I am staying in Chandler, AZ (Phoenix area) for a few days—staying with daughter #1 (Christine) and her husband Paul. We will go thrift store shopping after she gets off work (Walmart) this afternoon. I'm really looking forward to that!
I had planned on driving across the north part of AZ but the weather reports were not good, so I turned south at Albuquerque. It was a good choice. I'm watching the morning news here and it's showing lots of snow & ice in that area. This cold snap is all over the central part of the country: Christine even had to scrape ice on her car window this morning at 6am. And, of course the Nebraska weather is snowy...
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
California Roadtrip: in Albuquerque tonight
I have "landed" in Albuquerque this evening. I drove through 4 different states today: KS, OK, TX, and now NM. Coming across th Oklahoma and Texas panhandles was uneventful. Both states had lots of flatlands with ranches and farms.
Many ranches had decorations and Christmas greetings by the mailbox near the highway. Some used decorated hay rolls--one place had a giant turkey made from one hay roll. There seems to be a huge prop ane tankerwreck west of here on the Continental Divide that backed up traffic for 10 miles. That's the direction I planned on traveling in the morning. And, they are predicting snow...I"ll see what the morning brings...
Ever wonder where dead cement trucks go? No? Well, I hadn't either; but I drove past a huge field full of cement mixer trucks in various states if disrepair. It was an interesting sight.Other interesting things today: a coyote was dragging a dead deer off the edge of the highway, a farm dog was running along the highway with a pheasant in his mouth, and the clouds this afternoon made a partial rainbow around the sun.
The local news has not said when I-40 will be open, so for now I'll sit tight here....
Many ranches had decorations and Christmas greetings by the mailbox near the highway. Some used decorated hay rolls--one place had a giant turkey made from one hay roll. There seems to be a huge prop ane tankerwreck west of here on the Continental Divide that backed up traffic for 10 miles. That's the direction I planned on traveling in the morning. And, they are predicting snow...I"ll see what the morning brings...
Ever wonder where dead cement trucks go? No? Well, I hadn't either; but I drove past a huge field full of cement mixer trucks in various states if disrepair. It was an interesting sight.Other interesting things today: a coyote was dragging a dead deer off the edge of the highway, a farm dog was running along the highway with a pheasant in his mouth, and the clouds this afternoon made a partial rainbow around the sun.
The local news has not said when I-40 will be open, so for now I'll sit tight here....
Sunday, December 20, 2009
First Day on the Road
I am in Ulysses, KS for the night, staying with Erin's in-laws. This first day out has been uneventful--very good (I don't need any "events") for me. There were a few pheasant out in KS. Pat (Erin's father-in-law) says pheasant season is already over, but there are still lots in the fields. Kansas seems to have a lot of feed-lots, too. They smelled awful as I was driving by them. tomorrow I'll head towards Albuquerque and west from there.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Preparing to leave tomorrow
Last night we drove into Lincoln (about 100 miles east of here) to celebrate John’s nephew’s graduation from college. Got to see lots of family—John’s mom is here from Phoenix.
We have a birthday party today, too. Grandson Ethan John was one year old yesterday….where has time gone?
Today I am packing the van for my trip to California. I’ve done it in my head many times already, but today will be the real thing. By leaving tomorrow it looks like I’m missing another snowstorm (whew!) that is predicted for Tuesday and Wednesday. They will have a very white Christmas here in Nebraska!
We have a birthday party today, too. Grandson Ethan John was one year old yesterday….where has time gone?
Today I am packing the van for my trip to California. I’ve done it in my head many times already, but today will be the real thing. By leaving tomorrow it looks like I’m missing another snowstorm (whew!) that is predicted for Tuesday and Wednesday. They will have a very white Christmas here in Nebraska!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Countdown to California--leaving in 2 days!
Part of my preparations to leave is gathering together what I want off of the computer here in Nebraska. While looking through my files I've found some "fun" pictures. I really like this one about weather forecasting!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Countdown: 4 days left
I didn’t get a chance to write anything yesterday…These last few days home are so busy! Yesterday was my last day at Cabela’s (until April 1 when I return to Nebraska). I had to miss Mariah’s birthday party since I was working last night….but John went so at least one of us got to go wish her Happy Birthday.
Today I am having lunch with an old friend. Today Sharona comes to town, too! She and Breckin will be here for three days, so once again, it looks like life will be busy!
I looked at the California weather for today—it is supposed to get up to 71º there on the coast. Today’s high here in Nebraska is set at 35º but it’s only 26º so far this morning….and for the rest of the week in the mid-20º range. That’s OK, just so long as the snow holds off!
Today I am having lunch with an old friend. Today Sharona comes to town, too! She and Breckin will be here for three days, so once again, it looks like life will be busy!
I looked at the California weather for today—it is supposed to get up to 71º there on the coast. Today’s high here in Nebraska is set at 35º but it’s only 26º so far this morning….and for the rest of the week in the mid-20º range. That’s OK, just so long as the snow holds off!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Shannon's Birthday
Today is Shannon’s birthday (Shannon is daughter number 6). We went out to dinner with Shannon & Noah and his parents tonight. Ethan was the center of attention most of the time. He loved tearing the wrapping paper off of Shannon’s gifts.
I spent today getting a few last-minute things done. I slipped over to HyVee to check on their supply of caffine-free coke, and they had some! The price this week was very good (3 12-packs for $10) so I got some for John for while I’m gone. I’m sure he will need more, so I hope it will be on sale somewhere this week, too—the new grocery ads come out tomorrow morning.
Countdown: 5 days to go! Or should I say 4? It depends on if I count Sunday as a “day,” too…
I spent today getting a few last-minute things done. I slipped over to HyVee to check on their supply of caffine-free coke, and they had some! The price this week was very good (3 12-packs for $10) so I got some for John for while I’m gone. I’m sure he will need more, so I hope it will be on sale somewhere this week, too—the new grocery ads come out tomorrow morning.
Countdown: 5 days to go! Or should I say 4? It depends on if I count Sunday as a “day,” too…
Monday, December 14, 2009
Countdown to California--Leaving in 6 days!
It is 11 am here in Nebraska and only 4º outside (with a wind chill index of -15!). But, the sun is out and it is supposed to get up to 7º! I just looked at the weather on the California coast—it is 48º and of course it’s 2 hours earlier….I think the weather will improve as the week goes on, but I still have to get through today!
I have a separate room with all my boxes and things I want to take to California. I hope it all fits into my van…or what if I have more room than stuff? I don’t think that will be a problem—I can always find more that I want to take.
Since most of my stuff is packed and ready to go, this week I’ll concentrate on getting things ready for John to “survive” on his own here for 3 months. He learned to cook a bit when I was gone last Spring, and Saffron gave him a George Foreman grill for Father’s Day (which he loves) so he will be ok. I’m freezing steaks that he can cook himself—each one in its own zipper bag to keep it easy for him. I think I have about 20. And, I’ll be getting more HotPockets for his lunches. Hope they are on sale this week!
I bought some large bags of dog food. I stopped the daily paper today and changed it to just Sunday delivery….and I’ve made up a big tub of the Café Mocha mix he likes (1-2-3: one cup instant coffee, 2 cups Nesquick, and 3 cups instant milk. Use 3 Tablespoons in a mug of hot water).
Two days of work at Cabela’s left: today and Wednesday. I originally wanted to leave December 1 but my boss talked me into staying through the Christmas rush (meaning Dec 20) and take a leave of absence. That way I can come back April 1. I’ll be coming back to Nebraska anyway in the Spring to work on the house here, so I might as well have a job!
I have a separate room with all my boxes and things I want to take to California. I hope it all fits into my van…or what if I have more room than stuff? I don’t think that will be a problem—I can always find more that I want to take.
Since most of my stuff is packed and ready to go, this week I’ll concentrate on getting things ready for John to “survive” on his own here for 3 months. He learned to cook a bit when I was gone last Spring, and Saffron gave him a George Foreman grill for Father’s Day (which he loves) so he will be ok. I’m freezing steaks that he can cook himself—each one in its own zipper bag to keep it easy for him. I think I have about 20. And, I’ll be getting more HotPockets for his lunches. Hope they are on sale this week!
I bought some large bags of dog food. I stopped the daily paper today and changed it to just Sunday delivery….and I’ve made up a big tub of the Café Mocha mix he likes (1-2-3: one cup instant coffee, 2 cups Nesquick, and 3 cups instant milk. Use 3 Tablespoons in a mug of hot water).
Two days of work at Cabela’s left: today and Wednesday. I originally wanted to leave December 1 but my boss talked me into staying through the Christmas rush (meaning Dec 20) and take a leave of absence. That way I can come back April 1. I’ll be coming back to Nebraska anyway in the Spring to work on the house here, so I might as well have a job!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The Road to California
The countdown begins: This time next week I should be on the road to California! I will be traveling south through Kansas and angle west toward Albuquerque. I have maps and route plans from AAA. They make a whole book for me outlining the trip mile by mile.
The van is ready—it was serviced by Matt at Ken’s (Ken plays with John in Worship team at church) and then I bought four new tires for it, so I think it’s all set to go.
The van is ready—it was serviced by Matt at Ken’s (Ken plays with John in Worship team at church) and then I bought four new tires for it, so I think it’s all set to go.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
One of my favorites...
A Woman Should Have
by Maya Angelou
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she’s content to leave behind….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to retelling it in her old age….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …..
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .
one friend who always makes her laugh… and one who lets her cry…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ….
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
a feeling of control over her destiny.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to fall in love without losing herself.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
when to try harder… and WHEN TO WALK AWAY…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that she can’t change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that her childhood may not have been perfect…but it’s over…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to live alone… even if she doesn’t like it…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
whom she can trust, whom she can’t, and why she shouldn’t take it personally…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
where to go…be it to her best friend’s kitchen table…or a charming inn in the woods…when her soul needs soothing…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she can and can’t accomplish in a day…a month…and a year…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she’s content to leave behind….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to retelling it in her old age….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …..
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .
one friend who always makes her laugh… and one who lets her cry…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ….
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
a feeling of control over her destiny.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to fall in love without losing herself.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
when to try harder… and WHEN TO WALK AWAY…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that she can’t change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that her childhood may not have been perfect…but it’s over…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to live alone… even if she doesn’t like it…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
whom she can trust, whom she can’t, and why she shouldn’t take it personally…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
where to go…be it to her best friend’s kitchen table…or a charming inn in the woods…when her soul needs soothing…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she can and can’t accomplish in a day…a month…and a year…
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Yesterday was my birthday
Yesterday was my birthday… It was a good day, except for the Internet being down most of the day! Some major cable was cut in Kansas, which affected most of the Charter accounts here in central Nebraska. I’ve been quite put out about it, but am trying to remember that there are businesses who are out their internet, too….
We had dinner last night at Texas T-Bone. We had a coupon for a free sirloin steak dinner (and the expiration date was yesterday), so we wanted to use it for my birthday celebration. Many other people had the same thought…the place was crowded and the wait was approximately a half an hour! While we were waiting, an acquaintance from work was there too, so we joined forces with them and got a table for 4 instead of two tables for 2 each. It got us in earlier, too. We had a fun time talking with them, so it turned out to be an enjoyable evening.
After dinner we went to Best Buy to “look” at the Sony Readers. I’d already researched them online and decided I liked the red touch screen one the best. Long story short, we got it. I was able to see how it works a bit, but since the internet was still down we couldn’t try to put any books onto it. It has some pre-loaded books (actually excerpts, but enough to show how the device works) so we could try it out.
So today, now that the internet is back up I learned how to get books onto it. Google has a library of free books, so I’m trying that out first. The library that Sony has is quite extensive so it will take a while to look through that to decide which I want.
We had dinner last night at Texas T-Bone. We had a coupon for a free sirloin steak dinner (and the expiration date was yesterday), so we wanted to use it for my birthday celebration. Many other people had the same thought…the place was crowded and the wait was approximately a half an hour! While we were waiting, an acquaintance from work was there too, so we joined forces with them and got a table for 4 instead of two tables for 2 each. It got us in earlier, too. We had a fun time talking with them, so it turned out to be an enjoyable evening.
After dinner we went to Best Buy to “look” at the Sony Readers. I’d already researched them online and decided I liked the red touch screen one the best. Long story short, we got it. I was able to see how it works a bit, but since the internet was still down we couldn’t try to put any books onto it. It has some pre-loaded books (actually excerpts, but enough to show how the device works) so we could try it out.
So today, now that the internet is back up I learned how to get books onto it. Google has a library of free books, so I’m trying that out first. The library that Sony has is quite extensive so it will take a while to look through that to decide which I want.
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