01/16/03 Snowed In

(I only sent this email to one daughter & one sister, but it begins this journal appropriately.)

Not up to much talk right now, but we're safe and sound at the Super-8 in Middletown, VA.
Bravely sought center and border lines through the driving snow from the PA-Maryland border through Maryland, West VA, and to here before we finally saw the dim Super-8 sign, found the off-ramp and waded our way to the beckoning lights.

At some point there, I lost my determination to make it to TN tonight.

Eileen was really very patient.

Fri 1/17/2003 7:16 AM: – – Have fun!! - Bri

 

01/21/03 Creeping Crud

I had planned to get this off sooner.

However, the usual run of near-misses occurred such that until tonight I was too involved in desperate survival or too involved in the overwhelming gratitude of recovery to sit down in the front seat of my van in front of some motel on whatever night to type this in a logical and lucid manner.

As most of you know, this is a newsletter that I send out to a select number of people. You were specifically chosen, either because you received it last year and were kind enough to let me know that you liked it, or because I have carefully perused my list of contacts and for some reason added your name because I suspected that you might enjoy receiving it. However, the list by necessity has to be limited to avoid those filters that automatically label mass-mailed documents as spam and destroy them.

So, if you want to receive further interactions, please Reply with a "Got it. Like it" (you can be more descriptive if you wish).

As I type all this, I notice that my system is not connecting, so this may not go out tonight anyhow. I do not know why it is not connecting which may seem incomprehensible to those of you who think of me as knowing something about computers, and having played with these things for 30 something years, I certainly should, but I don't. It is not connecting; it should; I don't know why. I do know, from experience, that it will - if not tonight, then the next time, or the next.

Eileen is not well tonight; a few nights ago, I was not well in a similar manner. It begins with a sudden onslaught in the middle of the night with ones intestines evacuating themselves in a rather forceful manner. The remainder of the night continues with unwanted misery. The next day proceeds with excruciating aches and pains everywhere, unrelenting, in utter agony. Throughout you become desperately tired and weary and exhausted. That is why it is good to have a mate. While one grovels in agony, the other is strong and supportive.

[Newsflash: without my trying, MS Outlook suddenly connected and is downloading 170 emails as I type.] Though I have not even begun to tell you what's been going on, I will send this off now to let you know that we are alive and reasonably well. Also, I'm really ready to go to sleep. [No, I'm not going to wait for 160 something spams and a few good emails - maybe tomorrow]

I will continue this ASAP.

 

Wed 1/22/2003 1:58 AM: – – Got it, Hope you both are feeling better and will be in Joshua Tree soon. There's nothing like home! Good luck, cat and dog hopefuly are OK!. – Renie

 

Wed 1/22/2003 4:29 AM: – – HI, Van...       Got it.  Like it.  But tell me, where is Joshua Tree???  - Sheryl (and Dennis)

Fri 1/31/2003 9:53 PM: – – It's high in the San Bernardino mountains, CA. My land is about halfway between the town of Joshua Tree and the Joshua Tree National Park. Magnificent place - spiritual. Read my journal from last year or look at the pictures; you'll see what I mean. - Van

 

Wed 1/22/2003 5:34 AM: – – Hi Van and Eileen, Got it and do like it. Please do keep me (and that means Allen too) on your list. I didn't know you two were hitting the road again. I spoke with Eileen soon after Louie passed away and she didn't mention going to Joshua Tree so soon. Sorry you two got that bug. So far it hasn't made it to our house, but I know many people who have had it and said it's one of the worst they have ever had. Hope you are enjoying better weather than us. – Sue

 

Wed 1/22/2003 6:23 AM: – – Hi Van, Yes, we would love to continue to be on your list. Oh,yes, that intestinal bug went through our school, and I didn't want to catch it, so I haven't been volunteering for 2 months over there. I miss it, but I don't miss the 'creeping crud' as we used to call it. Make sure that you both drink enough fluids, you don't want to get de-hydrated.

 

Weather here stinks, it is so cold that all it is good for is ice fishing and Richie and I are not into that! Freddie just got back from Santa Barbara, and said that California is warm and lovely. Have a good year, and keep in touch. - Janie and Richie

 

Wed 1/22/2003 9:59 AM: – – Hi Van and Eileen, Glad to hear from you and keep the news coming. So sorry to hear you got that nasty stomach illness. It has been making the rounds and is not fun! You Got away just in time before the deep freeze. It has been near zero in the mornings for the last three days and is expected to continue. Take care....hope you are almost there and both feeling better. – Marcia

 

Wed 1/22/2003 1:21 PM: – – We've been wondering when you'd get going. Rick & I can certainly sympathize with your malady, we had it for 4 days before leaving the Cape. I picked it up at my mother's nursing home Christmas day and two days later it hit. Rick got it the next day. New Year's day was the first time we felt like humans, until that just the thought of any food would send us running. We thought the timing of its demise was a good omen.

 

We are in Seven Lakes, NC, FREEZING! We came to the sunny south but it ran away. Today's high is mid 30's, tomorrow's in the 20's with snow tonight. Actually, if you look at a weather map, the entire country is cold. Our friends in Florida told us to bring our woolies if we want to visit. The Montreal Clipper has taken over! Hope you're not freezing there too! - Ginny & Rick

 

Wed 1/22/2003 2:10 PM: – – Glad to hear that you made it back, hope all goes well.Tell me what sort of critters did you find living in the trailer??? - Clem & Mary

Fri 1/31/2003 9:44 PM: – – No critters in the trailer - zero. No droppings. No bugs. This place was sealed up tight. - Van

 

Thu 1/23/2003 11:25 AM: – – hey there- hopefully this email finds you both in better health. I am in Virginia now, after visiting with Uncle Fred and fiancee Nancy for a few days in Reston/Fairfax. My place is in Virginia, work is in DC. Everything is going great- moved in, partially situated, start work on Monday. – Bri

 

Sun 1/26/2003 4:32 PM: – – "Got it. Like it." Sure, keep 'em coming and have a great winter!!- Bob & Cindy

 

 

01/31/03 – – Made It!

 

We're here. We actually arrived on the 24th but when that time of night arrives where I might sit down to type this newsletter, I'm too darn tired. It is probably post-tripmatic syndrome.

In fact, as I read and re-read and re-edit this over a span of a few nights, I have a strong urge to scrap it and try again later. It just is not coming out as nice smooth flowing prose. Perhaps I've lost it, or my mind is tired, or I never really had it to begin with. I don't know, but I think I am going to send it out as is. If you are reading this, then that is what I have done.

Leaving MA, we had aimed south & west assuming that as we did so, the world would become gradually warmer and more to our liking. At the PA-Maryland border, it began snowing. In Nashville we hit near blizzard-on-ice conditions. There we lost one tire, one oil pan and gained a large hole in the bell-housing as I drove over some old light pole bolts hidden under the snow.

Triple A informed us that there were no tow trucks available for non-emergencies around Nashville as they were all busy clearing wrecks from the roads and highways.

I want to extend a special thanks to the people at the Microtel Inn, west of Nashville, who unofficially allowed our cat and dog to room with us during the sub-zero nights of that weekend. Then there was the waitress at the restaurant near our "accident" scene getting info from local patrons on where to have our vehicle repaired and where to stay. Also, a grateful mention to the stranger who generously took us to the Inn suggested by the locals.

That was a Friday night. By Monday afternoon, we were heading west again feeling secure with our new set of 4 Firestone tires and a shiny new black oil pan. Near Little Rock, we lost one of those tires to a nail or such. I reinstalled the previous year's Walmart tire as Eileen complained bitterly about my forcing her to stand in the dark cold snowy weeds away from the van and the highway while I changed the tire. She was right; nothing happened.

A couple of days later, we arrived in Tempe, AZ. As we visited her son, Jody, and her daughter, Sarah, and as I purchased a 5th new tire, I also began to notice the temperature gauge randomly climbing to the top. This was eerily reminiscent of similar behavior that had occurred prior to having lost the engine block about 4 months ago. The long and the short of it is that we found ourselves deep in the heart of what was probably old-town Tempe at Bert's Radiator being assisted by a genius named Carlos.

He is one of those rare breed of mechanics who seem to zero in on the very root of the problem as he meanders on about his upbringing in southern Texas with 11 brothers and his 20 year job with GM in Chicago. It was the thermal sensor sensing at too high a thermal level, so the fan was kicking in too late. This is probably why I lost the previous engine block (and $3200). My mechanic in MA apparently didn't think of the thermal sensor; the one Carlos pulled was the original. He charged me $22 plus the sensor.

We continued West and over the border into CA and up the San Bernardino Mountains into Joshua Tree. We wound our way out half-way towards the National Park and back through the dirt roads to find my trailer sitting there bright and beautiful, exactly as I had left it 8 months prior. What a relief!

The wind had shredded the tarp that covered our original home, "the tent". A neighbor, Ron, had kindly pulled the rest of it off, folded it up and stuck it under a rock so the place would not look unlived in. The summer's draught had toppled a senior Joshua tree and a young one. Otherwise, everything was fine. The coyotes are away. Ron says they do that now and then. So are the jack rabbits. No sign of Lightfoot, though somebody said they think they saw him a few months ago (you can read about Lightfoot in last year's journal on the web site).

The weather has been real nice - low 70s in the day time, then the 50s or so at night. No wind thus far and no rain.

I had planned to go right to work on renovating, wiring and painting the interior of the trailer. But that hasn't happened. Instead, we have been shopping, as Eileen turns it into a home. It's clean - I did that last year and also slapped a coat of varnish on nearly everything inside. But as we "discuss" how I am going to get the work done and we are going to live comfortably, the place has been filling up with new blinds, a white tubular and glass kitchen table, a new mattress and a wicker bureau, etc..

My Decor	Eileen's Touch

My thoughts of moving everything including us into the (re-tarped) tent and van so I can get to work are loosing headway.

This is the story of our adventures in Joshua Tree - the 4 of us; Eileen & I, Missy & Mo. Unfortunately, some adventures began before we reached this sanctuary. In October, Mo lost a rear leg and tail to the train that runs in back of our MA home. Through the trees, I had seen the train stop, but didn't know why until, out of curiosity, I took a look at the tracks a couple of hours later. During our exhaustive search for him, as we came to realize that there was no hope of finding our 12 year old dog alive, he found us, 21 hours later.

He is back to his normal (3 legged) self now, taking long walks with Eileen, eating well, and he has gotten the hang of getting up those rocks I stacked last year as steps up to the trailer door. However, I am sketching plans for a deck that includes a ramp for the disabled. :) I will get that done before I go to work on the interior.

Along with an arsenal of flashlights, rechargeable batteries, another propane heater, a new flag, and a silver tarp, I sprung for a new digital camera on eBay. It has twice the resolution of the one I used last year, so the pictures you will see online, should you choose to, should be twice as good as those of 2002. Hence, I have one less excuse for why my pictures don't always come out the way they ought to - just remember, it's the subject matter that counts; not the quality.

All I really wanted to do was let you know that we made it to the left coast (well, close).

Sat 2/1/2003 6:15 AM: – – Hi Van and Eileen, Glad to know you got back OK, but you sure had some troubles on the way. That was darn lucky that Mo survived the train! I used to have a ramp with astroturf on it that I used to get Freddie's old golden retriever, Willie, up and into my truck. Weather here has turned wet and rainy, and its finally above freezing here on the Cape. I hope you find Lightfoot, he looks like a fun dog, a free spirit. Have a good winter, and keep us on your list, Janie and Richie

 

Sat 2/1/2003 6:26 AM: – – Got it Van ... just came back from Cancun, Mexico (19th year) – Bernie of MBA Timeshares

 

Sat 2/1/2003 7:20 AM: – – Nice to hear from you. Good luck to your stay at Joshua Tree. – Jerry

 

Sat 2/8/2003 2:13 PM: – – It sounds like quite the trip out west!! Glad to hear you finally made it. - Take care, kathryn

 

Sun 2/9/2003 9:23 PM: – – Here is my correct new site address: www.geocities.com/vblakeman2/assign2.html

I see the difference that Eileen made, both of you are doing a great job! – Virginia

 

Web Design © 2004, Van Blakeman