Friday, 30 December 2016 through Saturday, 08 April 2017

Amazing, I actually had to use my down sleeping bag last night to stay warm. Methinks that is dose not work for me to arrive here before January because it can still be too warm. I rise, drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot and fast WiFi, then begin pounding keys.

At dark-thirty, I leave the w-mart, drive to the d-mart and try but can not sleep, so I get up begin watching videos from the JW.org app and then put icons on my homepage to start some of the videos.

Awake just before six this morning but still feel exhausted and lie back down to sleep longer. When I do arise, I dress, put on my fall blues and wipe the light dew from the outside of the jammer. Then, I drive to the w-mart, purchase coffee and resume pounding keys.

The progress on Quire Five is doing well, I have almost finished the formatting process and will soon continue with the rewriting procedure. At seven pm, I pack out, head to a restaurant for supper and then to the d-mart for the evening.

Done! Another holiday season is past, behind me and I am glad for it to be over. Always at this time, methinks, Will this be the last one in this system? I truly hope so. It is a moderately warm morning after a night that was spent almost entirely without cover, but at least I did not sweat last night. It was thought, hard to find sleep because of the noise.

I rise late, dress in my fall blues, wipe the very light dew from the jammer, and then drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot. At noon, I pack out, put on my suit and drive to the hall which is just two hundred yards south of the w-mart. After the meeting, I return to the w-mart and resume my pounding keys. Then, at six this evening, I go to have Mexican for supper, after which I drive to the d-mart and set up for the evening and it proves to be another warm night.

Up at the alarm, dress in fall blues and drive to the w-mart for coffee and begin pounding keys.

While I am pounding keys, I come across another web presence which is promoting a very similar concept to how I am trying to live my life, in that it sells a diet that can cure diabetes, cancer, heart disease and other ailments of a poor diet. However, one thing that it does different from what I have been doing is a conscience effort of avoiding carbohydrates, particularly those from cereals, grains, legumes, pasta, potatoes and focuses on protein from lean meats including beef, chicken, fish, pork, turkey and others, together with lots of vegetables and salad.

This is something that makes sense to me and I will do more research in this diet to see how it compares. I continue until it becomes dark, when I leave and purchase the makings for a salad with some prepared cooked white fish. Then I get into the back of the jammer to read because it is a bit to warm to sleep. A lot of the reading that I do is about this low carbohydrate, lean protein diet. The more I read about it, study it, the more it is making sense. It finally cools of nicely and I get to sleep.

Up early, dress in my fall blues, drive to the w-mart and pound keys all day until about six pm when I upload all of the online journal files to the internet. I have finished Quire Five and down most all of the page formatting for the rest of the Quires. What remains left for the online journal to be complete is for me to populate the pages of Quires Six through Ten with the text that I have previously written. Too, I will still want to go through the text, re-write it and add many photos, all of which should not take me any longer than a year or two. Maybe not.

I just walked outside to look at the deep red colors of the sunset, notice that the temperature has dropped below eighty degrees and hope that it cools off quicker tonight that it has in past nights. Then at six-thirty pm, I leave to find more salad fixings for supper and to set up at the d-mart for the night.

Again, it was late last night until I was able to sleep, so, this morning I slept past my normal waking time, rise, drive to the w-mart, purchase coffee and turn on the computer to begin pounding keys.

At noon, I pack out and drive to Falcon for a hot shower. When I arrive in the park, I drive by the recreation hall and see that the open sign is turned on, so I stop, grab my cup and go inside for some hot water but find that the hot water pot is turned off and the water cold. Upon leaving the recreation hall, the volunteer greets me and asks how she can help me, to which I tell her that I wanted to get some hot water. She tells me that there is a microwave inside and when I tell her not to bother, she insists on heating a cup for me. We talk as she is preparing the water and I find out her name is Laura and that she is from North Carolina. I tell her that I once walked through North Carolina and she asks me if it was the Sea to Mountain trail in that state. I tell her, "It was a long time ago, but, I walked the Appalachian Trail." Then she tells me something that I never expected, "So did I."

Immediately, we become friends and spend time together talking about our life journey now. She tells me that she is a minimalist and is why she keeps her burden down to the little she does have, which is so much less than my burden. We share much about the burden that we each possess and live with, and I talk some with Laura about my hope for the future. Then, I depart, head for the shower to clean up for the meeting. Driving out of the park, I see her walking with her dog Buddy and stop briefly to tell Laura that I will be back next week and hope that we can talk more. She smiles and I drive out of the park, down the highway to the hall, park in the back and wait for the meeting to begin.

Inside, I visit with my friends and can not help thinking that this is what I would love to share with Laura and pray that I will know what to say to her so that she too will want to come to know about this wonderful comradery I have come to appreciate and love so. After the meeting, I drive to the d-mart and park for the evening. It is much cooler tonight and get to sleep right away.

Awake before the alarm, which is set to 6:15 am and wait for it to go off. Then, I rise, drive to the f-mart and go inside for coffee and upload the new video about creation that I watched last night at the meeting. Now, I pound keys waiting for nine this morning to leave for the ministry meeting at the hall. Perfecto comes in at seven-thirty and we talk about why I do not celebrate Christmas and other holidays. Then his friend comes in and the discussion continues for a time until at eight-thirty am, I pack out to the jammer, dress in my suit and head for the hall.

I work with Jonathan and several groups drive south to La Grulla to work in the same area we have for several weeks. When we arrive, we find the Spanish congregation working one area so we go tho the next one. At one door, a man come out of the garage holding a machete and greets us. Jonathan speaks Spanish to him and in a short time introduces me and tells him that I only speak English. The man then speaks clear English and says to me, Hello Brother and tells us that he is from the Penitas congregation near Mission, Texas. Then Jonathan makes a comment about him walking up from the garage carry a machete and he replies that he was working with it. We greet our brother goodbye and move to the next door.

After the meeting, Carlos (Charles) his wife Jane, and three boys, Carlos, Avril, and Isaac approach me and ask to see my home. I open up the back of the jammer and begin with showing them the kitchen. When I am telling them about tea tree oil, Jane says that they have found that Chlorophyll does much the same thing. Wow, there is so much to learn about what God has provided for us here on this earth. Too, I get to know Charles and his family during our time standing at the back of the jammer. After they drive away, I put on my fall blues and drive south to the w-mart, go inside and begin pounding keys.

Just before sunset, I drive to the d-mart, go inside to look for a package of east coast fish that I can have for supper, find a four ounce pack of albacore tuna with no added salt and buy five packs. These packs I plan to eat in the evening with a salad in order to obtain a low carbohydrate and lean protein meal. After eating, I retire for the evening.

The morning begins cool with a light rain and I rise, drive to the w-mart for coffee and pounding keys.

After the sun sets, I upload my work, pack out and head for my evening respite.

Up at the crack, around six-thirty and drive first to the burger place called What for two egg burritos and a free senior coffee. Then I drive to the w-mart for a round of pounding keys and greet a young woman who I have seen coming here every day I do. I then begin to witness about the Bible to her and find out her name is Nimbia, she is going to college to be a chemical engineer, and after talking for a while she asks me "Are you one of Jehovah′s Witnesses" to which I say yes and ask her what was she brought up as? She tells me, the same but I am not one now. She then lets me know very clearly that she does not want to become one at this time.

I purchase a cup of coffee to which the barista says, "No Charge!" and I return to my seat thinking I just can not pay for a cup of coffee today and start my routine of pounding keys until long after sunset. During the evening, Richard from Yucaipa calls and we talk for some time. He lets me know that he is ready for me to come back to help more on the Johnston street rental to complete the repairs and upgrades so he and Kim can move it and begin trying to sell the home in Yucaipa. I tell him that I will pack out and begin my journey to California

At nearly ten pm, I pack out, drive to the d-mart and have one of the pack of tuna for my supper and kelp to go with it. I am asleep quickly after assuming the prone position.

I drive first to the w-mart for coffee and pound keys until ten this morning when I pack out, drive to the af-mart to purchase gasoline and then drive to the hall in Rio Grande City where I park in the back, put on my suit and then study for the meeting today which begins at one pm. By noon, the Spanish congregation have all left the hall and I move the jammer to where I normally park in the front of the hall. Soon, the friends begin to arrive. Robert, who is moving from Corpus Christi has come to give the public talk and I get to know a little about him and his family before the meeting begins. Also, I tell Daniel and a couple others that I will be leaving Rio and heading back to southern California.

Afterwards, I drive into Rio, go into the d-mart to buy more packs of tuna, some vegetables, a pack of salad, and then retire to the parking lot for the evening. The temperature has warmed up this afternoon into the high fifties and it is comfortable for me. With it still before sunset, I take a nap but wake up later to make my journal entry for today. Finally, I get horizontal for the night.

Upon leaving the bottle repository, I drive north on Bryant street to SR 38 and drive up the Santa Anna river valley, up and over the Big Bear mountain range, over Onyx pass at 8460 feet and down into Big Bear valley. From there, I take SR 18 off the mountain and down into Lucerne valley, through Apple valley, and into Victorville where I connect to US route 66 and drive north through the first section of the desert drive today and arrive in Barstow, California. From here I connect to SR 58 west to Krammer Junction for the second section and then turn on US 395 and head north for the third and last section, but by far the longest of the three section. I do stop in Inyokern half way up US 395 to purchase some gasoline but it is over three dollars a gallon and only buy ten dollars.

Stopping in Lone Pine, California, I buy gas again, this time thirty dollars, again over three dollars but which should be enough to take me just past the Nevada state line where I can fill up with gasoline for about two dollars and forty cents a gallon.

After I fill up, I drive to Tuttle Creek Campground and find it to be only five dollars a night and half price for seniors. I pick a site and pay the two dollars and fifty cents. Then, I park, and watch the sun set (just before six pm) while not far from me a small trout filled creek rushes over large boulders to the Owens valley in the distance below.

The day has begun to illume when I look out the window, but not wanting to leave the warmth of my down bag, I stay prone for a long time. Finally, I rise, start the jammer, dress in my fall blues and then drive to the f-mart for coffee. I see Perfecto once again and we talk some but I mostly work on pounding keys.

Then at ten this morning, I pack out, drive northwest out of Rio heading for Falcon state park. Upon arriving, I go directly to the recreation hall and check in to see if there is an opening for doing laundry, which there is so I go right to work.

Also, I put hot water in my insulated cup with a tea bag and sip on it while visiting with some of the campers. At three pm, I leave the recreation hall, drive to the shower house, take a hot shower and then head to the campsite. Once I park next to the awning, I begin cooking my supper, creating a new recipe.

Up at daybreak, get out and wipe the dew off the jammer but the humidity is so high, moisture keeps condensating on the surface. After I rinse the rag at the spigot, start the jammer and drive to the shower house for a hot shower. Then, I drive to the recreation hall, sit in the co-pilot seat, connect to the WiFi and pound keys.

At nine am, Laura opens up the hall and I go in to put my sleeping bag in the laundry. Also, I fill my cup with hot water put in a tea bag and then sip on the hot liquid while waiting for the wash. It does not take too long before I pack out, say goodbye to Laura and walk out to the jammer.

At eleven this morning, I drive out of Falcon and I follow the river route but it always seems to be just out of site from the road. Then, I see a sign for a road side park and upon arriving see that the picnic table is on a bluff, so I pull over and finally get to see the Rio Grande river.

A few hours later, I arrive in Laredo where I stop at a g-mart buying fresh vegetables and more package albacore. Soon afterwards, I am sitting in a chair at a w-mart pounding keys and it is not until nine this evening when I pack out, walk out to the jammer, eat a salad and one package of tuna and shortly after get horizontal.

After getting dressed, I walk into the w-mart for a cup of coffee and spend the entire day working on my bird photo gallery trying to get it ready to upload photos and it is again about nine when I pack out, eat supper and get horizontal.

Up after sunrise, walk into the w-mart for coffee and begin pounding keys to continue work on the photo gallery. At four in the afternoon, I pack out and drive to the south side of Laredo heading for the hall. I do stop and buy a burger to eat, then drive to the hall and go in for the meeting. There is one brother who greets me by my name, both first and last, which totally surprises me. Later, I come to understand how he remembered my name when he gives one of the prayers and asks Jehovah to remember the brothers under persecution in North Korea and calls them by their names, and these brothers did not have common names at all.

After the meeting, I drive to the d-mart less than a mile away on US 83, climb into the back and get horizontal. Methinks

Awaking after sunrise, I begin my drive northwest on US 83 and it does not take too long before arriving in Carrizo Springs where I turn west on US 277 through Eagle Pass and then north towards Del Rio. I had set my GPS for Seminole Canyon state park and it tells me to turn on Loop highway 79 which saves me a lot of time and soon arrive at the state park, check in and pay for one night.

Then, I drive to the shower house to take a hot shower and find the water here to be the best ever, needing the cold water turned on just to be able to get under the spray and I soak for a long time. After the shower, I drive to my space, make a salad and eat it with a package of tuna. Then I try to sleep but the head cold keeps me wide awake until midnight while I read the Bible, watch videos and pound keys on the computer. Finally, I fall asleep

Upon rising, I drive to the shower house and take a hot shower. Then, I drive to the headquarters, park and while I wait for the guided tour to begin at ten this morning, work on my song bird photo gallery. At nine-thirty am, I grab my day pack and head in to the headquarters building.

Kelly is the tour guide and she takes us into Seminole Canyon and we climb down about three hundred feet on concrete and rock steps to the bottom. Then we walk downstream about a hundred yards and climb up to the cave called the Fate Bell Rock Shelter ² where I am totally amazed at the wonderful paintings on the cave wall, take lots of photographs, now seen in my Rock Art Pictograph gallery.

After the tour, I return to the jammer and continue west on US 90, stop briefly at Judge Roy Bean saloon and courthouse, then continue west to Sanderson, Texas where I drive into a fog and drizzle storm and continue in the wet and cold weather all the way to Alpine, Texas where I stop at a f-mart for WiFi and a burger. Soon after I find on the website, were the hall is located, I drive there to confirm when the meeting is held there tomorrow. Then, turning off of US 90, I drive north on SH 118 and arrive at the state park after dark.

After I check in, I drive to the camp site, park and then walk the fifty feet to the shower house for a hot shower. Upon returning to the jammer, I climb into the back an get horizontal.

After a night of pounding rain, lightning and thunder, I wake to the sound of the alarm, start the jammer, drive to the shower house and go inside for another hot shower. I am all too aware that these hot showers will soon cease but for now, I am so enjoying them. Next, I drive to the bird blind and wait for the day to begin and after the sky lights up but the rain persisting, at eight this morning, I decide to drive into Fort Davis to see what kind if any breakfast is available.

After stopping at a "whole foods grocery" and talking with Michael who is biking across the continent on the southern route, I leave and head south to Alpine, Texas and stop at a greasy spoon restaurant for breakfast, which has WiFi, so, I upload the newest pages to my website.

At noon, I pack out and head to the hall for the weekend meeting. We must be close to the end! This brotherhood that I have come to be a part of continues to show more and more love, I just can not believe how the friends are growing in Christian love by leaps and bounds and it seems that with each passing week and at each new congregation that I visit, it becomes more and more evident that Jehovah is directing his people here on earth. Yes, it is so evident to all. Upon walking outside of the hall, the sun is shining brightly and I notice that the jammer needs to be washed again.

Leaving Alpine, Texas, I drive west on US 90 and soon come upon a sign stating "No Services for 75 miles." which immediately caused me to look at the gas gauge, but when seeing it at nearly full, I drive into the West Texas Chihuahuan Desert and cross the mostly flat terrain with nothing but cactus and mountains. At the end of the the seventy-five miles, I arrive in Van Horn, Texas on IH 10 and stop at the first a-mart for gasoline. Then, I cross under the interstate, connect to SH 54 and continue north while watching the sunset and cross into the mountain time zone gaining an hour. Soon after, SH 54 merges into US 62 east and climbs up into the Guadalupe Mountains where I take the first entrance into the park which also has a campsite. I park, register, return to the jammer and then complete my journal entry for today.

While I write in my journal, I listen to some classic rock on the radio and then a song comes on that touches home with me. Lord, I was born a rambling man, trying to make a living and doing the best I can. Then, I get into the sack and read a chapter of two before closing my eyes. Outside, it is snowing.

Awake at five-thirty but in my internal clock, it is in fact six-thirty but there is a slight glow on the horizon in the east and the moon is directly overhead. I start the jammer engine, dress, wrap myself in a blanket and begin pounding keys on the computer while I warm up. At eight this morning, I drive out of the national park, turn right on US 62 and drive up the SH to Hueco Tanks state park but for a second time, I am not able to gain entrance to see the petroglyph and pictograph here.

Leaving Hueco Tanks, I return to US 62 and drive towards El Paso but when I arrive at SR 375 loop, I turn north and follow it around until I get of at the US 54 exit. Here I stop at the w-mart but there is no parking, so I drive across the street to the d-mart to buy vegetables and look for more of the no salt tuna but can not find it.

Then, I drive back to the w-mart, find a place to park and go in to pound keys. I use the time to add all the photos taken of the pictograph in Fate Bell Rock Shelter at Seminole Canyon state park. I complete the text and add the photos to the web page and finally uploaded the page and photos to the web.

Awake this morning to a colorful sunrise five hands above the eastern horizon, dress, drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot tea and begin my journal. Today, I work on the petroglyph section, creating pages to house some of the many photos taken of the petroglyph. Then at five pm, I pack out, drive to the d-mart to buy some salad greens and then retire to the jammer to eat supper.

Up before the dayspring; there is a thick dew inside and out, so I turn on the jammer engine and begin to wipe with paper napkins. Soon, I drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot and to find a midweek meeting. At first it seems that my options are to stay here in El Paso and catch the meeting tonight but then I search a little further west and find a meeting Thursday evening in Wilcox, Arizona, just past Chiricahua National Monument where I hope to camp for the evening. So, I pack out to continue my drive west across the southern desert, this time trying to stay off of IH 10, the usual road taken in past runs.

Leave the intersection of US 54 and SH 375 loop, I head west on the loop through Franklin Mountains state park, continue under IH 10, then west on SH 16, south on SH 20, west on SH 178, cross the border into New Mexico and continue on SH 136, and finally SH 9 which begins in a thick fog but after about fifty miles it burns off. Then for then next one hundred and thirty miles, I enjoy a drive through the southern desert in the winter.

There are several small communities but most of them are nothing more than ghost towns having all the businesses boarded up. The SR crosses the continental divide at an elevation below 4500 feet, this being the lowest elevation I have crossed the divide and it is not even marked. I finally come to the end of SH 9, and have crossed almost all of New Mexico and arrive at SH 80 with Arizona and Chiricahua NM just a short distance west of me but I do not know about the Portal road which goes over the mountains also directly in front of me, so I stop and ask locally.

The woman in the desert museum says that the hard surface goes up to Portal ranger station but is dirt after that and you would need a four wheel drive to get through the snow up there. That decides it for me, I drive south on SH 80 and in just a short distance cross into Arizona and continue on Arizona SH 80 another fifty miles to Douglas. Then, I turn north on US and travel another forty miles to SH 181, turn back east and travel over twenty more miles to arrive at the national monument where I drive to the campsite and choose a site.

There is still a couple of hours of daylight so I wash the jammer, then myself and finally begin preparing supper. Tonight, I am having a skillet meal starting putting chopped onions and red peppers into the hot oil in the skillet. As that begins to sizzle, I chop garlic, ginger, green onions and add these with more oil. Then, I chop yellow squash, green squash and add it, as all the while I keep turning the vegetables. When the veggies begin to soften, I add TWS and some extra chopped dulse seaweed and then I add some sliced fresh potabella mushrooms and continue to turn the mix. Finally, I add my meat, four ounces of wild caught albacore tuna. When it is done, I put on a pot of water to make tea. I put my meal in the 64 ounce hard zip container Susan gave me, then clean up and put away my kitchen. When the hot water is in my insulated cup, I pack everything away, climb into the jammer, sit in the co-pilot seat and eat while pounding keys to complete my journal entry.

Now, it is six-thirty and completely dark outside and the cold is beginning to wear on me so I pack up the computer, climb into the sleeping bag and begin reading in the Bible. And to think, it was before the dayspring this morning when this day began, I have traveled from El Paso, all the way across New Mexico and find myself in Arizona getting into the sack. Yes, it has been a long day for me but this new route was well worth it.

Arise after dayspring, and do not see the horizon due to being in a deep canyon but see some color overhead. I start the jammer, to try to get some warmth inside and outside the blue jays and woodpeckers are busy at their work of finding food. Then, at seven-thirty, I pull out and head towards Wilcox on SR 186 to IH 10 and head west.

Thinking that there is a campground in Saguaro NP, I pull off of IH 10 on Houghton road, drive north, pull into the national park and go into the visitors center only to find out that they only have back country camping. Upon leaving, I see a familiar sign, one with JW.org and stop by to say hello. Also, I ask if there is a congregation nearby and the sister gives me a meeting invitation for the nearby hall. Looking at it, I see that the midweek meeting is tonight at seven and I tell her that I will be there.

Leaving the national park, I drive to a nearby f-mart for coffee and to check com. Then at five pm, I pack out and head to a local hg-mart.

The alarm causes me to rise even though I have been awake for some time now and it is long before the dayspring. I start the engine, dress in my winter blues, and then drive five miles to a w-mart, to wait for the day to begin so that I can go to the hg-marts when they open. There are three within five miles.

Then by noon, I am done, leave Tucson and drive west on SR 86 to Why, Arizona, turn left on SR 85 and drive to the Organ Pipe Cactus Nation Monument arriving at three pm, where I check in, pay six dollars to spend the night in Twin Peaks campground and park in campsite 132. The first thing I do is take a shower but there is no hot water due to it being overcast with clouds and rain. (The heated water is dependent on solar panels to be hot.) Then, I go back to the jammer and take a nap until five pm.

When, I awake, I begin pounding keys and update today′s journal entry and soon after, it begins to rain. Later, I have something to eat and then read in the Bible.

I awake just before the suntouch, grab my camera an take several photos of the horizon with tall saguaro cactus everywhere. Then I start the jammer to warm up the engine, pull out of the campground and head north on SH 85 and soon cross IH 15, continue north of SR 85 and in a short time arrive at the Ten. I turn west and head for California, stop only in Quartzite for gasoline but is this town busy as it seems to be having a RV convention and general every come for some reason of another. I only stay long enough to get my gas which will be the last time for a long time I will see two dollars and twenty-five cents a gallon.

When I cross into California, I am just waved on through the inspection station and continue into California. I text Richard that I will be arriving in the late afternoon and he texts me to go to Hemet because that is where they will be. Turning off of IH 10 onto SH 79, I travel south of a low range of boulders and everything along this high way is bright green from what appears to be plenty of rain. Continuing along SR 79 into Hemet, I see fields with not only green grass growing but pools of standing water. Methinks, every other time I have visited here, it has been dry and hot, or just dry; I have never before seen the green.

I arrive at four pm, back in to a familiar space and find myself alone so I lay down to take a nap. Soon after, Richard, Kim and Jenny arrive get out of the truck and greet me, even Jenny wants to say hello and wags her tail while her nose is pushing against my pants legs.

Soon, we are all working on some project or another and then Richard goes under the double wide in his ongoing effort to level the trailers as Kim continues on her painting work. Then at eight, after Richard gives me a key, they pack out and drive to Yucaipa. I grab some clean clothes, put all of my dirty clothes in the wash, and take a hot shower. After, I lock up the house, walk out to the jammer, eat a can of fish and soon after pounding today′s journal entry, get horizontal.

Upon awaking, I dress, go inside and put my wash in the dryer. Then I put all the cleaning towels in a wash, after which, I check the dryer and due to having all synthetic clothing, find my clothes dry. I grab some hangers, use them to hang my shirts, fold the rest and stow everything in the back of the jammer.

Then, I leave to go to the w-mart for a cup of hot and to check the time for the meeting today, which I find is at ten this morning. I upload some files and then pack out to the hall.

After the meeting, I return to the Johnston street rental to remove some old curtain rod hangers from the kitchen window. Also, I take a look at installing some of the leftover flooring under the cabinets in the kitchen. Later, Richard texts me and asks me to check the rental for leaks. I return a text to him saying that I have already done that and so far have found nothing. Then, I retire to the jammer for he evening.

The rain began last night after I went to sleep and continued until before I awake but when I do awake, it is blue overhead with large black clouds stretching across the northern horizon. I dress in my winter blues, walk inside the rental and prepare breakfast and a cup of hot. Then I begin working on TWJ at the desk inside the rental while waiting for Richard.

At ten forty-five am, Richard drives into the driveway and I walk out to meet him. We immediately go back into the house to look for leaks, especially after the downpour we had last night. So far, everything is holding. Then Richard and I begin disassembling the kitchen sink, remove it and then remove the counter top. He had previously purchased a large single bowl sink, to which I comment that we are taking out a double bowl and it will take all new pipes and hardware to change to a single bowl; "which" I say "will most likely cost more in the long run".

After that, Richard leaves to go to the hw-mart to purchase a double sink, faucet and other plumbing items for us to install the new kitchen sink. I continue cleaning, tightening and getting the old base cabinet ready for installing the new counter top and sink. Later, Kim arrives and resumes painting the cabinet doors, and she tells me that her and Richard are going Saturday to Mira Loma for the winter 2016-17 assembly and I reply, "Where in Mira Loma is the assembly hall because I usually go to this assembly in Rio Grande City during February." She Googles the hall and then tells me the address. Ok, then, I will be there Saturday.

Then both Richard and Kim go out to the hw-mart to buy a kitchen sink faucet and a driveway gate opener. They return and both resume work and I continue my work rebuilding the sink cabinets. At nine pm, I stop, make a salad and play solitaire while I eat. Kim says goodbye and leaves for Yucaipa but Richard had earlier gone back under the mobile to do more leveling. After eating, I clean my dishes and then go take a hot shower. Afterwards, I head out to the jammer to read in the Bible. Such a long day.

After sleeping in to rest up from yesterday′s long day, I come inside and get under some hot water, then I make a cup of hot, a cup of daystart and sit down at the board to pound keys for a while. At ten this morning, I shut down the computer and begin working on the kitchen cabinets. Soon after, I receive a text from Richard telling me that he has found a leak in his Yucaipa home and needs to fix it before he comes to Hemet. I text back to him "That is why I sold my home and vowed never in this system to pay to mow grass again." Walking outside, I notice that the rain has stopped and the skies are clearing.

When he arrives, we begin working on measuring the kitchen counter tops for cutting and installing on the cabinets. Then, Richard leaves to buy some more plumbing parts for the sink and ten bags of concrete for me to put in a short walkway in the back. When he returns, we begin making the cuts and putting the cut pieces onto the cabinets. We both agree that the counter tops look really nice and I think that this rental has come a really long way; in fact, it has become a very nice looking home. We finish all the cuts shortly after eight pm and I then pick up the tools from outside and sweep up the sawdust.

Next, I help Richard unload the concrete bags then he packs out and heads for Yucaipa while I go inside for a hot shower. This is one of my favorite amenities when I am working for Richard in Hemet. Then, I put a load of wash in the machine, and yes, another favorite amenity. Finally, I write my journal entry and walk out to the jammer to get horizontal

Rise, walk inside and put a pot of water on my stove. Then, as I sit at the front window sipping hot liquid and beginning my journal entry, I look outside and see on snow the distant mountains to the north. Above, there is clear blue sky but the air is quite cold, which is why I told Kim on Monday that this is not my idea of winter weather, especially with the rain.

Nevertheless, life lesson seven proves true once again, especially with the clear blue skies today; life afterwards is so worth the wait. Then at eleven am, I take a hot shower and because today is payday, dress in my bank clothes and head there to make a withdrawal. Right after leaving the bank, I drive to the d-mart to buy some groceries. Included in my living food purchases is a box of macaroni with cheese and a box of chili. After checking out, I leave for the Johnston street rental and make some chili mac, which I have not had for possibly a couple of years. It tastes way to salty but satisfies the urge that I had.

After cleaning the dishes and putting them away, I go out to the jammer to take a nap. Two hours later, at five-thirty, I awake and it is dark outside. Methinks that the days are still getting shorter or was it the change to Daylight Savings Time that keeps the beginning of even so early. Returning to the inside of the rental, I resume my work on TWJ.

Wake after dayspring, rise, walk inside and prepare a cup to hot. Then I sit down at the board and sip on the cup, eat my daystart and begin my journal entry while listening to Long Gone by George Thorogood. Then at eight this morning, I begin working on installing the bathroom vent fan and because I do not have the tool to cut the outside cover, I can not complete the job. However, what I did only takes three hours and I can turn on the fan when I take a steamy hot shower. While in the bathroom, I notice that the medicine cabinet need to be sanded and puttied so I remove the cabinet, and immediately see why it sticks out four inches.

I take the cabinet outside and scrap, sand and putty for a couple hours and at about three in the afternoon, a man walks by, gives me a greeting and asks if I have moved in. A conversation ensues and in short time, I ask Daniel if he is a Bible reader to which he answers "Yes, I am a Christian" Then I tell him my I am a Christian, not religious story and continue with the Bible topic of the earth being here forever. We talk for almost an hour and then he tells me that he has to go to the store to break a hundred dollar bill, to which I reply, I can break it with two fifties. I then say that he is welcome back here any time when my van is here, and to bring a Bible and we will continue the Bible conversation. He says "Ok, I will see you soon, and I will bring my Bible." and walks away.

Then, I return to the bathroom cabinet, paint primer on it and set it in the sun to dry. Next, I take the four pieces of trim and begin doing the same with them, then put primer on them and a second coat on the cabinet. When the cabinet dries, I install it in the wall setting it so that it only protrudes one inch, not the four inches that it was before. Finally, I put away tools, sweep up the outside, clean the inside, and put all the dirty towels and my work clothes in the wash and go take a hot shower, with the new vent fan running. At six-thirty, I drive to the hg-mart for some omega eggs, eggplant, wild caught tuna, onions and a couple more items; not surprising, it comes to over sixty dollars. I was able to talk with two of the employees and give each my business card.

Lastly, I drive home (the Johnston street rental, at least while I am in the desert) unpack the jammer, prepare a egg and veggy scramble and sit down at the computer to pound keys while eating.

Today is the coldest day it has been since arriving in the desert but the sky is blue and the sun is out, which is so much better than 48° and raining as it was when I first arrived. I walk inside, take a hot shower and immediately after, take a cold one. For three days now, I have resumed this practice, especially since I can expect a hot shower most days. Yes, I don′t want to get soft, so I must needs do the cold shower. Next, I put on a pot of water

At eight this morning, I pick up the wrench and begin work on the rental. Today, i am able to install the bath fan, (inside only), finish the stove cabinet and counter top, and get as far as I can with the sink cabinet and counter top (without help from Richard.)

At twelve-thirty, I prepare my lunch of salmon with mushrooms, and salad then eat, next take a shower, pack out and leave for places west, primarily the assembly which begins tomorrow morning.

It is much warmer here in Ontario and it is only six hundred less in elevation than Hemet, but methinks that six hundred feet is the reason for the temperature change.

I rise as the sunglow is bright on the horizon, dress, and then drive around the corner to the w-mart for a cup of hot and to check my com. I see the San Gabriel mountains to the north and they reflect the pink glow slightly.

At seven-forty this morning, I pack out, walk to the jammer, dress in my brown suit and head to the Mira Loma assembly hall. There is some road construction nearby and it take me an extra thirty minutes to arrive but still well in advance of the opening music.

I find a seat in the front center section, set my Bible, song book and note pad down and then begin being gregarious. I meet Edmund and Richard to which I talk for some time.

Then, I meet Ishmael and our conversation is soon directed to eating healthy. Ishmael then reveals that he is 45 years old, and he tells me of a concoction he drinks to help cleans the body before going to sleep, which includes: ginger, aloe, parsley, cucumber and water.

The music begins and we take our seats and listen for the entire day about how to Increase your Faith in God using Hebrews 11:6 at the theme scripture.

At the midday break, Richard from Yucaipa comes up to greet me and also, I see several others that I know from the Yucaipa and Big Bear congregations. In all, spiritually speaking, today is a very good day. At four-thirty, I pack out to the jammer, change into my fall blues and then begin the drive back to Hemit. While waiting in a long line to access IH 215 to head south to the Hemet exit, I get out my map and see an alternate route. Instead of turning left towards the freeway, I just go straight into the hills which are midway between the two-fifteen and the fifteen. No, the road is not a freeway, but all the freeways in this part of the country are backed up and moving at less than twenty miles per hour. Methinks I am making a break for the outback.

This mostly two lane road take me up and over many small hills, most covered with large rocks like what I have seen in Texas Canyon not far east of Tucson, Arizona. Too, when I drive from IH 10 south on SH 79 on my way to Hemet, there is a similar boulder strewn canyon which I believe Richard told me is called Sheep Canyon. The drive through what I am going to call Mockingbird Canyon because that is the name of one road on this route. Methinks, is so much better a drive that the fifteen and there are many photo opportunities but do not stop because it would get dark before I made it through the canyon and since this is a new route (without the direction of GPS) I want to do it during daylight. I arrive home, plug in and finish today′s journal entry, then get horizontal.

Up at the alarm again, walk inside to talk a hot shower, dress in my work blues and put on a pot of water. I use my MSR stove this morning so as to us up the old white gasoline fuel which I have had for several years. Then with a cup of hot in hand, I begin pounding keys to advance TWJ.

At noon, I begin work on making forms to pour concrete at the rear of the mobile, Richard wants the gravel area next to the home not to allow water to go under it but instead flow away from the home. Later, Richard and Kim arrive and Richard and I go outside to mix and pour concrete, while Kim continues her interior painting. At seven pm, they pack out while I do the final touch up on the concrete. Then I am done by eight, put away the tools, sweep up and then go inside for a hot shower, then a cold shower. I never continue to amaze myself how easy I can get under cold water, but I know that it has taken years to get to this point.

The alarm wakes me again, and I wonder why I am sleeping about nine hours each night. My body must need the sleep, and too, I am sleeping good, usually most way through without my regular five o′clock walk the dog. I rise, dress in my fall blues, go inside and take a hot then cold shower. As I am drying off, I hear my phone ring and it is Richard calling to say he will be here early. Then, I put on some water to boil and soon I am sipping hot while pounding keys.

Richard pulls into the driveway at nine and I go with him to the hot rod breakfast restaurant. When we return, we right to work on the concrete and finish it by noon. Afterwards, we start the kitchen sink counter top install and right after that install the sink. Kim comes by and continues painting cabinet doors while we finish the sink, then her and Richard leave to the hw-mart to buy tile, glue, grout and trowels for the kitchen and I clean up pack away the tool and then take a hot and cold shower.

After that, I have a can of salmon and one of beans while playing solitaire. Richard and Kim return and I help unload the materials. Then they head for Yucaipa, while I write my journal entry and then go out to the jammer to get horizontal.

I am able to rise before the alarm this morning but I still do not rise before the dayspring. I walk inside, put on a pot of water to boil, make a cup of daystart and then pound keys while having my morning meal until nine this morning. Richard had told me last night that he should be here by nine. When he arrives, we begin work on installing the kitchen the wall tile. He take some measurements and goes to the hw-mart for a wood trim board, and I cut backer board getting it ready to screw to the wall. When he returns, we begin cutting the trim board to fit around the kitchen window.

Later, while we are working, Daniel, who came by last Thursday walks up and says, "Do you know where I have been the last week? I have been in jail. I just got out when my wife made bail." He continues, "When I went to pay rent, the landlord called the police on me for passing counterfeit bills and I was arrested. They confiscated all of my money, saying the two fifties were counterfeit also." I tell him that the fifties were not counterfeit, I had just got then from the US Bank next to Walmart. Then he says that detective Calvine asked for your name but all I remembered is Thom. Then he asks me, "Do you still have the hundred?" Yes, I say and then walk to the driver′s side and sit in the driver′s seat. Daniel walks up to the door and then looks in the window and I say to him, "Excuse me.". He walks back to where we both had been. Meanwhile, Richard is watching the whole event but does not speak up.

I look through my money and see the counterfeit hundred dollar bill, step out of the jammer and tell Daniel, yes I still do and expect you to pay me back. He says, "of course, but the detective will probably be calling on you." He also says "I am scared because I will probably have to go back to jail." I then tell him, "You need to start praying for God′s help" to which he said "I will." He then walks out of the drive way, waves and says, "See you soon."

Richard now speaks up and says, he is a scamer and every thin is just his technique to befriend you and then get you to break his bill. I hesitate to believe that is true, and ask, "Then why did he come back and tell me the money was counterfeit?" Richard says "He has found a person that will give him a hundred dollars, he has returned to continue working you. These guys are really smart and have a lot of practice to get the scam good enough to fool even the best of people. They target nice people who will be willing to help a person who is down.

Richard then says that the best thing to do is to go to the police and tell them what happened. You don′t want to be found with a counterfeit bill in your possession, do you? "Absolutely not!" We put away the tool, I go in to take a shower and then I ride with Richard to the police station and after a half hour of waiting in the lobby, Richard says he needs to head for Yucaipa. I get on the lobby phone and tell the operator that I can not wait any longer, can I come back tomorrow. "Sure" she says, "in fact, if you call us in the morning, we will send an officer to your home." I get the phone number and tell her that I will contact her first thing in the morning.

Richard drops me off at the rental and I get in the jammer and head to the mid-week meeting at the hall. On the way, I stop as a f-mart and purchase a protein burger, which is a burger without the bun wrapped in lettuce, but no fries or soda. Even though this is not the best food for me, it is a low carbohydrate high protein meal, and will do in a pinch when I do not have time to prepare a meal. When I arrive at the hall, the Spanish congregation is having their overseer′s visit and have exchanged days for the mid week meeting, so I head back home and go to bed.

Upon awaking, I go inside, turn on the furnace, take a hot/cold shower and then call the police dispatcher. She tells me that she will send an officer right out, who arrives in about fifteen minutes and I invite him in and to sit down. Inside, he takes my report, asking the usual questions I tell him the story of what happened last Thursday. He asks, "If you got the bill last Thursday, why did you wait until now to report it." Then I tell him that I did not know it was counterfeit until Daniel came by yesterday and told me. With that, I tell him the story of what happened then and by this time, I have my journal keyed up and showing on my computer screen, which he read a portion of. Afterwards, he gives me his card and tells me to call him if the suspect comes back and the officer leaves in his police vehicle.

Then, I begin pounding keys and in less than a half hour, I see Daniel walk by on Johnston street. I call the dispatcher and tell her that the suspect just walked by and she said that she will send and officer out to the location. Meanwhile, I walk outside, cup of hot in hand and stand in the driveway to wait. Soon, John from next door comes out for a smoke and we begin talking. During the conversation, he says that he knows Daniel, that he tried to pass a counterfeit bill on Rita, the previous tenant in this rental before I began remodeling it. He then says that Daniel lives at such and such address and he sees him walking by here all the time.

A police car pulls up and I tell him that Daniel just walked by. He asks for a description and along with the description I give him the address that the neighbor gave me and then he takes of in search of the suspect.

I return inside and begin cooking my breakfast, a new recipe for an omelet with includes eggplant, mushrooms, and celery all chopped, stir fried in coconut oil with a tablespoon each of TWS and chopped dulse, and then folded into the omelet made with four omega-3 eggs and coconut milk. I have learned that if you make double portions, zip container and refrigerate the leftovers for another meal, it really cuts down of kitchen time.

After eating, I go outside to sweep and hose the driveway, then I hose off the jammer and wipe it dry with my auto rag. Some time before noon, I drive to the d-mart, go into the hc-mart for a hair cut, then shop in the d-mart for an electric shaver and some small parts for the jammer. Finished at the d-mart, I return to the rental, plug the shaver in to charge and install the rear plate lights and the hose clamps on the transmission line to the cooler. Next, I go inside and cook my supper, a simple meal of boiled vegetables, the broth from the boiling and a foil package of tuna. Then, I go to the midweek meeting and afterwards, drive home and get into the horizontal by ten.

Awake just before the alarm, rise, go inside for a shower, then put a pot of water on to boil and soon have a cup of hot to sip while pounding keys. At eight, I begin working on installing the backer board until eleven when I stop to eat my leftover breakfast and sip on the hot tea made earlier.

Right back to work, now installing white tile beginning on the left side of the sink working until five pm when Rita knocks at the front door. I tell her "Come on in and see what has been done" She immediately says, "It is nothing like when I lived here." I show her the rest of the improvements and then we sit down on the patio furniture where we begin talking about nutrition and I tell her, "Every thing I am telling you now is on my web site." She asks, "Is that the card you gave to me?" "Yes," I tell her, "and I have been adding a lot to the Quill Strokes... plan to add a lot more." I then show her my web site on my computer and direct her how to get to the information. Rita leaves at about six and I get back to work to finish up what I was doing, pick up the tools and sweep the floors.

I then take my stove outside and set up on the driveway, cook two pieces of salmon, in sautéed onions and mushrooms. I return inside to eat and finish today′s journal entry.

Awake during dayspring, go inside for a shower, make coffee, and then pound keys while sipping hot liquid. After that, I prepare breakfast and eat, then do dishes and by nine am, I am setting tile on the kitchen sink wall and complete that wall at about two pm and clean up the work area. Then Kim shows up, says that she loves how the till looks, and it doesn′t have grout yet. I then leave, drive to the d-mart to purchase new receptacles and switches for the wall, some veggies, fruit and other staples and then head back to the rental.

When I arrive, Kim is outside sanding the bathroom doors and I begin replacing the old electrical parts and adding copper wire pigtails to the existing aluminum ends. Later Kim comes in and begins painting as I find one receptacle that need to have the wire pulled up, the old end cut off, and then new pieces bared so as to connect to. The old ends must have gotten hot and were brittle. It takes a lot of surgical skills but I am able to perform the operation successfully. Now, all the tile walls in the kitchen have new white switches and receptacles.

I pack up the tools, clean up the counters and floors and then take a shower; the cold portion comes so easy now. Next, I go back into the kitchen and cook a skillet veggy stir fry using both grape seed and coconut oil to cook with. Too, I have begun including mushrooms in all my cooked meals but have not yet done the research on the nutritional value, which I have been told is amazing. Finally, after cleaning up my kitchen, I retire to the jammer and read for a while before getting horizontal.

Warmer Still. Richard says that often, we can get a cold snap in February, making this weather much like this time in Texas, only not as much rain as Texas. Too, in another week, the flowers will begin blooming all over Texas, first the red bud trees, then more.

This morning, I pack out to the jammer and drive to the w-mart for coffee, com and to upload completed web files. Then, I pack out and drive to the hall for the ministry meeting.

Afterwards, I go to the hg-mart to buy groceries, then return to the rental, unpack my food into the refrigerator and then cook breakfast. While eating, methinks that it is nice to have a refrigerator and place to cook hot meals every day. After eating, I clean and put away my kitchen, then take a nap. At four pm, I rise and begin working in the rental and soon after, Richard and Kim arrive and begin working on their projects. I then stop at six and go out to eat at a healthy type restaurant, return home before eight and go out and get into the jammer. Richard and Kim leave by eight-thirty something and I go in, do a wash and take a shower. After that, I return to the jammer and finish my journal entry and get horizontal before ten pm.

It starts off cold this morning but warms up very quickly and is 52° by seven o′clock. I drive to the w-mart for coffee and com. At nine this morning, I leave, go out into the parking lot and get into my middle brown suit. ³ Then I drive to the hall for the week end meeting and after it is over, I head to the Johnston street rental, don my work clothes and use up as much of the backer board to cover the kitchen stove counter walls. I was thinking that Richard was coming but now it does not look like he will.

When I am done with the backer board, I work on the web site for a while, after which I take a shower and drive to a f-mart for a lettuce wrapped burger. Returning home, I pack my computer out to the jammer and then pound keys to finish my journal entry and soon, I must needs get horizontal because my legs are throbbing.

Up at late dayspring, go inside to put on a pot of water and then pound keys while sipping on a cup of hot. Then at eight, I begin setting tile, finishing the last section of the sink wall side by eleven am. I decide to stop for my breakfast and set up to cook veggies and eggs. Then Richard walks in and I say "I am cooking enough breakfast for two, do you want to eat?" to which he answers, "Yes!"

However, I tell him that I just started and it will be a little while, so he goes to the hw-mart to buy supplies for our work today. When he returns, I have everything done except the eggs which I immediately put on. In just a short time, we are sitting at the board eating scrambled eggs, stir fried veggies with hot coffee to drink. He raves about how tasty the meal is and I tell him, "It is good for two reasons, one, it is all organic and two, it is all fresh."

Richard does the dishes and then we both begin working on projects in the kitchen. I continue installing the tile, and Richard cuts some plywood to put in the broom closet to strengthen the wall adjacent to the stove where we will attach backer board to hold the tile. He also paints primer on the boards under the sink that I installed when I first began two weeks ago. When he is done install the plywood, I ask him if he will cut tile for me and when he starts doing that, the tile installation really picks up. Soon, we are done with the wall behind the stove and cabinets, with only the two side walls to go. At six-thirty, we put away the tools, clean up and then go to the hw-mart to pick up the gate opener, buy more tile adhesive and to look at what types of corner pieces are available. I also buy more TP because this is the only store that has single rolls of Scott tissue. We return back to the rental, unload, and then go inside to look at what we have done and what is left.

Richard then leaves to return to Yucaipa while I prepare my evening meal, eat while writing my journal entry and after, take a shower. Finally, I go out to the jammer for the evening.

The sound of my alarm awakens me this morning; it has been a week since I have heard that sound. Rising, I go directly in to take a shower. Then, I put on a pot of water to boil and begin pounding keys.

At eleven this morning, I go to work installing backer board. Richard arrives at one in the afternoon and we work together until five when he packs out and heads back to Yucaipa. I put away my gear, take a shower and put on my suit. Then I drive to the hall for the mid-week meeting. On the way, I stop to purchase a lettuce wrapped burger. Afterwards, I return to the rental, plug in and turn on my heater and then stay up reading.

The day starts identical to yesterday, but I expect Richard to arrive much earlier today and pound keys awaiting him to arrive. Richard arrives before eleven and we go for breakfast and we both have an omelet with biscuits and gravy. I have the potatoes but he chooses fruit. Afterwards, we return and begin a long day of work on the rental.

We are able to finish the kitchen tile and then begin working on the bathroom tile. By beginning the bathroom, this means that I will not be getting my daily hot shower, but that is ok, because hot showers are really a luxury. We work up a materials list and Richard goes to the hw-mart while I tear out the existing tub surround. When he returns, I have completed the demolition and cleaned up all the debris. Then, I have a salad for supper and work a short time on my computer.

Richard arrives, unloads and then leaves to go to Yucaipa. I pack out to the jammer and try to get to sleep buy it is late before sleep arrives.

Awake and rise after the dayspring begins, go inside to finish my pack out and then start the jammer. First, I drive to the w-mart for coffee and com. Next, I drive to the bank, then to the hg-mart for groceries. Finally, I return home and decide to take a nap but it is way to hot for me to sleep so I work on my computer.

At six, I get out my stove, sit on the wood chair at the back of the jammer and cook a skillet vegetable and salmon supper. After I eat I pound keys to catch up on my journal, then clean up and head for the jammer to get some sleep. It is early but since I did not get a nap today, I am extremely tired and am able to go right to sleep

I awake early this morning, still having slept over nine hours, rise and drive to the w-mart for coffee, com and to upload changes I have made to web pages. At seven this morning, I drive to the hg-mart to buy the for the ingredients for my new rosemary chicken soup recipe. Then, I drive to the rental and begin working on the bathroom tub tile. I start by beefing up the back of the wall where the faucet is, then attaching an extra sheet of eighth inch plywood to the front of the same wall and finally installing the concrete backer board. Then, because I have run out of screws for the backer board, I take a run to the hw-mart and pick some up and also look at the available tile pieces to find a mud wrap that will work great at the top edge and the two front leading edges.

When I return to the rental, I continue cutting and installing the backer board on the remaining two sides and when I have finished installing all the backer board, I begin cleaning up and putting away the tools. Finally, I go outside and take a hose shower, a cold shower and it does not faze me at all because it has warmed up to the low seventies, but also because of all the cold showers I have been taking every day. Then, I begin cooking my supper, a full pot of the chicken soup which include butternut squash and celery root, two foods that I have never eaten before. It comes out really well, very tasty. I have only two sierra cups to eat which leaves quite a lot from which I will eat more tomorrow. At seven, I retire to the jammer to write in my journal and listen to the news on the radio.

Up early again this morning, drive to the w-mart and get online to order my brake parts which I will pick up when I get an email. At eight this morning, the email comes, so I head over to the ap-mart, pick up my part, then grab a sausage biscuit at the ff-mart and finally head to the hall for the ministry meeting. I work with Grady and as last Saturday, only get one hour in the ministry. Afterwards, I return to the rental and begin installing the outside cover for the bathroom fan. In between waiting for paint to dry, I also tape and paint the new rotors.

In the early afternoon, Kim arrives to continue her work on painting the cabinets and she says that the kitchen looks beautiful. I tell her about the tile piece that I find to go on the edges and she says "Do it." I tell her that I will get the tile pieces tomorrow, then I finish the outside cover and begin cleaning up and putting away. Kim packs out at six-thirty and then I write today′s journal entry. After that, at seven-thirty, I pack out, then go out for Mexican and do not return until after nine pm when I sit in the jammer and read.

Awake, go inside and make a cup of hot, sit down and then Richard calls to say it is ok to purchase the edge tiles for the bathroom. A little later, I go into the bathroom and take a bath in the sink, do a wash and then get dressed for the meeting. At nine-thirty, I drive to the hall, walk inside and greet the greeters who stand at the front door. Then I walk up to the front to find a seat and greet Victor, who I find out later is the speaker.

After the meeting, I go into the back room for the ministry meeting but no one else shows, so I head to the rental, change into my work blues and then set up behind the jammer to cook my dinner, a stir fry with salmon, garlic, ginger and turmeric, with boiled broccoli and Shiitake mushrooms.

After eating and cleaning the kitchen, I drive to the hw-mart to purchase the edge tiles but I forget to purchase a new tub water spigot which need to be replaced. Returning to the rental, I begin cutting and setting tile, working first on the faucet wall, what I would consider the hard wall of the three. I am able to work past the spigot, past the faucets and six more rows up the wall before I call it good and begin cleaning up.

Then, I eat my left daystart, finish my journal entry, and retire to the jammer by eight-thirty pm.

Wow, what a night full of strange dreams. I rise, go inside to heat the broth from yesterday′s boiled broccoli and mushrooms and sip on it while cooking eggs with garlic, ginger, onion, parsley, turmeric, and spinach. After breakfast, I make a cup of coffee and pot of tea and sip on the coffee while pounding keys.

At ten this morning, I begin cleaning the rental and taping craft paper to the floor to provide a layer of protection, especially since it is the finish flooring and we are still doing major remodeling throughout the mobile. Last week, I had asked Richard to buy some paper and tape for that purpose and the next time he went to the hw-mart, he brought back to fifteen foot roles.

Shortly after noon, Richard arrives, comes inside and wants to get right to work on the bathroom tile, which we do, first finishing the faucet wall and then begin the opposite wall. About half way up the wall, we run out of tile spacers and we are soon to run out of adhesive, so Richard makes a run to the hw-mart to buy more materials. While he is gone, I finish the second wall and begin cleaning up. Richard returns and hands me a burger, and says, sorry, it has a bun, but you can remove the bun and use your lettuce to wrap it. I do just that and then have a low carb lettuce wrapped burger. Meanwhile, Richard says he has lost his phone and looks everywhere, even driving back to the hw-mart but to no avail. Finally, he departs for Yucaipa and I answer the phone to find that it is Susan calling; we talk for forty-five minutes during which I share several scriptures with her.

Then I make a salad from previously chopped ingredients, add oil and vinegar and eat while pounding keys to finish today′s journal entry. In bed by nine.

The alarm awakens me this morning because I had charged it last even. I go inside, take a quick sink bath and then put on a pot of water and cook my breakfast. Then, I make corrections to episode one that Susan emailed to me. Also, I updated the copyright page to list her promotion to assistant editor. I am sure she will get a giggle when she sees this addition to the page. At ten this morning, I resume the work on the bathroom tile, then shortly after noon, Richard arrives and looks at my progress commenting that he likes what I have done.

I ask him if he found his phone and he tells me that he used an app on his table to locate it. He had to drive back last night to the last place he used the phone but it was there in the street gutter undamaged. The work continues unto five and we both quit to get ready for the meeting tonight, he in Yucaipa and myself here in Hemet. Before he leaves, we discuss the work for me to do here in Hemet, thanks me for all my hard work and asks me if I would like to take a couple of days off. I thank him for all the work he has provide and then tell him that I will love a couple of days to work on my web site.

I do clean up, the rental first by sweeping the floor and then removing the cardboard tub protector that I tapped in the tub, then myself by taking a sink bath. I had turned the temperature down on the water heater and it is now barely warm but I will turn it back up again so that I can begin using the tub to take baths. That will be nice to get back in the hot water.

Finally, I drive to the hall, stopping to get a lettuce wrapped burger at the ff-mart but as I told Richard I would do, I ask for no sauce and no cheese on the burger. This makes the burger not only low carbohydrate but also no dairy and no sugar which makes the meal truly healthy. I have an encouraging visit at the hall and then return home to sleep.

Rising early, I go inside to retrieve my computer, unplug and head to the w-mart to check my com and upload web pages. Then I spend the rest of the day with research and developing existing and new web pages.

At five pm, I pack out and head to the d-mart for a couple items including a step stool that Richard asked me to buy for him. Then, I drive back to the rental and eat leftover chicken and squash soup. After that, I spend the evening pounding keys until I decide that I am done with this work for the day and go out and climb into the back of the jammer to read.

I rise to see that the sun has already risen, walk inside to set up my stove and put on it a pot of water to boil. Instead of coffee this morning, I decide to have a cup of hot Spark, which I still have several packets from my last vitamin and supplement order. I sip on the cup of hot while catching up on my journal writing.

Then, I head to the $-mart for a few household items, next to the d-mart for some staples and then back home for lunch, after which I pound keys until seven pm.

It was warmer this morning than it has been and my heater did not come on at all during the night. Too, I have been noticing during the last week that the flowers are in bloom everywhere here, especially the peach trees which are now even beginning to bud and I suspect that winter is over in southern California. Richard told me that we could still get a cold storm, which has been forecast for tonight but methinks that the low forties that I experienced here in January will not occur again this year.

After having breakfast, I drive to the hg-mart to purchase spices to make a new batch of TWS mix. Two new ingredients were added into this batch, cilantro and lemon oil. The lemon oil was the last ingredient to go into the mix and really changed the smell of the spice mix to one I really like.

I do spend three hours today taping down craft paper over the flooring. Methinks that both Richard and Kim have seen some scratches and I would prefer that there be no more new scratches on this new floor that I installed in October, 2016. Now, the living room, dining room, kitchen, hall and bathroom have the floor covered with paper. Also, the areas that get heavy traffic, such as the kitchen and bathroom both have cardboard over the paper. After doing the floor, I take a hot bath; a bath because the tub walls have not been grouted and I do not want to get them wet. Then, I put a load into the wash.

At six this evening, I have a salad with an avocado for supper, some hot tea and eat while pounding keys to record today′s journal entry. When the wash is done, I put the clothes into the dryer and continue pounding keys until my clothes as dry. Finally, I do the dishes and then head out to the jammer for the evening.

The temperature did decrease last night but not to the cold forecasted, but it did rain throughout the night which made it seem colder. Also, the thermostat on my heater was set to sixty and it came on several times last night but I slept comfortable. Yes, methinks winter has retreated to the tops of the surrounding mountains which still have snow on them.

At eight-fifteen this morning, I begin getting ready for the ministry meeting, then drive to the hall and work with Daren, Grady and his wife Danni. We have a nine morning and when they stop for donuts and coffee, I go in and even though every thing looks really tasty, refrain from having any thing. Both Daren and Grady question me about it and I explain the reason to them. We continue in the ministry until twelve-thirty when I return home, change into my work blues and work for a few hours on the rental.

Then an hour before sunset, it begins to rain and walk outside thinking there is a good possibility for a rainbow grab my camera but do not see on so put my camera on the driver′s seat and go back inside to what I was doing. An hour later, looking up, I notice some color in the sky, so go back out and immediately see a huge rainbow. I grab my camera and begin pushing the shutter release button but then turn around and have to continue pushing the button for the beautiful sunset.

While I am taking photos, a car, which I do not recognize, pulls into the driveway of the rental so I walk to the drivers side and see Kim in the seat with Richard riding as passenger. Then I realize this is the car Richard uses to drive between work and home and have never seen it here in Hemet.

When they come inside, Kim goes into the bathroom and with reference to the newly tiled tub walls, says out loud, "This is really beautiful." I thank her and then begin pounding keys to catch up on my journal writing. Later, Richard and Kim leave and I take a bath, pack out and then get into the back of the jammer for the evening.

Rise, unplug and drive to the w-mart for com, to upload web page updates and of course some coffee. At eight-fifty, I drive back home and dress for the meeting, then drive to the hall. During the meeting, I invite two couples separately to come to my home to have a meal and I give them a choice of Wednesday, Thursday or Friday evening and I hope that both couples will choose different evening.

Then, I head for the d-mart to purchase a couple of food items and some zip bags to store different ingredients that I will prepare later. Next, I drive home, begin working on the rental and get a couple hours in before calling it good. I take a bath and then begin doing food prep for all the groceries I have in the accumilated refrigerator. By the time the sun sets, I am done with all the food prep and then set up all the containers on the new counter top to take a photo.

Then, I cook supper and enjoy a new meatless soup, mostly to try out some of the new ingredients and find that some do not work well in soup. I will remember these when I make another soup. Finally, I retire to the jammer for the evening.

Awake before the dayspring, walk inside, put on a pot of water to boil and turn on the computer. At eight this morning I begin working on a couple of projects, also sweep the floor and clean out the refrigerator. Soon after, I begin cutting trim to use more of the left over base molding. Next, I begin working on the lower kitchen cabinets endeavoring to finish them.

At noon, I go outside and work on cleaning up the utility service area and remove some of the old outdated service boxes. As I am finishing up in the back, Richard drives in and I greet him. He asks me to begin working on replacing the six bent carport support poles and I go right to work. At six-thirty, after completing three of the poles, it becomes too dark for me to continue so I clean up and pack in the tools.

Richard has been working on repairing the tub faucet and since he has completed that at about the same time, we both begin discussing how we are going to install the driveway gate opener. Previously, we had not determined how we were going to get power to the control box, but as we sat there and looked through the instructions, it suddenly came to us. We are going to run the low voltage wire from the control box mounted outside near the front of the house, we will run the low voltage wire under the house to the water heater closet, and there connect to the transformer which will be plugged into a receptacle box I will install in the new bathroom circuit.

Richard then leaves for Yucaipa and I get into the tub for a bath. Then I catch up on today′s journal writing and eat some more of my soup with a foil package of pole caught tuna. Afterwards, I shut down and go outside to the jammer to read and then sleep.

Already, the blue light encroaches upon this day, the waning crescent moon hang high to the southeast and in no time the sky begins to fill with sunglow, stretching fully to the west. Rising, I try to capture the moon on my camera but zooming in requires more than my unsteady hands can manage. Going inside, I put on a pot of water to boil, make a cup of Spark and sip on the hot drink while beginning my journal entry for today.

At quarter of one o′clock, I feel very hungry and remember that I have a zip container of leftover stir fry with tuna, so I stop for something to eat. Soon after that, Richard arrives and begins working. Then he leaves for the hw-mart to buy material and I finish up the carport posts and begin installing the remainder of the base molding. At five pm, two women stop by and asks me if I am Rita′s landlord because they think something is wrong with her. I call Richard and he says that he will meet them at Rita′s house.

I go back in the rental, finish cleaning up, pack out, then take a bath and dress for the meeting. At six-thirty, I drive to the hall and go in.

After waking at 4:50 am and falling back to sleep, the alarm awakens me after dayspring. I rise and go inside for my morning routine: morning supplements, a cup of hot, begin my journal entry and some time later, begin working on the rental. Richard arrives before noon and we unload the fence parts and talk about how he wants them to be installed. Then we continue to work, I install the electric plug, lamp and switch in the water heater closet and he fixes the rocks on the front garden.

He then leaves to purchase additional hardware that we agreed we needed to install the fence and gates. I continue working on the electrical when Kim arrives to continue her painting of the cabinets. Soon, Richard comes back and I ask if he would eat a plate of stir fry if I was to cook it; he gives an affirmative. I also ask Kim but she says that she will have a bite of Richard′s plate.

I clean up, take a bath and then begin cooking the meal which takes me less than half an hour; the meal includes hot tea, veggy stir fry with albacore tuna and a salad with oil and vinegar. I set the table with three places and then call Richard, which when he comes in from outside, I tell to go get his wife. They both walk into the dining room and Kim smiles and says "You have a place for each of us." When they sit down, I ask Richard to say the prayer and then I say "Help your self."

Both comment several times how good the meal tastes and then I ask them to tell me what is in each dish. Each give several correct answers and then Kim says that she likes the tea, (which is Tea Tree tea) and that she tastes cinnamon. I go to get the box and sure enough, there is cinnamon in the ingredients. I did not know that. After we finish eating, I tell them to not worry about the dishes so they pack out and leave for Yucaipa. I take all the dishes to the bathroom sink because we still have not finished the kitchen sink because the grout has to be done first before installing the faucet. Finally, I turn on the computer and complete my daily journal entry. After that, I retire to the jammer and get horizontal.

Up before the alarm, go out back to see the crescent moon but the sky is befouled with fog, so I go inside to start my morning routine. For breakfast this morning, I have a bowl of daystart with hot molasses tea and eat while I begin pounding keys. Thinking that I need to cash last weeks check, I drive to the d-mart and purchase some materials for the rental and then wait in front of the bank for it to open. After cashing the check, I return home and begin work and do not stop until noon when I grab something to eat.

Richard shows up just after noon and we return to working on the front fence and gate. Dave stops by at four to tell me he would like to come for dinner tomorrow evening at four or four-thirty and I tell him, "Great, see you when you get here." Richard leaves to get more concrete and parts while I dig the holes for setting the poles. We assemble the parts, set poles in concrete and by six-thirty pm, I stop to take a bath. Richard continues to drill the holes in the driveway where we will set stud for holding some of the poles. At seven-thirty, I leave to drive to the d-mart to get a couple more items for the meal tomorrow evening.

Awake, lie in the sack for a few minutes and when I do rise, the alarm goes off. Looking out the window, I see daylight in the sky. I go inside, pack out my computer and drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot and to check my com. Next, I upload my recent web site updates and afterwards pack out, drive to a d-mart to purchase a towel mat for the bathroom. Then, I drive home, build dividers for my tool box and tidy up a little the jammer, after which I clean up the outside under the carport. Next, I go inside, sweep the floor and tidy up the inside all before two pm.

Methinks, I am ahead of my schedule and then put a load in the wash, take a bath and then begin final food preparations for the meal I am cooking for my guests tonight. With every thing done by three pm, I sit down at my computer and catch up on my journal writing. At four-fifteen, Dave and Annette arrive and I invite them in to the dining room and begin preparing supper. I make hot tea, asparagus, salad and stir fry veggies with albacore tuna which they enjoy. Right before they leave, Dave tells me his story of how he came into the truth and was baptized. In fact, he was baptized just seven days before I was in the month of April 1982. It was a very interesting story and I told him that someday, he should write it down.

After they leave, I clean up the table, wash the dishes and pack every thing in its place. Then I sit down at the computer and pound on keys until nine pm and then retire for the evening.

Methinks I subconsciously know the alarm is about to blare and wake up just before. I rise, unplug and drive to the w-mart for coffee. Then at eight this morning, I pack out, drive home to dress for the ministry meeting and then head there arriving ten minutes before it begins. Daren conducts and assigns me to work with Leronzo, his day and Ernie. We go first in the door to door work and I meet Steve who says he read the Bible, I place a magazine with him and tell him that I will be back next Saturday. After leaving is home, I realize that I did not leave the question with him that I had prepared; I am still trying to work on that skill.

I arrive back at the rental at noon and begin work on the fence, mixing and pouring concrete in another hole and setting the pole. Then I do a second pole, the two that are both sides of the back walk through gate. About this time, Kim arrives to continue working on her painting of the cabinets. She also tells me that Richard is flying up to Oregon to see a cousin who they believe is dying and he will not get back until late Monday.

Then, since it has warmed up nicely, I begin working on putting epoxy in the holes Richard drilled in the driveway and then set the studs in the holes. The epoxy dispenser does not work well and I end up having to hand mix the two parts and work it into the holes; what a mess. Kim comments that it is getting cold and then packs out to drive home and at about the same time, I begin cleaning up and putting away the tools. After sweeping and hosing the driveway, I go in and take a bath, put my work clothes and the cleaning towels into the wash and finally eat the leftover salad from last night.

At seven this evening, I drive to the d-mart to buy a carton of eggs, band aides, and then return home and get into the sack. Methinks that it feels like rain.

Rise at the sound of the alarm, dress in my winter blues and drive to the w-mart for coffee and com. Methinks that the cold that Kim felt last night was more due to the humidity in the air because it never dropped below fifty degrees. I go in to pack out my computer, then drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot, check com and upload my updated web pages.

At nine, I pack out from here and drive to the rental to dress in my suit, then drive to the hall for the meeting. When I enter, Dave gives me a keepsake that he made, a chain that has been fused into a buckle, and makes a comment about finding a place in my van for it. Methinks it will go in the box where I keep items that will be put in the bounce box the next time I access it.

Returning home, I change into my winter blues and work on my Quill Strokes appendix until five when I go out to eat at a Mexican restaurant. Afterwards, I drive back home and take a bath but when returning to pounding keys, my left leg begins to throb so, I choose to find relief for my leg by acquiring the horizontal despite it being fairly early. However, before closing my eyes, I read for a while and then at eight pm, turn off the light.

When I rise and look out the window, I can see a large flow of water in the street gutter which tells me that it has been raining hard for some time, much like yesterday. Too, yesterday, the rain stopped mid morning and the sun even made a brief appearance. Methinks that the rain is mostly a night time event here in the south coastal inland desert. Getting up, I go inside, make a cup of hot and begin my occupation of key pounding.

At ten this morning, I begin work on the gates but since it is pouring rain, I choose not to spend but a couple hours working because most of the tasks would require me to be outside getting wet. I leave at noon, drive to the hw-mart to buy a wire brush, a piece of plywood and the blue knife. Returning home, I cut the wood to fit as a shelf in the bathroom cabinet and then prime and paint it.

Returning to the key pounding, I work on The Methinks in Appendix Five, but to complete many more, I need to do more research and that require WiFi which I do not have here at the rental. I stop at seven and make a pot of vegetable soup and add a package of salmon. After eating, I clean up, take a bath and wash the cleaning towels. Finally, I retire to the jammer to read and then sleep.

Another month is nearly behind me and the rain seems to have cleared up. I will go outside and install the gates right after I have breakfast. The first siren just drove by and lately it seems that they have been too numerous during each day to count, but that understandable considering where I am, just outside the red zone near Los Angeles.

I cook eggs and reheat leftover stir fry, have a hot cup of Spark and I also make a cup of Mela tea in my insulated cup. After eating, I do dishes, clean up the kitchen and then put on my work blues and begin work at eight this morning installing the Mighty Mule gate opener. By one-thirty pm, I am done as far as I can go and stop for leftover soup. Just as I finish cleaning the dishes, Richard arrives and says he loves the look of the new gates. We continue working on several projects and then we drive to the hw-mart to buy more materials for the gate. We stop at Rita′s place to check on the rental and drop a bag of garbage in the container. Then we drive back to the Johnston street rental to the hw-mart for some lock nuts and brackets.

Rise, go inside to wash my face and then drive to the w-mart for coffee and com. Then at eight, I pack out to go to the bank and do some shopping.

Afterwards, I return home, get out my floor jack, lift up the front end and endeavor to replace the brake rotors and pad that I purchased earlier. It did not take long before I realized that I need a c-clamp to compress the caliper. Before I sold the majority of my tools at my estate sale, I had one just the right size to compress calipers but now, I will have to buy a new one. I put the caliper back on, then the wheel and tighten the lug nuts, after which I pack up my tools. At noon, I go inside and make some cleansing and healing soup, a new recipe that I have recently learned about.

Also, I make a meal replacement powder mix (MRP) from the several powdered super foods that I have purchase during the last three month. After mixing equal portions in a food container, I scoop out one serving, put in a shaker bottle and add almond milk. After drinking this new mix, methinks that I should have done this months ago and been enjoying this good tasting meal replacement powder.

I continue working on the cabinets, finishing the kitchen cabinets and then beginning on the bathroom cabinets working until after eight pm. Then, I stop, clean up and make a salad to eat before going to the jammer to get horizontal.

I rise after dayspring, step outside and find this morning crisp, the air clean and see that the snow pack on Big Bear Mountain to the north is clearly visible. The cold front that came in last week, dumped a lot of snow on the mountains and for the first time in a long time, much of California is no longer in drought conditions.

Then I go inside to boil water for a cup of hot, after which I drive to the hw-mart to purchase some quarter round molding for the inside floor of the cabinets where I installed flooring yesterday. I also purchase a c-clamp that I need for the brake job on the jammer. Returning to the rental, I begin work on installing the trim and while waiting for the paint to dry, make a cup of super food powder drink. After finishing the trim, I next work on the final four pieces of tile, those pieces against the face of the tub and by noon, I have installed the backer board and have to wait again for the glue to dry, so I make a salad, sit down at the computer and pound keys while eating.

After my meal, I decide to install the new brake parts and go to work on it at two pm. The c-clamp works perfectly and compresses the caliper piston. I pull off the old rotors, remove the wheel bearings, clean and repack all four, then I begin to reinstall the parts. It takes me until six pm, a total of four hours to do this job and then clean up, pack away the tools and then go inside for a bath to clean up all the grease. At seven, I get out the defrosted salmon and skillet fry the fish on a bed of onions.

After eating, I go for a drive to test out my brake job and find them working just fine, return home and get horizontal.

Another wonderfully crisp, clear and cold morning. I rise early, take a bath to warm up and then make a cup of hot and sip while starting my journal entry for today. Then, at seven, I start working, first on the final pieces of trim in the bathroom and then after it warms up outside, on the fence. I dig another hole on the back side of the home, brace and set a post in concrete, then I return to working on the drive gates and fence. I add the heavy duty braces that Richard purchased and then rehung the car entrance gate.

Next, I begin working on a small section of fencing when Richard drives up. He goes inside to get his food from the refrigerator and sits down to eat lunch, so I decide to have lunch also and make a super food powder drink which I make a double portion and give Richard half. He says that he can taste the cocoa and I show him the list of ingredients written on the bottle and he says that it does not have blueberry. I tell him that I am still looking for some blueberry powder.

We then work together on the fence, we measure, cut and install one section after another until he leaves at five pm. By this time, we have finished the front entrance and have cut pieces for the back side, but the sun sets early so, I pack up the tools, sweep and hose the drive way and then go inside to take a bath. Next, I make a large salad, set out the last salmon steak for tomorrow and the pound keys to journal write while eating my supper. Finally, at eight-thirty, after a very long day, I go outside to the jammer and get horizontal.

I wake first at five-twenty but do not rise, instead, I sleep until the alarm shouts at me until I do rise, go inside and make a cup of hot. I have been out of coffee for over a week and have been drinking tea and Spark which. For breakfast, I have my super food powder drink and then begin working on the rental. Today I work on the entrance car gate and expect to receive the push open bracket the Richard ordered, however it does not arrive so I return to the fence to cut and install fence sections. I have to go to the hw-mart to get some screws and nuts but it becomes dark so I clean up and put away the tools, then I take a bath, pack out and drive to Yucaipa for the evening.

I stop at the f-mart to buy a lettuce wrapped burger and eat as I drive. I arrive at the outback before nine pm, park, plug in and finish my journal entry for today. Then I get horizontal.

The alarm wakes me and after I stretch, rise, pack the extension cord, start the jammer and drive to the w-mart to purchase a cup of coffee, check com and upload web files. Then at nine this morning, I pack out and drive to the hall for the meeting with the circuit overseer giving the public talk but when I arrive Richard texts me telling me that his meeting is not until one pm. So, I drive back to the w-mart and return to the key pounding.

At noon-twenty, I pack out, drive to the hall, see Kin at her car and she calls me to come get the gate part. After I put the part in the jammer, I go inside and place my Bible and tablet in a seat near the front left. Then I begin visiting with my brothers and sisters here and many remember my name, Danny being one of them, but whom I never have remembered his name. The circuit overseer begins his talk All Humans have a Spiritual Need with Matthew 5:3 as the theme scripture. Both his talk and the Watchtower study that follows have encouraging points for me personally.

Immediately after the meeting, I leave and head for Hemet, stopping at a ff-mart for burritos to eat during the trip. Once I arrive at the Johnston street rental, I install the new bracket and set the gate opening parameters. Then, I change the code in the remote transmitter from the factory default to a new code.

Up at the sound of the alarm, go inside to tack a hot bath. After that, I put my towels into the wash, make a cup of hot and sit down to pound keys until Richard arrives to take me to our last breakfast together while I am here in southern California.

At shortly after ten, he arrives, looks at what I have done and then says, "Let′s go eat!" We go to a ff-mart but they are no longer serving breakfast, so we go to a full service restaurant and I have coffee, a spinach omelet with home fries and biscuit and gravy. Richard has the fish tacos with beans and rice, which looks really good to me. When we finish eating, we drive to the hw-mart for wire, conduit, bolts, nuts, clamps and on and on. Finally, we arrive back at the rental and begin work at almost three in the afternoon.

We don′t stop until after eight pm, when I begin cleaning up and packing the tools away while Richard finishes the last horizontal conduit. The gate opener is complete as it all the fence sections across the front of the property. Also, the conduit for the power supply which runs from the control box over the driveway but attached to the underside of the carport is nearly complete. What remains is to run the wire under the rental to the electrical plug in the water heater closet, attach it to the transformer and plug it in.

Then, as Richard leaves to begins his drive to Yucaipa, I heat leftover soup and add a foil package of salmon. I sit down and eat soup while playing solitaire and after eating, take a bath, my second today. Finally, I sit at the board and pound keys to make my journal entry for this day, after which, at ten pm, I pack out to the jammer and get horizontal.

Up at the crack of sleep and go inside to get a gate remote, start the jammer and drive to a w-mart I found the last Sunday while driving back into Hemet from Yucaipa, one on the north of side of Hemet near the corner of Esplanade and Sanderson Avenues. Upon my arrival at the w-mart, I choose a seat next to an electric plug and sip on coffee and pound keys to await for Richard to arrive so we can continue the work on the rental. This morning, it starts with the the temperature in the low forties but the temperature now during the midday is warming up very nicely.

At ten this morning, I pack out, drive to the rental and begin work on the form for the first concrete pour just outside the pedestrian gate. I had never built forms in the desert before but find using the damp sand as part of the form really makes form building easy. Also, I dig up and move the rock borders so that they line up better with the existing concrete. Soon, Richard arrives, likes what I have done, and says, "Let′s get to work." He begins mixing water into the bags of dry concrete mix and I begin working of the second form which is inside the pedestrian gate.

After the first pad of concrete is poured, I begin working it and then waiting for it to set up a little before working it again. Meanwhile, I continue working on the rock borders inside the gate, digging them up and moving them to match the border in front of the gate. I also trim the rose bushes back away from the new widened walkway while Richard rakes all the leaves and debris out from under the bushes. Both of us keep commenting on how good this redesigned walkway looks now. Richard finishes installing the conduit for the power cable to the mule gate opener. I do another troweling on the concrete and then begin cleaning up the drive way. The sun has set and I tell Richard that I am done for the day and he says, "I am too." We finish packing up the tools and then he drives away, heading to Yucaipa.

I go inside, head directly to the bath that awaits me and soak in the hot water for longer than I normally do. After putting on clean blues, I go outside to the jammer, sit in the co-pilot seat, read two chapters in Jeremiah and get horizontal to close my eyes.

Arise, start the jammer, open the driveway gate and drive to the Esplanade Avenue w-mart, purchase coffee and a spinach, egg wrap and sit down to pound keys, again, waiting for Richard to arrive this morning.

Then just before ten, I drive to the rental, put on my work blues and begin the final tasks here at the Johnston street rental. It has been a nearly seven weeks that I have travailed here in the southern California desert, during which time I have seen the seasons change from winter to spring. Yes, everywhere, I have witnessed the blooming on flowers, the most recent ones are the red bud trees and on the north side of Hemet, the purple flox along Sanderson Street. Too, the mid days have become quite warm for me and find that I must need go north from here.

Richard arrives at eleven and he runs the wire from the conduit under the house to the water heater closet, where I push a coat hanger down to him. He connect the wire to the hanger and I pull the wire up and then connect it to the transformer as Richard crawls out from under the home and arrives where I am closing up the closet. He asks, "Do you already have it connected?" "Yes," I reply, "and there is a green light on the transformer." We then walk to the around to the front and I open the mule while he goes inside for the mule guide book and hands it to me. "Look here!" I tell Richard, "A green and a red light, both steady on... the guide book says: battery charging."

Then Richard packs the trash into the back of his truck and heads to deposit it in the receptacles at the other rental, during which I clean up, put away all the tools, and and then take a bath. When he returns, we walk through one final time, lock up the Johnston street rental and then we both head for Yucaipa. When I arrive at the outback, I go inside to look at a thermostat that has been intermittent and determine it to only need the connections to be tightened.

Then, I return to the jammer, dress for the meeting and head to the hall. Afterwards, I return the outback for the evening, climb into the back and get horizontal.

The sun is out, the sky blue, the mountains bright green, and I sit here in the w-mart sipping on a cup of hot. I left the outback minutes ago and drove through the old downtown Yucaipa, now most boarded up and came to the coffee shop where I will remain until nine this morning to await for the recycle center to open and leave to arrive there right at nine, unload twenty one gallon bottles that I have amassed here in the desert, bottles I paid ten cents apiece for and receive three dollars and fifty cent back. What a deal, my investment with interest.

I am so ready for the journey north.

Up after dayspring but the suntouch has not occurred from my perspective because of being deep in a valley between mountains. I rise, start the jammer and drive to the ff-mart in Lone Pine for coffee. By seven this morning, I am out of Lone Pine driving north on US 395 which takes me up through the Owens valley and over the Dead Mans Pass at 8083 feet which except for a clear roadway is still covered in snow, several feet at times. Then I drive down to Lee Vining, along Mono Lake where the snow cover wanes, then back up to Conway Pass at 8143 feet, then down to Bridgeport where I must needs by gasoline but with the price at $4.19 a gallon, purchase only ten dollars which I estimate is just enough to get me across the state line.

Once in Nevada, I drive into Minden to the Pacific station where the unleaded is two dollars and forty-five cents. After filling up the tank, I continue north on US 395 into Reno where I stop at the o-mart to check out all the new lightweight backpacking gear. Actually, after recently researching the toxins in plastic containers, I want to look for a stainless steel water bottle to replace my plastic ones but it is very hard to find a stainless steel bottle without a plastic lid.

Too, I find a Kevlar bear bag, a piece of my backpacking gear to replace my heavy plastic bear vault. Also, I find a USB rechargeable led flashlight-lantern combo, having 150 lumens, a run time of one hundred hours, and even under three ounces. Then, I tell myself, "Wow, technology has come a long way, methinks that I can now get rid of my one pound candle lantern."

Leaving the outfitter, I return to my drive north on US 395 and notice that all the previously dry lakes are now sixty percent full. I drive back into California, continue on US 395 to Susanville where I take SR 139 north through Adin, Canby and the take County road 97 towards Tionesta but turn off at the Lava Beds National Monument road through the Modoc National Forest to enter the national monument. After a short drive through the park, I arrive at Indian Wells campground just after sunset to find only the A section open. After driving the loop once, I choose site A-8 which is near to the bathroom building, pay my five dollars and set up for the evening in the final minutes of the sunglow. As the night progresses to dark, I turn on my new lantern, sit in the co-pilot seat and pound keys to make a journal entry for this day. Finally, I pack away my computer and climb into the back of the jammer to get horizontal and read more in the book of Jeremiah.

After more than eight hours of sleep, rise and upon looking outside to see if the dayspring has begun and see the near full Worm moon hanging right above the horizon and setting fast. I grab my camera, open the sliding window and begin taking photos, however, it is so cold that I have to stop, get dressed, put on my hooded sweater and then continue the photo shoot. After the moon drops to below the tree lined horizon, I walk to the bathroom and when walking over to it, see the beginnings of dayspring so I continue taking photos.

After several photos, I drive to the visitors center to where there is a better view of the horizon and likewise after a few photos here, drive to the Devils Homestead, a view point on the park road out. Finally, I leave the park and drive into Klamath Falls and stop at a w-mart for coffee and to warm up. At ten this morning, I pack out and drive westward towards the coast on SR 140 where I first go through a winter ski area still with plenty of snow even up to five feet high along the edge of the state highway. On this route, I catch glimpses of Mount McLoughlin at nearly 9500 feet in elevation, blanketed with snow. I continue on SR 140 which takes me right to number 36 interchange in IH 5 where I enter the interstate and continue northward, beginning on a somewhat steep hill.

After a few moments into the climb, the jammer engine sputters, but resumes, however with slightly less power and then it sputters a second time but resumes again. However after the third time, the engine dies and I coast to a stop and pull over. Immediately I think that it could be the fuel filter due to the method that the engine has died. So, since I have a new filter that I have been wanting to put on, now seems to be the opportune time for installing it. I get out my floor jack, put on my work blues and change the filter. However, the starter just turns the engine over, and the ignition does not seem to what to fire, which makes me think that the problem has something to do with the ignition system. ¹ This could be the ignition coil, the coil wire, the distributor cap, the distributor rotor or possibly the plugs and wires. It could even be a combination of some or all of the above, so I need to be close to a ap-mart to be able to fix this. ²

I put away my tools, call my insurance company and arrange for a tow truck to come to take me off of the side of the interstate highway to a d-mart parking lot in Grants Pass, Oregon. The driver lifts the jammer onto his truck and then drives me with the jammer atop the back bed to Grants Pass. When we arrive, the first d-mart has signs that reads No Overnight Camping, so we go tho the second one which doesn′t have any such signs and he lowers the jammer in the back side lot. I go inside, connect to the WiFi and find a number that I can call for a ride to the meeting tomorrow but only get a message machine so I leave my phone number.

Then I walk to the ap-mart and purchase a distributor cap and rotor, return to the jammer and take off the inside hood cover only to see more than what I want to deal with this late in the day. So, I clean up the jammer and begin sorting through my things and tossing into the trash as much stuff as I can. Methinks, instead, if I do not succeed, I could always have a ford dealer diagnose the problem and give me a price for making the repair and I could call the ford dealer Monday if I am still here.

Next, I make a salad and sit in the co-pilot seat to eat and do my study for the meeting tomorrow, hoping that someone will come to give me a ride. Then I get horizontal.

Some time after one in the morning, a police officer knocks on the outside of my van, wakes me and tells me, There is no camping in Grants Pass, in fact, he says, I will have to give you a citation for violating the ordinance.

Having just awaken, I clear my head, say a quick prayer and then reply, Do you even know why I am here? He replies, No. I then calmly tell him, I had engine problems on the interstate and had to be towed into town, and if I can not fix it myself tomorrow, I will have it towed to the local Ford dealer to have it repaired.

He then asks me, You had a tow truck bring you here? to which I reply, Yes. Then he says, Well, I will let you alone. I thank him and when he leaves, I lie back down with the intention of returning to sleep but all I can do is think about how it could be no worse for me at this point, here and now.

Then, after lying awaken for some time of mulling over my predicament, I realize that I have a means of escape from these troubles, (Jeremiah 39:18) (Proverbs 3:5,6) and I begin to beseech Jehovah for his help in this matter. Soon after I fall asleep and stay sleeping until daylight.

I awake this morning thinking about all that has happened in recent hours, and return to my supplications while I get dressed in my winter blues. Stepping out of the jammer, I push it away from the corner space, the one that puts my vehicle thirty feet above the cross streets below and in plane view of any other police who would drive by. I then go into the d-mart for a cup of coffee and sit on a bench while I sip coffee and read more of the book of Jeremiah in my Bible.

When I believe that it has warmed up somewhat, I go back outside, open the jammer, take the inside cowl off and look at what I will have to do. I notice that the coil is very accessible and it has not been changed for as long as the cap and rotor have been on the jammer, so I walk to the ap-mart and buy a ignition coil. I ask if the coil wire is available but he said "Only in sets." Returning to the jammer, I take off the bracket holding the old coil, remove the coil and then put the new one on the bracket. Next, I look at the distributor cap and match it with the new one, take labels and mark each of the six plug wire posts with a letter, A through F. Then taking the plug wires off one at a time, I clean the end of each and write with a felt tip black pen the corresponding letter. When I have all the plug wires marked, I begin reassembling the wires on the new cap. After I put the new rotor on the distributor shaft, I install the new cap and screw it tight. Finally, I connect the coil and close up the compartment, clean up, put away the tool and then start the engine.

It is about three-thirty pm when I drive out of Grants Pass and north on IH 5. The jammer sputters once again when I am climbing a hill which makes me think that something else is the problem and think that I will also need to replace the pugs and wires. Taking exit 113 off of IH 5, I drive west on SH 42, cross over the coastal range and follow the Coquille River down stream through a wonderfully forested valley. When I arrive in Coquille, Oregon, right in town after crossing the Coquill River, I turn leff on SH 42 Spur and follow the Coguille river to the coast and the town of Brandon. When I arrive at US 101, I turn right and drive north a couple miles and turn into Bullards Beach State Park, drive into the campground and stop at site C 12. The engine dies and will not restart so I walk back to pay station to drop off my paper work.

Returning to the jammer, I walk to the shower house to take a warm shower, return to the jammer and prepare a salad for my supper. Finally, I catch up on my journal writing but must needs get horizontal because my legs have started to throb, so I will review today′s journal entry tomorrow. I do check the jammer to see if it will start now that it has cooled off and it fires up right away. I hope it will do so again in the morning so I can drive to a ap-mart to buy spark plugs and wires.

Up just before dayspring, walk to the shower house and take advantage of having it available, then I return to the jammer, and it starts right up. I drive out of the park and north on US 101 but the engine sputters once when climbing a hill. I do make it to Coos Bay, Oregon and stop at a ap-mart with a g-mart next to it. I go into the ap-mart, buy a can of gas conditioner, return and put it into the tank and try to start the jammer but it will not start. So, I go into the g-mart and buy some vegetables to make a salad for my supper tonight. Later, I try again and the engine starts, so I drive to the af-mart thinking that there is some bad gasoline in the tank, so, I fill up the tank from the premium pump hoping that the new gas will help the engine run.

Leaving the gas pump, I drive north on US 101 but the engine keeps sputtering, so I stop at the next ap-mart and go in to as the clerk what he would suggest. I leave the store, return to the jammer and then call Joe in Spring Hill, Tennessee and this time he answers. I tell him the problem and he has me go through some tests to determine what the problem could be. I remove the ignition module, take it inside and have it tested. I was hoping that it was bad but the clerk said it tested good, and then said, "Here I will test it again." He pushes the button and then says, "It′s still good" I return with the module, reinstall it and call Joe back. He asks me to check for spark coming from the coil and again I call him and tell him "No spark." We talk about it and then come to the conclusion that it can only be one of two things, the distributor if there is no spark, but if you get spark, the fuel pump.

I go back into the ap-mart and purchase a distributor, which lists for ninety-nine dollars but I hear another customer ask, "Do you still give military ten percent off?" When the clerk says yes, I pull out my veterans card and ask the clerk, "Does this work too?" When she said yes, I tell here that I never knew this company gave a discount to veterans, in face almost my entire car is from this company, but I will use my card in the future. The discount reduced the amount to eighty nine dollars and the twenty dollar rebate that I get back after purchasing items for twenty dollar of more, drops the total for the distributor down to sixty-nine dollars. What a deal.

I go out and install the distributor and do not use the cap that came with it but use the new one purchased Friday because it is already connected to the plug wires. I know, that is laze on my part but but either cap is new with a lifetime warranty. When I turn the key, the engine still does not start so I call Joe once again, and he asks me if I had checked to see if there is spark coming from the coil. I tell him that it is getting cold and dark now, that I will check it tomorrow. Then, I go in to the local g-mart and buy some low salt almonds crackers and some avocado dip, return to the jammer and eat the crackers and dip instead of the salad I had planned on eating. Then I pound keys to complete today′s journal entry, put the computer away and read for a short time before going to sleep.

Up at the sound of the alarm and still before suntouch, but here on the coast of Oregon, without a connection to the internet, it is hard to tell when the actual suntouch occurs due to the overcast and rainy conditions almost always present. When I do arise, the sky is just in the early stages of dayspring with the slight increasing light of day apparent on all sides. Rising, I walk to the drive through coffee stand and ask "Do you serve walk up customers?" When she says yes, I order a two dollar brewed coffee and with coffee in hand, walk to the ap-mart and ask if they have a fuel pump in stock. "It can be here tomorrow morning." is the clerk′s reply and places it on order.

I return to the jammer, turn on the inverter, plug in my computer and begin pounding keys to record this eventful passage in Oregon. As soon as it warms up a slight amount, I get out of the jammer, put on my almost dry wet work blues and then check for spark but I can not see any when I turn the ignition. When I call Joe, he asks me how I checked for spark and I tell him that I put a old spark plug in the plug wire and held it a quarter inch away from the motor. Joe tells me that a screw driver would work that way but you have to ground the spark plug threads because it has it′s own gap to spark across. I tell him, "Oh, I see know. I will get back to you after I check for spark again."

Some time later, I call him back to tell him that I could not get any spark, even with a screw driver. He says that we still have an electrical problem and we discuss what has been done and I tell him that Chris, the store manager came out and he turned the key while I listened for the fuel pump. Again, if there is a sound, which I think I hears, it is muffled by all the traffic. Also, with the ignition turned to on, I checked for power on the coil and found it hot on both the red wire and the white wire. Then with the ignition turned to start, the light showing on the white wire flickered and Joe said "that is how is should be." But I still could not get any spark in the plug wires. We talk some more about the ignition control module and I say that it was tested multiple times, until it got hot, Chris even brought a new one out and tried it out in the jammer but it did not help. Joe says, "That was really nice of him."

Next, we talk about the spark, "Without it, it is an electrical problem and the only thing left is the Electronic Engine Control." (EEC or vehicle computer.) I tell Joe that one is ordered and will be here Thursday.

Rise and walk across the street to the ff-mart for coffee and WiFi. I also list my last vending machine on Craig′s List and then return to the jammer. My first task is to check to see if there is spark. However, I go inside to use the rest room and William, the assistant story manager asks me if I still have the old plug wires to return for warranty. (Yesterday, I had gone in with what I though was a defective coil wire and asked Chris if he had a new coil wire. Instead, he checked the computer and saw that I had purchased a set with a life time warranty, then he gave me a new set and told me to bring the old wires back in the box after you replace them.) I told William, no, I had not replaced all the wires yet, but I will get right on it.

Returning to the jammer and in the rain, I use the jack to lift up the right front tire giving me access to the three plugs on the passenger side of the engine and after marking them unplug all three. Then, I lift the hood, mark the three driver side wires and unplug these three. Next, I climb into the jammer, sit in the copilot seat, and take the octopus, (rather, in this case, as sixtopus) which is the six old wires still attached to the grey distributor cap, measure each wire and match the lengths with the new wires. Then, I take the black distributor cap (the one that came with the new distributor) and attach the new plug wires. Finally, I install the new sixtopus on the engine, the wires on the plugs and the cap on the distributor. Once everything is back together and all buttoned up, I reach over to the ignition key, turn to start and the engine fires up and runs. I am totally besides myself! but the engine does not idle very good and I have to keep revving it to keep it from stalling. Suddenly, I realize that I still have a vacuum line unplugged, so I plug it in and the idle smooths out. At this point, I just let it idle to charge my batteries while I clean up, put away the tools and pack out.

By the time I am ready to drive out of the parking lot, the engine has been idling for almost an hour and most all my batteries are topped off. I pull out of the parking lot, begin driving up the road toward the d-mart and the engine begins to sputter and then it dies. I let the jammer roll backwards into the parking lot I just left and park it again right next to the spot I have been sitting at for days. Immediately, I begin to think what has been done differently and I realize that it was the changing of the distributor cap that was different, the grey cap must have been defective for some reason and putting on the black one provided the spark, I call Joe and he says, "Yes, and the problem now must be the fuel pump." I go inside and purchase the fuel pump that arrived earlier this morning.

With the day beginning to loose light, I walk across the street to eat chicken sandwiches, check my com and then in the dark walk back to the jammer, but before climbing in, I walk to the d-mart and purchase two five gallon gas cans and a siphon hose so that I can remove the gas from the tank tomorrow. Then, I climb into the jammer and pound keys to record today′s journal entry. It is after nine pm when I finally get horizontal.

Up with the alarm to a clear sky, walk across the street to the f-mart for coffee and com. When it warms up at nine, I return to th jammer and begin siphoning the gas out of the tank so I can drop the gas tank from under the vehicle to install a new fuel pump, a task which takes me the entire day, right up to sunset before I finish putting the ten gallons .

While siphoning the gas, a woman drives into the parking lot, parks to one side of the jammer, gets outs of her car, opens the hood and checks fluids. I say a greeting to her and she replies, after which I find her name is Lisa. Then she asks a question about what I am doing and after a short amount of conversation, I ask her if she is a Bible reader, which allows me to offer to show here several verses, a video about why study the bible and even place a book with her. When she leaves, I return to getting the last few gallons out of the tank and then start removing the bolts and screws holding the tank and shroud to the underside of the jammer.

When I am finish with this job, I try the ignition but I still get no start, just the turning of the engine with the starter. After the sun sets, I pack away the tools, clean up and walk across the street to the steak house and read in the Bible while I eat salmon and salad for my supper. Then, I return to the jammer and retire.

Up just before the alarm, dress, grab my computer and walk across the street to the f-mart for coffee, sausage biscuits and com. I sit and sip for a long while but by nine, the ran stops and sky begins to clear. Then, by ten I am back at the jammer working on testing the wiring for power. I talk with Joe and he tells me about an ignition switch on the steering column which I replace with a new one but still the engine does not start.

Too, by using the electrical schematic, I am able to determine in the case of four relays, which one is the PCM power relay and which is the fuel relay as well as identify that the diode relay in the relay case is in the schematic diagram. I check and find power on both sides of the diode, then check for and find power to the PCM and fuel relays. Next, I use the electrical schematic in my repair book to trace power and prove that there is power to the fuel pump.

After another day of not getting the jammer to start, I pack up my tools, clean up, change out of my work blues and then walk to the f-mart for supper, WiFi and a place to plug in and charge batteries. While pounding keys, Gordon I met in Colorado last summer calls and we talk about where is the best place to winter and together we decide the the answer is still forthcoming on that question. He also tells me that he has already arrived in Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado and there is still some snow on the ground with the temperature dropping into thirties at night. "That′s not for me," I tell him, "and you will not see me there until May or June when the lows are mid fifties." He asks me where I am and I tell him, "In a parking lot in Coos Bay, Oregon trying to get my van to run again. I have been here a week and hope to get back on the road soon"

Gordon then says, "You will get is running soon, and I will pray to Jehovah for you." I thank him and tell him, "See ya above the Treeline!" and he replies, "See ya when you get here."

Then at almost ten pm, I return to the jammer and get horizontal.

Up just before the alarm to pouring rain. I put up my USB light, dress, get out my computer an begin to catch up on my journal writing. When there is a lull in the rain, I walk to the ff-mart for an electric plug, coffee and and two sausage biscuits. At nine-thirty am, with the rain still coming down, albeit not as hard as it was early this morning, Chris, the manager at the ap-mart calls to tell me that the Electronic Engine Control, the onboard computer for my van has arrived. I pack up and walk back across the street, go into the ap-mart and Chris hands the ECC to me and says "Take it out to your van, put it in to see if it fixes the problem." He has allowed me to do the same with the Ignition Control Module that he had in stock but it did not fix the problem and he put that ICM back in stock.

After walking out to the jammer with the ECC in hand, I change into my work blues, get out my tools and begin installing the computer. Once every thing is in place, I crank the engine but like all the other replaced parts, the engine does not fire and run, just turns over. I remove the new ECC and bring it back inside, then I put my old one back in it′s place and then call Joe in Tennessee. We talk and he suggests that I check for spark and continue to prove that the red wires are hot. I tell him that is exactly what I had planned to do and also will clean up each of the electrical plugs as I check them for power. Earlier, I had told Joe about the electrical schematic in my repair book and that when I was in the military, I was trained to be an aviation electronics technician to repair communication and navigational units. Also, I tell him that one of the first things I learned how to do is to read and understand electrical schematics.

And that is exactly what I begin to do. Previously, I had finished proving power to the entire left side of the schematic, the fuel pump and fuel injectors. Now, I begin proving power to the electrical side of the schematic, the ignition noise capacitor, ignition coil, distributor and the ignition module. I start with the first three because they are accessed from the inside the vehicle through the under dash access port. In a short time, I find power on all there components but when cleaning the plug to the distributor, notice that part of the plastic has been broken off and the rubber water seal bunches up and keeps the plug from making a good seal. I clean it, work with it and get the seal to go in straight and it clicks shut. I then say to my self, Methinks that this has been the problem. Once all the wires are reconnected, I reach up, turn on the ignition switch and the engine starts. "Yes! that was the problem." Immediately, I look at the time and see that it is a little after three in the afternoon and think again, "I have enough time to pack out, clean up and drive to the state park north of town."

I do just that and even go inside to say thanks and good by to the people in the ap-mart before leaving. The next state park is about twenty miles and I make it just as the sun has set, find a space, park and then head for the shower house. As I am walking up to take my shower, methinks that on Day 474 TB when I took a second shower simply because it was available, little did I know that it would be another six days before I would be under hot water.

After a nice long shower, I return to the jammer, make a salad, eat and catch up on journal writing. It is not until nine-thirty when I retake the horizontal for the evening but I read a chapter of Jeremiah before sleep.

Awake to the dim of predawn and see the waning gibbous moon high above the horizon. I walk to the bath house and take my second shower here. Then, upon returning to the jammer, I sit in the co-pilot seat and pound keys until the light shows itself through the heavy canopy of trees all about me. Shortly after seven this morning, I check the water in the radiator, fill my water bottles and then head to town.

After such a long time with on the engine spinning and not starting, it feels strange but good to be able to turn the key, start the engine and pull out of the parking space onto the highway. Even though I am glad that the engine trouble is over, methinks that this experience has helped me ever so much to grow in endurance, patience and fortitude; as does each tribulation which presents itself to me along my life path.

I arrive at the hall at nine-thirty, go inside and begin to meet the friends which I find are quite friendly and speak at length with Jerry who has lived in both Louisiana and Washington. Afterwards, I go out to the jammer and must needs wipe condensation from the inside of the windows. Then, I drive to the d-mart to buy some anti-freeze for the cooling system which somehow has leaked out during all the automotive work. Also, I have notice that the transmission is up-shifting slowly and since it is time for my annual transmission inspection, check the GPS for a location of the company who sold me the life time warranty. I find that there is one in Newport, Oregon, which is eighty miles up the coast. Methinks this will be a good test for the jammer and strike out northward but slowly.

I arrive at the South Beach state park just south of Newport, drive in and claim site B-2 which I have camped at before and is one of my favorites because it is less than one hundred feet from the shower house. Then I drive into Newport to locate the transmission shop, buy drinking water and fill the gas tank. Next, I head back to the state park, set up camp, cook my evening Repast, and eat while pounding keys to write my journal words for this day. After that, with the sun already set and the light beginning to fade, I walk to the shower house, enter the accessible shower for a respite of medium hot water.

Upon returning to the jammer, my portable electric heater has warmed up the inside of the jammer and it is so nice to be warm again, especially after all those cold rainy days in Coos Bay. Even though many of the days began above fifty degrees, it felt like it was in the low forties all the time. Now, however, I am slowly getting the jammer dried out by wiping the condensation from the inside window with paper towels and depositing the towels in a garbage in gas stations or campgrounds. Too, I will soon need to stop and wash my amassed pile of dirty clothes, but I still have a change or two left before I am out completely.

Awake to the sound of loud ringing, rise, walk to the restroom, then return to the jammer, unplug, pack out and head for town. I arrive at the at-mart but the repair technician is not there yet so I make an appointment for the at-mart to call me when he is ready to do my warranty inspection. Then, I drive to the w-mart for coffee, a sweet cake and begin pounding on keys.

By four the at-mart has not called, so I call him and he apologizes for not getting back to me and asks if I can come in tomorrow morning at ten-thirty, which I tell him that I will be there. I continue working until five-thirty, then I drive to the state park, check in and make camp, and walk to the shower. Yesterday, I had used the wheel chair accessible shower and the water was just medium hot but today, I use the regular men′s shower and it is so steamy hot.

Afterwards, I sleep very comfortably.

Up early for a hot shower after which I take a cold shower, then pack out and drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot, com and key pounding. At ten, I pack out and drive to the at-mart and the office manager tells me that their workload is very high and the earliest he could work on the transmission is this Friday afternoon and suggest that I go to Astoria, Oregon where the workload is much less.

I call the Astoria shop and the manager tells me he can look at it right away but will not be able to work on it until Thursday morning. I put the key in the jammer and drive north arriving at Fort Stevens state park by two pm, check in for two days and then head for the w-mart. Methinks, this month has been a very tough month for keeping the jammer running and on the road.

At seven this evening, I drive back to the start park, pull into C-44 and go into the shower house to get under some medium hot water. The shower in the loop C bath house is not hot. When I return to the jammer, I turn on the portable heater and listen to music on my phone until ten, then I get horizontal.

Arising late this morning, I drive to the w-mart, buy coffee, and second cup, then a spinach egg wrap, and later use my free purchase for a chicken wrap. I work most all day on updating my web pages with the latest changes and then leave the w-mart before dark to stop and buy gasoline.

Return to the campsite, I walk across the road to the adjacent loop I and find that the water in the shower house is much hotter and will take a shower there tomorrow morning before I leave the park. I prepare my supper, eat and then get into sack before nine pm.

Methinks that the temperatures have been a bit cold for me as they were in southern California when I first arrived there but this sure beats having to deal with the heat in some of the places I have been. Yes, I will take the colder weather any day over the hot.

Awake to the second alarm, rise, pack out and drive across to the loop I bath house where I go in and take a steamy hot shower. Even the bath house is heated here, unlike the one in the C loop. Then, I leave the park, drive to Astoria and locate the at-mart where I park outside waiting for the shop to open. In a short time, the open sign is on and I go inside, fill out the paper work and hand them my key.

In less than ten minutes, the technician comes out to the front and takes the jammer for a drive. When he returns, he drives it into the lift stall and begins working on it. I walk back to where he is working on it and make conversation. Once he gets it up in the air, he calls me to the back of the transmission to shows me the disconnected vacuum line to the modulator and says "I think this is the problem." and reconnects the vacuum line. Then he lowers the jammer and starts the engine, after which he take it for a test drive. Upon returning, he says that it is doing good now and hands me the keys. The manager finishes the paperwork and hands me my copy telling me "Come back any time."

With a smile on my face, thinking that my car troubles are over, I drive across the bridge over the Columbia river and into Washington. No more had I got across the bridge than the stalling and sputtering begins all over again. Now, I am becoming concerned about why this car problem has not been corrected after all this time. I change the directions for my way back to Oak Harbor, deciding to take the inland interstate route rather than the US highway coastal one and drive first to Longview, Washington where I stop at a ap-mart to look to see if the vacuum line came back off but it had not. Too, I purchased a transmission vacuum modulator to change later. Still, the problem now seems to be different than the first one with the ignition, now it is a problem with the transmission and vacuum lines. It could be that the at-mart did not really fix the problem, but only patched it up to get me out of their shop.

I continue north on I-5 and the going is slow but I make it to Chehalis, Washington, pull off the interstate to stop for the evening at a d-mart and see a w-mart just next door. I go in the w-mart, connect to the internet and check for another of the same at-mart company where I have my warranty. I look north on the interstate and find the next one to be in Olympia, Washington, thirty-one miles north of me. I will call them tomorrow morning to check their schedule for an appointment and because all of the necessities are near by to where I am parking, most likely, I will just spend the weekend here in Chehalis.

The fact that last night felt colder than previous days, methinks on a normal drive north would be because of being spoiled by the electric plugs at Oregon state parks. However, my stay in those parks during this journey north has been reduced to only six of the twelve nights spent in Oregon, due to all the time spent overnighting in ap-mart parking lots in my efforts to repair the jammer.

In fact, there was only one instance in the Oregon state parks when I felt warm enough to take a cold shower and that was after the steamy hot shower at South Beach on Day 482 TB, a very warming, albeit short respite.

Nonetheless, this journey northbound has continued every so slowly and is now in the state of Washington with the jammer still desperately in need of repair. I have decided to stop here for a while in hopes of dryer weather but so far, rain and more rain.

I awake, put on my winter blues and go inside for a cup of hot and key pounding until one pm when it warms up nicely and I walk to the ap-mart to purchase some vacuum line. Returning to the jammer, I endeavor to replace as much of the old line and I can locate. I then start the jammer and it seems to run much better but there is still a slight hesitation, so, I venture out into town to a l-mart and do laundry.

Afterwards, I drive back to the freeway thinking that the jammer is fixed but immediately upon getting on the interstate, the engine begins to sputter with the same shifting problems. I pull back into the w-mart parking lot, park and go inside for key pounding until it closes at ten pm. During the last hour, I meet Jeff, a young man who works at the w-mart and we share some of our stories to each other.

Up at the sound of my alarm, rise, dress in my winter blues and walk into the w-mart for coffee and another day of sitting and pounding keys. I purchase a couple of food items to complete the latest points game and end up have three free purchases from my regular coffee and a few extra items.

At nine this evening, I pack out and head to the jammer to get into the down bag as the temperature has been in the low fifties and forties all day and has not stopped raining.

I awake a lie in the warm comfort of my sleeping bag for a few minutes while I stretch, then I rise, put on my winter blues and carry my computer into the w-mart for coffee and a free breakfast wrap. After eating my breakfast, I get a refill in my insulated cup, pack out of the w-mart and return to the jammer to drive north to the at-mart in Olympia. First, I change out of my clean winter blues and into my work blues before starting the jammer to begin driving onto the interstate. However, methinks that since I have thirty-one miles to drive, I will need a good supply of bottled water to use for cooling the engine off so I stop at the dollar store and stock up on several gallons of water. Then, as I point the jammer north and begin the drive, I notice how the sky is beginning to clear up. I am glad and hope it continues with this clearing trend.

As I drive north, the engine keeps me going at about forty to fifty miles per hour for five or more miles but then begins to bog down. When this happens, I pull over, put the transmission in neutral and rev it up several times to clear the the jammer′s air passage. Then I put it back in gear and drive a few more miles until it need to be cleared again. After doing this several times, the temperature gage shows that the engine is beginning to warm up, so I pull over, wait for a few minutes and then relieve the pressure from the cooling system. Once the pressure is relieved and the radiator cap can be removed, I then add some more cold water. The input of cool water resets the engine and allows it to begin a new cycle of driving, pulling over to rev the engine and continuing down the interstate.

Soon, I come into the no parking zone which is posted along the highway and when the jammer needs to be recharged with more cool water a state trouper pulls up and asks if I need assistance. I apologize for having to pull over here, then tell him what I am doing and that I only have fifteen more miles to get to the Martin Way exit where the at-mart is located. He then says, no problem and yes, that is exit 109, then wishes me success and greets my good bye.

I continue with several more watering stops, much prayer and then just after a long cooling stop, I come to the exit and I am able to keep revving the engine while waiting for the light to change. A short distance down the road, I see the at-mart sign and pull in. Immediately, I thank Jehovah for getting me here safe, then I walk in and to to the store office manager, Gavin. After the engine cools off, the mechanic begins checking it but has to wait for the tool truck to arrive with the right connection for my vehicle. Once he has the connection and after he connects the diagnostic computer he tells Gavin who then tells me that the codes are returning error messages for the Mass Airflow Senser (MAS). Gavin tells me that he believes that that is the only problem with the engine, not the transmission, and when this part does go bad, it causes the exact kinds of problems that I have been experiencing. He checks the ap-mart and they will bring one to the shop in the morning.

The mechanic puts the jammer back together and then parks it outside. I then begin talking with Gavin and his finance Breanna about the Bible hope that I have and find out that they are Mormon. We all do express that we have strong faith in our hopes and I tell them both that I am always glad to speak with people of strong faith. Soon after that, I walk out to the jammer, cook a pot of my Repast, climb in and eat while pounding keys to record the events of this day. At seven-thirty, the sky begins to dim and I am ready to retire soon after that. Once I am under the cover of my sleeping bag, I use my phone to read two more chapters in the book of Jeremiah before I close my eyes.

I purposely sleep in late this morning, the after I dress walk into the at-mart and immediately see Gavin who says that the MAS has already arrived. The mechanic brings my car into the shop and installs the part but like all the other parts that have been put on before, it changes nothing. Previously, Gavin had told me that if this part did not correct the problem, that he would send it back and not charge me, and he kept his word. Next, the mechanic tells Gavin that the ignition switch is bad and that ir needa to be replaced so that the diagnosis of the engine can continue. I totally balk at this, telling him that I have already installed new one in the vehicle, and just two weeks ago. He then looks at me sternly and says, the switch needs to be replaced. Then, I ask, since I have a lifetime warranty for the one I put in, can use my warranty to get a replacement and he says OK. He calls the ap-mart, orders the part and we begin to wait again.

I spend the day in the waiting room reading magazines from 2015 and finally, at the end of the day, Gavin tells me that the mechanic believes that the problem is internal engine related which could be a cracked head gasket, clogged fuel injectors or even worse. He says that the next step is to do a compression test on the engine which they would not be able to get to until some time tomorrow. I thank him, walk out of the office, take a seat in the jammer and begin to use the internet to look at prices for a used and rebuilt engine. After a time doing that, I decide to call Joe and tell him the latest developments. We talk for some time and before hanging up the phone, we both come up with the same conclusion that despite all the new parts that I have been installing in it, the jammer is too old and worn out to spend four thousand dollars to install a rebuilt engine and if I did install a used engine for three thousand dollars, the likelihood of it lasting for very long is quite small. It is time to get another windjammer for my travels.

I go inside the at-mart, pay for the ignition switch, which Gavin give me a substantial discount because I am a disabled veteran, then I walk back out to the jammer to use the shop WiFi for checking the price and availability of a replacement vehicle. At six-thirty pm, I drive out of the parking lot and head east on Martin Way until I get to a w-mart, go inside and use one of my free purchases for a chicken sandwich and also sip on a cup of hot water. The music here in the w-mart is a saxophone playing some melancholy blues, much how I feel this evening. Also, I am wondering how much further the jammer will drive northward before it reaches the point when it will not continue. I have been working up a strategy on how I will attempt this continued drive north in hopes of arriving in Oak Harbor. It seems that if I only drive a few miles during each move in order not overhead the engine, I could conceivable drive to Oak Harbor but it would take a week to drive the entire one hundred fifty miles. I will pray about this more. Finally, I walk out to the jammer, read a couple of chapter is in Jeremiah and then sleep.

It rains all night making me thankful that I still have a dry vehicle in which to sleep. The temperature has remained constant over the last couple of weeks, high forties when I awake and mid fifties during the day which is just right for me, however, the continuous rain makes it feel much colder which is harder for me to deal with. But, I already knew that it rains like this in the Pacific North Wet.

I go back into the w-mart for a cup of hot and to pound keys while sipping on the hot liquid. I notice two sisters sitting a table over and ask them "What congregation are you in?" to which one replies "Hawks Prairie." I tell them that I am traveling through the area and will be going to that hall tonight. They tell me that is is only one mile to the northwest and I answer, "Yes, that is why I am waiting here."

Joe calls me and makes a suggestion on another way how to find the problem; thinking that when I installed the spark plugs, I cracked the ceramic on one or more of them. He told me that with the engine running, pull one spake plug wire (at a time) off of the distributor and see if the engine begins to run rougher. If it does, then that spark plug is good but if it makes no changes in the running of the engine, then I need to pull that spark plug to check if it is intact.

When I arrive at the hall, many of the friends welcome and greet me, ask me where I am from and are generally very kind and nice. Methinks, it is so nice to be able to be with good friends and this no matter where I go in this nefarious world. While in the hall with these friends, I enjoy a peaceful respite from that same world but all too soon I must needs leave and continue this journey north that I have chosen to make. I drive the first leg to a d-mart, park and then climb into the back to read and sleep. After I have closed my eyes, Richard from Yucaipa calls to see how the trudge is going because I had sent him a text about the engine dying. He gives me all kinds of suggestions, one of which is to buy a head gasket repair solution to put into the radiator and I tell him that I will do that.

Awake to a much colder morning that previous days, go into the d-mart to use the health kiosk and find that I have lost more weigh, now down to 226 pounds, and that even while wearing my winter blues and lace up shoes which together I suspect weighs at least five pounds. Too, I check my blood pressure and find it to be the best that it has been ever since I have been keeping tract of it a couple of years ago, even the diastolic dropping to 79, which the kiosk reports is great, this being a very first time for any of my reading to be great.

Then, I drive to the adjacent shopping mall and stop at the w-mart, go inside and purchase a cup of coffee and use another free purchase for a breakfast wrap. At eleven-thirty am, I pack out, drive to the ap-mart and buy a head gasket stop leak, pour it into the radiator and then begin today′s leg of this drive to Oak Harbor, with the sun now shining and the temperature warming up nicely. I drive north on the last section of Martin Way until it enters interstate 5 and continue north on the five, having to stop twice to cool the jammer. I have learned that when I hear the popping sound coming from the engine, I need to pull over. At about eight miles on my way, right in the middle of Lewis-MaChord joint base, I stop at a w-mart and rest the jammer for a couple of hours during which time I begin re-packing my emergency pack so that if I must need walk away from the jammer, at least it will be ready. Previously, I had just keep some of my backpacking items in it but there has never been any no food, clothing, emergency or other such gear due to that gear having found a separate place in the jammer. The repacking will be an ongoing project because a three pm, I stop, put away my gear, start the jammer and drive north five miles on interstate five.

At first, the engine runs really good, keeping up with the traffic which is moving at sixty miles per hour. Methinks, wow, the stop leak has helped the engine run much better and I am able to turn west on SH 512 toward Puyallup but soon it begins slowing down and when the popping starts, I pull off at Canyon Road and drive to a w-mart to park and let it cool off for a couple of hours. Now the distance left to the d-mart where I want to park tonight is less than five miles. At six-thirty pm, I leave and head for Puyallup but do not return to SH 512 but take 112 th street to Meridian and then north a half mile to the d-mart. While driving down the surface street, a woman drives up next to me, honks and tells me that the back right tire is nearly flat.

With only a mile left, I just continue to the a af-mart near the d-mart, get out my green goo to spray it into the tire and then use the air compressor to finish putting air in the tire. Finally, I drive to the d-mart, park, open the rear lift door and grab the four new shirts on hangers that I have decided to return to the d-mart. I take them inside and receive a sixty-five dollar gift card, which I can use for food or gasoline.

In fact, while I am in the store, I purchase thirty dollars of canned pole caught wild albacore tuna with no added salt. I had found this tuna a month or so ago and have been eating it regularly. Returning to the jammer, eat a can for supper, clean up, and then pound keys to finish today′s journal entry. After that, I get horizontal to read and then sleep.

Upon rising, I drive to the w-mart for coffee and to pound keys to work on uploading photos to the Sunglow photo Gallery while waiting for the morning traffic to dissipate. Then, at eleven this morning, I continue in my push north with a dying jammer and immediately, I notice the continuing display of flowering trees along the roadway and it brings a smile to my face. Methinks, there is some beauty even in the deepest confines of this asphalt and concrete jungle.

This first segment of ten miles goes quite well and I arrive in Auburn before noon. I then stop at a w-mart, park and let the jammer cool for about three hours. At three pm, I start it again and begin to drive another segment of this northbound push. I leave Auburn and drive fourteen miles to Renton making it in less than an hour. Too, here in Renton, SH 167 ends and I will need to travel IH 405 north until arriving at Lynnwood. I stop in Renton but upon arriving find that both of the two d-marts have signs stating No Overnight Parking and I realize that I will not be able to stay here but move further north. I do stop at one d-mart to cook my Repast to eat later, and except for a cucumber, use up all of my fresh food in the meal. Too, I stop at at w-mart to find a nearby hall where I could park close to tonight but when driving to this hall, the road goes up a steep hill from the lake and the jammer does not have the power to climb the hill.

So, I leave Renton on IH 405 and head for Bellevue, ten more miles north. On the mile to the d-mart, there is another hill which I can not make and the engine overheats and stalls. A woman stops in her suburban and offers help but there is not much she can do. Meanwhile, I tell her that I can release the steam from the radiator cap and refill it with cold water and the engine will normally start. I do that but the jammer needs to cool of a little more and the woman offers to push me up the hill. Finally, a police officer stops, she leaves, and the officer asks if I need help or a tow. I tell him that I am going to the d-mart just a half mile up the road. He seems very nice and I apologize for my car dying here to which he says, "It happens." I tell him that I was just going to call my insurance for a tow and try to do so but get the "If you want service, press one, if you want to buy insurance, press two... runaround." and after five minutes, I ask the officer if I can try again to start the engine to which he tell me Ok.

I get into the driver′s seat and of course I say a quick prayer and it fires up right away; I take off up the road to the light and turn left with the officer following me. I pull over to rev the engine once and he pulls in behind me. When I see that the traffic behind has cleared, I take off again, make a right and then driver into the d-mart parking lot. Turning to wave at the officer, I see that he has already left from behind me. Immediately, I see the same No Overnight Parking signs, but parked on the street is a long line of recreational vehicles and I pull into an empty space between two of them, park and turn off the engine.

I get out walk around for a little to calm myself after this near disaster and prayerfully thank Jehovah for helping me to arrive at a safe haven deep within this nefarious city.

When I return to the jammer, I open the radiator cap and top off the water, then I get the inside ready for the evening. After, I climb in and take my position on the co-pilot seat, put the batteries on to charge, eat my supper, and pound keys to record the events of this day. Too, I have been thinking that if I take the Mulketo ferry, it will lessen the total mileage by twenty-five miles, but I have still not decided on which route I will take.

One thing that I have determined is that this Ford was built very well, especially for me to have driven this far since the problem began nearly five hundred miles ago. At nine-thirty, I clean up and get horizontal for the evening. Tomorrow, I am sure will be another exciting day.

Upon rising, I drive up the street to a w-mart, walk in for a cup of hot, plug in and pound keys until nine this morning, after which I return to the jammer and endeavor to drive it further north. The drive north on IH 405 has several uphill sections and the jammer overheats a short time after I start so I pull over and add water to cool it down. After about fifteen minutes, it starts again and I am able to drive IH 405 pass IH 90 and SH 520 as I continue to move north on this interstate. Then at about ten this morning, after driving nine miles, I pull off the interstate highway and stop for gasoline but the road to the af-mart is down hill and I just know that it will be tough getting out of the low spot, so, I park in a g-mart and work more on my emergency pack trying to get it packed and ready if it ever comes to the time when I need to walk away from the jammer.

Too, I mix up more of my super-food powder that I use as a meal replacement powder (MRP), but this blend I made a little different. Previously, I had mixed all the different super-food powders and added water or almond milk before drinking it. This time, I decided to include course Almond flour and all of my supplements that I take separately with water. I just removed the supplement from the capsules into a measuring cup and then added it to the MRP blend. Methinks, what a good idea, this is so much better in that I have it all in just one meal shake rather than trying to remember to take my supplements and then sorting through them to get out the right number of the right ones.

At two-thirty, I refill the radiator, start the jammer and head up the hill which is tough for it but it makes it almost to the interstate where I pull of the side of the roadway, open the hood and repeat the engine cooling procedure. I then wait for another ten minutes and am able to start the jammer again, return to the interstate and drive further north to Bothell where I had previously located a hall for the meeting tomorrow morning and pull of at SH 522 and drive towards the hall. However, as I follow the GPS, it takes me up a steep hill which I am not able to summit so I stop and roll backwards into an alley way.

Immediately I see a man working on his truck and rolling down my window, greet him. He smiles and then I tell him that my van will not climb the hill because it has a blown head gasket. He says that his truck has a similar problem. We talk for a time and I ask if I can fill two of my water bottles to which he takes them from me, goes inside his home and soon returns with them both full. I thank him and then he asks me what the www.thewayfareresjournal.com is for on the back of my van. After giving him one of my business cards, I tell him that I am a land traveler and write a journal online. He says that he is Jake and he will check out the website but has to leave now. I thank him again, fill the radiator, and then sit in the jammer to write today′s journal entry up to this point.

Jake had told me that the best way with the least amount of hill is to take the Bothell highway in the valley back to the IH 405, which I do and only need to stop once before arriving at the interstate. Then I begin north but need to stop twice more aside the interstate, the second time at where IH 405 joins IH 5 and when I pull off to the side, a state trouper stops and asks me if I need any help. I tell him my strategy and he says "Just don&pirme;t leave it on the side of the interstate or it will be towed.". I thank him, then he leaves and I sit in the jammer waiting for it to cool. So far on this drive north, all of the police officers have been very nice to me.

Despite my constant prayer for the jammer to continue running all the way to Oak Harbor, at this point because the jammer engine seems to be getting close to it final few miles, I have made the decision to take the ferry across Puget Sound, which is only nine miles from where I am now, which ferry will take me across to the south end of Whidbey Island some forty miles from Oak Harbor. However, once on the island, I may not be able to drive up from the ferry dock to continue north on SH 525, so in deciding to take the ferry route, I have also decided that once on the island, I will call for a tow truck to take me to Oak Harbor.

Leaving the side of the road the road goes up and down several times and it seems now that any rise in elevation really slows the engine and because of this, there is need to stop every two to four miles along this last section. Sometimes it is hard to wait for the jammer to cool but this is becoming easier for me because I spent the time writing in my journal. Then, I stop again on SR 525 in front of a mobile home park and wave to two women talking, then walk into the park with empty water bottles and ask if I can fill them up.

One woman takes me to her faucet and while the bottles fill, we talk a little. When I tell her the engine overheats when going uphill, she tells me that it is all down hill now to the ferry. I then mention to her that there is of course the big uphill on the island after getting off the ferry but I could call for a tow truck, at least after I get onto the island. She tells me that most of Whidbey Island is hilly but then wishes me success, so I continue down the state highway to Mukilteo, Washington where I pull over at the Pioneer cemetery to take photos of Puget Sound, the ferries crossing and the sun set.

Then, I look for a place to park but everything says No Parking except for in front of a couple of houses so I will wait until long after the sun sets, move the jammer and take up my place there for the night. I am horizontal by nine-thirty pm.

Awake to the early dayspring, dress in my winter blues and get out to look for the best route to drive up the hill back to the main road. Without walking a long distance, I can just only see Sixth street which is next to me so I start the jammer and try to summit the climb but the engine stalls to quickly. Then I drive downhill on a road paralleling the main ferry road and turn up Third street which is no where near as steep and after several revs of the engine and down shifting to first gear, I crest the summit and turn onto the ferry road. It is all downhill from here and soon arrive at the toll both where the agent asks me if I am sixty-five or older to which I say "yes, actually 67 now, and also I′m a disabled veteran." She replies that she can only grant one discount per person, so I pay and get in line.

Soon, we are driving on the ferry and I get out to take photos of the Mukilteo Lighthouse as we sail by it. After putting away the camera, I open the rear lift door and make a shaker bottle of my MRP for my morning meal, sit in the jammer as the ferry crosses to the island and drink my shake.

Then the ferry pulls into the Clinton dock on Whidbey Island, so I start the jammer and begin driving up the first hill. It is a long hill but is also gradual and amazingly, the jammer makes it to the top and along a slight incline before I begin to hear the popping sound, so I pull over, release the pressure on the radiator cap and refill it with cold water. Then the rain picks up as I catch up on this mornings journal writing. After adding cool water to the radiator, I sit in the driver seat and watch for the thermostat to drop to lower than the N in Normal, because it is then when the jammer will start.

Yesterday, when the lady at the mobile home park who let me fill up my water bottles, said that most of Whidbey Island is hilly, she was right, but today I have been using these same hills to gain speed and then let the momentum carry me over the next rise. Still, I must needs stop several times but by nine, I have driven ten miles and have approached the town of Freeland. I wait for the jammer to cool, then begin again and this time I drive all the way through Freeland and stop at a shell station, one which serves both Shell gasoline and Mexican food with taco shells. I fill up my water bottles and because the number of water stops are much less on the island, I fill my five gallon gasoline container, (which I had rinsed out to carry it in my vehicle) with water also, then I start up the next hill only to stop before the summit. After cooling the engine again, I head down the highway, stop before the next summit and repeat the procedure again. At one spot, Jeff stops to offer me a ride to Greenbank but I tell him that I am going to drive it there, however slowly. A state trouper also stops to ask if I need help, to which I tell him what I am doing and thank him for his concern. What he said is funny to me but true, he said "Then you are just going to keep putting water in it limping all the way to Oak Harbor?" I tell him "For as long as I can keep it running."

This time, after cooling the engine, it almost did not want to start; I had to pump the gas pedal quite a lot and finally it sputtered and began running and then goes over the summit and then heads down the long way to Greenbank. Methinks, it is time to call for a tow truck, especially since now I am within twenty miles from where I will have it towed. The jammer makes it to Greenbank and I pull into the Greenbank Store, park in the space in front of the Post Office, (which is closed today) and open up the radiator cap to cool the engine once again. Then, I use my phone to call my insurance company for a tow to the d-mart in Oak Harbor. The representative on the phone says, "Since you are our customer and you have towing insurance, there will be no charge for your tow today." Throughout the conversation, I thank her several times and now just have to wait for the tow truck to arrive. I go inside the Greenbank Store and immediately I see that it has changed quite a bit from the last time I was here, maybe ten or more years ago. It seems to be more focused on healthier food choices rather than just the alcohol, processed and junk food so common in most c-mart stores. I buy a bottle of Kombucha and enjoy the fermented drink while talking to Cody, one of the store personnel. Soon, Joe in the tow truck arrives, and asks it I can start the car to move it to where he can lift it. I tell his that I do not think that it will start again, in fact, I had tried earlier after it cooled off and it would not. Also earlier, when I checked the oil, I say the beginning of some water in it, not a good sign for the engine. I try to start the jammer but it only turns from the starter and does not even have one spark of fire. We push it back, then he lifts the jammer onto the back of the truck, drives me to Oak Harbor and drops me at the d-mart.

I immediately go into the d-mart, buy an avocado, return to the jammer and cut up a cucumber, romaine lettuce and the avocado into a salad to eat. After eating, I walk to the w-mart for a cup of hot tea and key pounding.

After walking around in the area for a short time, I then return to the jammer, and prepare for the evening really early. When I do get horizontal, I just lie there thinking how beautiful last nights sunset and this morning ferry crossing both were.

Methinks those pulchritudinous display were signalling to me that the long hard struggle which began on March 11 and lasted twenty-two days has now concluded. However, upon my arriving in Oak Harbor there has begun a new trial, yes, I must needs acquire a replacement for this old vehicle, which will most likely require me to take a bus ride to the ferry, cross on the ferry and then take multiple bus rides in search of the locations where prospective replacement vans are for sale. What concerns me is all of the mainland is unfamiliar territory deep within the concrete city realm. Too, the extended time for all of that traveling, searching for, looking at the prospects and then returning all in the time before the buses stop running, does cause quite a large amount of uncertainty for me so I have been praying very much to Jehovah for his help to settle my mind and heart of all the stress and fear these thoughts have thus been causing me.

The wind blows wintry this evening causing me to quickly retire beneath my down bag. Then in my shiver to warm up, what comes to my mind is that despite all my efforts to bring myself with my vehicle to this spot, I can not take any credit for this accomplishment, instead, I must give all the credit, even the praise to Jehovah for making my arrival here a reality for me, in fact, I know in my heart that he was carrying me the entire way.

Too, I do believe that the upcoming trial of finding a new vehicle for me to drive and live in is something that I must need trust fully in Jehovah to provide for my needs. (Proverbs 3: 5, 6) As I have learned in past trials, there is never any worry or fretting that will change anything, that if I set my mind and heart on whatever outcome Jehovah will provide, I will always fare better. Nevertheless, in my sinful imperfection, I find that my mind will still fret and stress, that total trust is always just outside of my reach. I must needs continue to try to believe that Jehovah will provide and fervently pray to him for his help in this matter.

Up to a crisp cold morning with clear skies, rise, dress in my winter blues and walk to the w-mart for coffee and com. Afterwards, I walk to the shower house for my shower and a sign states, Vandals, No Hot Water. There is still cold water available, so because I do so need to wash my body, I use the cold water to take my shower. While I was taking the cold shower, methinks, I was so ready for this! After that, I stop by the hair salon and get a hair cut from Heather, who has been cutting my hair in this town for nearly ten years.

Next, I walk to the bank, about two mile north of where I am to deposit a check. Then I walk to a auto repair show on Midway to talk about available car for sale and finally back to the jammer in the d-mart parking lot, a route of about five miles of walking. I can only think that needed that! Upon returning to the jammer, I call Joe to tell him about Mark′s van for sale but Joe tells me that it has too many miles, almost 200,000. I agree and then go to the w-mart and begin looking for vans in the north Puget sound area that have much less miles. I am able to find two that are less than one hundred thousand miles and I could even have enough money to pay with cash to get a better deal.

The sun just set above the hill to the west and it is only seven in the evening. However, it will not set on the horizon until seven forty-five, but I will already be in the sack by then. Too, with going to sleep so early each night, I have been wanting to awake much earlier also but it has been hard to get out of the sack when the temperatures are in the low forties. I will see what happens tomorrow morning.

Awake jut before dawn, dress in my winter blues, grab my computer bag and walk to the w-mart for coffee and to check the bus schedule in town. Then, at nine this morning, when it begins to warm up a bit, I return to the jammer and get ready for a ride on a bus through town. Soon after, I board the number one bus and the first stop is the Harbor Station which is the hub for all the bus routes on the island. From there, I wait for the number ten bus, the inner city route which soon arrives at the Harbor Station. I board the bus and greet the driver, Sandra who has been drive for five years. I ask her if this bus goes to Goldie Road where it meets SH 20 and at first not understanding my question, says no. Then I rephrase the question and she says, "Oh yes, this bus goes there." The bus begins on it&primete way, and myself, having previously lived over twenty-five years on this island in this very town, know every turn Sandra makes even before she arrives at the turn.

I watch as the bus turns off of Regatta Drive onto Whidbey Avenue, two blocks from the Kingdom Hall on Ronhaar Street and think this will be how I will arrive at the hall Thursday evening and Sunday Morning. Continuing, the bus takes me down Whidbey Avenue to Midway Blvd, turns right and heads north towards SH 20 where I tell Sandra that I will be getting off. From the drop point, I walk across SH 20 to Franks Restaurant, walk in and take a seat right next to Frank. We greet one another and he asks me if I still have the old Ford. I tell, yes, but it is dying and I am looking to buy a replacement for it. He says, why don′t you buy my van, I just put a new motor in it. Then he says, "It is at my home, let′s go get it and you can drive it for a day." "Ok, but I want to eat breakfast." He then says, "The food will be here when we get back." I ride in his truck with him to his home and I drive his van back to the restaurant and order my breakfast, after which I service the vending machines and go to the bank to deposit the quarters. Then I call Joe and ask him about Frank′s 1995 Oldsmobile and Joe has absolutely nothing good to say about it, in fact, when I check the Blue Book value, it come in $3500.00 less than what Frank had asked me for it. Too, Joe told me not to jump for the first one that I think is a good deal because this is a military town and there are bound to be a lot of good deals. Now, I am sure that I will not buy Frank′s van.

After that, I drive back to the d-mart and wash Frank′s van and black the tires. I always think that when someone is nice to you, you should be nice back. Later, I go the to w-mart and search more online for a new vehicle. The rain resumes again at six pm, and I just continue on the computer for a while longer. Finally, I drive to the d-mart to look for a weight machine. At eight this evening, I climb back into the jammer to get under the down sleeping bag for the evening. However, a short time later someone knocks on the window, to which I answer and find it the d-mart manager who informs me that overnight parking is not allowed at this location because of and increase of derelict vehicles, drug traffic, and problems with the people who live in them. He says that I have thirty minutes to move or he will call the police. Wow!

I get dressed, step out in the rain and begin pushing the jammer out of the parking lot. When the tow truck had dropped me here, it was in a location that was at the top of an slight incline and also, the d-mart lot was adjacent and slightly above a g-mart lot. So once the vehicle is rolling, I hop in to steer and then drive the jammer into the lower parking lot.

Now I sit here in the jammer, thinking that this world has seriously declined in just the short time since I was last here in Oak Harbor, then I say a prayer for peace of mind despite the bad conditions that are happening here as well as everywhere. Picking up my phone, I call Mark, a friend of mine, tell him the problem that I am facing and ask if he will help me move the jammer and he says that he will come in the morning.

Last night, I had set my alarm to wake me earlier and rose right away. Then, I dress and walk in the rain to the w-mart for coffee and to wait for Mark to arrive. However, at eight this morning I call Mark and tell him that instead of him coming to move my van, I will call for the tow truck. Then, I pack out of the w-mart and got to work getting the jammer ready to move to the shop. First, I go into the g-mart and buy drinking water to last me for several days, then I call the tow company to come and finally help the tow driver to get the jammer up on the bed. Finally, I drive Frank′s van to the shop, park out of the way and then greet Mark upon getting out of the vehicle. Soon, the tow truck arrives and drops the jammer and leaves.

Immediately after that, I tell Mark that I am returning Frank′s van to him and will see him later. Then I pull out of the driveway and head to the restaurant. I walk in and give Frank the keys, thank him but tell him the I will think it over. Then I leave, get on the buss and see brother Lowell sitting in one of the seats, say hello to him and then begin conversing with him. Lowell, (his first name) is suffering from what I see is a serious loss of memory in which he will say something, then a minute later repeat the same thing and keep repeating it for several times. Nevertheless, I invite him to join me in the coffee shop near the fireplace so that we can talk for a while and share encouragement with one another.

We walk into the w-mart, find a very warm place near the fire and talk for a long time how important it is for us to (1) Keep close to Jehovah with our whole heart, (2) keep close to his faithful slave, which he has appointed through his son, Jesus, (3) obey every one of Jehovah′s commands through his organization and finally, (4) keep close to the brotherhood. I smiled often as I heard these pronouncements coming from his heart and commended him regularly. This conversation really encouraged me and I just hope that he was equally as encouraged.

Upon leaving the warmth of the fire place in the coffee house and return to the bus stop, board the number six which takes me to a point only a short walk from the shop arriving at two in the afternoon. I clean up the jammer, put the solar panel on to charge the RV battery and then sit down to record some thoughts in my journal.

In some ways, being here at the shop is better for me and in some it could be harder on me. First and foremost, I am off the uncertain confines of a public parking lot and in a location much safer for me to be at. Too, I am parked in a location at the home of a brother and his wife. However, like the parking lot, I will only depend on my solar panel for charging my batteries and I know that I must be diligent about plugging it in and alternating the different batteries that need to be charged.

In the evening, I walk to the wood pile and up stack the wood, moving the large stores from the back to stack high in the front and as I am close to finishing, Cheryl and Harlow come out to greet me. Cheryl asks me "Are you going to have a fire?" and I answer, "Sure, if you wish."

Then, I grab two rounds and lay them in the fire pit, after which I pile in some wood chips, bark and other tender, push in several small sticks pour some fire water over the entire stack and finally put a lighter to the stack of wood. In a short time it becomes dark and the fire blazing from between the two rounds radiate heat for the gathering group, first Harlow, then Cheryl with a cup of hot tea for me and later Mark.

We talk about my plight of needing a van and then both Cheryl and Mark get out their phones and begin searching online. Much like my searches on previous days, every van reasonably priced is no only off island, but most are a long commute on the mainland. Mark finds a very nice Chevy Astro for $5000 but it too is a distance away. I thank Mark, and tell him "Yes, that is a nice van, but it is a long way from here." Methinks that to take the bus to the bottom of the island, then the ferry across, then find the bus on the mainland, learn the route, find my way in the concrete maze jut to look at the prospective van, then if it is not to my liking, retrace my route all the way back to where the jammer is parked before the busses stop running, well, it puts my mind on overload. I say a prayer to Jehovah and ask him to help me with my tribulation in finding a replacement van.

Then, Cheryl says, "Here is a blue Ford Aerostar in Oak Harbor for $1800," points it out to me and then I begin looking on my phone and find the same Aerostar, save it and send an email to the owner, hoping that this might be something that will work. Again, I say a silent prayer. Later, when the fire dies down, we all head for the warmth of our sleeping births.

Upon rising, I make a cup of hot and then walk to the electric plug to charge my battery and get online to check my email. I see that one the car owners has replied to me asking me where I am. I email back and tell him "In Oak Harbor." He then asks me if I can come today to see the van because they are leaving the island for a few days. I tell him "sure, but it will take a while for me to get there because I do not have a car and will need to use the bus." He replies, "How about if I just drive the van to you?" "Sure," I tell him and give him my address. He tells me that his name is Ken and that he will be there in less than half an hour.

As I am waiting for Ken to drive into the driveway, suddenly, I realize that more is involved in what is happening on this day than just the purchase of a replacement vehicle. I think back to when I began to supplement Jehovah for help in this matter and can see that he has helped me once again, yes, me, the one of such little faith.

Then, Ken arrives for me to take a look at the van, I tell him that I really wanted the extended van but then when remarking about his recent note on his add that he has lowered the price to $1000, and he says that he will accept that amount for it, I tell him that I will take the van and hand him the money. We then drive to his home to get the signed title, after which I thank him, then depart and drive back to the shop. Soon after, I drive to the licensing office and pay to transfer the title, for the tax, and for a new license plate, all of which costs two hundred and ten dollars. Next, I drive to the car wash and using some engine degreaser, spay the engine with it and shortly after pressure wash under the hood to clean the engine. Finally, I drive back to the shop and begin exchanging the rear tire between the two vehicles.

Then at six, I put away the tools, clean up, dress for the meeting and then drive into town, first for a meal, then to the midweek meeting at seven-thirty pm. It is so very good to see so many friends again here in Oak Harbor and exchange many hugs. I even tell several about the remarkable things that have happened in my life these last few days and weeks. Joanna asks me for my email so that she can get back in contact with me. Afterwards, I return to the shop, climb into the jammer and get horizontal.

Upon arising, I first get into the hot tub, dry off and then put on my suit. Then, I drive into town for a cup of hot and to upload files to the web site. Then at eight-forty this morning, I head to the hall for the ministry meeting to be assigned with Sharon, Eloise and Cecil. We drive out to Mariners Cove to hand out memorial invitations but it begins to pour rain and Eloise, who has asthma, need to get out of the rain and so we stop early. I then go the to the locksmith to get a copy of my van key and place an invitation with the woman there. I also go to the of-mart to buy some vinyl letters for putting my website address on the back of my new van. I do find some, which I purchase but, the letters are too wide and will most likely return the package to the store.

Shortly before noon, I return to the shop and begin working on moving the 110 volt electrical wires that I had installed in the jammer over to the new van. I start on the main power supply and in order to install it in the new van, I must remove the front bumper, front grill and the right headlight trim, which when gone, I can run the 15 amp wire through the engine compartment, inside the fender and then into the interior at on the front passenger side. Once it is inside the van, I route it under the door jam to the back underside of the co-pilot seat where it will be the power block to plug in other cords coming there from other locations. As I am reinstalling the front back onto the van, I notice that the right headlight has a crack in it, so as it is starting to become dark, I put away the tools, clean up and then drive to the d-mart to purchase a new headlight. Afterwards, I go out to eat and have Pho Tom, a Vietnamese shrimp and noodle soup with basil which is tasty. After eating, I drive back to the shop and sit in the new van writing today′s journal entry and listen to the day′s news.

Then at almost ten pm, I walk over to the jammer and get into the horizontal to sleep.

Arising at the sound of the alarm, I walk to the hot tub, open the lid and get in the water to soak for a few minutes, this being the third morning I have been doing this; a soothing upon my old bones. Then, I return the jammer, put on my dark brown suit and drive the blue van to the w-mart for coffee and to upload files to the web site.

Just before nine this morning, I pack out and head to the hall for the ministry meeting, where I get assigned to work work Roger, Tanner, David and Dan. We work in town in the invitation work and by half past noon we stop for the day. I make a couple of stops in town, then drive to the w-mart to update my insurance and cover the new van. Once that is done, I return to the shop to continue the move into my new home.

First, I remove the bumper, the grill and the headlight door so that I can install the new headlight. While all these parts are off of the blue van, I clean them, scrap and paint any rust, use dielectric grease on all electrical connections and anti-siege compound on all screws and bolts before reinstalling them. Doing the job this way takes longer but only then do I have the personal knowledge that it has been done correctly.

Too, thinking about my reason for doing it this way, methought that a wayfarer is much like a seafarer, who, in the course of his voyage, when he finds a gear that needs grease, a sump pump that needs cleaning, or even a spar that needs painting, he does not put it off but takes care of it immediately. He does this because he knows that the gear will bind up just when he was pushing to round a point, that the sump pump would clog right in the middle of a storm or that the spar could snap just when he needed it most.

I work right up until just after the sunset and notice a bright orange in the western sky. Too, the moon, now waxing gibbous and nearly full is three hands above the horizon when the sun had dropped below it. Then, I clean up the area, put away the tools, change out of my work clothes into my casual clean ones and get out my cooking gear. Harlow comes by to see what I am doing and when I tell her cooking supper, she asks if she can help and says that she likes to help. I set up the stove, add water and then have Harlow dump each food into the water after I put them into the measuring cup. First grains: rice, lentils, mung beans, then quinoa, sesame seed, and seaweed. As it begins to cook, steam rises from the pot and Harlow says "That smells really good." Next, I put some TWS into the cup and when I give it to Harlow, I ask her to smell it. Again, she says "That smells really good, too.".

Mark, who has been outside unloading bushes from his truck calls Harlow and tells her "Come here, I have something for you to do" and when she arrives asks her to water the bushes that he at placed around the front of their fifth wheel home. Meanwhile, my supper is ready and I place it inside the blue van, start the engine and turn on the heater. Then I pack away my cooking gear in the jammer and then close it up, after which I climb into the blue van, get comfortable and eat supper while pounding keys to compose today′s journal entry, finishing both at about the same time. Then, at a quarter after nine this evening, the rain begins coming down, I shut down the van engine, turn off the computer and move into the jammer to get into the horizontal.