Wow! 9 days together with my wife! Because of what I do now, we really appreciate the small things – like shopping, going to church, making meals together, searching property, and visiting family and friends.
When I arrived Saturday evening, Annalou had already left for work, so I made myself at home – in our home! We were excited about going to church together in the morning. Sometimes she is too exhausted after a Saturday night shift to go, and of course I don’t get to make it here much, so to go together was a real treat!
We had a good talk with the pastor, and are making new friends there. We went out for lunch with a new friend, and had a great discussion on several topics.
Monday we went searching for property. Though prices have gone up significantly, we still enjoy learning what is out there, and what each of us likes and wants in a location. This time we brought the drone along, who we have named Dukie. Right now we just want to see if there are any open spaces, and what is on the boarders, and how far away neighbors are, so Dukie does a fine job for us.
When we got back, I discovered that the hot water heater had been leaking, and Annalou had just happened to drop a couple of rags several months ago in exactly the right spot in the storage underneath to act as a dam which prevented the entire storage compartment from being flooded! I mopped it up, and we made super together, and Annalou left for work. I spent the rest of that evening getting the heater isolated, drained, and began searching for a replacement locally. By 1 AM I determined that the heater is obsolete. The manufacturer stopped making that model, and I can not find one anywhere that will fit the cutout in the outside trailer wall.
Tuesday was spent searching and calling all over the country trying to find a unit that will fit my opening. Slightly bigger would be fine. I can cut the hole in the wall bigger, but all the heaters out there are now about 4″ smaller. How do I fill a 4″ gap in the side of the RV, and make it water tight and look good?
Finally I found one in Texas, for three times the original price. I also paid extra for 2 day air delivery in order to receive it by Friday and install it before I leave Monday. Whew!
After some simple shopping in the morning, and the day together, our long time friend Jan met us at a restaurant along with Lara and Jeremy.
Some of you may know that Jan is the one who delivered Lara in the back seat of the car while on our way to the clinic in Haines Alaska.
Jan stayed overnight with us and left Thursday after I cooked a Keto breakfast of eggs and cheese, with sausage. She and Button are on their way from a long visit in Florida, back to their home in Maine.
(No, Button didn’t like the drone, but it was no problem to get her to look at the camera!) It was Thursday that I got a text from UPS saying my water heater would not arrive until Tuesday! WHAT? I pay for 2 day and they give me 4 day, which means 7 days because of the holiday weekend. Now I need to find someone I can pay to install it after I leave.
We drove to visit my sister Jinnie and Roger, and spent the rest of the day there. It was great to catch up. We also got to visit my nephew Reuben and his family. Nothing like family!
We arrived back home to find out that my new T-shirts had arrived. I also had one sent to Seth, so we now have matching drone T-shirts!
Friday we searched some more properties in the area, and spent some time cleaning and organizing my van. I am a pretty organized, but Annalou is even better than me – and we both love to organize, and BE organized – so it was fun to work together on it. I also ordered a small vacuum that I can keep in my van. Annalou went to work, and I watched a movie. Yes, can you believe that? I actually watched a movie. It was called Rudy, and is about a guy who always wanted to play on the Notre Dame football team. It is based on a true story, and is a good example of great character and work ethic!
Saturday I was out and off to Discount Tire before Annalou got home because yesterday I discovered that my van had a very low tire. It was a holiday weekend, and I didn’t want to wait a long time, so I made sure I was early enough to be first in line. In case you didn’t know it, Discount Tire is all over the country, will check your air, fill your air, or fix flats, or rotate your tires with no appointment, all for free. No purchase necessary. For anyone. Add to that the lowest prices on new tires, and they are where we have gotten our tires for our vehicles for years now.
When I got back, we got ready and went to a funeral for one of Annalou’s former clients, and then on to the family’s house after that. I met the family, and got to see first hand the impact that Annalou had by being there for his last few weeks on this earth. The family was so grateful and happy that we were there. What a blessing!
Sunday we enjoyed church again. I really feel at home here. We did some final organization to my van and made supper together.
Monday morning it was time to pack up, say goodbye
and hit the road! I left at about noon, and along the way, got a call from my driver that he was due back in a rental car just after I was to get there, and will need me to transport him back to the truck at the site in the morning. A little while later, he called to say he got stuck in traffic, and was now at least 3 hours behind. So I decided to check in to the hotel closest to the airport where he was going to return the car. That way, if he got there after the shuttle quit, I could pick him up. And, I would not have to go far to pick him up in the morning.
He never called during the night, so I assumed he got the shuttle to the hotel OK. But he sent me a text 20 minutes before we were to meet in the lobby, which said he was so tired last night that he stopped at midnight and slept in the car for a while. As a result, he had just returned the car, and needed me to pick him up at the airport now. I did that, and we made our way to the site before 8 to find out when they would actually be ready to unload us.
We waited, and waited, and patiently waited. . .
To be continued. . . . .
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