Friday, 30 January 2015 through Saturday, 09 May 2015

I awake several times early, before five am but keep closing my eyes. Finally, I get up and drive to the w-mart for coffee. Then, I continue working on my web pages completing one photo gallery and will be adding more photos into this gallery as they become available.

I acquired a headache yesterday, a mild one but with it came some congestion and over all tiredness together with my back pain increasing, yes, methinks I have a head cold or possibly a virus. This evening, instead of buying a hamburger, I go into the d-mart and purchase a fruit and vegetable smoothe to drink.

Then, just before going to bed, I take two aspirin to alleviate my back pain.

Up early this morning, long before the dayspring, go inside the d-mart to buy another container of fruit and veggie smoothie, then use some of my regular ingredients to make a healthy breakfast, using aloe-vera gel, almond milk, meal replacement powder and the smoothie. Then I go into the w-mart for coffee and set up my office to work on the computer.

Many hours pass, I witness to one of the local persons but methinks he is more interested in hearing himself talk about his interpretation, so much so that when I showed him the words of the master at Matthew 24:45 about the faithful and discrete slave, he looks at me and says, I think that I am the slave and it is my place to provide food to those out there.

Finally, I tell, I am done with this. and return to my computer to continue my work. Looking back, I had suspected that he would be as such, and feel that I wasted two whole hours on trying to help him. In the late afternoon, Crystal, a sister from the English congregation walks up to me an tells me hello. At first, I did not recognize her but then I remembered her, and we talk for a while. Again, afterwards, I return to my computer to continue my work.

At seven-thirty, I drive to the g-mart to buy some salad makings, including a beet, onions and a tomatillo. Then, I drive to the d-mart, make salad, and eat. Afterward, I get out the computer to work for a while longer.

Finally, I pack away my computer and then go to sleep.

Warm but not too warm as during most of last evening there was need to pull my sleeping bag over me. I awake this morning feeling much better than the last two mornings and will continue eating the healthy food. First this morning, I had a carrot juice drink, then my Daystart with liquid yogurt. I will see how I feel this afternoon and decide if I will go to the meeting. In the mean time, I sip on a cup of hot and continue pounding keys.

I spend another day here at the w-mart and when the sun sets, retire to the jammer to read the Bible and finally go to sleep. I am still a little congested but for the most part I am getting over this head cold.

I awake once this morning, having slept through the night, possible due to the cooler temperature that came in during last evening. I drive to the w-mart for my normal routine. Today, I continue the gallery work with the national preserves and reserves, continuing until after two pm and then decide to drive to Falcon State park to spend the night so that I can get into the hot. After packing out of the w-mart, I drive to the g-mart to purchase veggies for a soup. I buy nopales, beets, sweet potatoes, yellow onions, yellow squash, zucchini squash, and then walk out to the jammer when I get a phone call from Richard in Yucaipa, California who has a couple computer questions. After an hour and a half, he says, wow, I really understand how to do this now, thanks Thom.

I start the jammer and drive to Falcon, buy a space for the night and drive to the shower house to get under the hot water. When I come out after my soak, I see Ricky, Sixto an one other ranger replacing lights and they greet me. I drive space 69 and begin cooking my veggie soup and soon after it begins to rain. Leon is still camping in space 68 and he come out briefly, greets me and then goes back into his trailer. When I finish cooking the soup, I add quinoa, seaweed, a tablespoon of spice mix and let it simmer for a bit longer and finally turn of the stove and pack up every thing.

After I climb into the jammer to eat, I think that I should offer Leon a coffee cup full and walk to his trailer, knock and make him the offer. He readily agrees and brings out a cup. I walk back to the jammer to fill the cup and he follows me back. He then asks me what I used to cook the soup and I show him my stove. He wows saying "That sure is compact" He also thanks me and then returns to his trailer while I climb back into the jammer and begin eating.

After cleaning and packing my cooking gear, I get out the keyboard and finish the journal entry for today and still have nearly an hour before the sunset. The rain continues to come down and I drive back to the shower house to get a few more minutes under the hot water. Finally, I return to space 69 and get ready for my evenings rest in the back of the jammer.

Upon awaking, the day has already begun with overcast skies. However, the rain ceased last evening long before midnight. I start the jammer and drive first to the shower house for a third time under hot water during this visit here and then drive to the recreation center to connect to the WiFi arriving at eight this morning and plan on staying here at least until nine am, so that I may get some hot water to make my tea.

At ten am, the park ranger in charge of Falcon comes into the recreation center and sets up for a presentation and talks about how big government is bad but I leave at his first break and drive back south to Rio Grande City, stopping at the w-mart to resume work on the web pages. Sometime in the mid afternoon, the rain resumes and continues into the evening.

Then, at six pm, I stop and begin cooking the remaining ingredients bought yesterday for soup, repeat the operation and have hot Nopales soup again this evening. At eight, I clean up my cooking gear and then ready for the evenings rest. The rain continues into the night.

After listening to the rain fall all night, it finally stop about four am. Feeling much better this morning despite still having an occasional cough but the head congestion is gone. I make the short drive to the w-mart, buy coffee and begin as normal, pounding the keyboard.

At six pm, I drive to the hall to get dressed for the meeting and go in about an half hour early to visit with the friends. Later, I drive back to the d-mart and set up for the night. The rain has stopped.

After sleeping through the night, I awake and get right up, driving first to buy fuel for the jammer and then a cup of hot for myself. Then, I go to the w-mart to work on the key pounding.

Shortly after sunset, I retire for the d-mart to read the Bible and finish second Samuel, shut down for the evening.

Up before sunrise and drive to the w-mart for coffee and then begin work on the computer. I feel that I have been making good headway on this work with my galleries and hope that the remaining birding pages go much quicker.

Today went well and I have set up the next photo page and will begin uploading the page tonight even though there are no photos on it. I leave again just after sun set and go for some salad fixing.

Up and drive to the w-mart for coffee and then at eight-thirty drive to the hall for the ministry meeting, get dressed and go inside at nine-thirty. I work with Daniel again and we drive to several cemeteries looking for people who have lost loved ones and come to the grave. We do find one man who lost his mom four months ago and share a scripture with him and he provides his address for us to return. Then, we drive to Hector's home for his study which lasts until noon. Finally, we return to the hall to sit and talk while Daniel waits for Florian to arrive to pick him up.

After Daniel and Florian leave, I drive back to the w-mart and go inside to work on the computer because the temperature is in the upper seventies and too hot out side to sit in the jammer. Just after dark, I leave and drive to the d-mart to set up for the evening.

Upon arising the sky is clear but the jammer is soaked with dew. I drive to the w-mart, open the computer for the morning and begin pounding keys. By noon, I stop working on the photo pages and begin my study for the meeting today. In one of the reference articles, I learn about Robinson Crusoe Island that is four hundred miles off the coast of Santiago, Chile. It has a small population and in 1979, one of Jehovah′s Witnesses moved there and now there are ten publishers on the island.

Then, at two-thirty pm, I pack out of the w-mart for the hall, get dressed and then wait for the others to arrive. First to arrive are Adam and Cathy from Morningside Congregations further down in the valley and he asks me if the English meeting is this afternoon. I tell him at three-thirty and ask if he is out speaker to which he answers yes. He looks really young but gives and excellent talk about the need to keep awake in this last days.

After the meeting, we talk a bit longer and Cathy asks about our territory and I mention that the need is great here. She asks me how long I have been here and I tell them that I am a Winter Texan here until the end of February after which I will be heading north. Later, when they walk out to the car, Adam tells me that they plan on coming here soon on a weekend to help in the work here.

After changing clothes, I drive north to Falcon Lake state park and check in to campsite 69, eat my salad, completer the days journal entry and then begin to read more about King Solomon in the book of First Kings.

Earlier this morning I awoke from a dream and checked the time; it was five thirty-two am and while I lay there trying to return to sleep, I hear coyotes howling at the bright moon in the cool night air. It seemed like it was only moments later when I notice that the sky was beginning to illume, checking the time again, find it to be more than an hour later. I get up immediately and head to the shower house for some hot water time and search for that all so elusive clean. Then I drive to the recreation hall and see a small herd of deer grazing on the mowed grass but my arrival in the jammer send them running for cover. I park right in front of the hall, connect to the WiFi and as I am checking my com, notice that the sun begins to rise just after seven am. Then at nine am, the recreation hall opens and I go inside for some hot water for my tea.

Then by ten, I am on the road back south to Rio City and just outside the state park, I check out Falcon County Park to see what it is like. I was told that I could camp there for free and that it has a rest room with a hot shower. Although having all of the above, the park is no where as nice as the state park, but I could overnight in the county park and then take a hot shower in the state park the next morning. Then I head back to Rio City and by noon, the temperature goes to above 90 degrees in the afternoon, much too hot for this Winter Texan. Good news is that another cold front should come into the area later this week keeping the night time temperatures in the fifties. However, the day time temperature will continue to be in the seventies and above, probably for the rest of February. Methinks, I am getting ready to move north as it is becoming to hot for me here in the southernmost area of Texas.

However, on Saturday the 21^st of February, the Rio Grande English congregation is assigned to a special assembly day in La Feria, Texas which is located near to San Benito in the south area of the valley. Therefore, I have thus decided to leave the valley during the week before the special assembly day, attend the assembly on Saturday and afterwards, begin my northbound journey to find cooler locations. That means I have about ten days left here in Rio Grande City.

There is heavy mist in the air and the jammer is dripping from dew but I awake dry inside, get dressed, turn on the wipers and drive the w-mart to begin my day of key pounding.

During the day, a man sits down at the table next to me to eat his meal and check his com. I greet him and he returns the greeting with a strong French accent. I say to him, Bon jour, commet-ally vous? Je parle Francais un petit peur. He looks surprised and replies in French but I have absolutely no understanding as to what he just said and reply Tres petit peur.

He laughs and returns to speaking English. The conversation continues for some time and eventually we exchange names, his being Robert. He tells me that he is camping at Falcon County Park and I tell him that I plan on staying there next week end. Later, he gets up to leave, we shank hands and I give him my cart with my e-mail address and tell him, We should keep in touch.

I go back to work pounding keys until after sunset when I pack out, drive to the d-mart and shut down for the evening.

Up this morning with the day glow to another day of drenching dew, wipe off the side windows and then drive to the w-mart for coffee. First I check my com while sipping on my cup of hot and then I put the finishing touches on the Recreation Areas gallery. Now, I have the last five left to complete: Rivers; Ruins; Shorelines; Trails; and Volcanoes. Two of the galleries have already been started, Rivers and Volcanoes.

At eight thirty, I pack out and drive to the Hall for the ministry meeting, get dressed but no one else shows up. Then I change back into my blues and spend some time cleaning the jammer. At ten-thirty am, I drive back to the w-mart and continue working on the web pages. Then at six-thirty pm, I pack out again, drive back to the hall for the meeting.

After the meeting, one of the elders says that he wants to talk with me, so I followed him and a second elder into the back room. He then asked me if I have registered my felony conviction with the authorities here in Texas. I was totally shocked by the question and I told him that I have never been convicted of a felony, much less even arrested or charged for a felony. I asked him, Where did you get the idea that I was a felon? to which he responded that he got that understanding from the letter of restriction that came from the congregation in Oak Harbor, Washington. He understood from it. that I was convicted of a felony in 1989.

He then asked me if I new what my restriction are and I voiced the restriction to him to which he shook his head in agreement. Again, I assured him that I have not been, that there were never any authorities involved and he apologized to me twice for his mistaken understanding of the letter and told me that he will go back and read it again.

The problem that I had back in 1989 had to do with my being an alcoholic, because in my life, there have been several instances that I have gotten into trouble when I was drinking. It is because of this problem that I made the prayerful decision to abstain from drinking entirely. Still, the problem has been impugned upon me, one which will not soon be resolved, so, I continue prayerfully to Jehovah about this matter, especially when events such as has occurred this evening, and for Jehovah to keep helping me to abstain from alcohol.

Finally, I drive back to the d-mart and park for the evening, finish today′s journal entry and read the Bible for time before going to sleep.

After waking with the sun already in the sky, I drive to the w-mart for my cup of hot and begin pounding keys.

The key pounding does not stop until after I get another photo page, the Ruins of the Ancients uploaded to the web site and I do not retire to the jammer until after eleven pm.

Up shortly after sunrise with the sky full of clouds but no dew and I drive to the w-mart and begin with my journal entry, then continue to add photos to he Ruins of the Ancients galley.

At nine pm, I am done with working on the computer and stop for the evening, drive to the d-mart and go inside. I find some dried sweet potatoes, a four ounces package for two dollars, which is not bad but as I eat the snack I realize that this too is not living food.

Up just after sunrise, get dressed and go for coffee and check my com. Then, I work on my journal entry. At eight thirty, I drive to the hall, get dressed for the ministry and play solitaire while waiting for the others to show up. I work with Hugo, Johnny, Daniel and Miguel going first into a territory to work house to house for almost two hours and then a couple of return visits. I stop by to see Beto, an older gentleman that I met almost three weeks ago in the house to house ministry who seemed to be interested. Hugo went with me and when we returned to the car, he said that he really appears to want to learn the Bible. I told Hugo that I am giving Beto to him to take care of because I am leaving the valley next week. At first, I don′t think he believed me but I assured him that he should return to teach Beto the Bible. We finished a few more call and then returned to the Hall.

I had asked Daniel if he would join me for lunch at a place where he had earlier suggested that I try and he agreed to go with me. Daniel has a burger and fries but I have Pescado, frijoles, arroz and esalada. Yes, it was a Mexican food restaurant but Daniel said the burger was really good.

Afterwards, I drive to the w-mart, change into my blues and then go inside and work on the photo galleries until I can no longer stand to pound keys any more. Then I drive north on US towards Falcon Lake State Park but stop about a mile from the state park, drive into the county park and look for Roberts RV rig. I am just about through the loop and see an RV that could be his with a man sitting by a small camp fire.

I stop, get out and ask, "Robert, is that you?" to which he replies "Yes, is that Thom?" When I say yes, he tells me to pull into his parking area and I do so, parking the jammer, get out and we sit at his fire and begin talking while he keeps the fire going. He is using a homemade fire pit which is a small pan raised one foot above the ground by three rods, which folds up for storage in his van.

I am able to bring up the subject of the Bible but he seems very negative at first. I question him why he does not like the subject and he tells me a story about a priest back in Quebec, Canada who wanted to get rid of a beggar from the front of the church and told everyone in the mass not to give him any money so that he would go away. Robert felt that was so inconsiderate of the priest, that the priest should have shown more compassion for the man and tried to help him.

He asked me what my religion and when I told him that I was one of Jehovah′s Witness, he asked me if it was true what he had heard about the witnesses and told me the accusations he had been told. After assuring him that none of it was true, but that we were nothing like those other religions who did those things, he said that when he returns to Canada, he will go into the Kingdom Hall to see what it is like. A big smile stretches across my face and tell him that would be a good thing for him to do that. We say good night shortly after ten pm and I retire to the jammer to finish today′s journal entry.

I clean up using my rubbing alcohol but I still feel dirty afterwards. I am glad that I will be able to get under some hot water tomorrow morning.

I awake early but go back to sleep twice but then get up, open the back of the jammer and begin to prepare my coffee. Robert opens his van and we greet each other morning. Soon, he comes out with a cup of coffee and we sit down by his "fire pit" and continue our discussion of places we have been, campgrounds we like and other good ideas that we found. Later, I bring up the subject of religion again, he asks some questions about interpretations and I tell him that there are only two interpretations, the wrong one and the correct one. He agrees to that and then I give him a demonstration on how to be sure that you have found the correct interpretation, using 2 Peter 3:10 and showing him how many have miss interpreted that verse and how to interpret it correctly.

At eleven, I tell him that I must go, saying "au revoir mon frère" to which he smiles and says "Salut." I drive to the state park, check in at the entrance building and then drive to the shower house to get under the hot water once again. Afterwards, I drive out of the state park, past the county park and then south to Rio City, stopping at the w-mart to upload the journal entries for the last couple of days. Once that is done, I prepare for the meeting today and then at two-thirty drive to the hall to get dressed.

After the meeting, Daniel comes up to me and says I suppose this is your last meeting at this hall because we do not have a meeting here on Wednesday evening because of the assembly. I then reply, I am glad you told me that because I had not heard and would have been here then." He then extends his arm to shake my hand and says If I don′t see you at the assembly, then I hope to next winter. I tell him good bye and head out the jammer to change back into my blues.

Methinks, I do not need to drive north back into Rio City but can begin my journey first further south into the valley, and Saturday evening after the assembly, north up the coast of Texas in search of cooler locations. I put the jammer in drive and head south, not stopping until arriving in McAllen, Texas at the w-mart where I was back in the first week of January of this year in search of a new camera. I get out my computer to complete today′s journal entry and see that there is a WiFi available from the parking lot.

Checking, I find that the WiFi is coming from the d-mart and so I connect to upload my entry to the web site. Wow, more and more of the d-marts are providing WiFi. I am tired and so I shut down so that I can get horizontal.

Up to an overcast morning and there are many noisy grackles roosting in the parking. I noticed their hoards on the power lines last evening. Despite having WiFi, I don′t stay here long but drive to my favorite w-mart nearest to Rio Grande Assembly Hall. After parking, I go inside for a cup of coffee and begin working on the photo pages, spending the entire day inside, well except for a couple of time when I go outside to get warm because the w-mart keeps the air conditioner set to freeze. I even go out to the jammer once to put on my jeans so that I can be warmer.

Then at nine pm, methinks that it is enough, walk out to the jammer and shiver from the low temperature and blowing wind thinking finally the temperature is to my liking. Starting the jammer, I drive to the nearest d-mart, which upon arriving realize that this is the same one where I parked when looking for jammer parts on the twenty-sixth of last month. I drive to the same area near the many eighteen wheelers and park for the night.

The temperature is still cool when I awake and drive right to the w-mart for a cup of hot and to continue working on the web pages.

I remained until almost ten pm to upload all the photos for the Ruins of the Ancients page. Except for some comments which I will do tomorrow, it is complete. I drive back to the d-mart and retire.

With the sun haven just risen and shining into the jammer, I arise and go into the d-mart and replace my sandals. Then I drive to the w-mart, purchase coffee and begin my work on the computer.

At sunset, after finishing the Shorelines gallery, I pack out and walk by a man that has been sitting outside all day. He starts up a long one sided conversation which eventually leads to his saying "Would you do me a favor? I don′t get my pension check until Friday, would you loan me four or five dollars?" I catch on his scam right away and reply, "I am in the same situation except I don′t get my check until Thursday next week." With that statement, I tell him the truth, still, long ago I decided that I would not give money to beggars.

I leave the w-mart, grab a salad and then park at the d-mart for the night.

Awake to see that the sun is two fingers above the horizon, get up and drive to the w-mart. Once my computer is set up, I go to the counter for my coffee and also get a free breakfast spinach burrito because I have reward points. Then, I sit at the table and begin pounding keys.

Awake at five am but try to return to sleep until arising at five thirty-one, drive to the w-mart and sit outside in the jammer while waiting for it to open at six am.

At seven pm, after thirteen hours pounding keys, I call it good for the day, pack out and head to the d-mart to crash for the evening all before nine pm.

Awake after more than eight hours of sleep, drive to a f-mart for coffee and wash my hair while waiting for it to open. Then I get into the jammer and connect to the internet while drinking the cup of hot. Shortly after, I drive to the Rio Grande Assembly Hall in La Feria, Texas for the assembly today arriving at seven this morning just before the parking attendant set up and take photos of the Hall. After getting dressed, I wait in the jammer for the doors to open.

This assembly is now over and like every assembly before that I have ever been to, there were many things that hit home with me and once again, thanks must needs be given the Father for such timely spiritual guidance. I walk around the Hall and say goodbye to those from Rio Grande City that I see, telling them that I hope to see them next winter. Then go to the jammer, change clothes, start the engine and begin my journey north. The reason I am heading north now is that the temperature here has soared into the nineties on a couple of occasions. Thus, I have chosen to begin my spring tour and drive north in Texas to seek cooler temperatures.

When the sun sets on this day, I am near Kingsville, Texas and soon pulling into the d-mart. I go inside to buy a bag of salad and eat my meal listening to some country music but soon the cheating bad love, staying out all night, booze drinking drunk, sob stories get to much for me and I opt for some quite instead.

Lastly, I climb into the back of the jammer, get vertical and read several chapters.

Up before daylight, drive to a f-mart for coffee and check my com. After trying unsuccessfully to upload my journal entries, I drive through Corpus Christi without stopping to connect to Texas highway 35, drive over Copano Bay causeway and into Goose Island State Park for a shower. After immersing myself in the hot, I drive onto the beach to check for birds but there are way too many people here.

Awake, arise immediately and drive to the w-mart and find it already open. I go inside for my cup of hot and ask what time the store opens. "Five am." Sitting down at a table, I begin pounding keys.

At nine pm, I stop and drive back to the d-mart.

The sun comes out in the mid afternoon but it remains below fifty degrees all day. At eight pm, I upload the rest of the galleries I have been working on and then leave the w-mart for Mexican food at a restaurant that I enjoy here in League city.

Then I drive back to the d-mart and shut down for the evening.

Up early and drive to the w-mart to begin working on the Birding Gallery after finishing another gallery yesterday.

At three pm, I drive to Susan′s home and arrive as Chad is pulling into the driveway. As we are greeting one another, Susan drives in and we hug; soon, we go inside. Since Chad has been away hunting for some time, he goes into the back bathroom for a shower while Susan and I catch up. Then, I go out to the jammer to get my shower bag and I too get into the hot water.

Later, Susan orders out and buys a salad for me. When the food arrives, I really enjoy the salad. We continue visiting until dark-thirty and then I drive to the Bay Area Hall for the meeting.

Afterwards, I drive to Susan′s home and park on the street for the evening.

Up late after going back to sleep to see Chad is returning from taking Lauren to school and we go inside for coffee. Soon, Susan makes a show and the two of us go to the w-mart for coffee and to work on our computers, myself working on the birding gallery template.

Later, when we return home, Chad begins cooking the wild hog that he had shot when hunting in Cuero, Texas. After putting a load in the wash, I return to the jammer and begin sorting through the burden to determine what I will put in the attic and I actually end up throwing quite a lot of my things away.

Then Susan come out to the jammer to sit with me for a time and I tell her that I will not be staying for supper because I don′t want to eat any of the hog and don′t want to hurt Chad feelings by telling him so. Susan says that she will tell him that I had to go some where else.

I drive to the w-mart and continue working on a birding gallery template. Afterwards, I drive to the d-mart for the night.

Up first at four am but go back to sleep until later and then drive to the w-mart to upload my journal entry. Then, I drive to the hall for the ministry meeting and begin the morning with Chip and two other brothers.

We begin the morning ministry by driving to Todville Road to make some return visits, one at which we see some wild budgerigars eating at a feeder on the home of one of Chip′s calls. These seem to be slightly bigger than a normal parakeet and there are a dozen or more of them at the feeder.

Afterwards, I return to Susan′s home and find that she is leaving to watch a volleyball game so I work on my burden this afternoon, adding to that which is in the attic and rearranging what remains in the jammer, cleaning the jammer as I go. I also wash my dress shirts and work for a time on the curtains in the jammer.

When Susan arrives, she begin preparation on supper for five and I join them for a nice meal. After then, we watch a little television before I excuse myself to retire to the jammer.

Awake at four-thirty this morning but try to go back to sleep with out success, then I finally rise and drive to a w-mart near the Bay Area hall so that I can study for the meeting this morning. Following the meeting, I go with Ed and Cathy for a meal, after which decide that I do not care much for the restaurant.

The after noon warms up to the mid seventies and the sun comes out, making the temperature too warm for me, however, it is suppose to cool off by next week end. I drive to Susan′s home and work on my web site in the jammer but it is so warm that I feel like a nap. Then Susan walks out to the jammer and we talk about Bible topics and I forget all about the nap.

At six pm, she invites me in for supper and by eight I have returned to the jammer to work on the computer with the jammer running to charge the computer battery and cool the inside with the air conditioning. It is nine pm when I stop and shut down for the evening.

Arise at the second time I awake and drive to the w-mart on Texas highway 2094, my favorite in the area which last year, I had dubbed the Taj Mahal w-mart. I purchase a cup of hot and continue my efforts to complete the photo gallery. With the birding template complete, I begin working on the first photo page and I am able to complete it and upload it by four pm.

Susan stops by for a drink, one of the sugary ones, works on her church study lesson and I am able to share a few thoughts with her. Then she leaves and I continue with the gallery, and even begin on the second page not stopping until around six pm when I drive to Susan′s home for supper. Chad put supper in the crock pot and then left to drive west to Wimberley and to take care of the dogs at the ranch while my sister is with her husband, who is at the hospital undergoing alcohol detoxification.

Too, I am really sad for Susan because of the stressful life she is going through. Her husband Chad, seems to be always angry, raising his voice to Susan often, but Susan says he seems that way because of his diabetes. Further, he was terminated from his job a few months back, is not presently working, nor is has he been looking for work. Instead, he drives up to Wimberley to help Elise, my oldest sister, who live on the ranch that she and her husband own, but that is another story entirely, one that is possibly even sadder.

To add to her woes, Susan′s daughter, Lauren, now age twelve, is extremely disrespectful to her mother, even raising her voice at times and her daughter seems to be always talking back to Susan. Still, Susan remains hopeful about the outcome with both her husband and daughter, looking to God and the help she receives from her church for the solution.

Each time I come to visit, it seems to me that conditions in Susan′s family are progressively getting worse, but I suppose that if this is the way a person lives every day of one′s life, then, the life that one has, would only appear normal and even acceptable.

However, I don′t think that I will continue to visit with my family here in League City much longer because it really saddens me to see these terrible circumstances that go on in this home. Today, I give Susan an article concerning discipline based on the Bible′s viewpoint, telling her that I think this may help.

Shortly after nine pm, I walk out to the jammer and prepare for the evening.

Arise at first awaking, drive to the Taj Mahal w-mart for coffee and check my com. Then I resume work on the galleries and add photos to the pages.

At five pm, Susan calls and asks me to join her and Lauren for supper at Mr. Sombrero, their family′s favorite Mexican restaurant, to which I join them and have a nice meal. Afterwards, we return to her home and watch television until ten pm.

Then, I walk out to the jammer for the night.

Due to the late evening, I do not get up before dayspring and thus do not go birding at the shoreline like I had wanted. Instead I drive to the Taj Mahal w-mart and continue working on the birding gallery.

At six pm, I drive to the d-mart for the night.

Up at the third awakening and drive to the south w-mart, purchase coffee and begin pounding keys. At eight am, Bill comes into the w-mart and we talk for a time.

At four pm, I drive to Susan′s home to take a shower and wash a load of clothes but do not stay to long for need to go to the hall for the meeting tonight. Too, I tell Susan good bye and she gives me a hug.

Then, I drive to the meeting, walk inside and greet the friends. Afterwards, while sitting in the jammer, a brother drives up and asks me if I will be ok with the cold front arriving tonight, that he has an extra room if I wanted to sleep warm. I thank him for his kind offer and assure him that I will be warm in the jammer.

Then, with the strong winds from the forecasted cold front beginning to drop the temperature, I drive to the d-mart for the evening.

Arising during dayspring only minutes before the suntouch, watch as it rises up into the lightly clouded sky. Despite the drop in the temperature to just above freezing, I did sleep comfortable and quite warm during the night, actually right to five this morning when I awoke for the first time. Then, upon first noticing that the dayspring has begun, I arise, start the engine, begin getting dressed and while the inside of the jammer slowly warms up, methinks that life in the jammer is the best and so much better than when my wayfaring was afoot and lacking the luxury of a heater.

Still, as a younger man with the strength of youth still bountiful, having a heater for the wintry mornings was not a want because the freedoms attained from lack of fetters from wheeled transport was so much more desired.

After driving to the Taj Mahal w-mart and obtaining my first cup of hot, I begin to write in my journal and complete yesterday and this morning′s entry, after which I resume work on the galleries.

Finally, when I desire no longer to pound keys, I retire to the d-mart and climb into the back of the jammer for some reading in my Bible before I sleep.

The wake up today is a repeat of yesterday only there are many more clouds in the sky and I drive to the Seawolf w-mart near the hall. After purchasing coffee, I sit in the jammer with the engine running charging batteries and uploading files to my website. Then at eight-thirty, I drive to the hall for the ministry meeting and work with Carl and Buddy.

We are assigned to an area in Kemah and work on handing out invitations to the memorial which will take place on April 05, 2015. At one door, I talk with John who tells me that he is a Catholic. Using that information, I reply, So was I and enjoyed reading the Bible but when I went to a priest with a question about something that I had read, the priest told me ‘Stop reading that book, it will just confuse you.’ So that is why I looked elsewhere for my answers. He was amazed and then I was able to show him how to find answers in the Bible.

Later, Carl and I go to a w-mart to look online and find the answer to a question he has. Afterwards, I work on my journal entry and photo gallery. At four pm, I drive to the d-mart and purchase a tire to match the one installed on the 22nd of February. With this purchase, I have two new tires on the rear of the jammer and a tire of the same size as the spare.

Returning to the w-mart, I continue with the photo gallery until I retire to the d-mart for the night.

There is no sun to be seen this morning with the heavily overcast sky. Arising slowly, I start the engine and prepare myself for the day, then drive to the Seawolf w-mart and go in to prepare for today′s Bible study which is such an encouraging lesson. At nine-thirty am, I head for the hall. Afterwards, I stop as Susan′s home to give her the container of pH test strips left over when I purchased a new supply.

Then I drive south out of League City to Alvin, Texas, where I turn on Texas highway 1462 through Roshannon, arriving at Brazos Bend State Park before three pm and find out that there is a ranger guided wildlife walk at four. When the ranger arrives at the pier, he begins to spot both birds and alligators, none of which I had seen before he arrived but I am able to photograph most of them.

Then, at five pm, I begin the drive west to the Hill Country arriving in LaGrange by sunset and stop at a d-mart for the night.

Upon awaking, there is a hard rain coming down in the darkness. The dayspring will begin an hour later now since the advent of the time change with Daylight Savings. I drive across the street to the f-mart for coffee and wait for the dayspring before continuing my drive west. Soon, light illuminates the morning and I drive to Buescher State Park for a hot shower. After getting clean, I drive to Bastrop, Texas as the hard rain continues, stopping at a w-mart to get out of the rain. At five pm, the rain stops but the sky retains the ominous look. I continue working on the birding gallery pages and then up load the Piano Man gallery.

At six pm, I pack out and drive to a d-mart in Austin, like the one where I slept last evening, both were visited at the end of last year when driving to League City and are conveniently along my route. Upon arriving at the Austin d-mart, I park in the corner with the other overnighters.

Up in the darkness, get dressed and type the next state park into the GPS which informs me that I will arrive just before sunrise. I begin my drive west arriving not long after seven, check into Pedernales Falls State Park and then drive directly to the bird blind.

I arrive at seven-forty and walk to the blind noticing that there is an all new blind on the right side upon entering the gate which was not here the last time I was. I walk into the old blind and sit down on one of the seats waiting to photograph any birds that make a showing. There are several that sound off but as yet, none have come into the display area because methinks bird participation is dependent on the availability of of human supplied bird food.

So, I walk out into the courtyard and find out that here is where the birds are and I am able to photograph several as they flit about from one tree limb to another. There are numerous cardinals playing tag, or at least their version of it, some titmouse, a couple of woodpeckers and numerous small birds.

At eight-thirty am, a second vehicle arrives and Don walks in to the compound to begin putting out bird food. With his appearance, there a sudden abundance of feather, so I will proceed to photograph the event. We talk while he works and he tells me how he how he has only since getting the position as bird feeder has he become a bird watcher. As Don heads out, the birds go to work eating and soon a couple of squirrels join in to help and at best most of the paste, which is a mix of lard, corn meal and vegetable oil is gone in an hour but some of the bird hang around to pick over the leftovers and I keep snapping photos.

Later, I go out th the jammer to clean it up while making some coffee when Mike arrives wearing a Boy Scout cap. I comment about the cap which starts a conversation while he gets out his camera gear. Methinks, what the heck and join him with my camera and so glad I did because he is light years ahead of me in his knowledge of birds. He points out a few birds that I had missed earlier and now I have several new ones to add to my sighting list. When he leaves, I prepare a cup of my daystart to eat, return to the blinds for another couple of hours and finally leave just after three pm to drive to Johnson City, stopping at Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park to tour the Boyhood home of this president.

After the tour, I ask Jeanne, the volunteer guide Where is a good place to eat in town? to which she replies, At the Pecan Street Brewery. I then I drive here and have fish tacos, chips and salsa; a good meal indeed. After eating, I sit in the jammer to get caught up on journal writing. Then I begin looking at my map so that I may decide where I might go next.

Methinks it will be west and drive first to the LBJ ranch and find that it is closed but take a couple photos of the low water bridge on the Pedernales River at the ranch. Then I continue west towards Fredericksburg and on the highway, the right rear tire blows out. First there was a swaying of the rear end and shortly after, the familiar rumble of a flat tire.

Conveniently, there is a paved mail box pull-out and I stop on the hard surface and begin to put on the spare. The tire has holes in the outside sidewall, indicating that the belts separated; the tire proving defective.

After putting on the spare, I drive to the nearest d-mart and park for the evening.

Upon arising, I drive first for coffee and then back to the d-mart to have the tire replaced but the store does not have one of the same tires. The clerk calls another store which confirms having one and I drive south on Texas highway 16 to the d-mart in Kerrville, Texas. Here, the store replaces the tire with out charge. It is eleven am when I am done with the tire frustration and return to the road whereupon I drive to a w-mart across the street for a cup of hot and to catch up on the journal writing.

This w-mart is located on a hillside overlooking the Guadalupe River where it has been dammed to form Lake Nimitz and the table where I sit has a view of the lake and a large part of the river valley. The view is nice despite the sky being heavily overcast and hazy. The afternoon passes quickly and then the sun begins to break through the gray sky just in time for the end of the day and creates a nice display at suntouch.

The color came on quickly, did not last long and when it is dark, I head for the d-mart and park for the evening.

I awake before the sunrise but not before the sunglow and rise, get dressed and drive across the street to the w-mart to begin another day of pounding keys. I have noticed that since this Quire has become large, it has been slowing down my web page editor. So, several days ago, I decided to split Quire Ten into four separate pages, each with one chapter on it and today is the day that I am making the change. I find out that the splitting is not too time consuming but going back and updating all the blue links, however, does amount to a lot of work which takes all afternoon. At four-thirty pm, I begin uploading the updated web pages to the web site. ¹

After uploading the new files, I check online and it is quite faster loading, however, I know that there are many more links, particularly in the photo gallery, that I have yet to find and update. That will come in time. At six pm, I leave, stop to eat a quick meal and then go to the meeting here in Kerrville, and stay until after nine-thirty pm. Afterwards, I drive to the d-mart and park for the evening, not getting to sleep until about eleven.

The sun is above the horizon and brightly shining into the jammer when I arise this morning. After starting the car, I begin to get dressed and then drive to the nearby w-mart to begin another day of key pounding working on the links between the photo gallery and online journal.

At five pm, I pack out, leave Kerrville and head first north on highway 16 to Fredericksburg, then east on US 290 to Johnson City and on to Pedernales Falls State Park arriving at sunset only to find the birds have already retired. Then, I continue further east to Dripping Springs and then south on highway 12 to Wimberley, Texas arriving at eight-thirty and find a place to park for the night.

I awake to see light in the sky and rise immediately. Then I drive into town and stop in the square at a restaurant. Walking inside I ask it they have WiFi and when the waitress says yes, I go back out to the jammer to get my computer. Once inside, I ask for coffee and begin looking on the menu at the breakfast items. When the waitress comes back, I order the veggie omelet with hash browns and a biscuit. Then I begin working on the computer but the meal comes out in less than five minutes.

After eating, I stay for a while and drink more coffee while working on the computer. At eight twenty, I drive to the hall for the ministry meeting and leave with Tom, Lyle and Sheila to do some invitation work in Dripping Springs. When we stop, I go to the jammer, get dressed and drive to the Blue Hole near downtown. Arriving to take photos, I am not impressed as it is just a deep hole in the small Cypress Creek that is a park which charges for swimming. The water however, is crystal clear but there is no swimming allowed this early in the year. Next, I drive to my sister Elise and John′s ranch to announce my arrival and notice there are many trees with flowers in the orchard. Elise asks me if I will plant her flowers in the newly tilled flower garden and she tells me that they pay one hundred dollars for a ten hour day. I agree to work for her and say that I can use the money. After driving to the garden center for a few more flower seed, we return to the ranch and see that her daughter Caroline has arrived for the weekend. We go in to see and greet Caroline and afterwards, I return to the flower garden and get to work, finishing the planting right at sunset, one which proves photo worthy.

Then, I go in for a shower, after which I sit in the living room with John and Caroline who are watching the Nova presentation about finding life in the universe. Although the intent of the scientist is to show that life spontaneously came about without acknowledging a creator, the presentation is otherwise well done and there are several things of interest that I learned about the universe. Afterwards, we three talk until we all need to get some sleep. I arrive back in the jammer by nine-thirty pm, write and upload today′s journal entry and then hit the sack.

When the light of day begins to creep upward into the sky, my eyes are open and I rise, put on my blues, start the jammer and drive to the square where I begin my study for today′s meeting. Yesterday, the waitress had told me about the breakfast tacos and this morning I have one. The taco is only $1.75 and with coffee my check is under five dollars. Then at nine am, I head for the hall arriving long before the others do so that I may dress for the meeting.

Afterwards, I return to the ranch and begin blowing the leaves into a pile. Caroline begins to pack out, we exchange good byes and then she and her two dogs leave for her home in Austin. In the late afternoon, two cars pull in, a family of five are in one, Beorn, Laura, there three children and the grandparents Charles and Diana in the other. I find out that these are friends of John and Elise ever since Caroline became friends with Laura who she met in school. They are here for the week during the spring break.

At nine pm, I am done with work, grab something to eat and then hit the sack.

There is an rim of light on the horizon when I step out of the jammer but I do not know if it is sunglow or light pollution from the nearby cities. I sit in the hot tub briefly before I drive to the gate, open it and begin my short trip to San Marcos, Texas to have the annual inspection for my transmission done. Arriving before eight am, I park and wait for the shop to open. Soon, it opens and it only takes ten minutes to check the vehicle and when he walks back into the office, he tells the clerk that the van was 100 percent. I get my inspection paper and then head back to Wimberley.

Arriving before nine, I get right to work on the leaf raking and grass mowing and do not stop until almost sunset. I go into the ranch house, take a shower and Elise gets out all the fixings for a turkey sandwich which I eat while watching a show on the television. At nine pm, I retire and write my journal entry for today. Then, I climb into the back of the jammer and read the Bible.

Awake first at five-thirty am and see the light on in the house because Elise and John are leaving early for an appointment in Austin for Elise to have surgery on her hand. She had fallen earlier this month and had it set in a sugar tong cast but it was done wrong and now needs to return for surgery. When she returns, the hand will be back in a cast. I return to sleep and get up with the sky already illuminated. I spend the day inside working on the web site pages while outside most of the day it rains and or mists.

Elise and John return in the late morning and both go down for a nap, after which I too follow about mid afternoon. Then, I return to the computer to continue working on web pages until ten pm when I retire to the jammer and for a short time read my Bible.

After raining all night, I awake and sit in the jammer to begin my journal entry. Soon after uploading the pages, I go inside for coffee after which I go outside and plug in the new cord to the leaf blower and begin blowing leaves from the front yard. Later, I drive to the hardware store and purchase several thing for the work that I am doing here at the ranch and landscape. Returning, I finish blowing the front yard, then thatch the bare spots, plant fescue seed and finally rake the seed into the dirt. Later, I return to the store to exchange a light fixture and pick up a newspaper and a four-case of individual wine bottles for Elise of which bottles she drinks three or four every day since I have been here after she comes to me to open the screw top for her. Methinks her idea is to keep John from knowing that she is drinking alcohol because John is home after spending more than a month in rehabilitation hospital for alcoholics and is currently not drinking alcohol. Methinks they have nothing to live for and turn to alcohol for relief. If anything, they need a hope for the future, but they will not listen to me about mine.

Upon returning to the ranch, I fix my supper, watch a nature show on the television, and finally retire to the jammer for the evening to finish my journal entry. Another long tiring day for me.

Awake to morning fog and heavy moisture in the air. After going into the house for coffee, I work on the landscaping at the ranch all day. In the late afternoon, Ava, the oldest child of Beorn and Laura walks up to me, sits down and begins a conversation. I immediately direct the conversation to the Bible, talking about several topics. Then, after stating that Jesus said that we should "do the will of the Father, who is in heaven" ask her "Do you know where we can find out what God′s Will is?" to which she right away says, "the Bible." Her answer truly amazes me and I reply, "That′s correct!" and give her kudos for knowing the answer. She asks me if she can help and I let her plant some of the begonias.

Continuing on the landscaping project, I set up a hose line for watering the lawn were I have planted grass seed and test it out but there does not seem to be enough water pressure with the dual control to water all four areas. Finally, I stop work for the day, go inside to eat more of the beans and rice Chad had made while he was here and then retire to the jammer.

Again this morning, the fog is heavy and the air thick. First up this morning is to check the sprinkler system and find that I was correct in thinking there was not enough pressure. Then, I remember seeing a large control unit on the porch, walk to the area and find a quad control unit and decide to install this unit today. Then, I walk into the house to get a cup of coffee and return with the coffee to the jammer to drink while working on my computer. Elise comes out to the jammer and asks me to unscrew the top of a small bottle of wine.

Later, when the sun makes a showing, the landscape work resumes by my edging the concrete and then blowing off the grass. About four in the afternoon, it begins to rain and the remaining grass must be hosed off the concrete. After picking up all the equipment, I go into the ranch house to take a hot shower and then watch television until it gets dark outside when I retire to the jammer for the evening while the rain continues.

There are at least two leaks in the jammer and these make themselves known with it rains hard. I will find and fix them soon. It is dark upon awaking, turn on the jammer to warm up and charge my computer and then begin my day pounding keys. I remain in the jammer until mid morning when I see the dogs outside and then go into the ranch house for coffee. It continues raining and windy most of the day and I remain inside likewise.

Later, I watch television with Elise and she turns on one of the CSI shows which are usually good but often have a lot of gun shooting. This one has too much shooting which with modern cinematography is always too graphic for this wayfarer and this show too, joins the long list of those I will no longer watch. John leaves to go to the post office and when he returns, his words are slurred when he speaks and is a bit irritating so I return to the jammer to take a nap, after which I work on my computer. Later, Elise comes out to the jammer to ask me to open another bottle of wine for her.

There is a slight glow on the eastern horizon which quickly grows brighter until the sunrise at seven thirty-five am and I see that the sky begins blue this morning. Meanwhile, I go over my journal entries for the last week, updating and rewriting as needed until I see the sun and then begin working on my Bible study for today. Shortly after nine am, I drive to the hall for the public meeting.

After the meeting, I stop at the g-mart to buy vegetables for a salad, drive back to the ranch and begin salad preparations. Everyone loves this salad as I also share a taste with a couple who stop by to visit John and Elise. I put the salad in the refrigerator and then go outside to blow off the newly fallen leaves on the pool deck and water all the seed that I have planted. At seven pm, I go inside and fix a salad for all three of us and watch television with John and Elise until eight-thirty pm. Then I go out to the jammer to finish today′s journal entry. I also update the mung bean salad on my online recipe page.

Richard in Yucaipa called earlier and I return his call this evening to find out that he would like for me to come this spring to help on a home project. My reply to him was that I am not planning on driving west this year, possibly next year in the spring, that I am planning to drive up through the mid-west and then east to Maine for the summer. We talk for half an hour and afterwards I turn out the lights.

Like yesterday, this morning begins with a clear sky and the sunglow slowly increases from my vantage point in the hot tub. Yesterday, the temperatures rose to the low eighties as will it be most of this week. Given this warming trend, methinks my days here in the hill country will soon surcease. Even so, I still desire to do more birding in hopes of seeing some of the local rarities.

I work the landscaping all day and then at six pm, Elise asks if I want to go with her out to eat at Ino′s, a river-side restaurant in town. I come in to take a shower and then we go to eat; I have the fish tacos with sweet potato fries and share chips, salsa and queso. We then return to the ranch and I go immediately out to the jammer, finish my journal entry for today and then hit the sack. I am really sore from a long day of work.

Another day with clear skies but the humidity seems to be very high as the outside of the jammer is covered with wet. After going in the house for coffee, I watch as the sun rises through the trees while pounding keys. I go to the hot tub and after replacing the water yesterday, I did not turn the heater back on and upon stepping into the water, methinks, "I′m not getting into that! That may be a tub but it is not a hot one." Then, I look at the thermometer to see that the water is 75 degrees, so I turn on the heater and maybe tonight I will get into the hot tub.

Shortly after nine am, Elise comes outside and I turn on the sprinkler, begin working on the landscape with mowing the grass. Elise asks me if I want to go with her to the hw-mart and I tell her yes. When we return, I continue working on mowing the grass not stopping until just before sunset. John grills some salmon and I join then for salmon, baked sweet potato and some of the mung bean salad I made on Sunday. It has been forty-eight hours an it is still crisp. While we are eating, the Oklahoma City Basketball comes on an I watch only a little before leaving to go to the jammer where I write and upload my journal entry.

Awake late, fill my insulated mug and begin pounding key when a male golden-fronted woodpecker lands on the seed feeder next to the suet but in gone less than a minute later but not too quick for my camera to get a photo. Soon after, I begin moving the large pile of leaves next to the house to the back of the pick up, then dumping them on the compost pile in the orchard, which takes two loads but there is several smaller piles in different areas. After lunch, Elise goes with me to dump the second load and asks me to help her in the orchard to dig the weeds out of two of the four garden beds. I also determine what it will take to set up a watering system for the beds and then we head back to the ranch to get into her car and head for town.

At the hw-mart with Elise and pick up another hose, many flowers, numerous vegetables and another timer for the orchard water system. Then we return to the ranch to find that John has been cooking some shrimp and baked potatoes. We unload the car, divide the items between those for the orchard which go into the farm truck and put the rest in the wagon in front of the house. Then we go in for supper, after which, I head out to the hot tub for one cycle and back into the house for a hot shower. Finally, at nine pm, I retire to the jammer to write my journal entry for today.

I am awaken in the early morning by rain pounding on the roof of the jammer and I think that it is a good thing that I was able to put the sealant on the jammer windows yesterday during the warmest portion of the day. Still, I hear a dripping coming from the same place it has leaked before and look behind the curtain to see that the window is open. After closing the window and drying the surfaces, I go back to sleep only to awake again just as the glow is beginning to come through from the eastern horizon revealing the thickly clouded skies.

I get up and begin blowing the pool deck to remove the fallen leaves, something that I have been doing each day since I arrived at the ranch on fourteenth of this month, twelve days ago. Afterwards, I get into the farm truck, drive to the entrance of the ranch and begin cleaning up a tree that had previously been cut down but had not been hauled to the burn pile. John has asked me to clear the cut limbs and it take me two loads taking two hours to complete. While I am at the entrance, I also trim Elise′s crepe murtles and arrive back at the ranch house before noon to assemble the animal cage and put it in the back of the farm truck. John then takes the truck to Austin to pick up a billy goat.

Then, I continue working on the landscaping, until Elise gets up (she is still recuperating from the surgery on her had that was broken) and joins me. We go to hw-mart to pick up some more mulch and some sand for the orchard vegetable gardens. Then we go out to the orchard to finish the weeding, spread the sand, plant the vegetables and water ever thing in. It is after seven when we quit and return to a pot roast with carrots, potatoes, asparagus and French bread. Finally, I go out to the hot tub and sit in the water for one cycle, after which I retire to the jammer to write today′s journal entry. Good Night!

The morning sunglow is well along when my eyes open, although they opened twice before earlier and the sprinklers are going full when I walk to the hot tub for my morning fifteen minute cycle. I return to the jammer, open my computer and while pounding keys, take a few photos of some familiar birds and some not familiar. Shortly after eight am, I go into the ranch house for hot coffee.

Elise tells me that Caroline is coming to the ranch later today and soon after drinking my coffee, I get to work on the remaining landscape projects since this is my last day here, having told both John and Elise that I am leaving tonight. The first thing is to blow all the leaves that came down yesterday and then mow the west side of the front yard. Then, I leave the mower, go to the orchard to install the timer in the sprinkler system and need to move some connections so as to adjust and even the amount of water each of the three garden tanks receive. Elise comes out to plant the remaining vegetables and I show her how the system works after which she replies that she is happy that it is easy to understand.

We go to the hw-mart one more time to get more mulch and sand for the orchard garden and see John at the local c-mart buying his favorite alcoholic beverage. We return to the ranch and I put a load of clothes in the wash. Next, I work on finalizing the sprinkler system in front of the ranch house and then show Elise how it works; again, she is happy with it. Caroline arrives, gives every one a hug and I go back outside to finish mowing the rest of the front yard, pick up all the tools and finish my laundry. Elise had told me earlier that she was preparing supper and shortly after dark, I go inside to be greeting by Caroline who tells me that it is toxic inside and that I should leave the ranch house. I go outside and sit on the porch of the lodge when Caroline comes out to apologize to me for being so mean to me. I tell her "You weren′t mean and I understand", then ask her if she is ok. She says, "I feel like I am five years old." I try to be as empathic as I can and she tells me that her dad is drinking and both parents are arguing. I ask, "You have been dealing with this since you were five years old?" to which she replies, "For as long as I can remember."

Methinks that my assumptions about my sister Elise and her husband John are true but more so with John, both are hopeless alcoholics. In saying hopeless, I am recalling what John told me earlier upon my arrival, that he has more money than he could ever spend, thus indicating that he believes he does not have much more time to live and expects to die soon. Sometimes, methinks that for them to die would at least give them a chance in the resurrection. Nevertheless, both of them are hopeless in that they are without hope for the future, much less any spiritual hope that is provided from God′s Word the Bible. Often while here, methinks much about the sad situation that almost all of my fleshly family live with, and as much as I would want to help them, what is even sadder is the fact that they do not want my help, even telling me as much. So, I will help them in the only way that I am left with, by the way I conduct myself and by continuing to pray for them. (1 Peter 2:12) (2 Peter 3:11)

Later, Elise comes out and tells me that she is leaving in the morning and asks me to help her packout tonight, which I do. While we are packing out, I tell Elise that I will be in Texas not too far away for about a week before I leave for Tennessee and if she needs my help to call me and I will return. My departure is delayed until long after ten pm. I then drive to Marble Falls and stop at the d-mart, arriving at eleven-thirty pm, get into the back of the jammer. However, because access to the hot tub is no longer available, I take two aspirins to alleviate the pain which recently has been showing up each evening, that same pain acquired from my two weeks as a ranch hand, and then finally I am able to fall asleep.

Up just before the suntouch and go into the d-mart for engine oil, walnuts and a couple bananas. Then I drive to Inks Lake State Park; a nice lake near to the two central Texas cities and obviously much used by those city dwellers, like today because all the camping sites are occupied. I go directly to the bird blind, arriving at nine-thirty am, which is the best one I have ever seen and begin taking photos of several species of birds, but not of these birds are new to me.

At ten-thirty am, I leave Inks Lake returning along park road S4 and next stop at Longhorn Caverns State Park to take photos of the CCC structures. While in the original headquarters building, now turned museum, I ease drop on a lecture to a Mclennan Community College Geology class. Brad was the bus driver for the Field Course but he is no mere bus driver as he has a masters in history and working on his PhD. We talk for a short time after his lecture and I recieve the field course blog address and give Brad and Cathy my Wayfarer card.

Then, I continue with my photos while walking to the cavern entrance where I meet a young woman taking photos also. We talk while continuing to photograph the area and finally give her one of my cards also. When, I leave, I retrace my route back to US 281, then north to US 190, east to interstate 35, north to Texas state highway 7 on which I travel east to Crockett, Texas where I stop at a w-mart to write my journal entries to upload before driving to a d-mart in town for the evening. It has been a long day of driving across central Texas and as soon as the sun sets, I get horizontal. While trying to sleep, Joann calls me and we talk for about half an hour, mostly about health and some things to do to improve it. She mentions her cholesterol and immediately methinks that I must need write another Stroke of a Quill about the cholesterol scan that is being perpetrated by the medical and pharmaceutical professions. I finally get back horizontal just before eleven pm.

I have been up for an hour now after driving to the w-mart and sipping on hot coffee while working upgrading files to my website. Now, I turn my attention to where the Hall is located and find it on Loop 304, just counter-clockwise on the loop, a short distance from where I am now and drive there directly for the meeting.

When the meeting is over I drive east on Texas highway 21 along the route of the El Camino Real de Los Tejas NHT which is an old Spanish wagon road from Mexico City to San Antonio. Next, I come upon a small park with the Caddoan Mounds and stop to find out more about it.

After spending some time reading the kiosk displays to learn about these ancient mound builders, I continue northeast on SH 21 to Nacogdoches, Texas and then into Louisiana to Natchitoches.

Today, I follow the Old San Antonio road, from Crockett, Texas through to Nacogdoches, and then across the Sabine River and on Louisiana highway 6 to Natchitoches, Louisiana. I keep stopping several times along the route to read many of the numerous roadside historical markers and I learn that most of the markers are about the Europeans who came down from the eastern parts of the continent and about their settlements.

David Crockett was one of those who came from Tennessee, who journeyed to Texas to help fight the Mexicans along with Colonel James Bowie of Kentucky, Lieutenant Colonel William Travis of South Carolina and John Wayne of California. I am sure that everyone remembers the story, when the Texans in San Antonia fought gallantly but lost the battle with 200 or more defenders at the Alamo dying in the battle. However, there were a few survivors in the Texas camp, a fact that I only recently learned.

At six-thirty pm, after arriving in Natchitoches, Louisiana, I stop at a w-mart to write today′s journal entry, upload it to the internet and then find a d-mart to park for the evening.

Up just after sunrise and drive to a f-mart for coffee but can not connect to WiFi. I will wait here for an hour for a near by dollar d-mart to open so that I can purchase hand sanitizer, that which I have been out for several days. Afterwards, I drive to Cane River Creole National Historical Park, a park that I tried to find once before but was only able to find the Historic District. This time, however, I found the national historical park and spend quite a long time touring it. One of the volunteers there, Debbie is a graduate of the same high school I went to but did so one year ahead of me. We reminisce some about those times. Then we find out that we both have an ancestry from French Louisiana and I tell her about the Acadian culture centers in Lafayette, Thibodaux and Eunice where she can go to learn about our heritage, that these are national park units of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.

Meanwhile, at this park, I learn that on this plantation named Oakland, the home was built in 1821 along the Cane River. I tour many of the numerous building at this plantation including the home with original furnishings and artifacts, some dating to the 1800′s. I learn that there are other plantations within the park so I also stop at the Magnolia Plantation which has much less to see. Leaving this park, I drive east to Los Adaes State Historic site, another site on the El Camino Real del los Tejas but find this historic site is closed today much like Fort Jean Baptiste State Historic site in Natchitoches when I drive back there. However, I do drive to the historical district and tour Front Street along the Cane River, an old channel of the Red River, now a twenty six mile lake. After this, I return to Louisiana state highway 6 and head east to Many, Louisiana where I stop early for the evening and take a nap. After the nap, I locate a f-mart with WiFi to complete my journal entry for today, upload it and then drive to a d-mart and park for the evening.

The sun has risen long before my arising and I drive to the f-mart for a cup of coffee before heading east along the same route I drove to get here, across the Sabine River and stop first in Nacogdoches to visit more of the units of the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historical Trail, particular the Stern-Hoya and Durst-Taylor historic homes, both of which do not currently have national park passport stamps; however, the manager of the latter of the two told me that she is applying to get one. She also knows more about the area than any of the other people that I speak with. The last stop in on the camps of Steven F. Austin college where I visit the Old Stone Fort and talk with Melony who is new at the site but I think she will learn fast and be a good host here or where ever she goes. Leaving Nacogdoches, I head east on Texas highway 21 back to the Caddo Mounds State Historical Site and stop for photos of the Caddoan Culture here. Next, I stop again at the El Camino Real NHT in the de Los Tejas area in Mission Tejas State Historical Site to add the El Camino Real NHT stamp to my historical trail brochure.

From the historical site, I drive back through Crockett, Texas where I gas up and then continue west on Texas highway 21 to Midway, Texas. There, I turn right on Texas highway OSR and continue west parallel to highway 21 to just past Bryan, Texas where highway OSR reconnects with with highway 21 and then drive to Caldwell, stopping at a d-mart in town for the evening.

My morning begins in the predawn darkness with driving to the w-mart for coffee and WiFi. Later, I drive to Bastrop State Park for a hot shower and then drive through the park noting that the once heavily forested park was mostly burned by fire in September 2011. One good thing that resulted from the fire was the construction of a new shower house in the camping area. It has all tile floors and walls, new plumbing and really hot water.

Afterwards, I continue south on Texas highway 21 to San Marcos, Texas and view the springs briefly, a watering hole from the times of the Spanish explorers. Then, I drive to San Antonio to stop at the h-mart for sprouted grains which I do find, sprouted mung beans, lentils and even brown rice. I still purchase rolled oats (not sprouted) to use in my daystart. Next, I drive to a w-mart and update my journal. It is really hot here in this city and by five pm, I am ready to more northerly location to find cooler weather. Upon returning to the drive, I see that the name of the street is Nacogdoches Road and suppose that it is the old Spanish route, El Camino Real and continue north upon it. North of San Antonio, I come upon a location with the name Comanche Outpost Park, from the days of the Spanish when traveling into East Texas.

I park, put on my walking shoes, grab my camera and begin walking up to the top, all along smelling a very sweet smell coming from some unknown flowers. It is a short walk to the top where there is a four story stone tower, built in 1928 and which was used as a lookout. While on top of Comanche Hill, it begins to rain so I return to the jammer and drive to the d-mart where I had my hair cut earlier today and park for the evening while lightning flashes across the night sky.

Awaking almost two hours earlier, I decide to go back to sleep to get ahead of my sleep debt and when I arise, drive to a w-mart and do some research on El Camino Real de los Tejas to find more of the locations marked on the national park brochure. Later in the morning, I drive to Comal Springs in New Braunfels, Texas, another stop on El Camino Real after which, I drive to McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, Texas but they are completely full and do not have any camp spaces. However, I use the WiFi to find a location in south Austin for the meeting tonight and drive there arriving at six-thirty pm.

The meeting does not begin until seven-thirty so I relax for a while with the air conditioner on. Again, I say, it is too hot here and must move north soon and do so by driving north on interstate highway 35 and take the US highway 79 exit to stop at a d-mart for the evening.

The sounds of grackles greet me when I awake this morning as does a train whistle for a distance. I drive to the f-mart for coffee and to check my com before I begin my morning trek. Then, before the light of day, I begin driving northeast on US highway 79 and a few parallel Texas highways to follow El Camino Real to Apache Pass on the San Gabriel River where I learn that a sand bar here made crossing this river easier for wagons. The park has camping, a RV park, suspension bridge over the river and a night club-bar, everything a traveler would need, all for a fee including entrance. Also, the road and park are marked with the national park signage, something that is just now getting started for this national park.

All along the drive today, there is a continuing show of colors in the forest from red buds, dogwoods, wisteria, and others that I do not know names for. It is a pleasant drive as it has been since leaving Wimberley where the sides of the highways were covered in bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes and many other flowers. When I was

I continue northeast on US 79 to Henderson, Texas where I continue in a northeast direction on State highway 43, stopping at Martin Creek Lake state park for a hot shower, after which I prepare and eat a meal. After the stop, I continue on highway 43 to Kamack, Texas where the highway turns north to Atlanta and it merges with US highway 59, one often traveled by this wayfarer. In Atlanta, I stop at a f-mart to find a nearby hall where I may go to the memorial on Christ′s death tonight, which I find Central congregation in Texarkana, Texas is the best choice.

Arrive in Texarkana at five-thirty, park at a w-mart until six-thirty pm, then drive to the hall, get dressed and go inside for the memorial. At eight-thirty pm, I am back at the same w-mart so that I can finish my journal entry for today. When that is done, I drive next door to the d-mart and set up for the night. I notice that the outside temperature is cooler tonight here in the east Texas forests, a change that I am really happy about.

My eyes first opened at five-forty am and my thoughts were to go to the w-mart early this morning but with the cool air, sleep is so much more inviting to me. The sun shining into the jammer awakes me once more but it is still very cool and sleep on. Finally, when I arise, I drive the short distance to the w-mart and purchase a cup of coffee.

The entire day is spent working in the Appendix Passage on Appendix Four, Life Lessons and it is after ten when I pack out of the w-mart for an evening or rest in the jammer. Interesting, two groups of of the friends stop by here and sit at the table next to me. One invites me to visit their congregation tomorrow for the meeting with I agree to come. The hall is located in Arkansas, unlike the one I was at last Thursday evening in Texas.

It is daylight when my eyes open today and when pulling down the window shades, I notice that it has been raining during the night, but ever so lightly. I drive to the w-mart for hot coffee and to work on my Bible study for the meeting today. At nine-twenty, I drive to the hall to get dressed and enjoy the meeting.

Then, the road beckons to me again and I resume this northeastward trek once more. It begins on interstate 35 but in a short time, turn onto Arkansas highway 195 and drive north to Washington Historic State Park, stopping at Williams Tavern for a comfort food meal of meat loaf, mashed potatoes with white gravy, green beans, a roll and pineapple upside down cake. From Washington, I drive northwest on US 278 to Nashville, Arkansas, turn northeast on state highway 27 stopping at Crater of Diamonds state park but am not impressed by a dirt hole that you pay eight dollars to dig in with only a hope to find something that may or may not be valuable. I would rather spend my time reading the Bible where I know there are many valuable gems waiting to be found. I only stay briefly and then return to highway 27 towards Kirby, Arkansas where I turn right on US highway 70 and then continue to Hot Spring, Arkansas, arriving just after two pm and stop at at a w-mart to park.

Instead of going into the w-mart, I stay in the jammer, lie down and fall into a food induced coma. Then at four pm, I walk into the w-mart, computer in tow and begin working on my web site until the store closes when I drive across the street to the d-mart.

It rains during the night and upon awaking, the air is thick with fog and moisture. After driving across the street and going into the w-mart, I sit down with my coffee and computer for one more day at pounding keys, working on the Appendix Passage, Appendix Four.

After it rains all morning with thick fog, the sky begins to clear some in the late afternoon. I remain inside until eight pm when I retire for the evening, drive to the d-mart to shut down for the evening.

Rain is still coming down this morning, beginning again late last evening and it looks like it will be in the area for a couple more days. After looking online at the weather forecast, methinks that I will stay right were I am and use this time to work on my website for another day.

In the late morning, a group of women enter the w-mart and sit down at the table next to me and while working on my computer, I hear one mention the words "kingdom hall" and realize that this is a group of sisters. I do not stop but wait until they begin to return the assembly of chairs and tables to their original positions and get up to help. During the shuffling of furniture, I ask one of the women "Do you go to the kingdom hall?" to which the sister said "yes, why do you ask?" I tell her that I will be coming to the meeting tonight at the hall, to which she answers "There is not meeting, we are going to an assembly this weekend." We talk for a bit longer, then I go back to work as they leave. I am glad that I made the effort to talk with the witnesses so that I could find out about the meeting schedule.

At six pm, I leave the w-mart because the air conditioner is on and has become too cold for me. I drive into Hot Springs National Park, to Whittington spring and fill all of my empty bottles, wash the jammer and then wash myself finishing just before sunset. Then, I drive to the d-mart and retire early today.

It is warm, the skies are overcast and it is humid but at least it is not raining this morning. I drive to the w-mart for coffee and begin working on the computer, however, I only stay here until noon when I pack out and get ready to return to the road northeast. Before I leave, I look at my phone and notice that Susan has called so I call her back and talk about several Bible verses with her for about an hour. Methinks that she is slowly coming along in her knowledge of the Bible, even though she is still getting that knowledge through Babylon the Great. My hope and prayer is that she will recognize the truth of what I am trying to help her to understanding.

I drive east on US 70, turn north on interstate 30 to Little Rock where I connect to US 67 northeast and turn east on US 412. This highway takes me into the boot heel of Missouri, then across the Mississippi River (on a bridge that I have never crossed) and into Tennessee, all before the sun sets. Once in Tennessee, I continue on US 412 southeast to Jackson, Tennessee and drive to a d-mart. Upon arriving, I see a w-mart across the street, so I decide to stop and get online to update today′s journal entry. Soon, I am at the d-mart, prone in the back and reading one more chapter in the Bible.

After a warm night I arise, drive across the street to the w-mart and purchase a cup of coffee. Then I plug in and begin work on my computer, continuing in the Myself gallery. A short time before noon, I pack out and return to the east bound path on US highway 412 until arriving at the Natchez Trace on which I turn south and drive to Meriwether Lewis Park and stop here for a short rest. Then I drive a bit further on the Trace to Buffalo River where I stop at a small picnic area near the river ford to have something to eat.

Afterwards, I decide to drive to Spring Hill, Tennessee so that I can attend the meeting there, return to US highway 412, drive east to US highway 30 and turn north stopping in Spring Hill at about five pm. I take a short nap and then go in to the meeting. Many of the friends remember me by name but my memory is no where near as good and must needs ask for their names. I do talk with Joe briefly but tell him that I am only here for the meeting, not to stop. Then after eating, I drive to the d-mart to find out that it has WiFi in the parking lot.

Methinks that some years ago, I had said that all these d-marts need now is WiFi and now some have begun to install it. This one even has a retail outlet of the bank that I have my checks deposited into. Here, there is every thing necessary for the life of a wayfarer wrapped up into one location. Well, at lease, isn′t that what the d-mart chain wishes us to think. It is eleven pm and must needs go to sleep.

The rain is noisy this morning when I awake but that does not concern me as much as the stomach cramps inside me do, as this is a bout with my stomach problem that rivals with the worst of them.

I walk into the d-mart to go to the men′s room thinking that that the food that I purchased last evening has done this to me. Methinks that I will not eat at that restaurant again. Oh, but I have said those very words before about that same restaurant. Will I ever learn? After taking care of business, I drive to the w-mart, purchase a cup of coffee and sit down like nothing has happened.

I stay at the w-mart all day pounding on the keyboard, still working on The Myself gallery, fasting from food and only drinking liquids. At seven pm, I upload what I have accomplished and pack out, driving back to the d-mart for the night.

When I awake, there is sunlight coming into the jammer and when I take down the curtains, I see blue sky in all direction, no clouds at all. The cold front the came in yesterday dropped the temperature considerably. I drive to the w-mart, purchase coffee and resume the key pounding.

At six-thirty pm, I pack out drive to Hohenwald, Tennessee and stop at the d-mart to park for the evening.

Up at early sunglow, feeling much better than yesterday morning, drive to the f-mart for coffee and then sit in the jammer while sipping the hot liquid and working on the study for today′s meeting. At eight am, I drive to the hall, spend an hour cleaning up the jammer and then at nine-fifteen am, get dressed. When I am finished dressing, I have a cup of Daystart for breakfast while waiting for the friends to arrive. At twenty minutes before ten am, a brother opens the door facing the parking lot in the back of the hall. I greet him but he just stands there without saying a word. Finally, he asks me if I am here for the meeting and tells me that the congregation went to a circuit assembly yesterday. Then he begins to walk out to where I am parked and I say, "Sam? Sam Raincloud? Is that you?" He says "Yes, but I have forgotten your name."

Sam and I were in the same congregation during the last half of the 1980′s, a congregation not far from here in Centerville, Tennessee. I was working at that time repairing ladders and had hired Sam to take over some of the large territory that I was assigned because I was in the full time ministry and did not want to work full time also. We both made a good living doing the ladders for quite a long time.

Then Sam told me that he was at the hall for the ministry meeting and asked if I would like to go out with him. Of course, I tell him, and we spend the morning making calls and some door to door. His daughter Stacy joins us and she informs me that this upcoming week is their congregation&prime's circuit overseers visit. At noon, I go to the d-mart to get a refill of my blood pressure medicine and then drive seven miles to the Natchez Trace Parkway to camp at Meriwether Lewis free campground.

I set up in space number twenty and continue my work on cleaning out the jammer. The campground is nearly full, with a few Europeans but mostly Canadians who are heading back to Canada after staying in the warmer southern states for the winter and at least for tonight, this is a snowbirders campground. I talk with many of the campers who walk by along the paved driveway but especially with the two camping nearest to me, Fred and Ken. Fred who is living in a small SUV also wintered in Texas and is now on his way back to his home in New York, but has been camping here for a few days. We talk for a while about living and traveling in a vehicle. Later, Ken arrives driving a motorcycle and sets up. I walk over to greet him and find out his is from Toronto and heading for New Orleans. Both of these travelers, like myself are minimalists to use the word Fred calls himself. At seven, I begin cooking my supper; I make brown rice with quinoa, sprouted mung beans, and seaweed. It is somewhat bland and needs hot sauce added to spice it up. I offer both some, Fred says that he has eaten but Ken has a bowl of it.

We have a lot to talk about while the sun is still lighting the sky. During the conversation with Fred, he tells me that he has been living in his vehicles for a couple of years now and mention to him that I am working on my sixth year. He asks me "Are you happy?" Thinking a moment about his question, I answer "At the beginning, during the first two years, it was hard at times with wanting better shelter from the cold and wet, but for the last three years since I have been snowbirding, yes, I have really been enjoying this life. "In fact," I tell him, "I don′t think I will ever go back to living within the encumbrance of walls." He then replies, "Eventually, we will have to, especially, when we get old and sick!" I tell him, "Not even then" but do not go into my reason why I believe that to be true. By this time, the sun retreats behind the cloak of night, and it is time that all three of us head for our sleeping births. It has been a long day and I am really tire so at nine pm, I turn of the computer, the overhead lamp and get horizontal for the evening.

I awake with the sky dark to begin writing in my journal and do not see the sunglow begin until six am at which time I head over to the men′s room. On the way back to the jammer, I see Fred and when I greet him, he ask me if I want some hot water. I tell him that I will bring the coffee and he heads over to the water spigot. I move the jammer to space 21 where his car is parked and get out my French coffee, drip cone, filters and when he brings the hot water, we each make a cup of coffee. Then both of us make our breakfast from out own stores.

In a short while, Ken crawls out of his tent and begins to make his breakfast and when we all finish eating, we begin to pack out to ready for each one′s destination for the day. Soon, we all bid each other a see you later and then make tracks out of Meriwether Lewis campground. There is a heavy mist in the air.

My tracks take me to Spring Hill where I stop at an ap-mart to order front shocks for the jammer. Then, as the rain begins coming down, I go to the w-mart next door and work on the photo gallery pages. At six, I head back to the ap-mart to pick up my parts. Then, I head to the d-mart to buy some salad makings for my supper tonight and eat in the parking lot. Afterwards, I connect to WiFi, find a free movie channel and watch a scifi movie. It is almost eleven when I crawl into the back of the jammer while outside, the rain continues to pound on the roof.

Awake at early daybreak but close my eyes and immediately fall back asleep. Then when I do get up, drive directly to the w-mart, purchase coffee and begin pounding keys. Then at four pm, I pack out, drive to Hohenwald and stop at the d-mart for salad fixings for an early supper.

At six pm, I drive to the hall in Hohenwald for the meeting, one with a visiting circuit overseer, get dressed and walk inside. The tall young overseer personally thanks each of the school participants by name with comments on each of their talks. Then he discusses how we should not be fearful nor terrified with the upcoming end. Near the end of his talk, he reads from the Bible at 2 Chronicles 20:15b and then says that he wants to read directly from the outline, "We are living shortly before the last day of the last days." Later, I comment to Sam that I heard that quote said a little different, "We are no longer in the last days, instead, we are in the last hours." Afterwards, I drive back to the d-mart to park for the night.

I awake with the sky already illuminated but with the sun completely obscured from sight by thick clouds dispensing deluges of rain. Last evening, Sam asks me to join him in the ministry this morning but first I drive to the f-mart to purchase coffee. Then, I drive to the hall and get dressed all along the deluge continues coming down. There are about twenty who are at the hall for the ministry, Sam asks if I will work with him and I agree. The overseer makes the car arrangements and joins the group with Sam and I. We do some door to door and I am able to talk with several people.

After the ministry and after stopping at the d-mart for salad veggies, I head back to Meriwether Lewis campground noticing there are much fewer camping here today, and make a large salad for lunch. While eating, the sun makes a showing behind diminishing clouds and the birdsong increases. After cleaning up, I climb into the jammer and take a nap; not waking up until five pm. I walk to the water spigot to get a bucket of water, return to the jammer and take a bucket bath. In a cup of rolled oats, I pour kefir and stir to prepare tomorrows breakfast, after which I climb back into the jammer and work for a while on the computer.

Just before sunset, I get out my stove to cook some sprouted grains to which add broccoli spears in the last few minutes of cooking. After pouring off the excess liquid and packing up the gear, I climb into the jammer to evade the gnats and begin eating my Repast with ample doses of hot sauce. After it becomes dark, I start the jammer to charge the computer and work on it until I am too tired to continue.

After a night of rain, I rise and make the hour drive to Spring Hill stopping at the w-mart for coffee. I bring in the cup of oats after having added flax cereal, cacao and cranberries. Then my key pounding resumes which will most likely continue here for a couple of days.

At six-thirty pm, I drive to a local Mexican restaurant and have grilled fish, veggies, beans and rice. Then, I drive to the d-mart and park for the evening and use my computer to watch videos from JW.org until nine pm, at which time the battery is close to being exhausted so I get into the back of the jammer and sleep.

Up before the sunglow twice going back to sleep each time but finally arise upon looking out the window to see daylight. Then drive the short distance north to the w-mart for coffee and to work on my computer and am able to finish another page of the Myself gallery.

Later in the morning, I have my daystart, having a second time soaked the oats with kefir; this time adding cranberries and flax cereal. At five pm, I pack out and head for Meriwether Lewis campground and on the Natchez Trace see a wild turkey, which I am able to photograph.

Then, I continue to the campground arriving with plenty of time to prepare my salad from fixings left from last night.

At seven pm, I am inside the jammer eating salad to avoid the gnats. I finish my journal entry for the day and read for a while before going to sleep.

Once again, I wake before sunglow, at 5:15 am, only to go back to sleep and wait for daylight to show itself. When I arise, I drive seven miles to the f-mart, buy coffee and upload my journal pages. Then at eight am, I drive to the hall and get dressed for the ministry meeting. I work with Stuart and today and we work on Beverly street in Hohenwald. At one home, a man seems interested in the future paradise and take the magazines. Another man comes out of his garage to speak to us but it is evident that he does not want to learn but just wants to argue. Later, we meet Steve at the f-mart for coffee and soon return to Beverly street for the rest of the morning.

Afterwards, I drive to Meriwether Lewis and upon arriving find the visitors center open at the Grinder′s Stand site so I go inside and get a stamp imprint on my brochure. The ranger tells me that there never was any proof of how Lewis died that when the monument was built in the 1860′s, a coroner opened the grave, saw the body and confirmed that there was a hole in the back of the scull. Some say he was murdered, other say that because he had recently lost every thing he owned, he committed suicide. Still, the ranger said that positively, no one really knows how Lewis died.

Then, I head to the campsite, find it nearly full but park in space 16 and begin setting up. First, I open up all the doors to let the moisture, accumulated from the heavy rains we have had hereabouts, dry out. Then I string my laundry cord, pack some water from the spigot and begin washing my synthetics: nylon, poly and etc. The cotton I leave in my dirty clothes sack because they require to much time to dry. One day, I will give up all the cotton clothing including blue jeans so that I can wash and dry all my clothes on the road like I did here with my shorts and underwear.

Too, in between the chores, I use the last of the salad fixings to make and eat a salad. It is four pm and do not plan to cook later but will have some fruit and nuts. Finally, I pack every thing in the jammer, turn the engine on for the air conditioner and to charge batteries while pounding on the keyboard. I take a photo of a yellow bellied sap sucker today, I never before believed that it was a real bird but just something that kids, in my day, called other kids. Later, I find out that it was not a sap sucker but instead a red-headed woodpecker, which I have never seen previously.

Methinks that sitting here in a campground is such a bore, rather my must needs want me to move further north and yet I still have time to be spent in Spring Hill because Joe has asked for my help on a project and I have already confirmed my coming. Even so, that will only be another ten days, two weeks at tops and then the rubber will hit the pavement finding the jammer and myself moving back across the Mississippi River towards Iowa to visit another national monument or two. Still, all of this last week waiting each day, even with moving between Lewis campground and the w-mart in Spring Hill has presented a strain on my ability to sit and wait. It is now seven pm and I am going horizontal to read.

During the middle of my time asleep, probably after two am the rain began to come down hard waking me momentarily. Upon awaking, it was still raining and has continued right thru the rest of the morning hours. I drive to the f-mart in Hohenwald for coffee, to upload my web work completed yesterday and to prepare for the study today.

Then at nine am, I drive to the hall, get dressed and go in for the meeting. Afterwards, I drive to a city park pavilion that a family has rented to host a spaghetti luncheon for the congregation; she came up to me at the meeting Tuesday evening to invite me. It is a large gathering and there is plenty of "comfort food" of which I have not yet learned how to discipline myself not to eat but have a good time and meal with the friends. Also, I get to know Steve a little better; we had worked together in the ministry Saturday morning. As the luncheon is winding down, Steve asks me "Are we going to see you here in Hohenwald again?" I tell him that since I have friends here now, it would appear that I must needs come back and visit. Even so, if it is not until the new system, then I will still have friends, and because the new system is forever, so too will those friends acquired now. This one aspect of the brotherhood is by far enough for us to want to remain faithful and do all that is necessary to be there during JD. However, it is not the most important aspect keeping me striving to do God′s Will. Yes, most important is my desire to please Jehovah.

Heading east out of town, I drive the forty-four miles to Spring Hill and after filling the gas tank, park at the d-mart to pound on the keyboard for a while. It is raining when I begin but before I arrive in Spring Hill, the sky has begun to clear, but the humidity is high and must needs run the engine with the air conditioner on. Soon, the sun approaches the horizon and the rain returns and only increases the humidity. Methinks that my days here at this latitude are becoming short, especially with these warm humid temperatures.

Rain has become a nightly event here in mid Tennessee, but today it stops before dawn with the temperature slightly lowered. Arising, I drive one block north to the w-mart for coffee and WiFi.

Then late in the day, I stop pounding keys and go to eat at Don Arturo′s which has a great Pescado Quadalajara having vegetables cooked with the grilled fish, beans and rice. After that, I drive to the d-mart to take a siesta, or as others would say, a food induced coma. Later, I awake and get up for a while intending to read but because the temperature has dropped considerably, decide to go back to prone position.

Despite the air being so much colder this morning, it does not take me long to get up and begin moving. The sunglow shows me the clear blue sky but the windshield indicates the high humidity that exists despite the clearing coolness. I start the jammer, drive the short distance north and take my position at the same table of recent days. When the barista asks "Do you want your usual" methinks that truly, my days here have become too many. Then I check the temperature in Bar Harbor, Maine and oddly find it to be two degrees warmer than here. It is only a matter of time before I will return there.

In the late afternoon, I finish the last of the Myself galleries, upload it to the internet and pack out of the w-mart. I drive to Joe′s place and check out the Monte Creek Bridge which looks really good and is holding strong. Then I drive up to the house, park under the barn next to the fifth-wheel as Joe comes outside with Doc, his standard poodle to meet me. We stand outside for a while and talk about some of the projects he has going on here. Then he tells me that he is going out in the ministry tomorrow and I tell him that I would like to go with.

Soon, he heads inside the house and then I get busy with my Repast which recipe has changed since studying online about the anti-nutrients in whole grains. Methinks that this new recipe with the new ingredients makes the meal so much better. I even created a new sauce which I like as much as the Sub-lime sauce; it is a lot easier to make and is simpler with fewer ingredients. I will upgrade my online recipe some time later this summer once I have worked through the variations. It is after ten pm when I get into the back of the jammer.

The day is with light when I awake having slept past sunglow, methinks because I was up late last evening. Rising, I grab my shower bag and walk up the stairs into the fifth wheel for a shower. Once inside, I find the shampoo and bar of soap that I left behind last fall, still in the shower stall where I was using it. I walk back to the jammer in my blues shorts and begin getting dressed for the ministry later this morning with Joe while heating water for coffee. Also, before eating any food, I take my weight loss supplements, the first time for many months that I have. Methinks, this is as good a time as any, especially with the spring tour beginning eight days from now at the end of the month.

At seven am, the sun makes it′s show above the hill which lies directly east of Joe′s property. This spring morning here at the barn comes complete with sunshine, birdsong and somewhere in the distance beyond the hills, traffic noises. At eight-thirty am, Joe comes outside in a black suit and starts his truck; I get out of the jammer, put my suit jacket on, grab my ministry bag and stow it in the truck.

Soon, we are on the road to the hall and arrive minutes before nine am just in time for the meeting. There are three congregations that meet at this hall and the Thompson Station Congregation meets this morning in the room normally used for the second school. About a dozen friends meet and I am assigned to work with Joe and Ron for the morning. From the hall, we drive north towards Franklin, Tennessee an work on Cedarmont street doing not at homes all morning stopping only briefly for a coffee break. On the way back to the hall, we stop and visit Daniel, an older brother in the congregation who is happy to see us. We then return to the hall and Joe an I drive to the d-mart for Joe to buy reading glasses.

Afterwards, we go to a return visit, Jay, to explain to him why we knock on people′s doors. Joe does any amazing job using the twenty-forth chapter of Matthew to show what is happening today in the last days. He brings attention to the fact in the first part of this chapter, that several times it mentions there will be false teachers and at the same time God will be using one religion to do the world wide preaching of the good news. He also uses the Bible to show Jay that, as we believe, it is Jehovah′s Witnesses who are the one doing this preaching of the good news. Finally, he offers the What does the Bible Really Teach book and Jay accepts it. We then leave and return to the barn, arriving by three pm and sit behind the jammer to talk for a bit while prepare my evening meal, a cup of daystart.

At sunset, I get into the jammer and crawl into the back to sleep, a bit earlier than usual but will most likely arise before suntouch in the morning.

Awake and can not sleep any longer so I get out the computer and begin pounding the keys. After finishing yesterday′s journal entry, I begin the work of updating the blue links for the Myselƒ gallery. At five-twenty am, I notice the sunglow beginning to appear in the sky and by six am, the light of day abounds. Soon after, I set out of the jammer and begin making coffee and organize my supplements for today, taking the first group. Then after another hour, I have my daystart and begin eating when Joe comes outside. I offer him some coffee or breakfast but he says he is taken care of. We talk while I eat but then Joe then leaves to locate the heavy equipment operator that is doing work on the property in order to get him on the job; he has been calling him for a couple of day without any response.

I continue working on my computer until Joe returns and asks me to go with him to take the Honda and the lawn mower to the ar-mart. We hook the trailer to his truck, jump the battery to start the mower and then load it in the trailer. Then we load the pressure washer and string trimmer to take there also. Finally, I drive the Honda while Joe drives the truck and when we arrive at the ar-mart, go in to speak with Mark who is sick in bed with a toxin headache, which he says is caused by all the pain medication that he has had to take during the past several years for his back problem. Ever since the operation to relieve the back pain, the headaches have kept him sick. For him, this system is just not kind at all.

When we leave the ar-mart, we then go to the hw-mart to purchase some concrete cement for finishing the bridge wall. Then we head for the barn at which time I begin cooking my supper. Joe leaves again to help Jerr put a belt on his mower during which I finish cooking, eat and then get dressed. When Joe returns, I offer him a small taste of my meal that I had saved for him, and he eats every drop of the Repast saying this is very good. I tell him that he will have to take me up on my offer to cook a meal for him again to which he agrees. Then Joe goes into the house to clean up and put on his suit, after which we head to the hall for the meeting. We do not arrive back at the barn until almost ten pm when I undress and climb right into the back of the jammer.

Up to a clear sky for the fourth day, since Tuesday of this week and glad to have this great weather for a change. I get dressed and drive to the w-mart and will await for Joe to call me because he is going out in the ministry this morning where I opted to come here to upload my journal files because I have not done so for the last four days. As soon as he calls, I will head to the barn to begin work on the bridge.

At noon, I drive to the d-mart to purchase onions and bananas, then drive to the barn and begin hosing and sweeping the floor under the pole barn. When Joe arrives, we first plant some sweet potatoes and peppers in the garden, after which we drive to ar-mart to pick up the mower but Mark has not finished it yet so we do a couple of errands in the Honda. Afterwards, we go back for the mower, load it in the trailer, and return to the barn with me driving the Honda. Upon arriving at the barn, I begin cooking my supper, brown rice, onions, seaweed, W-spice and the new sauce. After eating, I clean up and then climb into the jammer to sleep.

Up at light, take a shower, put on my jeans and head for the w-mart in town to work on the web pages, all along with the rain coming down lightly. At noon, I notice that the sun is back and call Joe tou ask him where he is, to which he says that he is heading to the barn. I tell him that I will meet him there because I want to work on the bridge finish coat. We get out everything that I will need and haul the supplies to the bridge, then Joe leaves to help move a brother and sister.

It being one pm when I begin, I start by cleaning up the walls that I will be finishing. Next, I mix up a small batch to the concrete and begin troweling it onto the wall. It was a good thing that I only mixed a small batch because the mix sets in fifteen minutes and some of the first batch hardened before I could trowel it onto the wall. The first batch started with four cups of water and I added the concrete mix until it was the right consistency and then began applying it. The water for the second batch was reduced to three cups and that amount worked perfect. It was this second batch that I decided to finish the concrete with a brush just before it set and that made it look so much better. Then batch after batch, mix, trowel and brush; mix, trowel and brush until the sun sets, when I begin to clean up the tools and rinse the concrete that had spilled. Just as I am done with the clean up, Joe drives into the driveway, stops and gets out. We look at what I have done and he says that it looks good.

After we put up the tools and put the remaining concrete under the barn, Joe goes into the house and I go into the fifth-wheel to take a shower. When I come back to the jammer, I cook brown rice and during the last five minutes of cooking add chopped onion, chopped garlic, two tablespoons of sesame seed, two tablespoons of chia seeds, two tablespoons of dried seaweed. Finally, after putting a portion in my bowl, I add two tablespoons of mustard, coconut oil, soy sauce and a tablespoon of Wayfarer′s Spice mix. Then I enjoy another great recipe. Then at nine pm, I clean up and pack everything away, after which I climb into the jammer, turn the engine on to run the air conditioner while writing today′s journal entry. Finally, I climb into the back and crash for the evening. It has been a long day with seven hours of hard work and I am exhausted.

It was hard to achieve sleep last evening because my legs were hurting so much. Climbing up and down from the bridge and creek bed is a lot of work, a task that most likely occurred a hundred times during the course of the job yesterday. However, the rest of the nights sleep did wonders and my legs are much better when I awake this morning. The day begin overcast with heavy mist in the air and I drive to the d-mart to purchase items for my pantry and a new tie. While I am in the store, I stop at at f-mart for a hot breakfast sandwich, but drive to the w-mart for my first cup of hot. Then, I begin working on my web pages and continue until I stop to prepare for the Bible study at the four pm meeting today.

When I walk into the hall, I am amazed at how many people here remember not only my face but my name. Yes, it is a good thing to have friends, especially ones that will most likely be around forever. This forever this is such an unaccustomed idea to me despite having had knowledge of it and believing in it now for thirty-five years. It has been from the start of reading and studying the Bible that I have felt that I am an earth digger; a caretaker of this planet as well as of the fauna and flora. Even during the thirty year BT, I never felt that I was "good" enough to go to heaven; nor did I ever feel that I was bad enough to burn in hell. So when the truth was shown to me from the Bible at Matthew 5:5 where Jesus said "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." I then knew where my hope was, here on the planet digging a garden, a work that I have always enjoyed doing. However, for now, there is a much more important work that us Earth diggers must complete before the day when we will be the Blessed ones on the Earth. Yes, that work is the preaching of the Good News of God′s Kingdom. Sorry, I regress at times.

After the meeting, I drive to Franklin, Tennessee stopping first at the hg-mart and buy tea tree oil shampoo and some more sprouted mung beans. Finally, I drive to the d-mart and park for the evening. I then log on to the WiFi and upload more of today′s journal. At ten pm, I call it good for the day and get horizontal.

The sun, shining from a clear blue sky having just risen above the roof of the d-mart explodes into the previously darkened confines of the jammer awakening me. Momentarily bewhaped about my whereabouts, in all likelihood due to having arrived last night after dark, I look out from behind closed curtains and see that I am in a parking lot alongside other overnighters. Then the realization of my being in yet another town settles into my awareness; a cognitive perception that is often confused in the mind of this wayfarer. Be this a common experience for other wayfarers, I am not knowing, but what I am aware of is that on a goodly number of occasions, I look up from my roadstead, being momentarily confused about my surroundings, wondering "Where am I?" but then upon gaining my bearings, methinks, "Here I am in ...Franklin and methinks, just three weeks ago, I was in Hot Springs besiege by this same perplexity." My understand of this perplexity is that it could happen anywhere, be it New Orleans, Millington, Oak Harbor, League City, Rio Grande City, or even Franklin because any encampment where a wayfarer finds himself is predisposed to arbitrary and unforeseen change.

It is because of this predisposition that my mind is often recalled to the first time I became aware of this ambiguity belonging to those with a vagabondage calling, of which is now known to myself as the Wayfarer′s Perplexity, first pondered upon during Episode One and as quilled on page 9 of that journey, which reads in part: "Why am I here?" "Whither am I going?" "Who am I doing this for?" "What am I trying to prove?" The list continues with numerous questions of like nature and then concludes with "Yet, he continues upon this tedious path, the one that troubles him so!" However, now, albeit the path as do the questions persist, the ambiguity does not conclude with troublesomeness as during the time of Episode One, simply because the Creator has called me to the quest of gaining knowledge of Him and of the future hope He holds out to those who endeavor to live their life following the example of His Son. This is the very hope that I have desired so much to share with my siblings and their families, those of whom I was so concerned with on a day one month earlier. (see 757 JO) (Isaiah 55:2)

After having driven to a w-mart to compose the initial thoughts for today′s journal entry, I leave for a spin at a l-mart. Then with all my rags folded and stacked in their proper place, I head for the barn arriving at close to noon and find Joe on the lawn mower, working the lower acreage. I stop on the bridge and begin picking up rocks and sticks, tossing them in the direction of the creek and out of the path of the mower. Then Joe rides the mower to me and I tell him that he can cut the area that I have just cleaned. We continue to do the same to the grass near the bridge until most of it is free of rocks and sticks and then mowed.

Later, Joe drives the mower up the hill to begin cutting around the house and at the same time, I drive the jammer to the barn and park it. Then, I begin doing the same thing with the rocks, sticks and drain pipes for Joe to mow around the house. Sarah comes outside and tells us that she has prepared lunch for us so we stop, go in and eat. I tell Sarah that I am cooking supper for all three of us and that a salad would go nice with the rice and salmon I am making. We continue until Joe says that the mower is not moving very fast despite the motor running just fine. He calls Tim at the ar-mart who says that the transmission filter has to be changed. So, we pack the mower into the trailer and haul it to the ar-mart for Tim to begin disassembling it but the time runs out and we all head out. Joe and I go to the local hw-mart to buy some concrete for the bridge and then into Columbia, TN to another hw-mart which sells parts for the brand mower Joe has. They do not have the filter but will order it, so Joe and I head back to the barn.

Upon arriving, I gather together my food into a cardboard box, carry it inside and begin to cook. The meal is salmon and rice with a sub-lime sauce; the rice will actually be a mixture of sprouted brown rice, sprouted mung beans, sprouted lentils, quinoa, to which near the end of cooking, I add chopped yellow onions, chopped garlic, seaweed, sesame seed, chia seed and the Wayfarer′s spice. Sarah has prepared a really nice salad and we then have a tasty supper. Afterwards, I pack out, walk to the jammer, stow all the food containers, take a shower and then write the final paragraphs of today′s journal entry. With the completion of the journal writing, I hit the sack.

On awakening, the sun is still somewhere behind the wooded hill to the east but the light of day is upon me. As is my usual practice, I stretch before rising. Stepping out of the jammer I notice that the birdsong is strong and included are the gobbles of turkeys coming from several directions. Then, I climb into the rear facing seat to begin finger pounding the keyboard. While my fingers are busy, I have some fruit to eat for breakfast. Later, I open up the tailgate of the jammer, get out my stove, make coffee and then resume the finger pounding.

At eight am, I hear a vehicle on the hill behind the home and looking up see a white truck on top of the adjacent property to the north. When Joe and Sarah purchase land for their home, they bought the two adjacent properties, one on each side of where they wanted to build. On the northern property, they have decided to build a simpler home, downsizing by selling the one where they now live and using the equity to finance the next home. The driver of the white truck is the operator of the heavy equipment that is clearing the land for the home site, power poles and access road.