Saturday, 05 March 2016 through Sunday, 12 June 2016

Up just before the suntouch and wipe the dew from the jammer. Then, I drive to the w-mart for coffee and to work on my web pages. At ten, I leave and drive to the oak tree house to find Susan outside working in the yard. Opening the tail gate, I too begin to do domestic chores and to finalize the battery charging circuit.

With that all complete, I put away all of my tools and tell Susan that I need to go to the d-mart to buy a small volt meter to test the new circuit operation. She says that she is going to the store for some compost and bark mulch and that I should ride with her. Lauren joins us and after stopping at two stores, Susan drives to a restaurant and we have supper. Returning to the oak tree house, I help Susan unload the large bags and then ask if she has a bolt cutter. She calls Chad and he tells her where it is, she tells me and after retrieving the cutter, remove the chain swing from the oak tree, the one that is no longer used and which chain is now choking and growing into the limb that the swing is hanging from.

The sun sets quickly at this time of year, and we retreat to inside the home where I take a shower and afterwards drive to the exit 20, IH45 d-mart to park for the night. I go inside and find that there is a second color available for the nylon shorts I purchased and exchange the pale tan for the darker brown pair. Also, I purchase a jack stand for future repair needs and other items before returning to the jammer to get horizontal

The sky is clear this morning, but the humidity has increased. In the east, a wanning crescent hangs barely two hands above the horizon with Venus half way up in the dark night. Looking a little closer, I begin to see another planet below Venus, this one must be none other than Mercury. The moon and planets seem to just hang there in anticipation for the outbreak of the dayspring. I rise, grab my hand towel and begin wiping the wet from the jammer exterior and while I do, watch as the sunglow slowly takes hold of the horizon and begins it′s climb up into the day. When the jammer is sufficiently wiped down, I wring out the towel, hang it upon the the cord on the underside of the lift gate, shut the gate and drive to the w-mart for coffee and to write about this morning event, uncommonly beautiful that it is.

Once the above task is complete, I turn my attention to the next one, that of preparing my Bible study for later this morning. Soon after, I am on my way to the Dickinson Hall for the weekend meeting. There are a few friends here that I have met before and a couple who I am well acquainted with. After renewing my friendships, make some new and gaining a small amount of God′s spirit in the process. After the meeting, I dress in my blues and drive to the oak tree house to work for a while on the jammer.

I awake when my phone alarm goes off, rise to stop the noise and then drive to the w-mart for coffee. During the morning, I call the local transmission shop to schedule an appointment for the annual inspection and when the time arrives, drive to the shop to have it inspected. The manager returns and tells me that it needs the gasket fluid replaced which will cost one hundred dollars. I tell him that this upsets me because when I purchased the warranty, I was told that if I bought the lifetime service contract, I would not have to pay for any repairs again. The manager tells me that this is not a repair but instead a necessary maintenance. I repeat what I said before, when I bought the lifetime service contract, I was told that I would not have to pay for any future repairs, and replacing a leaking gasket is replacing a defective transmission part. He remained firm on his stand and then I ask him if I can do the gasket change myself to which he said yes but you have to do it in seven days or less.

I leave there, call the same company in San Marcos, the one that I went to last year for the inspection and ask him about the charges. He checks and then tells me that maintenance is my nickel but that I can do it myself. I tell him that I will see him in a week for the annual inspection. Also, I call Joe and he tells me that it probably only need for the pan bolts to be re-torqued. So, I buy a torque wrench for twenty two dollars and re-torque the bolts. Also, the oiled pan is easily cleaned with a spray can of brake cleaner and afterwards, it looks like it has never leaked.

After joining Susan and family for pizza, I retire to the jammer for the evening and read in the Bible before sleep.

Up again at the noise of the phone alarm, drive to the w-mart and spend the entire day rewriting my living trust, which will need me to get some legal pages to be able to have Susan print the trust.

It begins to rain in the morning and continues throughout the day. I drive back to park under the oak tree by eight pm and listen to some jazz on the radio while I write my journal entries for the last two days. Then, after finishing my journal writing, I get horizontal and read before sleep.

It is raining and seventy eight degrees when I get into the sack, methinks that it is time to move to a cooler location and hopefully a dryer one too.

Still raining this morning, I rise and drive to the w-mart for another day of key pounding. After working on the ruins gallery all day and getting a lot done, I leave at four to look for some blank legal size paper to use in printing my legal papers.

Then with the paper in hand, I drive in the rain to the oak tree house to take a shower, do one more load of laundry, print my papers and have supper with Susan and Chad. Then I retire to the jammer, still raining and get horizontal for the night.

Awake just before the alarm goes off but wait for it to begin before getting up. Then, I drive to the w-mart for coffee and to upload my journal.

At eleven-forty, I leave the w-mart, drive to the hall to drop off the memorial handouts and afterwards leave town.

To expedite my travel to San Marcos so that I will be at the hall there before the meeting begins, I drive through Houston, up the IH 45 corridor and see more memory sights than I can count. Then at the Pasadena exit, I turn west on IH 610 loop and follow it past the Astrodome, Flour (an engineering firm where I once worked), Sharpstown, the Westimer district, and finally turn east on IH 10, driving past more memory locations. In Luling, I turn north on US 183 and then east on SH 80 and drive to San Marcos.

Before arriving in San Marcos, I locate the hall on SH 80, stop and find out that the north congregation is having the meeting tonight at seven-thirty. I drive three miles further into San Marcos and stop at the d-mart to buy some supplies and use the WiFi. By six pm, I leave and drive to the hall, get dressed and then study for the meeting. When the friends arrive, I don my suit coat and go inside. Afterwards, I drive back to the d-mart and park for the evening with it still raining and warm.

Up at six but with it still raining, decide to sleep for a bit longer. Then I drive to a w-mart in a large outlet center for coffee and something to eat. At eleven this morning, I drive first to the d-mart to buy some brake cleaner because the drive here caused a small amount of fluid to show on the bottom of the pan get out the floor jack and spray the pan clean. Next, I drive to the at-mart to have the transmission inspected and the technician drives it and when he returns tells me right away that the transmission is working great. After lifting the jammer up on the rack he repeats that it is in great shape and do not have a leak anywhere. I thank him and go into the office to get my inspection report.

Then with the report in hand, I leave San Marcos, drive south on IH 35 and exit west onto SH 12, cross the Blanco River, then drive into Wimberley, Texas, and stop at the Wimberley Cafe for lunch and while eating, begin my Bible study for Sunday. Afterwards, I drive west out of town on SH 2325, past Fischer Store Road, then west on SH 165 generally following the Blanco River to Blanco, Texas. Then, I drive through town on SH 1623, the Blanco River Road and when it veers away from the river, I take SH 1888, the Blanco River road SH 1376 which take me in less than a mile to Luckenbach, Texas and stop for some photos of the old buildings. Leaving Luckenback, I continue on SR 1376 to US 290 to Fredericksburg, Texas, drive through town and take US 87 north crossing through the hill country and for the first time see Enchanted Rock about five miles north of my route and think that someday, I will go there and climb to the top for the view.

Arriving in Brady, Texas I stop at the d-mart, purchase beets, nopalitos, guacamole, sweet potato, yellow onion, and ginger. Then, I walk out to the car, turn on the inverter and plug in my food processor to make a smoothie from the ingredients. Methinks as I am pouring it into my cup, I wonder how the tastes and when I try it, methinks, not bad. Then I sit back in the co-pilot seat and catch up on my journal writing. At eight-thirty pm, I shut down, pack up my gear, climb into the back and get horizontal to read in the Bible.

The day begins with rain, dries up but remains overcast and humid all day. By evening, the rain is back and everything is thoroughly saturated from all the rain the past few days. I have been looking on the map at the location of some of the stone stackers sites, (a name for the ancient cliff dwellers that I use now) and plan to drive there to visit the sites.

After a hard nights rest, waking many times, I rise and drive to the f-mart for coffee. At eight-thirty, I drive to the hall and get dressed for the ministry meeting. Everything is saturated here, even the creeks and rivers are swollen. I work with Ernie, Dan and Brenda, all older than myself by a couple of decades, but really pleasant.

Immediately after the ministry, I change into my blues and go inside to help clean. Then we all wait until one pm when others arrive and we watch the showing of the March broadcast. It is memorable for me because of several things, but particularly the experiences or a couple who were in the bomb explosion in a Kingdom Hall in Australia. After the broadcast, I leave, drive to the f-mart, park under a large oak tree and enjoy the cool breeze while I take a nap. It seams that some meal that I have eaten has upset my stomach, methinks it was most likely the ground beef on the taco salad at Wimberley Cafe. It has kept me from my normal well feeling that prevails, instead has cast a shadow over me, causing me to feel as John from Oak Harbor always says, makes me feel puny.

So from about three until six pm, I remain horizontal resting from the puniness. Then, I drive to the d-mart, park and begin to charge batteries. Too, I pour a cup of my beet smoothie juice and sip on it while pounding on the keys. At eight-thirty, I shut down and get horizontal.

Awake at six this morning, but go back to sleep for another hour. Then, I finally get up, drive across the street, but a senior coffee, return to the jammer, turn on the computer and sip on more of my beet juice finishing the liter bottle that I had originally prepared. At nine this morning, I drive to the hall, put on my suit and wait for the friends to arrive. Brady congregation is still the friendly group that I found here when I first stopped here on 1069 DBR. After the meeting, I change into my blues and drive back to the town square, then northwest on US 87 and begin a day of driving in desert dry and hot, first through San Angel, then Big Springs and on to Lamesa where I turn west on US 62 towards New Mexico. All along, the elevation slowly increases and when driving through Lamesa, Texas, notice that the temperature is beginning to drop as fast as the sun is now doing. I lost an hour due to the Spring Forward, but gained it back when crossing from Texas into New Mexico.

I arrive in Hobbs, New Mexico a little more than a hour before sunset, located the d-mart and when turning into the d-mart parking lot, see a w-mart. It is interesting, the problem continues with not being able to access my hosting provider so that I may upload my journal entries. When I try at each d-mart and each f-mart that I stop at, it is the same thing as it was in Rio Grande City, I am not able to access my account. However, at any of the w-marts that I stop at, I am always able to access my account. So, since I have not been at a w-mart for several days, I pull right into the w-mart, take a seat with a plug, and finish today′s journal entry and then upload it to the web site. After that is done, I drive into the parking lot of the d-mart, which is right next to this w-mart and set up for the night. I am still feeling puny from that lunch on Friday but I think it will pass soon, at least I hope it does.

FYI: The Spring Equinox is 20 March 2016, Passover moon which is the first full moon after the spring equinox is Wednesday, March 23, 2016 after sunset. They are connected.

Up and see that the dayspring has just begun here, move the jammer into the parking lot of the w-mart and go inside for coffee and WiFi. Then, I spend the entire day restoring my computer to the original out-of-box status by reinstalling the operating system, but it is not until after nine-thirty pm, when I finally get it to a point where I can open the html editor to make today′s journal entry. Even at this time, I have not completely finished with the reinstall as I have yet to upgrade the operating system from windows 8.0 to 8.1, however, that is suppose to be happening in the background. What I have completed is to install all of the applications that I use most often, word editors, pdf editors, photo editors and of course the html editor. Later, I find out that the background upgrade to windows 8.1 did not take so I will have to try it again.

The barista begins to stack chairs on the tables and I know that the store will close in about twenty minutes so I begin shutting down and packing out to the jammer. There I continue working on the upgrade but do not finish it before quitting and going horizontal.

I arise, dress, and then drive around to the entrance of the w-mart where I go in to continue with the computer restore. While sipping on coffee and then hot water, I am finally able to upload the operating system to windows 8.1 and get everything running again, and this by eleven this morning. Also, I will upgrade to windows 10.0 but most likely will wait a while longer until I do that. Then I return to pounding keys for my website upgrade.

By midday, I am ready to drive so I search for a location of a hall west of here and then make tracks there. Leaving west out of Hobbs on US 62, soon, I take SH 529 west to cross to US 82, continue west in the desert across an immense oil field with millions of wells were I reach four thousand feet. Then, I drive through Artisia, NM, stop at an ap-mart for a resistor to correct a heater fan problem but do not install it now. Continuing west on US 82, ever gaining elevation going over a mile, then where the desert ends and the forest begins arrive at Lincoln national forest at seven thousand. At eight thousand feet, there is snow on the ground and just after Cloudcroft, NM, reach the high point at eighth thousand, six hundred, eighty feet. The descent begins with excellent view at several locations and half way down, come to an escarpment where the road follows a river canyon breaking the ridge. Immediately, there is a view point which I stop at and find a display board discussing the Fresnal Shelter, a campsite of the Archaic people who traveled through the area around the Sacramental mountains and the valley below. I take the time to climb up to the shelter to see where these ancient wayfarers made camp and was able to easily imagine myself stopping here if I was on foot.

After returning to the jammer, I continue west on US 82, down to US 54, turn north and travel in a wide valley between the Sacramental mountains on the east and the Malpais mountains in the west. At six pm, I arrive at the hall, get dressed and go right in for the meeting. This is a large, friendly congregation and the hall has many beautiful paintings on the walls. Afterwards, I return to the jammer, change into my blues and then spend the night at the rear of the parking lot just off the property on the street.

Up before dayspring and drive south on US 54 to the first f-mart with coffee and watch as the dayspring slowly progresses. By seven thirty, the sun has risen but is still behind the Sacramental mountains to the east. Leaving the f-mart, I travel north on US 54, past Tularosa, NM and soon after arrive at Three Rivers Petroglyph site. After parking, I check the usage fee amount and it is five dollars for regular visitors but free for Senior pass holders. I like that. I put on my jeans, hiking boots, ball cap and day pack, then begin walking up the ridge of exposed basalt rising above the Tularosa basin. Here, the ancient Jornado Mogollon people settled in the valley and would walk here to create there art work. Circle and dot motif is prevalent as are the many bighorn sheep. Animal tracks including bear, mountain lion, roadrunners or turkeys show up also. Too, this art includes masks and faces, one face was round with almond shaped eyes and wore ear rings. I also saw serval birds and other four legged animals.

After walking out over a half mile, I found that that was enough for me and began my return trip back to the parking lot, even though the trail continued for another mile to the end of the ridge. Also, there are two other hills nearby that had petroglyph but I did not climb these either. Arriving a the jammer, I take of the boot, don my sandals and return to the road, driving north on US 54, then east of US 380, arrive at the Valley of Fire National Recreation Area, (NRA) where I camped last fall, stop briefly for an embroidered patch and new day pack and then continue on the highway until reaching the Rio Grande river where I take IH 25 north to Socorro, NM, buy gasoline, and continue west, this time on US 60 until I reach Datil Wells NRA at just after six this evening and where I leave the highway and locate and open campsite to set up of the night. I am impressed that this campsite only costs five dollars per night but half of that for Senior pass holders, which I am. I wash up, and clean out the jammer and then plug in my computer to the deep cell battery-inverter to run the computer and charge the battery.

At seven-thirty pm, I am all caught up on my journal entries and decide to call it good for the evening, pack up the computer and get horizontal so that I can read for a little while. I read through chapter six in the book of Job and probably retain more in this reading than I have ever been able to before. I am really tired, especially after walking more than a mile up and down across a very rocky ridge today. Methinks, anytime I put on my hiking boots will be a tiring day for me. I turn the lights out before nine pm.

Upon arising, I turn on the jammer engine, don more clothing and get back under the sleeping bag to wait inside temperature to warm up. Outside, the temperature is 24 degrees F. The elevation here is seventy-five hundred feet, the latitude is N 34.153 and the longitude is W 107.857. When I arrived here yesterday, the temperature was seventy-five degrees F which made if somewhat comfortable for me to take a bucket shower, but only in direct sunlight. At six-twenty am, I notice the slight glow on the eastern horizon, the dayspring has begun.

Leaving before six-thirty am, I drive out of the campground and resume my eastward drive on US 60 toward Arizona. However, first I cross the continental divide at almost 8000 feet and then arrive in Pie Town, NM where I stop at the Gathering Place for free coffee and breakfast. Then, I continue on US 60 west into Arizona and when I arrive at Springerville, AZ, I depart from US 60, turn south on SH 260 west to Indian Pine where I turn south of SH 73 and head to Fort Apache where I go into the visitors center and pay three dollars so that I may tour the Kinishba ruins, another Mogollon site.

While inside the center, I watch the film that the Apaches have there and it has an elder telling the viewer all about the creation of the Apache, which I almost walk out on but methinks that someday I may need to know what they believe so that I can help even one member of the Apache tribe. I watch the entire video and then think to myself, wow, does the person telling the story have a shocking truth coming to him soon.

Then, I drive to the ruins, walk the half mile loop trail and take photos. Afterwards, I leave the ruins, continue on SH 73 which turns west, connects back with US 60, where I continue on my westward trek. I stop in Globe, NM, stopping first at the d-mart, then begin looking for WiFi but can not get on until I back track to a f-mart that I find provides the service. After wasting most of the afternoon, I find out that there is w-mart in Apache Junction still further west on US 60, drive there and then upload my journal entry. At nine pm, I drive across the street to the d-mart and shut down for the evening. It was that last fifty miles drive west on US 60 that dropped the elevation to under two thousand feet and now have need to run the air conditioner hoping it cools off later tonight.

Upon awaking this morning, the sky already has a red glow around the horizon. I arise, drive back across the street to the w-mart but before going in, brush my teeth and wet my hair. Then I walk in, set up my computer, purchase coffee and begin a day of pounding keys. The last couple of day, being on the move and driving many hours has allowed for much thought. One of my topics on my mind is how long it will take me to get the new web site to a point that I can up load it.

Always with previous estimations, I have underestimated the amount of time. Too, with most proposed grand openings, I have often used one of the four celestial pivotal events, either a solstice or an equinox, so this time, I will use the summer solstice as my projected date for making the new web site available on line.

However, with less than three months until that date, the 21 June 2016, day 209 TB. I may have made it too early. Still, time will tell but that is the day I have set for the grand opening.

The sunglow, first orange later turns to pink and finally gray as the dayspring progresses to morning. I rise, grab my bottle of rubbing alcohol and take a tissue bath. Then, I drive to the w-mart and begin my morning routine. At eight this morning, I drive to the hall, dress and go in for the ministry meeting. I work with three brothers and we go to a territory directly under Superstition Mountain. Afterwards, I return to the w-mart and work on rewriting my trust.

At seven pm, I stop, pack out and drive across the street to the d-mart for the evening.

Today, the day light is as long as the night time, twelve hours on each as it is beckoning harder to awake before the dayspring. Too, I now have three months to complete the new look for my web site, so I better get to work.

At eight this morning, I drive to the hall, dress, take a seat and enjoy the meeting. Afterwards, I return to the w-mart and wait for the day to cool down. It is after six pm when I leave and continue my journey west, first on US 60, then south on SR 202 which is a loop skirting the city through the suburbs. I turn on SH 87 and stop at the d-mart for the evening.

It is really hot here in this desert, heat which persists into the evening.

It finally cooled off from the heat that persisted into the dark last even but it was not until near eleven pm that I was able to sleep. The desert heat is too much for this wayfarer and the next time of my passing through this area, it must be long before the vernal equinox. I awake again from the sound of my phone alarm which is set on repeat at six. After I put on my blues, I drive to the new w-mart on SH 87, just outside the loop to get my daily ration of coffee. Shortly after seven this morning, I drive south on SH 87 looking for Hohokam Pima National Monument but only find an empty plot of land on the Gila River Reservation, not the visitors center.

Leaving the reservation, I begin my encirclement of the city by continuing south on SH 87, then SH 587, cross over IH 10, fill up my gas tank and then proceed west on Casa Blanca road. Once I arrive at SH 347, I turn south to Maricopa, turn east on SH 238 and drive through the Sonoran Desert National Monument. This is a green desert and beautiful even though it is not in bloom, but these deserts are much to hot for me this time of the year so I do not stop. upon exiting the monument, I take SH 85 north to IH 10 and now since my encirclement of the city is complete, I resume my westerly march.

At this location, it is only a four hour drive to my next destination, Yucaipa, CA so I weight anchor, set sail and catch wind. Along the way, looking for something to do, I call Joe in Spring Hill, TN and we talk for half an hour, updating each other on our current footsteps. I tell him that I am going to see Richard and Kim in Yucaipa, CA but they are not expecting me until this coming weekend. Later, I pull off in Beaumont, CA, drive to the familiar w-mart, go inside and pound on the keys until dark thirty. The last time I was here was Day 963 JO when the water pump in the jammer was leaking. Finally, I drive next door to the d-mart, go in to buy no salt sardines for Richard and Kim′s dog, Jeanie. Afterwards, I park in a dark spot and climb into the back.

I awake at the same time, but here it is just before the dayspring. This location is still considered to be in the desert but today, it is very overcast with clouds. The light slowly begins to show through a narrow strip at the horizon where the clouds are sparse. I drive to the w-mart, take my place in the corner with my cup of hot and begin pounding keys.

All day the blustery wind moves the palm branches outside and I do not leave for the d-mart until after the sun sets.

Now, this is more like the desert, clear sky, orange sunglow with palm trees silhouetted across the horizon. I arise, drive to the w-mart to begin my key pounding. At four pm, I stop, pack out and drive to the hall, the last time here was Day 962 JO when I comment on how friendly the friends are. Arriving long before the meeting begins, which is at seven pm, I begin cleaning myself and my burden. First, using a bottle of water marked with a P for potable, I wash the outside of the jammer, still needing a cleaning from the exploration in the Arizona desert. Then, I tidy up inside, putting away things needing to be stowed. Finally, I use one of my bottles marked with a W for well water and wash myself. The only other type of water that I have is those marked with a S for spring water which I use for drinking and cooking. After everything has returned to the elusive clean, I put on my dark brown suit, it too being fresh from the dry cleaners. With the time now less than half an hour before the meeting begins, I walk in and greet those who are here. Tonight is the memorial of Christ′s death which begins after suntouch.

After the meeting, upon walking outside, I see the full moon one hand over the eastern horizon. I get into the jammer, leave the parking lot, return to the d-mart, have my supper and then climb into the back to sleep.

The sunglow has begun when I arise, the sky is clear and absent of the moon, it having set an hour ago. I spend another day at the w-mart wrapping up the first of seven galleries. When I say wrapping up, I mean getting it to the point that it can be uploaded. Then I begin working on the second one and develop a chart for helping me to understand geochronology which keeps me busy until late.

Then I retire to the d-mart for the evening.

I sleep in this morning, and on the windshield find a notice that I have extended my stay here at the d-mart and I can not stay here another night. Wow, the city is really getting tough on us full time windjammers. This is just one more reason that I have come to hate going into the city any more. I will be glad when I can retreat to the mountain again away from all the concrete, crime and contaminated water.

I call Richard but he will not be home until tomorrow, so I will need to find another place to park tonight. I will worry about that later, now I drive to the w-mart for coffee and more key pounding until six pm, then I leave, check my GPS and find another d-mart in Palm Springs to the east twenty eight mile. It does not take me long to drive there on the ten, then drive to the parking lot and find a place for the night. There are many homeless people pushing shopping carts, when it gets dark, they stop on a sidewalk, make camp and spend the night. If if ever comes for me to live without the jammer, I sure do not want to be in California, the people seem to be much too crazy for me.

Up just before dayspring and begin driving west, first out of Palms Springs, then on the ten. Then at exit 85, depart from the IH on Oak Glen Road, drive to Yucaipa Blvd and stop at the w-mart which I find no longer in the same location. Instead, I go into a sit down restaurant to have breakfast and ask the waitress where the w-mart moved to. She tells me that it is now up Yucaipa Blvd two lights. After my omelet, fruit and biscuit, I drive to the new w-mart, go inside and set up my computer at one of the tables that has an electric outlet. This w-mart is really nice, very large and has many places to plug electrics charges into.

For my lunch, I use one of my free purchases for a chicken salad and refill my ice water. I continue here all day and when the sun is near to the horizon, leave, drive to the Outback and soon, Kim comes out to open the gate to let me into the back fenced area and gives me a key for the lock. Later, Richard arrives home from work and walks out to where the jammer is parked and we talk at length. Finally, he goes into his home and I retire to the jammer for the evening.

Up to a chilly and dry morning, drive to the w-mart for coffee and to do my study for the meeting today. Then at nine-fifteen, drive to the hall but find the gate closed, so I park on the street to get dressed. Then after the gate is opened, I drive into the parking lot, park in a shady spot and finish getting ready. Soon, I go inside and begin greeting the friends, many of whom remember my name. Richard tells me that he and Kim have another meeting to go after the one at the hall so will not be home until much later.

After the meeting, I head back to the w-mart to work on my web site, stay in the new coffee house until just before dark and then return to the outback and park in the RV space. Richard comes out to greet me and asks "Have you been at the coffee house all this time?" to which I answer yes, I have been working on my new web site. We talk about what we will be doing here on his house and then we both retire for the evening.

Up early, get out of the jammer and open the rear door to get out my stove to boil water for tea. At eight o′clock, Richard comes out and we get out the tools we need for today′s work and I get right to pounding on the concrete in the front walkway because it is full of cracks and loose flaking concrete. After several hours of removing most of the loose pieces, Richard and I drive in his truck to the hw-mart to purchase concrete to repair the walkway, the same quick set product that I used to put the finish on the Monty Creek bridge.

Returning to the outback, I begin mixing the quick set and pushing it into the concrete cracks. When the sun sets, I put away the tools, clean up and then walk to the outback to prepare a salad for supper. While I am eating, Kim brings out a slice of her organic pizza, which I enjoy. Tired from the day′s work, I retire before nine pm and go right to sleep.

Up early, turn on the jammer to run the heater and warm up the inside. Richard comes out at seven-thirty to tell me that he has jury duty today and then leaves. I sit in the jammer and catch up on my journal writing, an then upload the page to the website.

Soon, I am back to work on the concrete chipping away at the loose layers. Also, I use the three bags of quick set to fill in the low areas. Later, I cut some wood to use as forms and set up the big pour, the one where we will take out the step down by raising the concrete. Richard arrives back home at three pm, goes to buy the concrete for the big pour and when he returns, we set up to pour concrete. However, it is late and we only pour nine of the fifteen bags that he purchased because we need to stop and get ready for the seven o′clock meeting.

After the meeting, I drive to the f-mart for some nachos and bean burritos, then park in the lot to eat. Then I drive back to the outback only to be pulled over by a police officer. When she walked up to my window, she asked me if I have been drinking. "No, not a drop!" is my reply and she tells me that I crossed the yellow line. I tell her that I did into the center lane to be able to turn left at that house right across the street. She asks for my license, registration and insurance card, which I hand to her. She is gone for a couple of minutes, returns, and tells me to drive safely. I reply, "I always try to". and then drive to the outback.

Once parked, I leave the engine running so as to keep the hear on while I write my journal entry.

Awake slowly, then drive to the w-mart for coffee and next to the hall for the ministry meeting. I go out with Joe and Otha, two retired brothers and we go first to a hospital to visit Bob who is doing better but still in the hospital. Finally, Otha and I go on a study that lasts until nearly one pm. After being dropped off at my car, I return to the w-mart for another cup of hot, and to learn how to use the new windows operating system that I installed last night and this morning. At two-thirty, I go to my bank to see why my debit card will not work.

Then I drive to the grocery for some vegetables and ice, stop to buy gasoline and arrive back at the hall for the six pm ministry meeting and while putting on my suit see snow on top of Big Bear Mountain. I go out with David and Jim and we only work a half hour until they need to go on a shepherding call. I return to the outback at suntouch and get horizontal for the evening.

Awake slowly again, due to the cold, but then rise with my down bag draped over my shoulders and turn on the jammer to run the heat. Soon, I am outside to put on my winter blues, open the gate and drive to the w-mart for a cup of tall blonde.

At eight-fifteen, I go outside, put on my suit, then drive to the hall for the ministry meeting. I know, I have less than my minimum for the ministry this month and have to play catch up during the last two days, but I have set my goals for the amount of ministry that I want to involve myself in and will do my best to acquire these goals. I work with David and Jim this morning and after a couple of hours, David needs to leave but Jim has told me that he needs to work until twelve-thirty to get his time and I agreed to keep him company. It is amazing that Jehovah provides just what I needed to keep me going all morning to reach my goal and I was able to help my brother reach his.

After the meeting, I return to the w-mart and continue with the web site pages and since I have two more free purchases, I use one to buy a veggie salad, no meat, just rice and vegetables. For breakfast today, I had a spinach, feta and egg wrap with my coffee. Except for the flour tortilla, everything in my breakfast was healthy. So, since I have done so well thus far, I get out my food processor and make a veggie smoothie for supper. In the tall container, I added one cup of water four large leaves of kale, four green onions, one beat, one carrot, a small red yam, one avocado, and two tablespoons of molasses. The resulting smoothie is very thick and fills my one liter bottle. I then pour one cup of the smoothie into my sierra cup, add some spring water and drink. Since my palate is use to bland, the smoothie tastes really good to me. I drink three sierra cups full and then I am full. The rest goes into the ice chest for tomorrow.

Then I get out my tablet and begin my study for the Sunday meeting, after which I turn in long before ten pm.

I sleep in this morning knowing that I will be working on concrete all day. When I get up, start my stove to boil water for tea and then go look at the concrete we poured on Tuesday. It is all drying just fine and I get the tools out for me to begin chipping loose concrete and mixing fast set to fill the holes. But first, I return to the jammer to pour the hot water into my cup and set the tea bag in the water. Then I wash my jeans and under blues, then hang them to dry. Next, I make a cup of daystart and pour some of the hot tea into the cereal and begin eating my breakfast. After picking up the kitchen, I walk to the front sidewalk and begin banging on the hard stuff.

At five-thirty pm, Kim asks me if I would like some meat and rice to which I tell her yes. She goes to prepare it and at six pm, brings it out for me. I pack up, head to the jammer with my supper and after adding a little hot sauce, enjoy my meal. Afterwards, I have a cup of my veggie drink and get ready for the evening. At sunset, I am done with my chores and climb into the jammer to update my journal. With that done, I shut down all the electronics and climb into the back of the jammer to read. It is eight-forty pm.

It is easier to get out from under the down bag this morning but still linger for over a half hour before rising. Getting out, I put a pot of water on to boil and then begin my journal entry while waiting. Richard came home from work last night, after I was asleep. He will be going out in the ministry this morning but I will stay and work on the concrete because I have been out twice already this week.

I get much done alone but when Richard comes out to help, together we get five or more times the amount of work done in the same time. The difference is that alone, I only mix small batches of the hard stuff, getting about ten batches out of each bag. However, when he is helping, we mix a whole bag at a time, he mixes and takes care of working the mixer while I am working the mud with the trowel. At one pm, Kim brings out our lunch and we stop to eat under the gazebo. Then, we get back to work and begin to spread the finish layer the first bag taking up quite a long time to figure out how to make everything work but once we have it all down, the second bag take much less time. At seven pm, we stop for the evening, and Kim helps up clean up everything while the sun begins to set. When it is all put up, I head for the jammer and find that the three plastic gallon bottles of cold water that I set out in the sun are now three bottles containing how water. So, I use the water for a shower. It is so nice not to have to use cold water to take my shower; I could if that is all that is available as I have often taken showers using cold water despite how hard it is to do so.

Nevertheless, tonight I get to use medium hot water. Too, I will keep leaving out the same three bottles each day to collect the heat from the southern California sun. Now, it is dark and I am in the jammer co-pilot seat finishing my journal entry. I have eaten and soon will get horizontal; it is nine pm.

However, the pain in my legs keep me awake long after midnight, even after taking several aspirins. Finally, I get to sleep.

Up with the dayspring, start the jammer and get dressed. It is very comfortable this morning, not near as cold as it has been during this last week. After I disconnect from the electric and open the gate, I head for the w-mart to purchase a cup of blonde. Too, I plug in and get online to check my com. Then, I resume my study for the meeting today. At nine-fifteen, I drive to the hall to get dressed and wait for the doors to be unlocked.

After the meeting, I return to the w-mart and work on my web site pages for a couple of hours, then walk to the g-mart next door for some produce and finally head to the Outback. Richard comes out to meet me and says he has another hour of work on the hall accounts. I begin pounding on the old concrete and then set a small batches of fast set. Then, Richard comes out and we do two full bags before stopping for the evening.

Returning to the jammer, I first take a shower and then begin making a salad for supper. After a very red sunset, I retire to the inside of the jammer and eat while I play solitaire. Finally, I write my journal entry and upload it. My legs are beginning to throb again so I put some pain lotion on, turn out the light and get horizontal.

After sleeping in, I rise and begin work on my burden, sorting, labeling, and inventorying. The inventory is for expendables, things like food, cooking supplies, vitamins, supplements, soap, and things like these. This will become my shopping list so that I will not have to walk aimlessly around in the store looking for things that I then remember I need. Even more for those times when I see something that I normally use but do not know if I have any in the jammer.

Richard leaves for a doctors appointment and tells me that he will be back at eleven this morning, so I keep working on my stuff until he comes back. We then set up for laying concrete and then mix, spread and finish five batches. Richard had gone to the hw-mart and purchased a drill mixer to use in a five gallon bucket; was this the right tool or what? We both keep saying "I can not believe how fast this is going now!" We stop at six and then load his two decorative gates onto the trailer for us to take them to the welder in the morning, who will weld on hinges, end posts and a latch. Richard and I will set the two gates next week.

Next, I show Richard how well my food preparation machine works and make a salad. Afterwards, he goes in, I take a shower with the hot water in the gallon bottles and then I climb into the jammer to eat my supper. Finally, I get horizontal and read in the Bible until I turn off the lights.

The sun is shining upon opening my eyes this morning. I get out of the jammer an take my trash to the curb, put it in the can waiting to be emptied by the city truck. Returning to the jammer, I climb back in and begin today′s journal entry. Too, I bandage a finger that has a cut, one which has been bothering me.

When Richard comes out for the morning, we drive the truck to bring the two gates to a welder and then stop go for breakfast. After eating, we drive back to the outback and I begin working on breaking up the last of the loose concrete while Richard works on a part for the meeting. When the chipping is done, I stop and take a break and have something to eat. At one pm, Richard comes out and we begin mixing, pouring and finishing the new concrete, working on it until we call it enough at five pm.

Returning to the jammer, I take a hot shower using my bottled water left in the sun, wow, what an amazing way to heat water for a shower, after which I leave the outback, buy three burritos for supper and shop for some vegetables for a salad for a future supper. Then, I drive to the hall, get dressed and go inside for the meeting. Richards part is about conversation and he give a funny illustration with hand puppets. Then, I return to the outback, park, get into the back, put up the curtains, take three aspirins and go to sleep.

Awake with the sunglow, get up, turn on my computer to write my journal entry while waiting for Richard to arise. He comes out at seven-thirty and tells me that he has to go to a doctor′s appointment and will be back before noon. I tell him to call me when he gets home and I will return here from the w-mart. I pack out and drive to the w-mart for the morning to work on my web site.

Richard calls at noon and tells me that he has picked up the concrete and is on the way. I finish up the pages that I am working on and then pack out, drive to the outback and begin troweling concrete. By five pm, we are done with everything accept the piece near the kitchen door but we decide to stop here. I help clean up and then take a hot shower from the sun bottles, put on clean clothes and then begin making a salad. Richard come up to the jammer carrying a tarp in his hands and says "It′s suppose to rain this weekend. This will keep the rain off of you." Together, Richard and I stretch the tarp over the car cover frame and then bungee it to the frame. Kim is barbecuing chicken and when done comes over to ask if I would like a piece, which I say yes and then begin eating my supper.

After eating, I play solitaire for a short time and then get horizontal to read three chapters in the book of Job before turning out the light.

Up after suntouch, get dressed, pack out and drive to the w-mart for a day of pounding keys, but first complete today′s solitaire challenge. Some time around midday, it begins to rain and the temperature also drops. After five, I use my free purchase to buy a salad for supper.

Then after a long day working on what use to be my rainbow photo gallery, I call it good and head for the outback. Arrive and park under the cover out of the rain and set up for the evening. Then I climb inside, connect all my batteries to charge and get out my tablet for my personal study. Upon opening the JW Library, I find that it first needs to be updated, so, I update the app. Then, I check for new publications available and find nine, so I upload them all and one by one begin watching them, the last one being the JW Broadcasting program for April 2016. Wow, is this one really encouraging! Then, I shut down everything and while hearing the rain hitting the tarp overhead, I close my eyes for sleep.

For the second time in two day, I have awaken shortly after five in the morning and then gone back to sleep for a bit longer. Getting up, Jane meets me as I climb out of the jammer and I greet here with a nice rub; then I say hello to Kim who has brought Jane out to go poop. I pack out, start the jammer, drive to the gate and unlock it, all the while, Jane is following with her tail wagging fast. I tell her goodbye and after locking the gate drive to the w-mart for coffee and key pounding.

Too, while pounding on the keys, in the background, I have the JW Library downloading the new Original Songs. As each one is finished downloading, I watch the video and Wow again, these are so very good leaving me in tears as each conclude. Then back to the pounding keys.

Later, after dark, I leave the w-mart and head for the outback, park under the car port out of the rain and spend a quite evening reading in the Bible and listening to the rain on the tarp above the jammer.

I get up, get dressed, pack out and head for the w-mart. The rain has stopped and there is a colorful sky before the suntouch, which behind the San Bernardino Mountains is later than the actual start of the day. At the mart, I have my usual, in fact, when I walk up to the counter, the barista has my cup on the counter waiting for me. My left hand, which a couple of days ago had developed an infection from a injury is no longer hurting but now itching. Too, the color has come back to normal indicating that the regular douses of tea tree oil is helping it heal. I will continue with the first aid for a couple of days more.

It looks like the day is drying up nicely, so I do not want to miss this opportunity for the ministry, so after I have my coffee, I then pack out and head for the hall to get dressed for the ministry meeting. At the hall is a group of brothers with chain saws, brooms and wheel barrels doing some shrub and tree maintenance. After getting dressed, I greet some of the brothers and then go in for the meeting. I work with Steve, Irene, Pat and Tony in the ministry; we are assigned to an area which we work with other car groups and find a few people home. After returning to the hall, I change into my blues and drive back to the w-mart and continue working on my website.

At the w-mart, I resume my research for the rainbow gallery finding out much from the available resources online. The new gallery passage of my website will be more than photos in that each page is also informative about the photo subject. Also, doing the research for the photo descriptions provides myself with an improved understanding of my subjects. Methinks that if I had only done this during my schooling, who know what would have resulted.

Sometime after eight pm, I pack out, drive through the f-mart for burritos, and then head to the outback to park for the night. Richard has just go home too and greets me but I know he is tired and wants to get horizontal, as do I. So, I just park and retire for the evening. I do enough reading in the Bible to get caught up to the weekly schedule and then I close my eyes.

Up after the dayspring and begin to pack out when I see Jane out for her morning constitutional an greet her. I also go to look for my sun glasses and find them with the tools for the concrete work that Richard and I have been doing. Then, I drive to the w-mart, get my tall blond, write my journal entry and begin my study for today.

At nine this morning, I drive to the hall, get dressed and go inside. After the meeting, because it is still raining, I return to the w-mart and continue the work on my website until after dark, when I drive to the outback, and climb into the back of the jammer to read for a while before sleep.

Awake, start the jammer engine and drive to the w-mart for coffee and to work on my web site. I have begun working on the Kingdoms section of the Mountain gallery and start with the animal and plant kingdoms. I find that there is so much confusion among biologist because they all are trying to arrange life into the kingdoms, phylums and classes according to the way they believe life evolved. What they fail to acknowledge is that life did not evolve, it was created and that they will never get it right trying to organize life into the evolution theory.

At nine this morning, Richard calls and tells me that he is finally getting up. I tell him that I am at the w-mart and will be there shortly. He goes to walk Jane while I build forms for a couple of steps and when he returns, we mix concrete to pour the two steps. Next, we work on putting the supports under his home to make it better in case there is an earthquake. Finally, we pack up and then I fill my bucket with hot water from his mop sink, walk to the jammer and take a hot shower. Then, I begin working on running an extension cord under the door jamb for the rear light when I am plugged into a RV electrical outlet like I am doing here in the outback. Richard then brings out a plate of food that Kim has prepared for me and I have my supper. Then, I finish up today′s journal entry, play a couple games of solitaire and when the sunset begins, get out to take a few photos. Then, I climb back into the jammer and make ready for the evening.

Wake first at three thirty but go back to sleep, then arise, put on my sweat shirt, heat water for tea, take my supplements, prepare my daystart an then sit in the cp seat to eat and begin today′s journal entry. Next, I pack my day pack for today, but will need to wait for Richard to go to his doctor′s (therapist) appointment and return by ten this morning before we go together to Hemet to work. Soon after finishing my morning meal, I walk to the front sidewalk and remove the plastic covering over the new concrete to see what it looks like.

Later, when Richard comes home, we leave in the truck for Hemet and upon arriving begin to build a new shed. It takes us the rest of the day and we still do not finish putting it together. A neighbor brings out a plate of spaghetti for each of us and we thank her for her kindness. Then, we finish packing out and begin the return trip to Yucaipa arriving at the outback at six forty pm. Richard goes in for his shower and I use my gallon sun warmed bottles for my shower. However, the water is just so so, not hot but not cold and I am able to clean up, put on my suit and join with Richard in his car to ride to the hall. Afterwards, we stop at a g-mart where I purchase some dark chocolate covered blue berries and share them with Richard on the drive home. After changing out of my suit, I sit in the cp seat and finish today′s journal entry, shut down and get horizontal. it is ten-thirty pm.

After a late night, I awake from the sound of my alarm, arise, put on my blues and then drive to the f-mart for a breakfast burrito and then to the w-mart for coffee and to begin a day of key pounding.

At dark-thirty, I stop, pack out and head for the outback to park and sleep.

Up during the dayspring and look but do not see any color in the sky, just gray and overcast. I pack out and head to the w-mart but today decide to begin setting up a web page to sell my vending machines. I begin to create one both on Craigs list and my own website. I use a lot of the photos and previous web page files on my backup external hard drive to get it started and the tweak it from there.

At seven thirty, I pack out and head to the outback, prepare a salad for my supper and then play a few games of solitaire before turning the lights out.

Awake at five twenty something but stay horizontal and try to sleep another hour. By six this morning, I am still awake so I get up, put on my blues and drive to the w-mart. I am still working on perfecting the vending machine page hoping it will sell the remain machines and product that I have in Oak Harbor. Finally, I upload my work and begin waiting for people to call about the vending machine.

Then, at seven pm, I leave the w-mart, drive to the outback and crash for the night. However, my restless leg syndrome and a wind storm keeps me up late.

Up before the suntouch, drive to the w-mart for coffee and to begin my journal entry. Then, I drive to the hall to get dressed for the ministry meeting, go inside and soon after, Richard and Kim come in also. I work with them and afterwards, Richard and I drive to Hemet to finish the storage shed we began last week. We it is done, we begin trying to find out how and where the water is coming into the basement area of the mobile home. I go into the basement and see that the winter spring has burst through to dump not only its water but also many gallons, (possibly fifty gallons) of sand into the basement.

I go back to the opposite side of the driveway were I believe the spring is come up from and Richard pushes a tape measure into the hole and it goes back twenty feet toward the opposite side of the drive way where I am standing. Richard comes out to where I am and I say, "Let′s dig right here." and point to a place next to where the concrete driveway has a small pad where the garbage cans are stored.

So, we scrape back the gravel and begin digging in the sand and find in the corner, a chunk of concrete that Richard thinks is part of the driveway. I tell him, no, it looks like where someone poured concrete into a hole to plug a water flow. Richard hits the chunk with his shovel and when I see it move a little, I tell him to hit it again harder. He does and it moves again. I tell him to pry at the edge of the concrete and it pulls away from the corner revealing an opening behind the plug. Richard goes for his flashlight but I lean over and look into the hole and say out loud to Richard, "We found the water channel!" Returning with his flashlight, he bends over and shines it into the hole, then he looks up and says "Yes, I believe we have. That was a lot easier that I though it would be!"

I then begin thinking of how to turn this channel into the drain for the winter spring and keep it from flooding the basement of the mobile home. I tell Richard that we need a catch basin here and then connect it to the French drain he has already installed. He agrees and says, lets pack out, go for supper and after wards, on the way home, stop at the hw-mart and buy the catch basin and plumbing we need. We leave and stop at a Mexican restaurant that he and I both love, have supper, then stop to buy the plumbing, which costs less than a hundred dollars.

Walking out of the store, we get into the truck and continue home, when I tell him that the sump pump we put in last fall was only addressing the symptoms, not the problem. This time, we are fixing the problem. However, I tell him that he will need to open up the other end of the French drain to the street so that the water keeps flowing or the next time the winter spring begins to pump water up from the water table, the entire French drain will fill up with sand and then the water will return to it′s path to the basement. I tell him that he needs to have a catch basin at the other end so the water and sand can exit onto the street. Then, I ask, "What will happen when the street get filled with sand?" and he answers, "I will have to keep the sand cleaned up."

We arrive home after dark and I go to the jammer, take a shower with the water from my sun bottles, water which is not warm, but definitely not cold. Why, this is so much better than previous stays when I would shower with the icy water coming out of the hose. Methinks that I will keep a few gallon bottles in the jammer for that sole purpose. Well, it is nine-thirty pm and I must needs get horizontal to read and then sleep.

Up at five fifteen this morning but I lie back down and the next thing I hear is my alarm going off, so I rise, drive to the w-mart and finish my Bible study for today. At nine, I pack out to the jammer, put on my suit and then drive to the hall for the meeting. Both the public talk and the study is very encouraging for me. Afterwards, I walk out to the jammer, change into my work blues and then drive to the outback and wait for Richard.

Together, we leave for Hemet to work on the winter spring project. Last night while waiting for sleep to overcome me, I though of several alternate ways to fix this problem, which I tell Richard about on the drive to Hemet. Then, after digging up the French drain and finding the pipe to be three inch instead of the four inch we expected, Richard left for the hw-mart to exchange the plumbing parts for the right size and I stay behind and complete as much as I am able with the parts. When he returns, I install the catch basin and connect it to the French drain pipe. Then together, we scrap the gravel off of the top to fill in the area around the basin and drain pipe; creating a vault for the excess water to collect and feed the drain pipe. There is still the bottom end of the French drain where we need to put another catch basin, one which will allow the water to exit the drain into the street, but that is for another day. We then pack out and head to the same Mexican restaurant for supper.

On the drive back to the outback, I tell Richard that this will be my last week to stay here, that I will leave Wednesday evening to begin my drive north. He asks me why I don′t wait until Thursday morning to begin the trip and I tell him that the first part of the drive is through the city and it is better to drive this portion at night. He agrees and tells me "That is why I drive into the city for work the night before my shift begins." ¹

We watch the sunset as we drive out of Hemet and I explain to him about how to use the hand measurement to tell how much time we have before the sun sets. Then we talk a little about measuring distances in the celestial sphere with the same hands method after which we talk about a conjunction of planets and the distance between the objects. We arrive in Yucaipa after dark and after getting out of the truck, and upon looking up at the moon, I see it is in conjunction with Jupiter. I point out the conjunction to Richard and tell him to check if two fingers at full arm′s length covers both the moon and Jupiter; they do.

Then, I walk over to the jammer, access the sun bottle to pour over my head for a shower. Again, the water is not hot, but neither is it cold. Finally, I retire into the jammer, write my journal entry and then get horizontal.

My body must be tired from all the digging and wants to sleep longer. This morning is a repeat of yesterday with my alarm waking me. Richard has already left for an early appointment with his therapist and should return before nine. I put on a pot of water and soon I am sipping a cup of hot while waiting for Richard to arrive and my work day to begin.

Later, I get dressed in my work blues, walk over to the truck shed and pick up a shovel and wheelbarrow to begin removing the dirt from the back and dumping it in a low spot near the fence. After finishing, I put the wheel barrow away but put the shovel in the back of the pickup because we will need it later today. When Richard arrives, he, Jane, and I get in the truck to eventually make out way to Hemet after first stopping for Richard to buy a new chain saw. The first job When we arrive is to take down a palm tree against which we set the ladder up. Richard goes up with his saw and cuts off several fronds but then comes down and tell me that he is just going to cut it down from the bottom.

After clearing around the bottom of the tree, he begins to cut the wedge out, which when on the ground, I walk out to the street to watch the traffic. Then he begins to cut the back side so as to create a hinge for the tree to fall over along the curb. We had determined for the way it was leaning, that it would fall directly into the street but by cutting the wedge and hinge, he were able to redirect the fall, which when it did come down was in the perfect place to both be out of traffic and access for cutting up. It is funny how the English language is in this instance: "You chop a tree down so that you can cut it up."

Immediately, we go to work turning this palm tree into a stack of rounds two high and two stack of fronds so as to make it easy to load onto his trailer another day. When that project is complete, well, when the first of two palm trees is on the ground an stacked, then we take an orange break. Next, we return to the winter spring project and begin digging at the street end of the French drain to enable us to install the second catch basin. However, this one will be used as an exit basin so that the spring that flows from underground into the first one and travels through the French drain has a place to exit if it over floods the system.

Upon digging in the place to put the basin, I find the three inch pipe French drain which is right on tops of the rusted remains of a buried garbage can receptacle, which was installed and used probably some time in the 1950′s. I am able to dig around and remove the sand from the rusted metal, make vertical cuts and then bend the metal down and below where I will be putting first a couple inches of gravel and then the catch basin. Once all the metal is out of the way, then, I cut the three inch pipe and connect it to the pipe that will be carrying water down from above. At this point, I tell Richard that I need a three inch 90° elbow to complete this job. He leaves and heads back to the hw-mart to pick up the fitting and to return several that we did not need. While he is gone, I keep working and have the job nearly complete when he arrives. After installing the pipe, we then bury the pipe with sand, replace the plastic fabric and then cover the fabric with gravel.

After we clean up the area, we pack out and drive to the same restaurant for supper before driving back to Yucaipa and the outback. Upon asking Richard, he tells me that we will begin work tomorrow at eight in the morning. It is dark upon arriving and I first take a shower and then climb into the jammer to read and then close my eyes.

Today, I awake, get dressed, put on a pot of water, make a cup of hot, make a daystart, take my garbage out to the trash and then return and begin eating, all before the alarm goes off. I feel really good this morning, well, except for my allergies, but even these seem to have diminished somewhat today. After eating, I put away my kitchen and begin today′s journal entry.

After wards, I go to the truck and empty the dirt from the back, take off the thirty-two foot ladder an load the twenty foot one. Soon, Richard is out and we finish loading the truck, connect the trailer and then we are off one more time to Hemet. Upon arriving, we load the trailer with the cut palm tree and then cover it with a tarp and use straps to secure everything to the trailer. Once that is done, we stop and drive into town for a low carb burger and a little shopping in the dollar store for some rope and a few other items. Then, we go back to the mobile home and begin cutting down the next palm tree but before we can get the crown cut off, the wind picks up.

Not wanting to wait to see if the strong winds subside, we pack up and head for Yucaipa arriving at five pm. I go right for the sun bottles and find really warm water, with which I take a shower and do a bucket of laundry. Afterwards, I sit in the jammer and catch up on today′s journal entry.

Then at six, I put on my suit and soon after drive to the hall for the mid-week meeting. This will be the last meeting here at this hall, at least for now, because I may return in October to help Richard with some more home repair. Tomorrow, after a few hours working in the Yucaipa home, I plan to begin my drive north to Whidbey Island where I will stay until I head for the high elevations of Colorado.

Up after dayspring, drive to the w-mart and purchase my coffee and then sit down to work on my web site for a while. At seven-thirty, Richard calls and asks me to go to the outback to see how many bags of fast set concrete is under the tarp. I leave the w-mart, drive to the outback and then call him to tell him that there is five bags there. Then, I return to the jammer, get out my dirty clothes bag and set up to do my wash. In about an hour, every thing that I washed is hanging to dry. Next, I put on a pot of water to boil for tea and for my daystart. After eating, Richard arrives and we resume working on the concrete, finish the sidewalk and then plaster the walls of the basement stairway. After that, Richard calls it good, pays me for my work and then packs away the tools.

Then, I go to the jammer, finish packing away my things, say goodbye to Richards and then drive down Yucaipa boulevard to the ten, turn west to the two-fifteen, turn north to the fifteen and just over the San Bernardino Mountains, turn north on US 395 and drive out of Los Angeles county. The sun sets during the drive and it is not until nine-thirty pm that I arrive in Lone Pine. I drive up the Whitney Portal into the BLM Alabama Hills National Recreation Area and park for the night.

I begin working on my journal entry but I am too tired to finish so I get horizontal and sleep. It is very dark here and quite.

Awake this morning at five fifteen and photograph the moon set, then go back to sleep for a short time. Then I awake again, drive to the f-mart for coffee and to complete my journal entry for yesterday. After this is done, I check my GPS for how long it will take to drive to the south Oregon beach and find out that I could not get there until after nine tonight. Then I check online for which parks in California and find that Lassen is closed until 21 May which leaves Lava Beds which I already know is open year round. I check my GPS and find that I can arrive there by five this evening. Wow, that will allow me to make stops for gas in Nevada and food at the d-mart.

After getting a refill on my coffee, I head north on US 395 and follow a route that I have driven before, past Mono Lake where I stop for a bathroom break and when walking through the visitors center hear an announcement that the video starts in three minutes. Very well done and I learn alot about the first people as well as the animals who come here. I had always thought that Mono Lake was a dead salt lake but was I wrong and now, I want to come back and explore this marvel of creation. However, not today as I want to make it to Lava Beds tonight so that I can be Oregon camping by tomorrow evening.

Continuing on US 395 to Susanville and follow the route the GPS suggests because I have never been on the lower part of SR 139. The state route takes me up into the mountains north of Susanville where a very expansive view of the Susan River valley is provided. From this high perspective, the river valley is a wide and lush green expanse with snow capped mountains to the south. This route has also provided me with a new perspective of Susanville.

The SR 139 takes me north through increasing volcanic landscapes and then west on county road 97 a short distance to the national park approach road. Soon, I am entering Lava Beds in a way I have never entered the park, arrive at the park campsite pay my five dollars fee and retire to site B13. I begin cooking my Repast and setting up for the evening. When the food is complete, I turn on my inverter for power to charge batteries and begin eating while pounding on the key board. After my meal is done, I shut down the computer, wash my dishes and climb back into the jammer to get horizontal for the night.

Awake early and after a walk around the jammer to make sure that I did not leave any thing on the ground, I get back in the driver′s seat and drive out of the park.

I drive north out of the park, reconnect to SR 39 north to Klamath, then SR 140 east then north along Upper Klamath Lake. The state route turns east again just south of Mount McLoughlin to SR62 where I turn south to Medford. Here, I stop at the d-mart for engine oil, a bottle of the herb turmeric and a few other items. Then, I continue on SR 62 south to IH 5 and take it north to exit 61, and drive east through Merlin, then Galice along the Rogue River National Wild and Scenic River route to the Galice Creek road hoping to take the Bear Camp road to Gold Beach, on the coast of Oregeon. After I have driven about ten miles, I come to a sign that says the Bear Camp road is close from 15 November to 15 May. I turn around and retrace my steps to the IH 5, turn north to exit 112, and drive north on SR 99 to the Brockway cutoff to SR 42 in Brockway.

Here, I turn left, and drive west on SR 42 through and over the coastal mountains and arrive in Coos Bay by five this evening. I turn north on US 101 and stop briefly at a w-mart in North Bend to finish my journal entry and then upload it to the web site. Afterwards, I head north on US 101 to the first state campsite, Umpqua Lighthouse state park and check for an opening which I find there are several with electric still open, in fact the campsite is only sparsely filled with plenty of tent spaces, several electric and even a few full hookups.

I park in space 39, get out, plug in, and then move the table to the back of the jammer so that I can cook out the tailgate. I boil water, insert sprouted grains and in about twenty minutes have a hot meal. During the last few minutes of cooking, I add chopped green onions and after draining, add some grated cheese and chipotle hot sauce. The drained liquid is in my sierra cup and sip on it with my meal. This meal is a repeat from last night only I used sesame oil instead of the hot sauce, but both recipes are perfect.

It is nine this evening when I finish my meal and after cleaning up, get right into the horizontal to read more of the book of Job.

Up before dayspring, grab my soap bag and towel and head to the shower house for a long hot shower. Then, after packing out, leave before six this morning and head to Florence for the w-mart which has two problems. First, it is in a g-mart and second, the reason why I do not stay, no where to plug in.

Driving north on US 101, I begin to smell anti-freeze and suspect that there is something gone wrong with the cooling system. Then, the water temperature gauge begins to rise and I think the worst, that it could be the heat exchanger that is leaking. I pull over at that first place and open the hood, look inside and see anti-freeze all over the passenger side of the engine compartment. I loosen the radiator cap and there is not steam to vent so I pull it off and add two gallons of water. That is when I see the problem, the heater valve which has been replaced three times before, the current one last just one year and four months. I close the hood and continue to drive north, having to stop two more times before arriving in Newport, Oregon at the ap-mart and purchase a new heater valve, this one also has a one year warranty. Methinks, that a one year warranty I received with this part just does not help me at all and suspect that I must needs buy a spare heater valve to keep on board.

Across the highway is a w-mart so after installing the new heater valve, I drive to the w-mart, go inside for a cup of hot, WiFi and an electric plug. Soon, I am deep into pounding keys. Then at five pm, I pack out to find a campsite for the evening. Driving south on US 101, I arrive at South and find this park with plenty of available spaces, so I choose B2 which is close to the shower house and on the main road close to the exit.

I setup my camp, plug in, get out the salad I have had on ice and eat supper. Then as the rain continues to pour down, I clean up my dishes, grab my shower bag, put on my rain parka and walk to the shower house for a shower with very hot water. After returning to the jammer, I work on my web site for a while and then go to sleep.

My alarm phone wakes me this morning, then after getting up, I unplug, pack out and drive into Newport to the w-mart for a cup of hot. Here, I first complete my journal, then I work on today′s study. At nine, I pack out and drive north on US 101 to the hall, park and put on my suit. As I am putting on my tie, two brother come out to greet me and ask who I am. I greet them "Hello brothers, my name is brother Buras." Methinks that on the west coast, people are really crazy and all caution is justly necessary. I don my suit coat, grab my Bible and table, then join them inside for the meeting. After the meeting, both brothers come to me and greet me again, one even thanks me for my comments during the study. Upon walking outside, I see that the rain has stopped and the sky is mostly clear.

Then, I drive to the d-mart to purchase items on my list, then to the aw-mart to clean the jammer with high pressure water and finally back to the campsite where I check in and claim the same site as last night, B2. Next, I set up and further clean the jammer with a brush and rag, even scrubbing the tires. At six, I begin my Repast supper using a mixture of grains including sprouted rice, sprouted mung beans, and sprouted quinoa, to which I add sesame seed and seaweed. When the grains are soft, I add chopped garlic, ginger and onion. Next, I add TWS and coconut oil. Finally, I drain the broth into my cup for drinking and place everything inside the jammer, climb in and eat my supper while it is hot.

Afterwards, I wash up and put away the dishes, then climb back into the jammer and watch the video of the experiences for 140th Gilead Graduates. After this long video, I retire early and fall asleep quickly. Outside, rain pounding on the jammer′s roof wakes me twice during the night.

Up just prior to the dayspring, well, the rain clouds have fully hidden any light coming from the east, pack out and drive to the w-mart for my morning cup of hot. Also, I continue work on my website.

At four pm, I pack out and look find the barber I saw yesterday while driving but he is on vacation. Then, I head for the campsite and work on organizing the jammer. Then, while the sun is still warm, I walk to the shower house carrying clean clothes, wash my dirty clothes, take a shower, and put on the clean ones. When I arrive back at the campsite, I hang the wet laundry and then make a strawberry smoothie for my supper adding hemp seed for the protein.

As the sun begins to set and the temperature drops, I climb into the jammer and plug in my small heater and have my supper while continuing to work on my web site. At nine-thirty pm, I pack up everything and get horizontal to read for a while in the Bible book of Job.

The alarm wakes me this morning to a nearly clear sky with a colorful sunrise and I take a photo of the jammer in campsite B2. Then, I pack out and drive north into Newport to stop at the w-mart for a morning of key pounding. In the early afternoon, I pack out, drive to the campsite north of town, Beverly Beach State Park. On previous visits to this park, I have found the area too wet and in warmer months, full of insects. However, this time I find in the A-loop, a loop that has been converted mostly yurt sites, a single electric site, A-19 which is away from the swampy lower areas and available, so I claim it for the evening, take a hot shower, make an early supper and then get ready for the meeting tonight.

After putting a small sign on the camp number post indicating that the site is occupied, I depart and drive to the hall for the midweek meeting. The convention tract work begins here really soon because their convention is just over a month away. This makes me wonder where and what convention I will be at and I go to the JW.org web site to find that all the conventions are now listed online and see that there are seven conventions at the Aurora, Colorado assembly hall southeast of Denver, an assembly hall that was built in 2012-13.

Afterwards, I drive back to the campsite, plug in, turn on my electric heater and get horizontal. It rains lightly during the night.

Awake at 5:17 but close my eyes and all to soon, hear the alarm go off. I arise, pack out, which only involves rolling up my electric cord and putting it away. Then, I leave the campsite and head north on US 101 to Lincoln where I find the next w-mart to stop, have a cup of hot and to pound away on the keyboard.

At six this evening, I pack out and drive north on US 101 in search of the next campsite which is on the Three Capes Scenic Highway. (The three capes are Cape Kiwands, Cape Lookout, and Cape Meares.) Turning left off of US 101, I travel towards the coast and then up onto a mountain which reaches almost one thousand feet in elevation and forms the land jutting out and forming Cape Lookout. Continuing, I come to a view point where half a dozen hang gliders are soaring in the air above and stop to take photos. Upon leaving the view point, I drive off the north side of the mountain and down to the campground right on the coast.

I drive in, find a spot, make camp and begin cooking my Repast. Once the meal is done cooking, I put the pot into the jammer, close and lock the door and then head for the beach for the sunset. It is nice but nothing to write home about as I have seen much better; still I enjoy it for a time and then return to eat my Repast. The variation I do tonight is to replace the olive oil with coconut oil, and then add chopped avocado and hot sauce to the drained grains. The liquid that I drain from the pot, for several nights now has gone into my sierra cup to serve as a hot drink. It even tastes pretty good.

After eating, I grab my shower bag and walk to the shower house for a hot shower. Life is best with hot water! Too, I am enjoying the cool, nearly cold weather, as it keeps the crowds at bay. I have been slowly working my way north on the coast highway, planning to cross into Washington this weekend and then up Oak Harbor shortly after.

Today, the first time I open my eyes is 4:17 am but I sleep until the alarm goes off. Then, after walking to the restroom, I pack out and head north on Three Capes Scenic Highway, but do not visit the third cape, but turn inland on SH 131, which is just before Netarts, Oregon, and head to Tillamook, Oregon for some coffee and cheese at the creamery. Then, I get back on US 101 north driving north and stop next in Garibaldi for some canned tuna at the cannery. Continuing north, I drive through Oswald West state park, which encompasses another cape, Cape Falcon all along stopping for photos of the many offshore rocks and incredible shoreline.

Next, I drive through Seaside and the area become much more populated and by one this afternoon, I arrive at Fort Stevens State Park, check in and get campsite number c-59, right next to where I have camped on several other visits here. Once the site is secure for then next two nights, I head into town and stop at the w-mart to resume pounding keys.

At five pm, I pack out of the w-mart and drive across the street to the d-mart, one with a large natural food section and buy some vegetable, digestive enzymes and other healthy stuff. Afterwards, I drive to the campsite, plug in, open up the back and begin making a veggie smoothie from beets, kale, green onions, ginger, radishes and carrots all while fighting off mosquitoes. Then, I climb into the jammer, and play solitaire while drinking the smoothie. Not the sweetest tasting drink. After finishing my supper, I grab my shower bag and head for the shower house for a hot shower.

Up when the alarm wakes me, put on my blues, pack out and drive to the w-mart for coffee and WiFi. When eight am arrives, I leave to drive south fourteen miles to Seaside for the ministry meeting. I am assigned to work with three sisters and I go with them on several of their calls. Afterwards, I return to the w-mart and continue with the key pounding.

At five pm, I leave, drive across the street to look for the few items remaining on my shopping list. When asking about single roll TP, the sales person gives me a couple other stores where I could look. When leaving, I cross the street again and find the TP where he suggested. Then, I head for the campsite, eat fruit for supper and continue pounding keys until ten pm. After reclining for the night, I read in the book of Job until I am sleepy. There are some stars out tonight.

When I finally arise, I dress, roll up my extension cord and drive out of the camp heading south on US 101 to Seaside, stop for coffee and then drive to the hall to dress and wait for the ministry meeting. I work with three sisters again this morning, one of the same from yesterday, Sonny with Jennifer and Flo. Today, we also do return visits.

Afterwards, I drive back into Warrenton, check into to the State Park for another night, this time at C-57 and then go back to the w-mart for another round of key pounding. At seven something, I pack out, drive to the campsite, plug in and climb in for the evening. The neighbors, who think that they are camping but in fact are just parking their RV′s, arrive, string up their colored lights, light the purchased firewood, and sit around the fire to breathe in the smoke and slap mosquitoes until late. Methinks that they are saying "This is the life"

Myself, I just climb into the back, put my towels up to block the light from the campers and close my eyes.

Up with the alarm, after first waking much earlier, then I roll up and stow my extension cord, then drive past all the "campers" with their colored lights still burning. The question why they have to come out into the forest and bring their lights with them still puzzles me. I do understand the need to burn wood as it is something I often did and enjoyed when I was in the Scouts, but the lights left on all night like it is some holiday that they are celebrating, I just do not understand.

I then drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot and to pound out my journal entry. I had thought about leaving and driving to Astoria for the meeting this morning because I did not want to wait here for the one o′clock meeting in Seaside, but instead decide that because I am retired and not in a hurry to get anywhere, I will stay and visit with the Seaside congregation during their weekend meeting. So, I will key pound until I must need drive to the hall to arrive in time for the meeting.

Before and after the meeting, I get to visit with those whom I have been out with the last two days and it is nice to have such new friendships. If fact, this kind of comradery only comes from this brotherhood that I so enjoy. Later, I say my good byes, change into my summer blues and drive to the Columbia river, then inland along the river until I get to the bridge to Longview, cross into Washington and head north on the five, that is interstate 5, stopping in Olympia briefly to find that the outfitter closed fifteen minutes before I arrived. Then I drive to a d-mart, buy some ice cream and enjoy spoonfuls as I turn on my computer to write the closing journal entry for Oregon and today. Shortly after sunset, at almost nine pm, I climb into the back and get horizontal. My legs are aching.

The increasing sunglow wakes me up this morning, I arise, walk into the d-mart for the mens room and then drive to a near by w-mart. Here, I will wait for the o-mart to open so that I can check availability for a cook pot. When I do go in, the clerk checks stock and tells me that the only store that has the cookware that I want is the downtown Seattle store. When I tell here of my concerns for finding parking downtown, but she assures me that it is not hard to get to the store, there is free parking in the basement for the first hour and additional hours are not too much.

I drive the IH 5 north from Lacy to Seattle, get off on the Mercer street exit and my GPS take me right to the store parking entrance. After parking in the basement, I go into the store and find exactly what I am looking for, even the teapot that stows inside the cook pot and purchase both. Methinks, now, I must needs send my old cook pot to Richard as I had promised him. Leaving the downtown area, I resume my drive north on the Five to the Island exit and then head west on SH 20, a very familiar route. When I arrive at Deception Pass bridge, I stop to take photos of the flowers that are blooming on the rocks. Then, I drive onto Whidbey Island and down SH 20 into Oak Harbor stopping first at Franks restaurant to check on my vending machine and have some eggs for breakfast. I catch up with Frank while I am eating and he tells me that his daughter Akie is getting married and moving to upstate NY. After my meal, I drive further into town and stop next at the Market Place grocery where I used to buy all of my food when I lived here to buy a couple of staples for my pantry.

Finally, I drive to the shop, park, and go inside to find Mark. He tells me that Cheryl, his wife has been sick and is now in bed. He offers to take me out for supper and we go to Island Grill, the restaurant that I feel is the best one in town where I have the grilled cod. Afterwards, we return to the shop where we sit in his truck to talk and finally, I go out to the jammer for the night.

During the middle of the night, my alarm phone begins beeping telling me that the battery is nearly exhausted, so I get up and turn the phone completely off. This morning, without the phone′s alarm going off at six, I am able to sleep in until late. Then, I drive to the w-mart for coffee and start my routine of key pounding, determined to have this new web site done by the solstice. When I am at the counter getting a refill, a sister comes in to order a cup to go but does not recognize me. When she comes to the counter, standing next to me, I say to her, hello sister and when she looks up, a large smile comes on her face and she gives me a hug. Gertrude then asks me "How long are you here for?" to which I tell her "a couple of weeks." "See you Thursday night at the hall."

Later, I return to the shop to retrieve my mail which Mark locates for me and I take the stack of new check cards to the bank to find out which are the latest ones. Afterwards, I go to the shower house in the city rv park and get under the hot water. After returning to the jammer, my stomach reminds me that I have not eaten today, so I drive to the Mexican restaurant for shrimp, beans and rice. Well, ok, and also the chips and salsa.

Then, I drive back to the shop and talk with Cheryl for a while and she suggests that I get a fire ready for this evening and then she goes inside to cook supper. Mark leaves for a Bible study and I get busy stacking firewood in a triangle and cleaning up the firewood pile, restacking all the wood that has fallen to the ground. Finally, I light the wood in the fire pit and as it is rising nicely, Mark returns, changes back into his casual clothes and joins me at the fire. Soon, Cheryl calls out "supper′s ready" and Mark and I go in to load a plate with a nice meal. Returning to the fire pit, we all three sit for a couple more hours until it becomes late and we retire to our sleeping births.

It begins to rain during the night and continues in the morning as I rise and drive to the w-mart in town for my morning cup of hot. At ten am, I leave, drive to the shop and go up into the attic to bring my storage bins down to the garage. Although I have a good idea of their contents, I go through each one to see what is in each and begin the sorting process. Cheryl tells me that I could use the laundry machines if I have dirty clothes and I start a load in the washer.

Later, I watch a movie on the garage television, Dead Poets Society and enjoy what the movie theme is about. "Seize the day!" It quotes from several of the poets that I have enjoyed reading. At ten pm, I retire to the jammer and get horizontal.

Up to the sound of the alarm, put on my blues and drive to the w-mart for coffee. Next, I drive to the hw-mart to buy a piece of plastic tubbing to fix Cheryl′s water fountain and return to the shop and work at connecting the pump to the water spout. When I get it connected, I fill the bowl with water and plug the cord into an electrical outlet. The water fountain works! I leave it out for Cheryl to see. Walking by the fireplace, I clean it out and restack it with fire wood to get it ready for the next evening we have available for a fire.

Then, I work on my boxes, sorting and photographing the parts to put on sale. Also, I take of the front tires, one at a time to look at the suspension to see what might be causing the popping sound coming from under the front of the car. The first thing that I notice is that the ball joints and tie rod ends are dry and need grease. As I am getting the grease gun out to grease these parts, methinks, could this, the dry joints be the cause of the popping? After pumping the fittings with grease, I put away the grease gun, return the wheels to their places and torque the lug nuts.

Then, I clean up, put on my suit and drive to the hall for the midweek meeting. Everyone is here, several give me a hug and most ask me how long am I staying this visit. When I answer several weeks, most say "Good!" My legs begin to hurt quite terribly during the last part of the meeting but I stick it out and make it through to the end. Afterwards, I return to the jammer, drive to a f-mart for a chocolate shake and then drive to the shop for the night.

Up when the sun shining into the jammer wakes me; last night was a late one. I drive to the w-mart for coffee, then to the lock smith to buy lock parts to fix a lock box and the lock smith brings out a large collection of parts. I find exactly what I need for only two dollars. Returning to the shop, I begin cleaning the Beaver machine to get it ready for photos.

Then I finish sorting the parts and lay them out for photos also. In the late afternoon, I watch a movie on the cable and then at six pm, I walk out to the fire pit to see both Mark and Cheryl sitting there. So, I light the fire. Later, after both have gone to bed, I get into the hot tub to soak for a few minutes before going to bed myself. It is another late night, after ten-thirty pm.

Up at the second alarm this morning, these late nights are turning me into a morning sleeper. I drive to the w-mart for coffee and the barista asks me "Are you doing anything fun today?" I tell her that today, I am attending the memorial of a good friend who died, that her name was Debbie Artist and that I will look forward to seeing her again in the resurrection.

At eight-thirty this morning, I drive to the hall for the ministry meeting thinking that it begins at nine but find no one there. Methinks, it must be at ten am and this gives me more time to get ready for the ministry. I work with Dan, Bob, and Aaron and we do some not at homes in North Gate Terrace, a subdivision I have worked in many times when I was here before. I am able to talk with a couple of people and even reason some with one woman. Afterwards, I locate a store that has a whisk broom and purchase one because two of mine have worn completely down to the stitching.

Then, I return to the hall, put my suit back on and go in for the memorial for Debbie. The hall is nearly full with friends from several areas and others whose heart Debbie had touched in some way. After the memorial, there is a meal that is shared on the front porch then I head back to the w-mart to prepare a payment button for someone who wants to buy one of my vending machines. Once it is uploaded, I return to the shop and set up for the night.

Upon arising, I drive first to the w-mart for coffee and to pound keys for a short time. Next, I drive to the hall for the meeting. Yesterday, I overheard Dan asking for someone to take the speaker out for lunch and I told Dan that I would be happy to have that privilege. So, after Tim gave a wonderful talk, I set up for them to meet me at the Island Cafe in town. I have for many years been telling everyone that this is the best restaurant in Oak Harbor. During the lunch, we all three took turns telling how we came into the truth. We had a really nice meal and have come to be good friend, even in such a short time. I attribute this to the fact that both Tim and Loni are also wayfarers of a sort. We exchanged contact information and made plans to meet again.

Afterwards, I return to the w-mart, pound keys for a while and then head for the shop.

The alarm wakes me and today I arise immediately to see that the sun is already one hand above the horizon. I climb into the drivers seat, start the jammer and drive for coffee. Michael has my tall blonde ready for me when I walk up to the counter.

I spend all morning updating my vending machine and product sales pages. At eleven this morning, the service group comes in for a cup of coffee and I talk with John, Allan and Bob while they are here. Afterwards, I wrap up the vending sales page, upload it to the web site and then pack out. I then head for the shop to change the oil in the jammer. After changing the oil, I drive back to the d-mart to buy a pair of jeans and find that now I am down to a waist size 40, ten inches down from my largest size and still ten inches to go. Tonight, I park in the d-mart parking lot rather than driving back to the shop and get into the birth before nine-thirty, a first for me for over a week.

Up at six fifteen when the sunlight is somewhat dim from the heavy cloud cover. The humidity and pollen here are slowly building up the cloud in my head and has reached full coverage now. Due to the extreme allergy problems that I experience here, I am not to sure how much longer that I will be able to remain on this island.

I drive from the d-mart parking lot into the w-mart lot, stop for coffee, begin checking my com, and then begin working on revising my legal documents to bring them up to date. At two this afternoon, I have finished my trust, printed it to pdf format and then emailed it to myself. I am close to finishing my will, only having left the including of the names of the witnesses. I will have to begin asking some of the friends to be witnesses of the signing for me. I then leave and head to the city beach bath house for a hot shower and after my long hot soak, I drive to the Mexican restaurant for a fish taco salad, chips and dip. Finally, I return the w-mart, carry my computer bag in, connect my tablet to charge it and download the JW Library update and new releases while I pound on the keys.

Later, I drive to the d-mart and shut down for the evening. However, the congestion in my head persists heavy keeping me awake for a couple hours.

Up to a the humid cloud cover, I drive to the w-mart and while getting out, Mark drives by, tells me that they missed me last night and I tell him that I escaped to get relief from the allergies that are pounding in my head but I am feeling better this morning. I go into the w-mart and pound on the keys until late morning.

Just before noon, I drive to the shop and Cheryl offers me a piece of her freshly made peanut butter chocolate fudge. Wow, is that the best! Then, I ask her what she would like for me to do and she tells me that the mail boxes in the trees should have a wood front making them look like bird houses, but that I should use weathered wood to make them look old. Then she says that she has to leave for the day, so I tell her that I will have the bird houses done before she gets back.

First, though, I get the wheel barrow and begin loading it up with firewood from one of the several stacks located on the property and moving the logs to the fire wood stack next to the fire burning pit. I do this numerous times and then restack the fire wood stacks and add the additional fire wood. Also, I clean up the area around the several stacks, pile up the logs that still need cutting with a chain saw and in the process find a nice piece of weathered lumber that will work well for building the bird houses. Next, I return to the first stack behind the shop, grab a hand grass chopper and begin clearing the north path around the property, cutting the tall grass, removing all dropped branches, and removing any branches that have grown out over the pathway. When Mark returns, I show him the pathway and tell him that except for the two trees that have fallen on the path, it is now ready for mowing.

Finally, I begin working on the bird houses, taking the weathered lumber into the shop and begin measuring, cutting and building the bird house facades for the two mail boxes that have previously been attached to trees. Going on line, I look for the location and size of the opening that is necessary for some local birds. For wrens, chickadees, and nuthatches, it is a one and an eighth inch hole seven inches above the inside floor. Then, I build one birdhouse first, take it to the tree but then need to modify it a small amount to fit and finally install it on the front open end of the mail box. From the front it looks like a bird house, so I begin the second one using the same measurements and install it on the second mail box.

With all of my work done, I take off my work blues, don my swimming blues and walk to the hot tub for a soak. Afterwards, I put on clean summer blues, wash my dirty blue underwear and hang it on the loop under the open tail gate. Then, I sit down at the fir pit to relax for a short time. When Cheryl arrives, I ask if she has seen the bird houses and she says that she loves them. Then, I don my work blues, build a fire in the fire pit and sit down to tend the fire. Cheryl brings out supper and we enjoy sitting around the fire, eating and talking to one another. When the sun has set, the sun light dimming to gray and the planet Jupiter shining high above, we all depart for our nightly births. I change out of the work blues to my sleeping blues and climb into the back of the jammer for the evening. Outside, the gray light lasting much later now slowly turns to dark but, with my curtains up, I am able to achieve sleep even though it is after ten pm when I do.

With the battery recharged on my alarm, it goes off at six this morning but I just turn it off and go back to sleep. Later, I arise, wipe the dew from the jammer, then drive to the w-mart for a tall blonde pour over and catch up on my journal writing.

At noon, I return to the shop to work on building a new cover for one of my wood bins in the jammer. I have found that when sitting in the co-pilot seat, my feet can not comfortably reach the cover, so a new larger one is in order. But first, I ride with Mark to empty the garbage trailer and when he uses the hydraulics to raise and dump the debris, I see on top a piece of half inch plywood large enough for my project and store it in the trailer for later. Then, we go to the lumber yard to purchase eight foot two by fours for Mark′s shed project. Finally, we return and after unloading the trailer, I go into the shop and begin working on the storage bin cover.

At six this evening, I clean up the shop and then leave for the city beach to take a shower. Once I have found the clean, I drive to the hall for the midweek meeting, don my suit and go inside. Afterwards, I drive to the d-mart, park and climb into the back.

Up after the suntouch, drive to the w-mart for my two tall cups of blonde and while here talk to a man who greets me when he sits down chairs to my left. Slowly, I direct the conversation to the Bible and endeavor to witness to him.

Later, in the conversation, he discloses that he used to be one of Jehovah′s Witnesses but has found a better way. I then ask, Were you disfellowshipped? to which he says No, I just left to follow Jesus. I reply, Then, you have disassociated yourself! to which he says Yes.

In order to help him see the seriousness of his leaving Jehovah′s organization, I tell him that our conversation is over, to which he replies, I still love you.

It totally escapes me how any one can come to the accurate knowledge of truth and then walk away from it. My only thought is that a person like this has never come to have a relationship with God but only thinks he has.

At ten this morning I leave the w-mart and head for the shop to work on my wood project, finish the cover and install it on the storage bin but find that it tips to easily requiring that I do something more to prevent the cover from tipping. Then, from the refrigerator, I make a plate from the leftover bean dip bowl and have my lunch. Next, I begin sweeping up the saw dust that I made and extend my sweeping to the entire garage floor, after which I mop the floor and even add some bleach to the water when I mop the bathroom.

Later, Mark and Cheryl both return home and while Cheryl begins grilling burgers, I load the fire pit. Then, Cheryl brings out a large pot of soup and the three of us have supper together at the fire ring. Soon, after, Keoke arrives, then Michael with his two children Micah and Marley, and finally Tara with her daughter Harley, who all join us as the sun sets to leave the afterglow in the sky for hours. At ten pm, I move the jammer away from the shop and the bright light to the grass line where the light does not shine into the jammer as much, climb into the rear and close my eyes.

Overcast skies and humidity greet me this morning while I start the jammer and drive to the w-mart for a pour over tall blonde and work on my new web site.

Sometime during the early afternoon, I drive to the shop and eat the remaining left over bean dip. Using chips as a base, I put the bean dip across the top, add a little hot sauce and then put in the microwave for a couple of minutes. When the meal is steaming, I sit at the television and watch the movie Batman Begins and amazingly, this being the second time watching the movie, finally understand the plot. Later in the day, Cheryl bring out an evening meal, one she calls, "Just thrown together!" but still wonderfully done and much appreciated by this wayfarer.

Finally, when everyone has retired and the movie is over, I head to the d-mart to for the evening.

Except for the temperature being slightly cooler, the day begins exactly like yesterday. At nine am, I pack out of the w-mart, drive to the hall and dress for the meeting. Soon, others arrive and I go in for the weekend meeting. The brother who gives the public talk has much information about a large portion of creation and uses the information to show how it would be be impossible for it to happen by chance. He talked about the four forces of nature, gravity, magnetism, strong nuclear and week nuclear; showing how if they were just a fraction of one percent different, then nothing could exist in creation. Methinks, he is a brother for my heart in the amount of trivia he knows and is able to use to understand the truth.

Afterwards, I head to the shop and stay inside out of the rain, watch a movie and have some pop corn. Then, just after the sun sets, I head to the d-mart and park for the evening.

The day begins just like the last two, even the temperature is the same however, even though the sky is overcast and humidity high, at least, it is not raining. I drive to the w-mart, walk in with my computer, purchase a tall blonde, sit down and pound keys. At eight this morning, I pack out and drive to city beach, take a two quarter shower and then drive to the hall for the ministry meeting. Arriving at eight-thirty, I am alone in the parking lot, so, I don my brown suit, then sit in the jammer and pound on the keys for a short time.

Soon, the cars begin to arrive, I walk inside and soon, I am working with four others, Vickki, Mindy, Bob and Audrey; we work some territory and finish with a few calls. Returning to the hall, I change back into my blues and drive to the shop to take a nap. Later, I arise and walk to the fire pit where there is a fire already going, add some wood and take my seat. Cheryl come out of the mobile with meat on a tray for the grill and tells me "You are in for a treat tonight." She continues to prepare and then we enjoy a meal of steak, potatoes with all the fixins, salad and garlic bread. Yes, this is a real treat, one that I do not have very often and tell Mark and Cheryl that the last time that I had steak was with them here (on day 942 JO) during my visit last fall. I stoke the fire while we eat supper and then as the day come to an end, the light fading into gray, each of us retreat to our births to retire.

This day begins when the sunlight wakes me; I walk to the rear of the jammer, lift the tailgate to retrieve my phones, return to start the engine, turn off the alarm when it begins at six am and then drive to the w-mart for my routine two cups of coffee.

Next, I meet for the ministry and go out for the morning. Afterwards, I return to the shop and begin building the two end caps for the jammer bumper, cutting, shaping, and trimming until they fit and the tail gate closes. As Mark suggests, I use two long pipe clamp to align the two side boards even with the rear bumper, drill pilot holes and then use long screws to draw the wood together and hold them in place. Also, I sand the bumper to remove the scratches, cracks and other marks on the paint, tape the green areas to prevent over spay and then spay a dark primer on the bumper. While the bumper paint is drying, I put the first coat of primer on the end caps. Then, while all the paint is drying, I put a load in the machine to wash and then turn on the tv to watch a movie. Later, I return to spray a second coat of primer on the bumper and end caps, put the wash in the dryer and then finish watching the movie.

Cheryl brings out a pot of soup she has made and Mark and I each have a large bowl with some garlic bread. After, I retire to the jammer for the evening.

Up to an overcast sky, drive to the w-mart, drink two cups, pound keys and then at eight, then drive to the hall for the ministry meeting. I work with Bob, and David for the morning. We drive to the Coronet bay area to do some calls and at one call, I go with Bob to the door to talk with Lee, an old retired seafarer living with his dog. He seems to be quite interested with the Bible and asks several questions that Bob answers by reading from the Bible Teach book. When we leave, Bob tells me that he has a long history with the witnesses calling on him and even his girl friend has been studying and is even thinking about baptism. I tell Bob that he needs to get a study going with him.

Afterwards, I return to the shop and begin cutting a large treated 12 x 4 beam into three 4 x 4 boards to use as front edges for steps that I am building down from in front of the hot tub to the back of the wood pile. Cheryl had asked me to build these steps so that she could walk down to the back of the wood pile and fill the bird feeder there. Also, Cheryl suggests that I use two large wood planks for steps, shows me where the two planks are and I retrieve them for the project. Also, I walk out to a spot where a week ago on Day 168 TB when working on clearing the path way, I espied a small pile of bricks and also carry them to the step constructions site. Then, I level and pack the ground, install the 4 x 4 boards, planks and then the bricks to create a set of steps leading down the side of the wood pile.

Returning to the shop, I begin work on finishing the jammer storage bins; sanding, spreading wood putty, sanding, and then painting. Also, while the putty or paint on the bins dry, I work on the bumper, shaping, sanding, priming, then painting the two end caps. When they are done, I screw them on to the bumper upon which I have also spray a fresh coat of paint. This work is not tedious but is time consuming and do not finish until after six pm when Cheryl brings out a plate of food. Finally, I head into to town for a chocolate shake and then park at the d-mart for the evening. When I begin to climb into the rear of the jammer, I realize that I have misplaced my phone. Looking all through out the jammer, it is no where to be found. I remind myself that it is only a thing and if necessary can be replaced. Too, I remind myself that many things that have come up lost, and when I have given the thing up for lost, are later found. I then fall asleep with rain pounding on the roof of the jammer.

Up to a rainy day with some signs of clearing. I drive to the shop and look inside for my phone but it is not there. Then, I drive to the w-mart for my two cups and use one of my free purchases for a spinach and feta cheese breakfast wrap while pound the keys to catch up on two days of journal writing. As the sky shows signs of clearing, I decide to join in the ministry again today, and at eight-fifteen, leave the w-mart, drive to the hall, and don my suit to join the ministry group. After waiting until ten minutes after nine, the suit comes off and I head back to the shop to put the final touches on the bumper and last coat on the two storage bin lids.

Later, I accompany Mark and Cheryl to a Chinese restaurant for our evening meal, then back to the shop by eight-fifteen and I head for the jammer to turn in for the evening.

Up at the alarm bell, drive to the w-mart, acquire my cup of black, pound keys and generally wait for the overcast sky to clear up. Then at ten am, I drive to the shop, paint two more of the storage bin lids and work on reloading my gear and supplies into the bins. I do repack one of the plastic storage bins from the attic, one that I will transport back to Texas when I arrive in the late fall. Then, I put the bin in the jammer and get things ready for when I leave here and head to Yellowstone.

Mark and Cheryl leave for their assembly while I stay here to feed the dogs and work on stripping the deck leading to the upstairs apartment. At eight-thirty pm, I walk to the hot tub for a soak and then return to the jammer for the evening. It is just before ten pm when I shut down and get horizontal.

Up again at the bell, drive to the w-mart for two cups and to check com. It is overcast and raining, but at nine, I head for the shop to first feed the dogs, Max and Charley. Then, I begin this project by using three ladders to hanging tape on the east wall to protect the painted shingles from the chemicals to be used on the deck. Next, I finish clear the deck of all the tenant′s things, putting them on the ground below. Then, I walk to the rear of the shop to find the pressure washer and proceed to clean the years of green growth that is on most surfaces as well as the layers of dirt that has accumulated everywhere. I also clean out piles of trash from under the deck stairs and stack the trash in front of the truck that has not been running. I continue to pressure wash the concrete under the deck, even cleaning the tenant′s bench and table.

At this point, I stop, put away the ladders, pressure washer, tools and then go into the shop to take a shower. After that, I do a wash and have something to eat while watching a movie. Finally, I go out to the jammer and climb into the back for the evening.

Awake before the the alarm, drive to the w-mart for coffee and work on the new web site for almost two hours, then I drive to the shop, put on my work blues, get out several tools and begin scraping the old paint from the deck. It is not long into the scraping when I recall that long ago, I determined that I do not like this kind of work, neither do I wish to ever do it again. I suppose the main reason is because of all the climbing up and down stairs as well as stooping and crawling on my knees, but I decide to persist until it is done because I have made a commitment to Mark that I would do this job. By noon, I finish the top rail and begin on the deck boards, finishing them by six pm. Then, I clean up, put away the tools, and walk over to the fire pit to start the fire.

There are several of the friends who have come over, Koke, Allan and Tawnya, Assaf and Jeanie with there two kids, all for an evening sitting around the fire to visit while eating hot dogs and more, and also to play ping pong on the table in the shop. After all the guests have left, Mark Cheryl and myself sit at the fire to talk for a bit longer but I retire and leave the fire going strong with Mark and Cheryl still talking.

Up early, drive to the w-mart for my two cups of hot and pound on the keys until seven-thirty. Then, I pack out and head to the shop to remove more of the red from the deck, now working on the guard rails, facia boards and pickets, the most tedious part of stripping a deck. At one-twenty pm, I stop for lunch and prepare a hamburger and bean dip with chips, left over from last night′s fire side dinner. It is still tasty and both dogs come in to join me for lunch; I give both of them a dog biscuits.

After working all day, I complete twenty six of the total one hundred and twenty five pickets. At six, I clean up, put away the tools and drive to town for a milk shake. Then, I park at the d-mart, climb into the back and fall right asleep; it is only seven pm.

After a early morning of strange dreams, I rise, drive to the w-mart, go inside to set up my computer and drink hot coffee and pound keys to catch up on my journal.

Then back to work on the deck at the shop. In the late afternoon, I apply more orange stripping gel to paint on the deck and plan to come back in the morning to remove it. Later, I drive to the d-mart arriving just before eight pm, climb into the back and go to sleep.

Up to another overcast day, drive to the w-mart of two cups of hot and then return to the shop before eight am and return to the work on the deck.

When, scrapping off the orange stripping gel I find that although it is much easier scrapping the gel, after the sun dries it, the work increases. I finish the remaining gel removal with the pressure washer and then put away all the tools. Then, Koke comes by for some ping pong with Mark while Cheryl make some hors d'oeuvre to serve as supper for the three of us, but since Koke and Mark both pass on the food, I make a supper plate for myself.

Finally, I take a shower, don clean clothes and leave for the d-mart to park for the evening.

Up in the twilight, move the jammer to in front of the w-mart and start the download of new releases from JW.org. When the w-mart opens, I go in for a cup of coffee and to catch up on my journal writing. After uploading this page, I head for the shop to begin scrapping orange gel and finish the job at about three pm when I go in to tell Mark that I am done and will be leaving the island after the meeting tonight. He says that he is busy and will look at it later. I put the vending capsules, which did not sell, back up in the attic. I did sell the Beaver two head machine to a local business but the sticker, capsule machine is still in the restaurant, full of capsules and ready for several more months of collecting quarters.

I have done more than the actual deck he asked me to do, cleaning also the concrete, walls, windows and under the deck. I expected that he would be really pleased and that he might even give me a bonus for doing such a good job. After that, I climb into the back of the jammer to take a nap. Cheryl later knocks on the window to invite me in for supper; she has been really making some wonderful suppers since I have been here in Oak Harbor. I must send here a thank you card telling her so.

At six forty pm, I head to the hall for the meeting and tell good bye to the friends, return to the shop, walk inside and ask Mark for the money for the work. He says that he need to go to the cash machine to get the money and while he is gone, I wait in the jammer.

When Mark returns, not only does he not thank me for all the work I did but he comments that I did not get all of the red off of the deck. I reply that there is some very small pieces, but they will come off when you sand the wood... and say You do not expect me to be perfect, do you? He tells me that I did not finish the job, that he has been in construction for thirty years and not one of any other company he knows would accept what I did as complete. I do not reply, but just listen to him as he continued for some time complaining about how he is some much more experienced than mE and that I do not listen to him. He goes on to say that I am burning bridges and that I can not keep burning the bridges many more times and keep my friendships. When he finishes his long dissertation, he then walks back into the shop, and then I start the jammer to leave. I think that what I could have said would only make matters worse, so I drive away without saying anything in return.

What I did not tell him is that I spent seven days and over sixty hours working on the deck which would from the amount he paid me equal to less than eight dollars an hour, that if he wanted me to do a much better job, he should have offered to pay me what all those other contractors would have charged him, even as much as several thousand dollar, not five hundred that he paid me. Neither, did I tell him that how I had done so much more than he had asked me to do, nor did he notice or thank me for any of that extra work that I did for him.

At ten-thirty, I head to the d-mart, park for the evening and climb into the back to sleep.

Up in the dark, start the jammer, drive to the af-mart to gas up, then to the f-mart to buy a senior coffee and finally north on SH 20 across Deception Pass and off the island, then onto the mainland to IH 5 and south as far as I can drive without traffic.

In Everett, Washington where I turn east on US 2 to Monroe, Washington, then south on SH 203 to North Bend where I catch the 90 east and begin my long day driving through Washington, Idaho and Montana to arrive in Bozeman, Montana about eight pm. I exit the interstate at exit 309, and arrive at the d-mart, go inside to buy fruits, vegetables and then retire for the evening and have supper.

While I pound on the keys adding words to my journal with the jammer engine running, I listen to a Bob Dylan program on public radio which features many of his masterpieces. A little before nine pm, the sun drop to the horizon, set and leaves a narrow strip of sunglow below low lying clouds. After a fifteen hour drive to arrive here, I am exhausted and so climb into the back to get horizontal. Sleep comes quickly.

Awake to a new morning in a new state but it is still overcast and humid. Even with the persistent humidity, I feel much better this morning. Leaving the d-mart and driving less than a mile, I stop at a w-mart, go inside with my computer for a tall blonde and begin my regular pounding of keys.

After several hours of pounding, I pack out at noon and head south through town, connect to US 191 south towards Yellowstone and drive along the Gallatin River on a route called the Gallatin Gateway. It is a slow drive upstream along the river and an even slower drive at the entrance to the park. Not thinking that this holiday weekend will be to crowded, I continue into the park but do not stop until arriving in the Old Faithful parking lot. I have some raisins and nuts, then climb into the back of the jammer and first catch up on today′s journal writing. Then, I put the curtains up and take a nap.

At six pm, I rise and go inside to find that the time when the geyser next goes off is six thirty-five pm so I walk to the board walk and take my seat. I did go off and there was a rainbow but it was faint and the water only rose to about seventy feet. Then, I waited for the next one to show up at eight-fifteen but it was not any better. When the sun set, there was a crepuscular display that I photographed. Afterwards, I walked into the inn, sat near the grand piano and listened to Martha play a couple of tunes. Finally, I return to the jammer, plug in to the inverter and work on my computer for a short time. At ten pm, I shut down, retire for the evening and get horizontal.

After sleeping comfortably last night, my alarm awakes me again this morning, after which I rise, grab my computer and go into the lobby for coffee, set up at the first desk next to the grand piano, which has been known as my office, do the study for today and then take a shower. Next, I continue with the key pounding for the web site and work at that until three pm, when I pack out to the jammer, store my computer and walk to the visitor center to purchase a oval sticker for the rear window of the jammer and pick up a junior ranger booklet with three embroidered patches.

Returning to the jammer, I work on the booklet and finish all the pages. Afterwards, I make a salad, add vinegar, oil, my spice and enjoy the meal. Finally, I complete the journal entry for today, retire for the evening and close my eyes. It is just after ten pm. There is a flash of lighting and soon after, I hear the pounding of rain on the roof.

Upon arising, I get dressed, grab my bag and head into the lobby, first for coffee and then to my office spot to pound keys. Also, I have become fond of the biscotis that the espresso stand sells for a dollar each and have two in the morning. During the day, I talk with numerous people who walk by and stop to take a photo of the inn interior, often which allows me to show them some of my photos an give them a business card. One woman asked me if I sold my photos and I responded no to her.

At six this evening, I return to the jammer to prepare my supper, a chopped root salad with oil and vinegar and sit in the driver seat to have supper. Then I watch some new videos recently uploaded and finally retire for the evening. Tonight, it is long after ten when this happens.

It is cold this morning, frost covers the windows of the vehicles in the parking lot. I grab my Yeti cup and head back into the lobby to fill it with hot coffee. Then, I go into the restaurant for the breakfast buffet, which is fifteen dollars. I fill my plate with mostly fruit but also have eggs, biscuits and gravy, grits and a couple biscotis. I am full when I leave the restaurant and then head for my office to update my journal.

While working on a section called the Quest Afoot, I am reminded of when my first wife divorced me. That occurred exactly four decades ago on this day, May 31, 1976. Wow, I have not thought about that day for many years. Nevertheless, there are numerous things that occur in one′s life that are brought back to our memory. Enough said, coffee break over, back on your heads!

I continue working on the new web site until after six this evening and then pack out to the jammer to cook my Repast. This one I add coconut oil and hot sauce, a very tasty combination. Then, I watch the May broadcast and enjoy it very much. Right at the end of the video, I pause it and walk to the open area near the river for photos of the suntouch in the steam of Castle geyser. Returning to the jammer, I grab my trash and take it to the recycle bins, stop inside the in to use the facilities and then back to the jammer to finish my journal entry. Finally I retire to my birth and get horizontal for the evening.

Upon awaking, I get dressed, grab my bag and walk in to the lobby for coffee. After filling my cup, walk upstairs and take a seat at my desk and begin pounding keys. The key pounding continues all day except for the break just before noon to take a shower in the second floor rest room. Returning to my desk and resuming the key pounding last until eight pm when I go outside with my camera and photograph the sunset.

Then, I return to my birth, eat a cup of daystart and watch a video from JW Broadcasting. Afterwards, I close out my journal entry and the get horizontal. It is after ten pm once again when I close my eyes.

Up to the sunlight, walk to the lobby, purchase a cup of hot and begin the fifth full day in Yellowstone. I have been writing on the back of my business card "Newly designed Website coming this Summer Solstice" before handing them out to those that I talk with during the day.

I work until four, then walk over tho the visitors center to have my junior ranger booklet checked, and get a wood badge. I walk through the exhibit and find a display showing the pH of many of the hot springs, lakes and mud pots in Yellowstone. It is interesting that Norris Geyser basin is very acidic, with one mud pot have a pH of 1, the same as battery acid. Here at the upper basin, most of the springs are alkaline. Next, I walk out to the jammer for a cup of daystart after which, I climb into the back to take a nap.

At seven-thirty, I leave the jammer and walk into the lobby to get a cup of hot water for tea. Then I sit by the fire place, sip on my hot tea and ask people where they are from. Great past time. An hour later, I return to the jammer and complete my journal entry for the day. Afterwards, I climb into my birth and get horizontal.

Sleeping in until the alarm, I rise, walk into the lobby for a cup of hot, then set up my computer at my desk. Then, I head to the shower room for a hot shower. Returning to the desk, I begin a day of pounding keys. Then at four pm, I head to the Snow lodge to mail a post card and after head back to the jammer ot make supper.

Using up the remaining fresh vegetables, I make a salad, mostly a root salad because roots keep the longest before going bad. Beets, sweet potatoes, onion, carrots, the trunks of broccoli, and ginger after which I add oil, vinegar, hot sauce and TWS. After eating, I get out the map to plan my route for tomorrow, south through Wyoming into Colorado and stopping at the d-mart in Craig, Colorado where my GPS has informed me there is a w-mart; an eight hour drive. Also, the route take me into the Great Divide Basin, a geological feature that I have long wanted to drive through.

Finally, I finish my journal entry and then get horizontal.

Arise this morning again to the sound of phone music, get dressed, walk to the lobby and down the hall to take a shower. Then, after filling my cup with coffee, I walk to the same desk that I have been sitting at each day for one week pounding on the key board and talking to those who would greet me. I carry a banana in to eat with the cup of hot and notice that it is very quite in the lobby this morning. I stay only long enough to get a refill in my cup and then head back out to the jammer.

After starting the jammer, I head south on the loop road, turn at West Thumb and head out the south part exit on US 89 and US 287, through Grand Teton to the Moran exit, leave US 89 and continue south on Us 287. At Moran, I stop to purchase postcard stamps and send out the ones already written. Continuing south on US 287, I make several stops to photograph the Teton Mountains but the best is at the Togwotee Lodge overlook just before the pass of the same name. When I stop at the pass, I talk with a family from Missouri and the mother asks me about the Teton mountains, will she see them. I tell her that she needs to stop at the lodge overlook and she will see the entire range. Also, I show her the photo graph that I just took.

Continuing south, I drive along the Wind River, through the Wind River reservation, then stop in Fort Washakie, Wyoming, at the grave of Sacajawea and finally stop at a grocery store in town for some vegetables. Then, the route takes me just above the Great Divide Basin and into the east side where I begin to see a lot of proghorn antelopes along the highway. The Great Divide Basin is the continental divide splits and encircles a basin before coming back together much further south. Too, any rain or snow that falls in this basin is trapped and either evaporates or sinks into the ground water. There are no rivers or creeks in this basin, just gulches where water flows to the low spots, either ponds or small lakes were they to eventually dry up.

US 287 take me further south to IH 80 were I head west a short distance and then take SH 789 south into Colorado which connects to Colorado SH 13 and from there continue south to Craig, Colorado stopping at the d-mart for the night. It is ten pm when I get horizontal. It is warm tonight, about seventy-five degrees but cools off quickly after sundown and I am able to sleep well during the night.

Yes, this morning, I got access to my web site host provider and uploaded the all the days when I was out of range of a WiFi service. Also, I located a hall in town with the weekend meeting at ten am, and will head over there in just a few minutes but after waiting until ten am, decide that this congregation is at the convention this weekend.

In the afternoon, I drive to the w-mart, one inside a g-mart and work on my website upgrade. I also check for the regional conventions and there is one in Aurora, Colorado this coming weekend; a four hour drive from here and one which I am planning to attend.

The temperature is hot during the day but cools off progressively during the evening.

Up at 4:55 am, rise to see the sunglow on the horizon and then go back to sleep. At 6:00 am, I drive to the w-mart, purchase a cup of hot and begin pounding on the keys.

Then, at one this afternoon, I decide that it is time to move, pack out of the w-mart, and drive east on US 40 up over Rabbit Ear pass (Elevation 9429 feet) crossing the continental divide onto the east side and right back onto the west side through Muddy Pass (Elevation 8772 feet) back onto the western side. Continuing east on US 40 I drive until reaching Hot Sulphur Springs and stop at the hot springs resort to check it out. Then, I drive back down to the river, to Pioneer campground and pull into the last available site. This campsite, which is owned by the city, is right next to the Colorado River, on the flood plain below the hot springs.

At seven-thirty this even, I go inside and read in the yearbook until nine, during twilight when I hear someone outside the jammer. I get up and go outside and find another group, whose tent and bicycles are located behind and to one side. They are also camping in the same campsite but they do not have a problem with me being here, they even left plenty of room for me to drive out in the morning.

A train goes by into the canyon with it′s loud horn going off but that still does not disturb the quiet of the evening. It is a peaceful place and I may come to really enjoy my stay here. However, in the morning, I will be heading east on US 40 to go to Aurora for the convention this upcoming weekend.

Awake at early sunglow, arise, put on my blues and drive out of the campsite east on US 40 to Grandby, Colorado, stopping at a s-mart with a w-mart inside at five-forty am. While waiting for the store to open at six am, I watch three magpies eat scraps of food from the parking lot. When the store opens, I go in and search online for the location of the assembly hall in Aurora, Colorado as well as for a nearby d-mart and w-mart. Once I have recorded all the addresses, then I continue south on US 40 up to Berthound Pass which a sign says the elevation is 11,307 although my GPS says that it is 11,361 feet. I stop here and catch up on my journal writing before heading down into Denver.

When I arrive at the west outskirts of Denver, I GPS several stores and then begin driving to each one in order to do my grocery shopping. First a hg-mart, then a second one of the same, next and o-mart and find blue spoon. Then I drive to a d-mart and shop for those things the hg-mart does not have or has but it is cheaper at the d-mart. Finally, I drive to a w-mart and check my com and it rains very hard for a few minutes, then stops and begins to clear up.

At dusk, I head to the d-mart and park for the evening, really tired from the long day.

Up at early sunglow, drive to the w-mart and work on the Wayfarer Passage of the new web site. I keep thinking that I am just about ready to upload it all but then find one more page that has to be tweaked, so I keep working.

However, I am getting very close and will begin uploading soon even though during the uploading process, the new web site will not be accessible until all of it is uploaded. This is because I devised a method to have it the door bell send visitors to the old 2015 web site which is already in place and operating. When I finish uploading all of the new 2016 web site, then I will have the door bell direct visitors to the new site.

At seven pm, I pack out and drive to the assembly hall just to locate it on my GPS. It is just outside the southwest corner of the Denver 470 loop. Then when driving back to the same d-mart where I stayed last night, about two miles to the north, I see another d-mart just one half mile from the assembly hall, and this d-mart has a w-mart located inside. I check it out and find it to have plenty electrical outlets, so I find a good parking space and put up the curtain for the night. Horizontal by nine-thirty.

After rising, I drive about one hundred yards, park in the shadow, walk inside for a cup, and then sit down next to an electric plug and a window over looking the parking lot. Here, I begin a day of pounding keys. Methinks that this is a good location for my attending the Regional Convention.

At seven-thirty, I retire to the jammer and get horizontal.

It has been a warm night and sleep until the alarm, get up, dress for the meeting, drive to the f-mart for s senior coffee and then drive to the gate at the assembly hall and wait for it to open. At seven-fifteen, two bothers arrive, open the gate and let us in. I park near the front atrium and meet David who is on the road heading to Virginia. He is living in his vehicle and stays at camp grounds. We talk while waiting for the front door to open at eight am. When it does, we both walk in and find a seat.

Afterwards, I head back to the d-mart to park for the evening and while it is still early, I go into the w-mart to charge batteries and check my com. At just before eight pm, I pack out and retire to the jammer to hit the sack.

Awake and moments later, the alarm goes off. It was another strange dream that awakes me and my mind can not dismiss the dream as I continue mulling over why I had such a strange one.

Then, I get up, drive to the f-mart for coffee and meet Pete who I talk with for a short time. He is from the Silverthorn congregation, near Dillon where Robert lives. Most likely, when I visit Robert, I will go to that congregation hoping to see Pete again. Next, I drive to the assembly and take my place four in line of cars waiting to enter for the program.

When I park, I see David two spaces north and call out hello to him. He smiles and says back Hello Thom. I give him two of the Spark drink mixes and tell him that it will keep him awake during the afternoon. Then, I walk into the hall, find a seat and sit down to wait for the program to begin. At lunch, I walk out to the jammer and fix my day start, sit inside and eat. Back to the program and really enjoy the drama. Truly, after last year′s Regional Convention, I did not think that it could get any better. Wow, was I wrong, this year′s program has knocked my socks off. I wonder where that idiom came from and what it means. Finally, when it is over, I head out to the jammer, drive to the d-mart and go inside to continue working on my web site. There is not much left now and will begin uploading most likely next week. Shortly after the sun sets, I climb in to the back and get horizontal. Like last nigh, lightning flashes about in the clouds.

Up at the alarm walk into the d-mart for coffee and then return to the jammer to get ready for the last day of the convention. So far, what has been presented has indicated to me that the old system that I am now taking steps in is about to come to it′s end. With all the talks during the previous two days, I have become convinced that this is true. When I arrive outside the entrance gate David, who I met first on Firday arrives soon after. We have become friends in the short time that we have been able to spend time together. He is from Nevada, works in the kitchen of a school and during his summers off, he travels, this year to Virginia Beach on the east coast. Soon, we drive into the parking lot and I do not see him again today. I do meet Ray who parks right next to the jammer. We talk for a short time while waiting for the hall doors to open.

It is so amazing, every one here is so friendly, so courteous, so polite, it is like being in a family reunion with immediate family members. I just can not wait until JD arrives and see then how much better the brotherhood will then become.

This last day is now over and I have left the assembly hall. Yes, Jehovah is verily telling his people to get ready for the great tribulation which is fast approaching. Several of the presentations today focus on not only avoiding bad influences but improving our good qualities in all aspects of our life, especially in our actions, thoughts and words. We are given excellent recommendations in how to accomplish that. Verily, the direction that has been given at this convention is so worth heeding.

After leaving the assembly hall, I drive through Denver to the northwest of the city where I turn on US 36 and drive north to Superior, Colorado just outside the Denver 470 loop where I locate a w-mart, sit for a while and pound keys. Then, before sunset, I drive to the d-mart in Boulder, Colorado, arrive just after dark and park for the evening. There are several other overnighters in this parking lot