lives. I hope that one day when they read my journal they will know that Maw and Poppa missed them so much. We hope to visit with them on their birthdays in August of this year.

Love you guys and we send you a big hug and kisses. Hope to see you Somewhere in Time

Evan Takes after his Poppa

Hold on to me Bro I think I am falling over here.

Hey look at me

Now this is a close up Dad!

Back In Wills Point

Friday 16th


Once again we are down in the dead zone. No internet… no way to communicate with our friends out there. Just have to put this on “Word” and then post it later to the journal. It works OK just one extra step.


Yesterday we got up at 5:00 am and readied ourselves for the short trip up the road to Explore USA. We had a 9:00 am appointment to get my slide tray installed. It was on the invoice when we purchased the trailer but it was not in the trailer. To let you in on what a good salesman we had…he is the one that spotted it and told me about it. He called Carriage and found out that they had back ordered it for that unit and never shipped it. So Friday was the day that we were scheduled to get the tray installed. You would know that Friday was the coldest day so far this year and I had to go outside and make ready the unit for travel.


I had made coffee first thing and then went and took my shower. We did not have much time to set and talk this morning. Sherri had to get all the things inside set down and readied for the trip. I wish we were headed down to the coast to meet up with some of the Dreamers down there. It wont be long now.


We arrived at the dealership just at 9:00 and unhooked. They were there waiting for us and I gave them a list of other items I wanted them to look at. We left it with them and headed off to find us a place to have breakfast. Sherri had a coupon for buy one get one free at I-Hop…so we were on the hunt. We found one down the road about 2 miles. After eating we headed…guess where…shopping! WEEEE I was so excited. I stayed in the truck and took me a power nap while Sherri explored all the stores for treasures. By the time she got back I was good and rested. Now that is the way to shop…all rested and ready to go.


It was about 1:30 when Sherri had completed her round of stores and we had no word from the service center. We decided to head back there and hang around until they completed the work. When we arrived our Tech told us that it would be another hour so we just walked around the park looking in trailers to see what they looked like. Sherri decided that she liked hers the best so all was well. They called us to let us know that our unit was ready to go. After a walk through we signed off on the work and hitched up. It was off to Wills Point about 3:30...luckily we missed the Friday afternoon traffic and arrived in Wills Point about 4:45.


Well this ends another day of this adventure. Trailer is A OK and we are settled in here for the weekend. I will post this Somewhere in Time.

Saturday 17th


Saturday was a real laid back day. I had all kinds of plans to get done here but I did not do one thing. I had planned on cleaning out my bay and storing all my stuff on the new tray but that did not happen, Sherri was not feeling well and I just sat and watched TV and played with Kris. Now I can’t do this everyday when I retire…I have to have a plan and get some things accomplished. This was not going to be that kind of day.

About the time I decided to get up and get some stuff done Rodney my brother in law came by to see me and I sat back down to visit with him. This took up the remainder of the day. I always have tomorrow.

We are taking the kids to church in the morning and when I get back I will get right on that project. We have decided to stay Sunday night and go to the Post Office Monday morning to get our new address set up. We also have some mail that we have not picked up yet. I ordered two books for travel information and I think they should be here by now. As soon as we get those things done we will head on back to Carrollton and get set up there. I will have to go on into work finish out the day but that will be OK…I can make it for 5 hours.

Rodney left and we started thinking about something to eat which prompted us to return to the grocery store to buy some meat for tacos and burritos. I just love Mexican food and could eat it and Chinese food all the time. I love to eat and I know I will have to curb some of that in four months. I need to lose weight anyway and that will help me do just that.

That about sums up this day. I will have some more exciting news to post later...
Somewhere in Time.

Sunday 18th


Today is Sunday and I am up early as usual fixing coffee and getting myself ready for church. We are taking two of the g-kids to church with us this morning. They love Sunday School and we love to take them. This is the only place anymore that a young child can learn good moral values. TV anymore is not a good tool for teaching those things. Remember all the good shows on TV when you were a child. All the cowboy shows that had the bad guys all dressed in black and the good guys all dressed in white and good actually won out over evil. We had so many moral virtues taught to us in those days and now….well there are zero good shows on as far as I am concerned.

OK moving right along we have to get everyone ready this morning so we can get there by 10:00am. I drank my coffee and soon Sherri was up and she started waking up our house guest so we could get going. By the time we got them up and ready we barely had time for any breakfast! I remember the days when we had to get our kids up for Church and School….OH what a job that was. This morning brought back so many of those memories.

We made it to church on time and the kids went off to their classrooms and it was a good worship service. I will have to say my little buddy was not the model child in church and had to be taken out at one point for a good talking to….like it did any good. I was much like him when I was being churched. I loved to move around a lot and was not one to set still long….wonder if he could have gotten that from me???

After church we returned to the house to get my planned projects out of the way. Well there was a bit of a snafu here. Sherri decided she had to go with Becky…her sister in law….shopping for some things. Well that meant that I was left alone with Kris so my plans were tossed out. I decided…noticed how I say that I decided to just stay at home and clean up the trailer and watch my little buddy. Sounds better if I say it that way…as though I was in charge.

Jenny came over and asked me if I would help her start a fire and burn some stuff and I agreed to give her and hand and that way we could all look after the kids and still get some stuff done…not my stuff but what the heck! We started a fire and about the time we got it going Rodney came over and we all set around and watched the fire and visited. Really had a good time and got rid of a lot of junk that needed to be burned. I even got some of our stuff burned and that was a good thing.

The rest of the day was pretty well taken up visiting and when Sherri returned we fixed leftovers for dinner. Watched a little TV and then went to bed. That about sums it up... Somewhere in Time.

Monday 19th



Who was it that forgot to tell me Monday was a federal holiday and that the Post Office would be closed. I got up this morning to find that out. OK so I will have to burn a vacation day to hang over here and wait until tomorrow to go to the post office. That means I will miss some more work and probably miss the inauguration!! Now I am really going to be unhappy missing those two things. Do you think I will live trough it ?

Well if I am going to be here one more day I can get my projects done and that will be a good thing. I have been waiting for my tray in the bay to be installed for some time and now I have it and I can start putting my things in it. I will be glad to get all my stuff organized again. I like to have things neat and organized and it has been a while since that has been done.

We started out the day making plans on what we needed to do to get the tray organized. Sherri said that we needed some totes to put all the stuff in so it would be neat. I agreed but did not have any totes. She decided to clean out her loft and reorganize it and clear out some totes for me to use in the tray. We did that and before we knew it…the clock on the wall said that it was 2:00 pm and it was time to eat. We had not done the first thing to the bay area.

We went inside to get some vitals and decided to have burritos again so all we had to do was warm everything up and we would be ready to eat. About the time that we sat down to eat the phone rang and it was Frank calling from the fire house. Said that they just had a call for a range fire just across the street form there house…which happens to be where we are parked! Said it was several alarms and wanted us to check on the children….who are out of school for Martin Luther King day. Sherri and I had both commented about smelling smoke but we had been burning trash the day before and we thought it was just the smoke from that old fire. Well it was smoke but not from our fire. Sherri headed out to the kids house. Jennifer was out on patrol with the Wills Point Police dept. Frank was working at the fire station and all the kids were at home by themselves. Of course we are setting right next door so we were keeping an eye out for them…Ya Think…the place would have gone up in smoke and we would have never known it until the fire was right outside!

Sherri, as she was running across the yard, shouted out for me to button up the RV and get it ready to move. I hurried outside to get everything stowed away so I could back up to the trailer and pull it out of harms way. About the time I had all that done and was ready to back up to the RV and whisk it away Sherri hollered out the all clear. Oh well better safe than sorry. We have a jump on getting ready in the morning. All we have to do now is go to the post office get our mail situated at our new address get some diesel and then head on out to Carrollton so I can get back to that place I love.

By the way after the fire drill I did get my bay finished and I have some pictures to show you. It really is nice to be able to pull it out and get to all my things without moving everything around. So slowly but surely I am getting all the things done on my list and I will be ready to pull out of here...
Somewhere in Time.

Signed Up For Social Security

This morning is one of the coldest days this winter. I would not know for once again I am warm this morning with only the little electric heaters running. I got out from under the covers and yes it was still warm. I always turn the furnace on in the morning to chase away the dampness in the air and this morning I had to turn it up to 75 before it would come on. Yesterday I turned it up to 78 and it never did come on so I just left it alone.

Today we take the RV in for some warranty work and to get my slide tray installed in the bay. We have some real minor items to be corrected while we are having the tray installed so we are hoping that they will not have our home too long this morning. I guess while they are doing that Sherri and I will go get us some breakfast and kill some time looking around.

After we get our warranty items taken care of... we are heading to Wills Point to do some work on the Barn. I have some plugs that have to be put in and some conduit for my RV plug that needs to be run. This will take most of the day Saturday. While I am in that area I always get my propane bottles filled. I have 40 lb bottles on the new rig and I get them filled for $20. each. Here in Dallas it cost $40. each! It pays for me to take them to Wills Point to get them filled at that price.

After getting home yesterday evening Sherri and I sat down and filled out my Social Security papers on line. It was a monumental event in our lives. Here I am filling for Social Security. It just seems like yesterday that I heard my Mom and Dad talking about filling for theirs. Gosh time gets by you so fast and before you know it your gone...like a puff of smoke. I just hope that this puff of smoke has an odor to it and hangs around for while so everyone remembers it...LOL

Well I hear Sherri up so I guess I better get to crackin here. We have to lay everything down and get ready to travel. We would plan this on the coldest day. I have to go and get some diesel so I'll have enough to get there and all the way to Wills Point. See you all Somewhere in Time.

Don't Take That Much

This morning the weatherman said it would be COOOOOOLD but I could not tell you cause I am warm as a bug in a rug. This Carriage Carri-Lite is tight as Dick's hat band and all I use to warm it is the fireplace and a little electric heater in the bath room. OK by me sep when I get to a place that charges me electric it could bite me in the behind? I will have to weigh the cost of propane to the cost of electric and see which will be my best bet.

This brings me to a very important subject that I have been pondering for some time. I am sure many of you out there have also given this budget thing a lot of thought. I just hate to see people say we can't afford to fulltime because we don't have that kind of money. So many out there compare what they want to do with some of those fulltimers that have $3000.00 and $4000.00 budgets. And I guess that is OK if you are planning on living like they do. For an example...I saw a budget the other day where the couple had a $350.00 budget for eating out. Now along with that they had a $250.00 budget for entertainment. OK now if you want to eat out every other meal and go to every tourist trap amusement park between here and Florida...yes you may spend that much money. If you decide to see Gods free nature shows you wont spend that kind of money. You spend a little more time on your porch cooking out and enjoying nature and less time in Applebees and you will see that you can do this and have fun doing it.

I will have to be honest and tell you one thing....you can't do this owing for cars RVs a home boats 4 wheelers etc. No you have to be debt free....I am sorry you just can't do it. Well I guess you can if you have that kind of retirement and you want to spend it all on those things then you can but I know that most of us out there do not have that kind of income. Some of the ones that do are stretched out beyond the limits. Even those that have great retirement incomes are having some problems staying up with their wants and far passing their needs. Believe me it is all in what you want from the fulltiming experience.

Another thing that you have to do...when your out socializing and you are running with those that have a bigger budget than yours you have to be able to draw the line. I know this to be true. Not only in fulltiming but even when you live in stix and bricks you can't keep up with the Dunes if you ain't got the funds. Learn to relax and enjoy the things you can afford and believe me you will have a great time. I remember when we had all the kids with us on vacation...and believe me when I say we did not have a lot of money....we had more fun doing the simple things in life...seeing all the free sites and hiking and fishing (from the bank...not a $45,000 boat ) we could not have had anymore fun than we did with all the money in the world. The memories from those trips will be with all of us till the end of time. You can't buy that with money.

All I am saying is when you do your budget...put all the things that you need first and see what that is going to cost and then start putting the things that you want in. If it weighs out more than you can handle then maybe this is not the life for you. Don't base your dream off someone else's budget and say you can't do it. Don't miss out on a time of your life that could be the best trip that you ever will take before you take that last one... and you know where that one is going.

And this to close out this subject...Boondocking. Sherri and I have boondocked all our RVing life. We have done it without generators converters solar panels wind turbines and the like. Why do you think you need to go out and spend all that money so you can "boondock". Good grief there was a time if you went "Camping" you were boondocking! We went in tents pop-ups and such and did not have to have all that. Granted you want TV Internet AC and a gourmet meal in the convection oven ...yes you have to have all those things but lets get real for a minute. If your going out and staying in one of Gods drop dead beautiful BLM parks with views that knock your socks off why are you watching TV?? Why are you reading my Journal when you could be out taking a hike in this great place and then come home and fix a meal over a fire and set and gaze at the stars and think about that poor schmo in town getting ready for bed so he can go in and do his 8 hours!!! OK nuff said...I will be out there come what may...That is right I don't have that kind of budget but I will have fun and will enjoy what few years the good Lord gives me to see this great land of ours and if you find me out there you come on over and I will share that porch with you. We will gaze at those stars together sharing a camp fire and lots of stories of places we have seen and those places we want to see Somewhere in Time

A Stick From an Angel

I know you are saying... What a title.. has he lost it? No not really I think I have gained a lot since receiving this wonderful present from a precious young lady who I refer to in the title as an angel and well she is. This is my fifth in line granddaughter Sarah Elizabeth. She presented me with a golden gift...not real gold but worth much more than gold...a stick which she had carved out of some wood that she picked up out of my shop some time back...when Poppa was not looking. I had my name penciled on it and from Sarah just right next to it. Now you can't get too many of those gifts in a life time. These are the kind of gifts that are straight from the heart and I don't guess anyone around has a heart as big as Sarah's. She is a very special young lady who came into my life some 8 years ago while I was in Dallas Texas working and she and her Mom were way down in Austin Texas getting to know each other for the first time. Maw was there but Poppa had to work...that thing us grown ups have to do for some time so we can put food on the table and buy all the little folks gifts. Well as soon as I was free that Friday I left to go and see her. From that moment on I knew my Mom had returned. You see my Mom had died several years prior to Sarah's birth and she knew I missed her very much so she talked the Lord into letting her come back as a little blond headed girl so that she could be with us all again.

My mom had always had trouble with her eyes as a young lady and later in life she had to have surgery to fix her eyes. Well my Sarah had trouble with her eyes and yes she had to have surgery to get hers fixed too. My mom got better and so did Sarah....they both had real blue eyes like pools of clear mountain water and they could cut right through you.

Sarah lets you know real quick that she is in charge of everything and if you fail to preform up to her expectations she will let you know. There are so many traits that she has that match my mother! The way she puts her hands on her hips when she is giving you that look...yes that was the same look my mom use to give me when she knew I was stretching the truth...which I did on occasions with out any reason just flowered things up somewhat. Some people say that I still do that but I have never noticed it myself.

The "Stick" will forever be with me. I will hang it on the wall from wince in came and shall admire it on a daily basis as Sarah and I create other treasures Somewhere in Time.

Thank you Sarah

Same Day But New Post

Yes I know I have already posted today but who makes the rules here? I was in chat tonight and getting along real peachy when all of a sudden the ol jam set in and I was once more all alone. So I made the decision...which I am able to do because I am the author of this story...to just post again and share some pictures of my grandchildren. Now you have to understand this is not all of them. I have two more stashed away in Kansas that I will present to you as soon as my son sends me some pictures that I can load on this journal. I am blessed to have nine G-kids that I am very proud of... and I show them often on this journal. They are everyone special to me by their own personalities...and not one of them the same. From the oldest to the youngest they all are so different and I would not have it any other way.

One day this journal will be all that they have of me and I hope that they read it and understand who I was and they know all my friends and what we all had in common. We all have the pioneer spirit that burned in so many brave souls hundreds of years ago. Who... if we had not been so fortunate to have we might never have been the great nation that we are. Exploring this wonderful land is and will always be a part of the American way. We should always keep that spirit of exploration in our everyday lives. I truly hope that all my children and grandchildren never stop wondering what is over the next rise. I know that we Dreamers are wired up that way and that is what makes our lives so interesting. It must have been the same feeling with the pioneers planning to leave out venturing across the plains not knowing what was over the next rise and when it was revealed to them the feeling they must have had seeing sights for the first time. I have been there and hope to be there over and over again.

Setting on a cold rock formation in Palo Durro canyon as a young boy I remember thinking of how it must have been setting in that same exact spot one hundred years ago and what would it be like. What would I be thinking ....maybe about someone one hundred years from now setting here and wondering what they would be thinking about. Really deep subject but I still have those feelings and thoughts when I am exploring. Wondering what happened here years before. Well I want to leave those feelings to be shared by my kids and one day maybe one of them will find themselves setting on that rock formation and they will know what happened here. I was there and they will feel the same way I did.

Below I have the pictures of some of the kids that are near and dear to me and I will add the other fellers when their dad gets me the pictures.






Ellie Grace ....Grace after her Maw Sherrilyn Grace

Meagan Racquel

Sarah Elizabeth (Louise Jr) Louise was my mother and she is living in Sarah's body I know it





Emily Gayle... after Jennifer Gayle...her mom my daughter

Jessica Sidney....Sidney after her Grandaddy my Dad

And then we have these two...Franki...after her Daddy Frank and Kristopher Scott after His Poppa Joe Scott and that would be me. Oh and the lady who had so much to do with all this

Sherrilyn Grace Turner Pitman my beloved wife and traveling partner for life.

So this is just another page out of history that will be stored away...Somewhere in Time.

What a Party!

Once more I am running behind this morning and have all good intentions of posting. I set my alarm for 5:00am but that did not rouse me at all. It must have been the party I attended last night in the RV-Dreams chat room. Everyone was there and I had more fun....Listen I have to go so tune back in later and I will fill you in on some of the stuff I remember...drinking and all clouds my memory somewhat....

I made it and after all the management meetings I have returned to my office for the most important part of my day....posting my journal. I have to have priorities and this is just how they are. There will come a time when the journal will come first to everything.

As I was saying above this morning...for whatever the reason my alarm...either did not go off...or when it did I slept through it. I mentioned to you that it could have been the party I attended last night. If you were not in chat you missed a great party...well the part I remember was great...it could have gone downhill after I blacked out. I do recall some lady jumping out of a cake...unclothed to put it nicely. Yes....I know...I said the same thing. I turned my head away but the vision stayed etched on my mind!! Oh dear I can't erase it. To make matters worse...the door bell rang about that time and two more ladies....(of the night I think) entered and forced me...yes FORCED me to dance with them on a table...well you can see where all this was going.

It was not too long into the night that Sherri...my sweet wonderful bride and bestest friend that I love and cherish with all my heart showed up and I tried to tell her that all this was FORCED on me and that I tried to fight my way out but that I had blacked out and could not get lose from them. Somebody out there will back me up on this story I know they will...

All I can say is that it was one of the best Birthday parties I have ever had short of some fraternity parties that I attended in college...I wont go there...My friends from the RV-Dreams Web site were there and they all wished me a Happy Birthday and many that could not make the party emailed me with cards and notes wishing me a good day. A guy could not ask for a better bunch of people to be associated with. I cannot wait to get out on the road and meet up with these folks and spend time with them on my porch. Thanks again to all of you that made January 12th 2009 one of the best parties I have ever had.

My Birthday is over...yes I know this and everything is back to normal. I am at that place I don't like to be at and I am having to do things I don't like to do and this will remain like this until March first when Sherri and I leave for Kerrville for the "Gathering". I know that we will have a blast there with all the Dreamers. I read the other day that Howard and Linda are thinking about a "Rally" at Kerrville next October!!! Stay tuned to RV-Dreams.com and see what happens.

OK I have said all I can for now. I am running out of time and things to tell you. Have a good day and stay safe out on life's highway. I will catch up with you Somewhere in Time.

Birthday Boy

Yes...it is my birthday and I am late getting to that place I go to. Well I can see this day is not going to be much different from all the others. I have to race out of here now but I will add more to this when I get to that place.

I am at that place and ready to add more goodies to the journal. On the way in this morning while weaving in and out of the NASCAR traffic I received a phone call from Jenny J one of my close chat friends on RV-Dreams.com. She had called me to wish me a happy birthday. Jenny that was soooo sweet of you to get up at 5:00 am and call an old guy like me. It was 7:00 am here and I was almost to my turn off. We talked for some time about my age Social Security and my trip that I am planning to the North Western United States...where Jenny just happens to live. We had such a good conversation and when I pulled into my parking space we said our good-byes and agreed to meet again tonight on chat. Oh and by the way Jenny...thanks so much for posting my photo on your blog. I now see this will probably be the last Birthday I get any calls or cards...once they see me for what I really am...LOL

Being that this is my Birthday... I want to let everyone know how much I appreciate all the cards and best wishes from all my Dreamer friends out there. It is so great to have made so many friends in the past two years on RV-Dreams Web site. And to think that they are scattered all over the USA and parts of Canada!

I received cards from:

Dee and Jim http://tumbleweed-jimdee.blogspot.com/
Sandra and Gordon http://srmerrikinblog.blogspot.com/
Jim and Ellie http://www.justravelin.blogspot.com/
Jesse and Ginger http://kram-a-lotinn.blogspot.com///
Ed and Marilyn http://mytripjournal.com/Dray-TheHappyWanderers&p=1
Mac and Nette's http://macandnette.blogspot.com/

I read all these Journals and enjoy them so much. I have another list that I read also and it keeps me very busy. Thanks to all the above for being so kind to me...I know it is because they feel sorry for me...TEE HEE

Charles (Roz) put a post on the forum about my birthday...I think he has a motive for doing that and I have yet to find out what it is. Thanks Charles and thanks to all that commented on the forum wishing me a happy day. Believe me you all make my day happy just knowing that I have you all for friends. Communicating on a daily basis with so many fine people ...all have like interest and being able to meet up as you travel through. Visiting and sharing day to day events with all of you makes my days go by quickly and leaves a smile on my face.

Sherri called me on her lunch break and wished me a Happy Day. Told me she long to be with me and that she was counting the moments that slowly ticked by. Oh how she wished that Thursday was here and that she could run to me like the two folks on that deodorant commercial coming into each others arms on the beach as the sun set in the background.
AHHHHH like no way did she even think those thoughts....It was more along the lines of Hey I am at lunch and we are eating lasagna and tossed green salad with Italian bread and all the trimmins....and whatcha eaten...Me?? Oh I am eating a hot dog with some chili and Frito's. Kinda broke off the diet for my birthday and the other 364 days....well I may do the same. I am also in Weight Watchers...I watch every ones weight and try to top them on the high side. So far I have been pretty successful.

You know it ain't so bad getting old really. I can forget what I want to and remember what I want to. I keep an uncluttered mind that way. I wish that I had some way to learn all of your birthdays out there. I would like to be able to send out wishes to all of you but I have no way of getting that information unless we all put that information on our profiles. I would not want to know your ages but it would be nice to know when someones birthday is so that I could send a card to you are post your picture on my journal...Jenny...So if I miss your birthday it is because I have no idea when it is.

Again I want to thank all of you for your kindness and wish you all a Happy Birthday....

Somewhere in Time.

Last Day to Relax

I think when it gets here me and this retirement thing are going to get along just fine! I am getting to where I don't automatically wake up at 5:00 am each morning like I use to when I was younger...last year...LOL. Now it could be almost 8:00 am when the old eyelids flutter open. Sherri on the other hand tries to stay in shape by getting up early each morning so that she does not have any trouble on road getting up in time for w*&k. Me....I am at the point I don't care!

I rolled over this morning and peered at the radio clock on the other side of the bedroom to see what time it was. It is a good thing that I don't need glasses for far away vision. I could see clearly that it was 12 minutes after 7:00 and Sherri was up and making coffee. I really did not want to get up but I knew that I needed to get something done today...what I had no idea but something. I slithered out of bed like a snake....thinking about the Campbell Soup commercial and the guy being dragged down the hall and stairs for lunch...not wanting to go. Well you have to see it to understand. OK I met Sherri in the kitchen and she just about had the coffee ready and we sat down in the recliners to complete our wake up.

Coffee was ready in a short and I made my sweet heart her first cup...got it wrong and had to go back but it is the thought that counts...right guys. We sat and drank two cups each and talked about our trip and what we needed to get done today. Sherri is looking to replace the lamp by our two recliners. The one that we have is really too short and she wants one taller. She found one at Marshall's that she says would work so I think she is going there today to get it...maybe. What is it with women....and I love you all... that they can't quite make up their minds??? Buy something bring it home and then take it back. Men....well we don't buy anything until we know we need it and by that time we know exactly what we need and what it looks like and what it cost and we go get it and we love it and keep it. I don't know...never will.

It is almost 9:00 am and I am still here just rambling on about nothing. Sherri makes fun of me because I put on my Native American music and listen to it while I post. She calls it my Pow Wow time. She said that one day she is going to come in and I will be wrapped up in a serape smoking a peace pipe. I just get the biggest kick out of her. I know she loves me??? I get tickled at what she says....and I can picture me doing that too. I will do just about anything....as you all well know. Maybe everyone knows me too well now that I have this journal. Well you don't have to second guess what I am thinking or what I do... you know me.

Sherri is getting ready to go to West Texas this week. She will be in Chico and Eastland. I will miss her keeping me straight. What will I do without her expert guidance? I will have to manage somehow. She will return next Thursday and then we will head to Wills Point to get our mail and complete some projects there. I have so many projects. I think of my Mentor Darrell Patterson. He is always trying to get caught up on his projects. TADO list as he calls it. I don't think that I will ever get there but then I really like having things to do.

OK I have bored you long enough with my dribble. I have to get started on this day. I am sure there is something to do Somewhere in Time.

Planning Our Trip

Last night before we went to bed we heard that the weather was going to get colder about 3:00 in the morning. We climbed into bed and it was warm enough at that time for the fan to be running on the AC. Sherri nor I can sleep if it is too warm...even in the winter. We have to have it cool or we both stop up and wake up with headaches. I turned the fan on just to keep the air moving... soon we were both lulled to sleep. About 3:00 just as the weatherman predicted the cold norther blew in and the temps inside started to chill somewhat. When the heater came on I new it was time to turn the fan off.

I went back to sleep and before I knew it the clock on the radio said it was 7:00. I got up and headed straight for the coffee pot and started it....jumped into the shower and got ready for the day. Sherri followed me up as soon as I was out of the shower and we both went down stairs to the den to drink our coffee. We sat in front of the fireplace and chatted about our trip in June. Soon we were both on the computers planning and routing the trip on Streets and Trips. As you know all out plans at this point are made in jello. We did plot a course that took us to the West coast in Washington and Oregon. Jenny you are on the way too. As soon as you get that part of our trip planned I will add it to the route.

I looked at the clock on the wall and it was almost 1:00pm and we had not even eaten! Sherri got up and made some omelets that were to die for. After brunch Sherri got ready for her trip to the stores. She had some stuff to take back that was not going to work in Somewhere in Time. I decided to stay behind today...just could not bring myself to go shopping. I have a couple of chores to see to today and this would be a good time to do them with her gone.

I put on some of my Native American music and sat down to post before I started working. I love the haunting sounds of the flute and guitar...just relaxes me and I float away....

Somewhere in Time.

Trouble in Chat

Well this morning started off not too bad. Sherri is home and all is well there. The alarm went off this morning and I was not to pleased to hear that but I have to get up and go in. You know where I am talking about. Sherri and I had our coffee this morning and got to visit some. We don't have just a lot of time in the mornings but we always try to talk some before I head out or she does.

Sherri took me to w*^k this morning because she was going to take the truck down for it's scheduled service. It was time to have the rear oil changed out. We had the filters changed and some other minor things done and I was surprised to only pay $200.00 for the whole thing. I think our next scheduled maintenance will be in 15,000 miles. Not too bad. I read where Jim and Ellie had theirs worked on and it was over $1000.00!! I felt real lucky with my bill.

OK so w*^k went as usual and I could not wait to get out of there. I called Sherri early and told her that I was ready to come home and to please come get me. She showed up about 4:00 and I was more than ready to go home. We really did not go home, however we went to Kohl's and looked for pillows. We bought some king size pillows for our bed and then headed home. It was good to get there.

We had our dinner and then went to the chat and that was another story. Any of you that were on chat tonight know what Sherri and i went through. We will try it again tomorrow night and maybe by then it will be working.

Better head on out now and make way for tomorrow see ya Somewhere in Time.

Gotter Done

This morning I made it up with the phone alarm . Yes I set my phone to wake me up and it came through for me. Yesterday I overslept and was a tad late for w*^k. This morning I had time to ease into the coffee and the shower and get out of the Somewhere in Time without tripping all over myself. I just have to get back into the swing of things. Going to bed early and getting up early is one thing I have not had to do in some time. This is Sherri Chatting and reading journals Somewhere in Time. She looks so relaxed!

OK like I said I got up on time and the drive in was not too crowded. Everyone on the NASCAR circuit were real nice so no shouting or yelling. I like it that way...I am not so tensed up when I get in. I got my w*^k squared away...had my Managers meeting and answered a few phone calls and then it was back to business as usual...reading journals and emails from those folks that really matter.

I did have an interesting message on the RV-Dream Forum...Charles (Roz) said that his emails to me were being blocked?? I have no idea what is going on but if any of you out there have had this problem please let me know. I don't block anyone's emails....do you know how long it took me to get you all as friends...I sure am not going to block you from communicating with me. I long for someone to email me and say hi. OK so I am desperate! I will be the first to admit it. Charles if you read this please try again to get through...or call.

I read my little heart out this morning and finally got caught up on journals. I have so many now that I can hardly keep up. Please excuse me if I comment on your journal and get something wrong...I have so many that sometimes I get confused! It really does not take much to set me in the "I have no clue" mode. OK I don't need any comments on that.

Today my sweet heart comes home and I can't wait for her return....NO not because I want here to cook for me...I have mastered that myself...I just like to have someone to talk to. I do have the chatters but it is just not the same. Here we have this new home and Sherri is off in some Motel room in some town w*^king?? At one time I was in that boat. We bought a new home in Charlotte North Carolina and I was never there. I think the whole time we lived there I was only home on Sundays and that was to pack so I could leave again. I know she is doing this for diesel money but it still is hard on us both. At least we will have diesel to make that 5600 mile trip this year.

I just received a picture of Rollie and Gina's new RV and truck. Rollie and Gina I hope you don't mind me sharing it with all our RV friends. What a truck! Do you think it will pull that trailer OK guys? I know you are excited about getting it on the road to Kerrville in March and Sherri and I can't wait to see it in person! Thanks for sharing it with me.

Well the clock on the wall says that I have rambled long enough and that I should get back to w*^k on my meaningless projects....NO NO I don't mean that I love my job. I leave you now to return to reality and the wonderful world of w*^k but I will return Somewhere in Time

Now this is a truck! Rollie and Gina do you think this will pull that trailer over the mountains?

My Job

I woke up this morning and the rain and sleet had left this part of Texas. I was delighted to see that it was drying outside and the temps had started to climb. I really overslept...it was 6:30 when my eyes fluttered open and you see I need to be in my chair at the office at 7:00 to deal with the first wave of whiners. I could see... that this morning that was not going to happen. I had fixed the coffee the night before so all I had to do was turn it on and jump into the shower. Showered shaved and dressed I was off and running in the NASCAR lane of the highway and before you could say..."I hate to go to W*^k" I was there.

At least I can work in a post between all the other things going on here. You know it makes me so mad when I am trying to hold a thought posting and the phone rings and people come in the office and ask questions...GEEE can't they see I am busy. I can't do this at home because I have to fix my dinner and get my coffee ready for tomorrow and get my clothes laid out and then get on chat and visit and then go eat my dinner and then watch the news and go to bed. See I have a full plate at home so I have to do everything here at work.

We have so many projects going on here and I have to head up some of them but I can't quite get into it for some reason. Don't get me wrong I care it just I don't have that Getty-up and go that I use to have. I guess that would be normal...and even if it is not that is just the way it is. I want to do the right thing but I am not going out of my way to do it. And that is how I feel about that.

My sister just called me to wish me a happy birthday and to tell you how far removed I am from everything I thought it was my birthday. Actually I looked at the calendar and today is the 6th and my birthday is not until the 12th! She and I both are way out there....LOL She sang to me and I just thanked her and then some time later I returned to reality and looked at the calendar GEE I am getting old. Jimmie I am trying to forget my birthdays and it looks like I am doing a good job of it. Jimmie called me back to tell me that it was not my birthday...I sure am glad I found that out before she called me.

Well I need to follow up on some things here...like I said I really don't want to but I need to. If someone else calls me for my birthday I think I am going to check into a home...LOL

Maybe I will remember that it is not my birthday and tell them...then again why make a big deal of it... I will have a birthday....Somewhere in Time

Back At W*^K Today

Here I set broken hearted...Yes I am at W*^K and yes I still hate it and yes I will be glad when the next five months pass. I need to start my count down to March first so it does not seem so long off...then I can start the count down to June first. I will do what ever it takes to make the time go by fast. Just behind my desk is a calendar on the wall with all the days marked off up to today. I will keep this up to date until I leave.

Sherri is still at home...I spoke to her just a minute ago and she said Randy called and post pone leaving until 7:00 this evening . They only have to go to Tyler Texas and it is a short drive so he decided to leave later. OK that is great I get to spend more time with her...well as soon as I get off w*^k. She said that she would fix us some dinner tonight...chicken and salad sounds good dear. I don't really care we are on this diet and I am so hungry I could eat the tires off my truck. I have to lose 20 lbs between now and March and it is not going to be easy for me. I love the wrong kinds of food and those are the things that I have to give up!! GEEE

We are trying to revamp our budget and cut some more fat out. Now that we have gone from debt free to paying for the new trailer we are wanting to slim down the spending so that we will not have to give up too much while we are traveling. I know one thing we cannot go out to eat like many of our friends do. We will have to eat at home more and conserve our groceries so they will last us longer. I know we can do that cause we have had to do that most of our married life. With 4 children we always made meals last at least two days so we could keep gas in the cars. I took my lunch to w*^k everyday for 40 years and before that I had a meal card in college...OH I can't forget about the time I spent in the service I took my C-rations with me to w*^k.

There will be many things that we read about other people doing that we wont be able to do. Some folks travel and see something every day...can't do that we will have to spread out our sight seeing to accommodate our fuel. You know after I think about this we will really be living as we always lived. Sherri and I have found the simple things... that did not cost a lot of money... to do and see and really have had so much fun doing them. We will just keep doing that and still have the fun we have always had. Our trips have consisted of hiking and boating around lakes and streams and most all the adventures we have had are free to some extent. We have never been long on expensive theme parks and costly tourist traps. I believe that we will make out just fine eating at home and doing our thing as we always have.

Many of the journals I have been reading have made me aware that there are many Camp Grounds out there that are inexpensive if you stay a month or more. We can do that and see the sights around there and then move on to the next adventure. We get real excited when we start planning trips and seeing what all there is to see in one area that does not cost an arm and leg to see. This will be an adventure in itself...just planning trips that fall within our budget. I see us having so much fun no mater what the economy does. Sherri and I have always been survivors and made the most of what we had and I see us continuing on in that same fashion.

As we plan our trip to the North West... we will keep you all abreast of it as it unfolds. As many of you out there... we will set our plans in Jello so that they can be re-shaped as we get feed back from all our readers. We will take suggestions on where to go and what to do when we get there. I already have Jenny working on a plan for her area of the country. Sherri and I are trying to talk her into coming back down south with us when we go. She needs to get away from all that cold weather and relax down south.

OK I have rambled long enough so I will depart from this journal and leave you to better things. I am sure that we will meet again on this same channel Somewhere in Time.

Up date on project completed

Sherri and I woke up this morning and we could tell that the cold front had passed through or should I say that it was outside our RV....it was cool. We had the AC on last night before going to bed because it was warm...now the furnace needed to be turned on and I was elected to get out from under the warm covers and turn it on. While I was up shivering I put a pot of coffee on and then returned to bed to get warm. Sherri was upset that I raised the covers to get back in bed and it let in too much cold...GEEE I turned on the heat made the coffee and she got cold when I turned the cover back to get in bed...Go figure.

Past that we both could feel the warmth starting to fill the RV...the aroma of the coffee also crept into the bedroom and soon we were both up and headed for the recliners. Coffee sipping started and believe it or not Sherri started talking about our trip in June to the West coast. Dortha and Mark and Jim and Ellie were planning the same trip starting in Montana and heading West. We might end up meeting them along the way if that all comes to pass.

I wrote in my journal that I had a project started to get some drawers built for Sherri's cabinets. The cabinet next to the sink was designed for a dishwasher...which we opted not to get so this cabinet has no shelves or drawers. Sherri needed room for dishes so I built drawers to go in the cabinet and now she has a place to put her dishes. The cabinet directly across from this area has no shelves or drawers either so I built three drawers in that cabinet and now she has an extension to her pantry. All is well now in the kitchen of our new home...by the way which has been named "Somewhere in Time". It was out there and we both knew that somewhere and some time we would get it so the name fits well.

Sherri is working on her reservations for Monday. Yes she has to return to w*^k Monday and so do I. I know that it will be hectic from now until June but I think that I can bare up to it as long as I know that June one I will be on the road with all my friends. Mark and Jim were both saying that this time will pass fast and I hope they are correct in their thinking.

Today holds a run to the Kroger's down the street. I have to fill the fridge with food for my lunches and dinners at night. Sherri will be gone and I have to do for myself. If I can get some fast stuff to fix for dinner at night then I will have more time to chat. I hope to get on at 7:00 pm each night and at least stay on for an hour. This will give me time to eat and get ready for the next day of w*^k...I hate to type that word...my mentor Darrell Patterson taught me how to get around typing it out and I will practice that from now on Darrell.

Well Sherri is through in the shower and it is my turn so I better head on in there and get ready for this day. I have no idea if it is going to be cold or warm or what today. We will soon find out when we get out to do the grocery shopping. I will catch you all later Somewhere in Time.

Matching the stain was the hardest part but I think we hit it pretty close. I need a couple of coats of sealer to finish it off.

Sherri keeps all her light weight groceries in the upper cabinets and the heavier ones down in the new drawers. Her heavy plates and cups are kept in the lower drawers.