My family has always been avid campers. Granddaddy retired after my grandmom died. She did not like to travel. He had always wanted to see the country. So when my grandfather remarried, they bought a motor home and started traveling. They were voted King and Queen of some national camping association when he was well in his 70’s. They traveled to most of the continental USA including Alaska and parts of Canada. They wore out the first motor home and put 30,000 miles on the second.
My granddad had had open heart surgery in his late 70’s which led to him losing his right leg just above the knee when he was 80. He bought a hand control for the motor home so he could keep traveling. He also put a trailer hitch on the front of his truck when he could no longer back his boat trailer in the barn. He would get it as close to the barn as he could, unhitch it, turn his truck around, hitch the trailer to the front and drive it into the barn.
But this story isn’t about my granddad, it is about the motor home.
When my granddad died at 85, my mother inherited the second motor home. He had not driven it in about a year. My mother had remarried after my dad died and her second husband, Mr. R had never been anywhere except Ohio and Alabama. So when she inherited the motor home, they decided to head out on the road to Arizona where his son in law lived.
My mom made lists, planned, cleaned, and packed the motor home. Mr. R had the oil changed, aired the tires, and put the bicycles on the homemade rack attached to the back bumper. Mr. R didn’t believe in cell phones so they took a couple of rolls of quarters for payphones. Before first light, a very excited elderly couple hit the road headed west.
Before they got an hour from the house, they blew a radiator hose. They flagged down a car driven by one of my mom’s distance cousin’s to get someone to help change out the hose. They sat on the road for a couple of hours waiting but were not deterred. Off they went again once the repair was completed.
They were halfway between the Alabama state line and Jackson, MS when a car motioned them over. He had been trying to catch up to them for about 20 minutes because sparks were flying out from under the motor home. The weld holding the rack on the back had broken loose and was bouncing off the highway. One of the bikes was almost bounced out of the rack. Mr. R said that these things were bound to happen since it had not been used in a year. He opened the side door and put the bicycles inside on the bed. They took up most of the interior room but it would work until they could get someone to re-weld the rack. They thanked the man, used bailing wire to hold up the now empty rack, and continued merrily westward.
Upon reaching TX, they decided to find a campground for the night. They were tired and behind schedule due to the unexpected complications. They paid, found a spot and started setting up camp. Mr. R went to unlock the side door to remove the bikes so that they could go to bed. The door would not unlock. His excitement about camping was wearing thin by this time. Mom went in through the passenger door and tried to open the door from the inside…no luck. The door lock was broken. The bikes were too large to fit over the seats or get out of the doors so they could not be removed from the camper. So, they both slept together on the “couch / gaucho” seat that couldn’t be folded down because one of the bikes was in the way.
Even mom was not very happy when morning came and Mr. R was just down right disagreeable. They walked to the campground office and found a number of someone that agreed to come to their site to fix the lock. He fixed the lock and re-welded the rack. Mom did some major talking to convince Mr. R to continue on their trip. She finally succeeded and shortly after lunch, with bikes firmly reseated in the outside rack, they apprehensively continued on their adventure.
About halfway across TX in the middle of nowhere in pouring down rain, they had a blowout. It was a rear inside wheel so mom didn’t feel it blow. They only knew that they had yet another problem when they heard the ruined tire slapping the underside of the wheel well. Mr. R went put out in the pouring rain to place his warning triangles. Mom turned on the flashers and they waited and waited and waited…..6 hours and two state troopers later, a trucker stopped and asked if they needed help. He called a tow truck for them and waited with them till the tow truck arrived. They were towed to town to a tire dealer. The shop had already closed for the evening so without dinner, they got ready to go to bed in the parking lot.
When they opened the cabinet over the tire well to get their sheets and clothes, they found everything soaking wet. The blown tire tread had beaten a hole in the underside of the cabinet slinging gallons of water into the cabinet. Mr. R started cussing …a rarity in front of my mom…..and my never swearing mom even said, “Well I’ll be damn!”
They walked to a motel and rented a room. The next morning, they were told that all the tires were dry rotted and had to be replaced to the tune of $700. He could not fix the tire well but found a motor home repair shop in the next town. So they paid for the tires and drove to the next town. It took 4 days and $1200 to get the hole fixed. Meanwhile they had to stay in a motel.
They never made it to Arizona but decided to return home before anything else broke. Mr. R said that IF they made it home, he planned to drive the thing into Smith Lake. Mom never said a word. They made it back to Alabama but never took the thing home. They stopped at the first motor home dealership and left it with a big “for sale” sign on it. They called a friend to come get them and take them home.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Long Time No Post
I got back from Seattle, school started, and bam ...no time for anything but lesson plans and grading papers! I do not even have the time to read other posts but once or twice a week. The last time the yard got mowed...I had to pay someone to do it. I LIKE mowing the yard so that sucked!
I have gotten to do a few interesting things since school started.
Sharon and I took a couple of friends on a outing to Cathedral Caverns. Had a picnic and got a huge ice cream on the way home.
Sharon and I went to Oak Mountain State Park and learned how to kayak. That was the most fun that I have had in a long time.
We also went to Chattanooga, TN and took a course on reflexology. I have to do 14 foot treatments before I can get my certification. I have done 3 of them already. Could this be my plan C?
A long lost friend got in touch with me and we went out to dinner. I was worried that too much time had passed (over 10 years) and dinner would be strained. It wasn't and I had a good time. She told me that she bought two kayaks 6 years ago. Hummm.....
I am still working out with my trainer three days a week. Can't loose any weight but I fell better and I am stronger. I have been in the gym since March ..... being over 40 sucks for weight loss! I never had a problem till I tuned 40.
The librarian at school died Monday afternoon from a stroke. Kinda scary since she and I were born the same year!
School is wild. I like my students but I am tired already. I usually don't hit this wall until Spring Break. All my classes are full and I have no upper level classes this year. This means lots of paperwork on those regular ed students that are failing. I have to do the same paperwork for a kid that shows up, is trying as hard as they can as I do for kid that never comes to school or does not do their work. Thanks W ....no child left behind my arse. I also have a whole slew of special eds and ESL students with accompanying paperwork.
Please don't misunderstand me. I get the biggest kick out of showing a kid that has had limited or no success in math that they can be successful! I love those kids but our system is upside down. Those classes should be small so that a teacher can establish a relationship with each child and give them the individualized attention that they need to be successful. Kids that have always been successful in math are sitting in upper level classes with 10 -12 others. You could stick them in a room with a book and they could teach themselves with little to no help.
I went to our Homecoming football game and was overrun with those "struggling" kids that I had in the past. They chased me down or came and sat with me so they could tell me that they passed their math classes in college with A's or B's. One is headed to law school after completing a marketing degree. Two will be doing their student teaching in the next couple of semesters. One is graduating with honors in three years instead of four. Several dropped out of college but they made sure that I knew that they were gainfully employed. All of them went out of their way to speak to me. I got hugs from all but one. I got a warm handshake from him. I wear my cop persona at school so hugs are not the norm. Great ego boost that was needed!
Mom is getting established and keeping busy. That helps. My brother-in-law had his surgery and seems to be holding his own.
Oh ...we had some great company ... Sharon's SIL and the kids. We took them to Tate Farms and even though it was very hot for this time of year ...we had a great time!
I have gotten to do a few interesting things since school started.
Sharon and I took a couple of friends on a outing to Cathedral Caverns. Had a picnic and got a huge ice cream on the way home.
Sharon and I went to Oak Mountain State Park and learned how to kayak. That was the most fun that I have had in a long time.
We also went to Chattanooga, TN and took a course on reflexology. I have to do 14 foot treatments before I can get my certification. I have done 3 of them already. Could this be my plan C?
A long lost friend got in touch with me and we went out to dinner. I was worried that too much time had passed (over 10 years) and dinner would be strained. It wasn't and I had a good time. She told me that she bought two kayaks 6 years ago. Hummm.....
I am still working out with my trainer three days a week. Can't loose any weight but I fell better and I am stronger. I have been in the gym since March ..... being over 40 sucks for weight loss! I never had a problem till I tuned 40.
The librarian at school died Monday afternoon from a stroke. Kinda scary since she and I were born the same year!
School is wild. I like my students but I am tired already. I usually don't hit this wall until Spring Break. All my classes are full and I have no upper level classes this year. This means lots of paperwork on those regular ed students that are failing. I have to do the same paperwork for a kid that shows up, is trying as hard as they can as I do for kid that never comes to school or does not do their work. Thanks W ....no child left behind my arse. I also have a whole slew of special eds and ESL students with accompanying paperwork.
Please don't misunderstand me. I get the biggest kick out of showing a kid that has had limited or no success in math that they can be successful! I love those kids but our system is upside down. Those classes should be small so that a teacher can establish a relationship with each child and give them the individualized attention that they need to be successful. Kids that have always been successful in math are sitting in upper level classes with 10 -12 others. You could stick them in a room with a book and they could teach themselves with little to no help.
I went to our Homecoming football game and was overrun with those "struggling" kids that I had in the past. They chased me down or came and sat with me so they could tell me that they passed their math classes in college with A's or B's. One is headed to law school after completing a marketing degree. Two will be doing their student teaching in the next couple of semesters. One is graduating with honors in three years instead of four. Several dropped out of college but they made sure that I knew that they were gainfully employed. All of them went out of their way to speak to me. I got hugs from all but one. I got a warm handshake from him. I wear my cop persona at school so hugs are not the norm. Great ego boost that was needed!
Mom is getting established and keeping busy. That helps. My brother-in-law had his surgery and seems to be holding his own.
Oh ...we had some great company ... Sharon's SIL and the kids. We took them to Tate Farms and even though it was very hot for this time of year ...we had a great time!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Stolen from Sassy Femme
"INTJs are natural leaders, although they usually choose to remain in the background until they see a real need to take over the lead. When they are in leadership roles, they are quite effective, because they are able to objectively see the reality of a situation, and are adaptable enough to change things which aren't working well. They are the supreme strategists - always scanning available ideas and concepts and weighing them against their current strategy, to plan for every conceivable contingency. "
- Portrait of an INTJ (The Personality Page)
I think that this is pretty right on although being Southern, my feeling side is also pretty developed. The major thing that bothers me about my current job is that I am trapped inside. I spend my whole summer break in the yard or outside somewhere doing something. Chores inside are not likely to get accomplished until it gets cold.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
What Were You Doing in 1960
Stolen from Cedarflame:
| In 1960 (the year you were born) |
 Dwight Eisenhower is president of the US Sit-ins being after 4 black college students in North Carolina refuse to move from a deli counter when denied service A U-2 reconnaissance plane belonging to the US is shot down in the Soviet Union Hurricane "Donna" strikes the East Coast causing over 100 deaths in the US and the Antilles John F. Kennedy defeats Vice President Richard Nixon in the presidential race Cassius Clay (who later took the name Muhammad Ali) wins his first professional fight Michael Stipe, Tony Robbins, Bono, John F. Kennedy, Jr., and Jeffrey Dahmer are born Pittsburgh Pirates win the World Series Philadelphia Eagles win the NFL championship Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is the top grossing film To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is published The Beatles make their debut in Hamburg, Germany The Flintstones debut |
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Finally ..It Rained BIG
Today after church, we planned to go to Point Duck to watch the finals of the Timbersports. We watched the quarter finals yesterday and had a hoot. We met up with my mom, step-niece, and her daughter (What would that be….step great niece or something?) to go to eat prior to going to the Duck.
I was driving my mother’s van with mom and SGN in tow and Sharon was driving my car accompanied by my step niece. We only got a mile or so from the restaurant when the rain started coming down in sheets. I am not about to complain about any rain because we need lots of it. It was accompanied by a very strong wind and some impressive lightening.
All of a sudden, a very tall, very dead pine tree broke, falling toward the highway. On the way down, it caught two high powered utility lines. It pushed the top line into the one below causing a most impressive arc with accompanying flash…bang…and smoke. I think that the arc blew a hole in the ground when it hit. My 16 year old SGN was startled but otherwise impressed with my ability to avoid said tree and following explosion. Sharon handled not running into the back of mom’s van with ease and expertise.
We went about 5 more miles before the rain was so blinding that I thought it best to pull off the road and wait before driving down tree lined streets to the Duck. The road turned into a creek so we nixed the former plan and started home.
Power was out all over town so the traffic lights were not functioning. We went through the intersection of two major highways with no traffic control just minutes after an officer arrived to direct traffic. It is too large an intersection for only one officer but that is all they had…one very wet unhappy female officer. I DO NOT MISS THOSE DAYS!
I was driving my mother’s van with mom and SGN in tow and Sharon was driving my car accompanied by my step niece. We only got a mile or so from the restaurant when the rain started coming down in sheets. I am not about to complain about any rain because we need lots of it. It was accompanied by a very strong wind and some impressive lightening.
All of a sudden, a very tall, very dead pine tree broke, falling toward the highway. On the way down, it caught two high powered utility lines. It pushed the top line into the one below causing a most impressive arc with accompanying flash…bang…and smoke. I think that the arc blew a hole in the ground when it hit. My 16 year old SGN was startled but otherwise impressed with my ability to avoid said tree and following explosion. Sharon handled not running into the back of mom’s van with ease and expertise.
We went about 5 more miles before the rain was so blinding that I thought it best to pull off the road and wait before driving down tree lined streets to the Duck. The road turned into a creek so we nixed the former plan and started home.
Power was out all over town so the traffic lights were not functioning. We went through the intersection of two major highways with no traffic control just minutes after an officer arrived to direct traffic. It is too large an intersection for only one officer but that is all they had…one very wet unhappy female officer. I DO NOT MISS THOSE DAYS!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
May I Have a Serving of Hormones Please?
A friend of mine had to have the ol' female surgery and is recovering at home. Today, I got home from moving more of my mom's shit and got the following E mail:
Well, it has been 3 weeks since surgery. I feel fine and dandy. I tend to be a little slugish and need a afternoon nappy each day. I had a hormone patch the first week and lost a box so I decided to go without and see if I really needed those little ovaries. Things have been going fine and then I notice I was a little short with CW. Well, it was a bad day and I was in a hurry and she was driving wrong.
Then yesterday I got a call on my cell and could hear it but not find it. It sounded like it was coming from down in the couch. I looked and looked, pulled the cushions back, stuck my hand where no hand has gone before, actually picked up the edge and gave it a bounce to knock it out of wherever it was at. I decided to just cry and forget it. My phone was lost forever and I would never get another call. CW comes home and I am in a fetal position on the couch under a blanket. She inquires, from a distance, to my problem. I explained. She said she would call my phone and find it. It starts to ring, I get up off the couch and while standing there CW touches my front pocket. Yes, that right!! It was in my pocket. Well! I have not been wearing shorts with pockets until a day or two ago. I forgot...besides it sounded like it was in that satanic couch!!
Now, today is a new day so I had a few errands this morning. I went by sams to just renew my card. My Aunt called and I sit in the truck and talked to her a minute. I go in to get the card, need my business card, so I go back out to the truck and back in the store. When my business is done I go to leave and the truck is not there. No, it is not. I knew where I parked, it was right there! I start looking around for the camera's or some friends playing a trick but I see none. Finally, I see the truck about 4 lanes over, 3 feet from a huge light pole, just sitting there sideways in a parking place. How the hell?? I walked over there and "clicked" the lock, got in and everything looked fine. You tell me! Apparently when talking to my Aunt I left the truck running and put the gear in neutral so I could run the air conditioner and must have left it there. The parking brake was not on. I am insane!
It was a good thing it didnt hit someone, something or that damn huge light pole! I got in and drove home. I am back in the fetal position cover with a blanket and a schnoodle. I dont think I will get back out for a few days. Unless, I need to go get some of them hormones.
Unstable watching Cable
ROFLMAO ... this was a great finish to my day! Two storage buildings down, two more and a green house to go! Yeah!
Well, it has been 3 weeks since surgery. I feel fine and dandy. I tend to be a little slugish and need a afternoon nappy each day. I had a hormone patch the first week and lost a box so I decided to go without and see if I really needed those little ovaries. Things have been going fine and then I notice I was a little short with CW. Well, it was a bad day and I was in a hurry and she was driving wrong.
Then yesterday I got a call on my cell and could hear it but not find it. It sounded like it was coming from down in the couch. I looked and looked, pulled the cushions back, stuck my hand where no hand has gone before, actually picked up the edge and gave it a bounce to knock it out of wherever it was at. I decided to just cry and forget it. My phone was lost forever and I would never get another call. CW comes home and I am in a fetal position on the couch under a blanket. She inquires, from a distance, to my problem. I explained. She said she would call my phone and find it. It starts to ring, I get up off the couch and while standing there CW touches my front pocket. Yes, that right!! It was in my pocket. Well! I have not been wearing shorts with pockets until a day or two ago. I forgot...besides it sounded like it was in that satanic couch!!
Now, today is a new day so I had a few errands this morning. I went by sams to just renew my card. My Aunt called and I sit in the truck and talked to her a minute. I go in to get the card, need my business card, so I go back out to the truck and back in the store. When my business is done I go to leave and the truck is not there. No, it is not. I knew where I parked, it was right there! I start looking around for the camera's or some friends playing a trick but I see none. Finally, I see the truck about 4 lanes over, 3 feet from a huge light pole, just sitting there sideways in a parking place. How the hell?? I walked over there and "clicked" the lock, got in and everything looked fine. You tell me! Apparently when talking to my Aunt I left the truck running and put the gear in neutral so I could run the air conditioner and must have left it there. The parking brake was not on. I am insane!
It was a good thing it didnt hit someone, something or that damn huge light pole! I got in and drove home. I am back in the fetal position cover with a blanket and a schnoodle. I dont think I will get back out for a few days. Unless, I need to go get some of them hormones.
Unstable watching Cable
ROFLMAO ... this was a great finish to my day! Two storage buildings down, two more and a green house to go! Yeah!
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