December 23 – 26, 2021

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Once I finished a quick breakfast, I downloaded the audio to my Dad’s second memorial service that my son in law Scott had edited for me. I needed to listen to it to see what he had done to clean it up. I was the first speaker, and as I began to listen to what I said for the first time, tears began to flow, which didn’t surprise me. But what did, was the call from the insurance adjuster, who said he was driving up to my van now.

So out I went, looking just like I had been crying, and we looked it over. As I suspected, we will not know how big the job will be until we get the doors open. However, if we bend down the bumper to try, we don’t know if we will get it done, plus, if we get them open, we don’t know if they will shut until they are repaired. So we have to leave them for now, guess at what will be needed, and leave the estimate open until it gets into the body shop. The worst case scenario would be that the doors have hidden damage that will require they be replaced. That is a total possibility, so I told him I would prepare an estimate of my time and materials to strip off the lights from the old doors, insulate the new, wire them for the lights, install the lights, install the rear sign, and have the logo applied to the glass.

Once he left, I went and bought materials at Home Depot and the auto parts store, and did some other errands. I relocated the invertor, which was a pretty big job. The batteries in this van are in a sealed compartment under the driver’s seat, so the invertor connections are very hard to access. While I had that open, I was able to re-locate the feeds from the batteries to the CB and company radios. It was getting dark, so I set up my new drone for a test run. BUT, I was right next to a major airport, and right under a flight path, so was not able to even lift it off the ground! It has built in software that figures that all out, because I never would have known. Of course, I had no intention of flying higher than 10 feet, but in another situation, it could easily have been a disaster!

I went in, made supper from leftovers, and finished editing that service. I decided to make it into t a video so I could give it an intro, and information at the end. So now I finally had a link for all three. Feel free to watch any and all of these, and even copy and send these links on to anyone who may had known my Dad, and would be interested.

<span;>August 11, 2021, Zoom service, including the slide show
<span;>https://youtu.be/08jXf6LJZiE.

<span;> Sunday August 15, 2021
<span;>https://vimeo.com/659858039/e5dd1cbe07

<span;>Slide show only
<span;>https://vimeo.com/591244364/7562c59959

It was midnight when I finished uploading it, so went right to bed.

Friday, December 24, 2021

I was up at 6 to get the day started! I packed up my van, checked out, and drove by the Lens Crafters when they opened at 8. My tracking information told me my glasses were still on the way, but not out for delivery yet, We both decided that meant delivery on Monday, and I am leaving town at sunrise. Oh well, this was their mistake, and they will just have to ship them on to another place when I stop for a few days. But she said she would call either way, if they come in on the UPS truck, which usually arrives at about noon. So I went to do my laundry down the street.

I was just putting my laundry away in my van at 11:05 when she called and said my glasses actually arrived! We were both shocked! I was there within 15 minutes, and tried them out.  The computer/reading pair were perfect, however, the long distance/computer ones were still not right. I know I am not your normal person, and we figured that when those who make them see the order requesting long distance/computer bi-focals, they must say “that’s a mistake, so I will make them distance/reading the way they should be.” And they are wrong! I drive 10 hours every day, and constantly look down at my laptop, GPS tablet, van info screen, and dashboard instruments. None of those are as close as reading lens wants them. So though I kept both, they will re-make that pair, and call me when they come in, so I can tell them where to ship them.

I immediately left for Tuscon.

It was really fun to meet up with Kathy MacDonald LaMay and her husband Jerry. We used to call her Kathy Mac at the Mt. Bether Bible Center in Ware, MA when I moved there. She and Annalou were good friends while they lived there at the Christian community. Annalou’s sister was also good friends with her, as they were about the same age.

Kathy moved up to Haines Alaska to the community there in 1979, about the time Annalou and I moved to Citra Florida to build the house for my parents. When we moved from Florida to Alaska in 1981, we reunited with Kathy once again. We moved to Massachusetts in 1986, and that is where we lost touch with her. She later moved back to California and met Jerry, and they have now been married 33 years! Where does the time go?

Annalou and Kathy reunited on Face Book several years ago, and when Annalou realized I would be alone in a hotel for this Christmas weekend, she reached out to Kathy, and here I am! This is their Arizona view from the front of their house.

We went to the Christmas Eve service at their church, which was really great. There was a lot of singing, and a short message. The worship team was excellent, and the Pastor had a wonderful message as well. Saturday, we went to her best friend’s house for a Christams dinner with her daughter, and a few relatives. I fit right in, as I helped manage the two Instant Pots, and then told stories, answered questions, and showed pictures of what I do, and the adventures I’ve been on. The food was great, and the fellowship was a great change for me. I spent some time answering questions and sharing the Gospel with one of the men there as well.

Sunday we went to church, where I again enjoyed the message, had a wonderful chat with their Pastor after service, and also had a short talk with the Worship leader.

I left after the service, and headed back to Pheonix. On Friday, when I was driving to the Lens Crafters in Phoenix, my CB antenna knicked a branch on a tree. Not a big deal. Happens all the time, so I paid no attention. However, when I got out to get fuel, I noticed something on the roof, and discovered that the antenna had snapped off, and was still laying there, caught on the edge of the roof sign! Amazing! I stopped at all 5 struck stops on my way back, and none of them had my type of antenna, so will have to limp by on my replacement until I can find one.

Once I reached Phoenix, I checked into the same hotel, installed my magnetic mount CB antenna and tested my CB. It’s hard to tell, but I think it will be fine.. i also relaced the antenna to the company radio, since I already had one. I hope it will give me even better reception.

For the bathroom door in my van, I have simply used a storm door latch. Cheap and simple,  and it has worked well. However, those latches are not designed for the vibration they get rolling down the road. Apparently, they can take it for about 100,000 miles – just so you know! LOL then the knob falls apart. Between the last van and this one, I have driven about 350,000 miles, and this is the third time I’ve had to replace it.

I also put the route into both my GPS systems, and painted the brush bar on my front bumper. Eddie was the only other person back from all four trucks, and we went to the restaurant for supper.

Tomorrow all four trucks leave for their next assignments. Last I heard, we were all heading back to the shop in Minnesota.