My Family Reports In From Galveston

I am still at work today and counting the minutes until it is time to return to a better place. We had the kids this weekend and really had a good time entertaining them. I know they enjoyed it for they did not want to go home Sunday. they pushed and pushed for us to do more so they could drag out their stay. It makes us feel good when the kids like to stay with us..we feel young again. You know how it is when you get so old that the kids do not want to come and stay with you anymore. You become that old fart that is no longer any fun. There is still hope for both of us.

Well today I received the first group of pictures from my Jim and June in Galveston. The pictures tell it all. I just can't imagine coming home to such a mess and being able to start over like I know they will. I have to assume the first picture is that of their belongings that will have to be hauled off to the dump? I don't guess you would be able to salvage much that had been under 7 foot of water for this long?
Seven foot of water just pushed all the walls out and with very little effort. In doing so all was exposed to the elements and much was washed away in the surge.

Neighbors alike lost most everything on the bottom floors of their homes. I am not sure what the extent of the damage was upstairs.
Jim still manages a smile after all that has happened. Be careful on that ladder old buddy. You need to stay healthy to get this done.
This is the upstairs bedroom...one of the few pictures of upstairs. I am not sure if this damaged was incured due to rain or wind or both.
This is the down stairs den area that was under water. You can see the stair well in the background going to the second floor.

Hey Bro give me a call and I will make plans to come down and rebuild your bar and anything else you need me to do. Now that I am getting close to retirement I can get out of here and go places without too much problem. I know there will be some work left for me to do.

OK this is just one of the many folks in Galveston with this problem If you can imagine all the people down there with this amount of damage and more...what the clean up cost will be let alone the rebuilding cost. I know that they will all prevail and once again regain their lives..

Somewhere in Time

A Busy Day

Sherri took me to work this morning and dropped me off. She was on her way to Wills Point to pick up our mail and two of the g-kids. Yes we will have some visitors when I get home.

I am at the office now and most all the people here have gone home. I called Sherri and she is about 30 minutes away so this will be a short post. I just wanted to come on and let everyone know that February will be my last month...or maybe December...or November....Sherri said she was ready anytime I was ...and you know what I think...LOL

We will see what happens in the next couple of months and put together a plan. One that we can both live with. I really don't have to wait on my re-evaluation before I retire but I do need to get my physical and Sherri needs some things done so we will have between now and then to get those things seen about. I know she and I both will feel better knowing that we are going to live at least another few years before we have to take that dirt nap.

I know that our first big trip will be the "Gathering" in Kerrville and then from there I have no idea. We will see. I know when it gets hot I am going north and then when it gets cold it is back down south.

Well it is time for me to sign off here and take that long walk up to the front of the building and wait on my ride. I will have some pictures of our fun weekend the next time I post and I will share them with you Somewhere in Time.

This morning I made it in OK no problems...except the usual NASCAR drivers on the highway. You know the people that just have to be in front of you. I just hate that...I will be driving along at the speed limit and this driver has to pass me and pull in front of me and then slow down....just so they can be in front?? Go figure.

My work day was spent working on Open Office by Sun. You might have seen it mentioned on the Forum. It is a free download run on Java and it is free to use. No license to buy etc. We are seeing if it will work with our office data sheets. We store so much Data on Excel and we have to buy so many licenses so this would save us a lot of money. Anyway I have been working on it all day to see how it operates. I guess I will be on that little project the rest of this week.

Sherri will be home soon. I am waiting for her called. Randy will bring her to his house and then I have to drive there to pick her up. Of course the time she arrives is right at rush hour traffic. Oh well I don't mind she is worth it. LOL

I have all my chores done here except I did not get the sheets washed on the bed but we can do that later. I only slept on one side...

OK I have to get things together and get ready for her phone call... I will catch you all on the other side Somewhere in Time.

This Could Rush Me Along Some

Well I got up this morning with the same sick feeling I had the morning before and the morning before that...It seems that I have an inherent disgust for work and therefore I have this morning sickness that I cannot shake! The thought of dealing with the same dribble that I have been tied to for 35 years is about to drive me over the hill and into the river...in my boat if I am lucky.

Now with the "Bailout" oh Geeee what next. You know you wait 45 years to retire and plan out what little you have left of your life and they tell you that the country is about to go in the Toilet! What next??? they may Nuke us next year....there goes my trip to Colorado! Then Social Security runs out....there goes my trip to the West coast....we re-elect the same Congress back in to Washington and there goes the rest of my life savings. The only trip that I will see is the one to the poor house!

OK on a brighter note Sherri comes home tomorrow. She will make me feel better. I have eaten all the wrong food since she has been gone and I need to have her here to tell me all the things that I am doing wrong. I feel so much better when I am up dated on my faults. I need to have her here so she can tell me where to park in the Kroger's parking lot. The other day I drove around for some time trying to find that right spot....I was blank I need my navigator to help me.

NO Speedy is not cracking up...yet...he is just tired and needs some rest and relaxation. R&R as it was referred to in the service. Maybe my early out will come first and I will have the best of both worlds. This reminds me of the Service in a way...any of you men and women that were overseas during Vietnam remember when you were "Short" and you knew in just a few months you would be going back to the "World" and you worried that you would never make it to that plane....Well that is the same feeling I have now. All the problems this country is going through and I feel like I need to get out of here before that rocket round lands on my head!

I am depressing myself! Well I better move on to washing the dishes and doing another load of laundry before I go to bed...I need to chat some tonight and maybe my friends will cheer me up. I need a shot of humor before that alarm goes off again in the morning ...UGH! Well until next time I will wisp myself away Somewhere in Time.

Howard Hit a Home Run!

Well Howard you did it...you smacked it out of the park today with that R A N T you blasted out on the old Journal. If you have not had the chance to read Howard's post you should leave now and go read it. He hit all the nails on all there little round heads and drove them plum through the board.

Sorry to say I don't believe it will do much good though. So many people will go into the night and vote a straight ticket...those that will get off the couch...pull themselves away from the Sports network....the others will set quietly by and bone up on the best running back or the best batting average going into the world series. I think I read somewhere... in Rome it was... that the Romans had the G A M E S to keep the populist busy while the politicians chiseled away at their earnings. HUUUM sound familiar.

Be not surprised when this government announces that we are filing world wide bankruptcy! Sorry John Doe citizen we cannot make you SS payment this month we have no money we gave it all to the Loan company that hounded your butt for years because you did not make your payment on time. Oh and that little extra that we extracted from your 401K when you cashed it in so you could retire....well we gave that to some illegal that popped in across the boarder because we are really good people here in America.

Yes, much the same as Howard, I am surprised that we keep putting the same morons back in office year after year giving them bigger and bigger raises extending their retirement benefits allowing them to NOT show up for work except money from special interest groups not fix any of the problems that we have here and when they run for re-election we seem to forget that they have not done one thing to make our lives better.

Why should they fix Social Security??? They have a retirement plan that is Par Excellence!!! Why do they not fix health care.... their plan is Par Excellence...Why not fix oil and gas prices...we pay for their travel...Why not do something for unemployment...they are employed by rubber stamp. This list can go on and on but I think you see my point.

I am not R A N T I N G I am going quietly into the night and retire while I can...hold out as long as I keep getting that check and I will continue to vote my conscience... not a political party...for what that has been worth all these years? I have taught all my kids to think before you vote and vote for what you believe in...no mater what party it might be. I just hope that they can get through the mess WE have left them.

OK I will stop here and tell you I have a right to gripe for I have served my country in time of war I am a disabled vet... have paid my taxes...followed the laws of this great country and have voted in every election since I was old enough to vote. I have done more for this country than most politicians in all the years they have served in Congress. Now I am old and I am running out of steam so I will pass the baton on to my children and hope that they can find a way to continue the fight and keep this the greatest country in the world.

Don't put off that retirement for better times...I think better times are coming after you retire.

I hope to see you all out on that highway Somewhere in Time

Over 100 Channels...Where Do I Start???

OK the installer will be here in about one hour and I will have Dish Network...100 plus channels and I have no idea what to watch?? I will probably just watch my Monday night favorites that I get on the wimpy antenna I have now. Oh well after they are over I will have plenty to watch for sure.

Of course Sherri is out of town so I wont have my best friend here to enjoy it with me but she will return Thursday. Our little buddy from Wills Point will be coming to see us next Thursday also and there wont be much TV watching going on when he hits the door for sure.

I really do not have much to relay to you tonight. Work Sucked as usual and I still don't like going in so that has not changed. Let me see the boss gave me some more assignments to do so my staff will be busy this week catching up on all his little projects. I hope they don't think I am going to do them ....I have journals to read and several trips to plan. That reminds me I need to find my Rand McNally travel disk I lost here. You would think living in 300 square foot a guy could not lose anything...Well think again I did it.

I will have to plan out the search pattern I will take to find that disk. It will take me some time and I have to think about dinner tonight laundry needs to be completed Dish guy will be here shortly...speaking of dish I need to do them. OK so I have plenty to do and I should get started on that list of things. I will leave you with this word of advise...I can't think of one word of advise OK that gives me one more chore to do ....think of a word of advise...as soon as I come up with I will get back with you Somewhere in Time.

Saving Space For Tomorrow

Hello....my Name is Brant and my Poppa wanted me to come on here and tell you that he is watching the Dallas Cowboy game tonight and he will not be posting anything this evening. I am a new Cowboy fan...I was born in August and this is my first season. My Maw bought me this hat I have on and she made sure that it would be just like my Dads hat. My Dad is a Cowboy fan too even though he and I live in Kansas we like the Cowboys....How bout that Jessica Simpson...Wooo. My big brother likes the Cowboys and he has a hat too. Well I have to go now I think my Dad and Mom are bout to turn on the game...sure hope they let me stay up and watch it...I will have to have a bottle before it starts though...my Poppa has several bottles during the game but they are not like mine???

Here are some more pictures of me for those ladies that are not going to watch the game. You may enjoy seeing how cute I am. OK I am out of here...I'll see you Somewhere in Time







I have a chin like my Poppa...I mean that is OK...He has hair on his

I am ready for the game ....GO COWBOYS I have my game face on tonight

This is my Mom and the lady holding me is my Maw...We are in my new room... Cool









I have my Maw wrapped around my finger....she will be good for several toys.

Meeting New Friends Along Lifes Highway

Well I told you I had some pictures...didn't say they were the best...but I do have some pictures. I guess we would have some better ones but Lynette's camera's battery petered out...Yeah it was Mac's fault...I knew we had something in common Mac...TE HE

As I said in my other journal post Sherri and Lynette had toooo much in common and Mac and I had to pry them apart...but I guess if Mac and I had a little beer they would have had plenty of time to talk...right Mac. Once more we would like you both to know that we had so much fun and I will send you the copies of these pictures.
Well we moved on down the road and got to the kids house about 5:30 and Brice was waiting for us outside when we got there. Evan was playing in the garage and our new little feller was inside eating dinner...but soon his mommy let him come out to play with Poppa and this was my first time to to hold him...man do I look happy or what! He is such a hansom young man just like his Dad was and his Poppa...well for sure his Dad.
I am sure that over the years he will come to know me better because I will be able to come and see him more often after I retire! Maw says we will be coming through KC much more often than ever before...OHHHH says the kids LOL.
Then Maw had her turn...she got to hold all the girl babies first...I get all the boy babies. Do ya think she likes him??? After she got her turn I don't think I got another??? LOL.

We had so much fun at the kids house. They always go out of their way to make us feel right at home and this time was no different. We ate good and visited long and Brice broke out the videos of Evan which we enjoyed so much. Brice is like me when it comes to filming videos...he and I both will just let the camera run for ever even if the subject is just setting there ...LOL we are so creative. He did have some videos that I encouraged him to send in to Best Home Videos. They are so funny....Son you really need to.

We only had one day to visit with the kids but it was well spent getting to know them. When you only get to go twice a year you have to become re-acquainted all over...kids have a tendency to forget you if you stay away too long...but the night before we left Evan came down the hall and gave me a great big hug and let me tell you....that paid for my trip. Getting to hold that new little feller was worth about $1 million an oz...Sherri will tell you tha

I will join you later Somewhere in Time

We Made It To Kansas

We got out of town about 8:00 instead of 6:00 we had planed on...oh well that is the way it goes with us. We had planned on getting to Ottawa Kansas about 1:00 to meet up with Netters and Mac but it was around 3:30 before we got there. I called Netters and told her we would be late and she understood...almost like she knew that we would be...she must know us too well already!

We planned to meet them in Ottawa at the Applebee's right off 35 north...directions seemed real simple when she gave them to me...but you know Speedy....drove right by it and up the road till we ran out of building and all that was left was fields. We stopped and called and they told us we were correct in our turn etc but evidently we just drove past it...sure nuff we had. By that time they were parked in the parking lot and saw us drive right by it again...I am sure they were thinking...These people are going to full time??? They told us to turn around and got us there OK....HE HE that is par for the course in our case.

Mac and Netters were just as I had pictured them...and we had such a good time visiting. Sherri and Lynette ..I think that is the correct spelling ??? hit it off right away and found so much in common. Mac and I also found out that we both like similar things ....beer is one of them LOL I can see that he and I will be setting on the old porch often when we meet up so we can drink and tell stories.

We had Malts and the girls had ice cream and we just set there and had the best time visiting and trying to line ourselves up for those future visits as soon as we all retire. They plan on being at Kerrville next year for couple of weeks and so we will be catching up with them then. They may have their new trailer by then so it will be fun to see what they end up with.

We had to say our good-byes a little too soon because we had to head on to Kansas City and be there in time for dinner with the kids. Thanks Mac and Lynette for taking time out of your day to meet up with us. It means so much to us to meet our Dreamer friends and spend time with them no matter how short the visit may be .

I know over time...after we retire and head out on the road...we will have the opportunity to meet up with so many new folks and the thrill of having so many people scattered out all over this great land that we can meet up with and get to know.

I have pictures that I will post as soon as I am back home and can down load them off the camera. I will send your pictures Lynette at that time.

Hey gang we will meet you all Somewhere in Time.

And the Audience Answer Was....

F E B R U A R Y!!!!

You know that is the answer I really wanted to hear and the more I think on this and the comments so many of you left for me I don't know if those last few months would be worth it.

I read Howard's journal entry dated Sept. 11th and I knew then that the opportunity I have now is one that comes once in your life and if you should put it off and it passes you by, for whatever the reason you could lose out on the best years you have left.

I know Sherri and I wont have money to do a lot of things that so many of you get to do but having the chance to spend some time with all the Dreamers would be the greatest moments in our lives. Just being able to pick up and see some other part of this country and enjoy the sights and adventures that are out there would be well worth taking off a little early.

We know that we could Workamp some if we have to...many of you do...and that will help us have a little extra to do other things....soooo we will be thinking hard on this. I want Sherri to be comfortable with it too...she will be making 50% of the decision.

Again I would like to thank all of you out there for your comments. It is great to have people that you can go to for help when those hard questions come up in your life. Even if I should pass on tomorrow I will know that I have been with so many wonderful people and that will make my journey well worth the effort Somewhere in Time.

This weekend we are headed to KC to see these guys below. They don't get to see us but once or twice a year so we will have to re-introduce ourselves to them again. I will try to post while I am up there and send some pictures of my little buddies.

Another Day in The Life

We both went to work this morning and can't say much about that for fear I will vomit. I get so nauseous when the alarm goes off and I have to get up and hurry to get ready to go somewhere I don't want to go. Sherri is sharing some of the same feelings and I know she is ready to hang it up. We read the journals of all our friends and every time we read them we get so jealous of them getting to go new places and see new things...and here we set only looking forward to the time we can go home!

Sherri and I entered into that discussion on the way home today from Wal Mart. When should we retire?? I think I would like to wait until August and then again we start thinking about places to go and when we can go there...Oh what to do. We need to make up our mind because my boss needs to know when I will be gone. Believe it or not he has to get my replacement.

Sherri and I are thinking about heading down to Galveston to help my sister and BIL get their house back in order after the hurricane. They have lost the entire downstairs to 7 ft of sea water coming through. After looking at some of the pictures on the Internet I can see how bad this one was. We will wait and see what they think about it and then make a plan if we can be of assistance.

I guess we will have to give this some more thought...Right now it is one of two...February 09 or August 09. What do you think...which would you think would be the right time??? Think it over and give me your feedback... We need to know the Pros and Cons so let us have it with both barrels...We will be waiting...Somewhere in Time.