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Published: February 2nd 2009
Dave and Maggie
Jan. 20 entry: My cousin Dave and his wife Maggie at their house in Odessa, TX. The sun was very bright when I took this photo!Jan 18: Aunt Lucy and I got lazy and slept in, not going to church. I know I needed the emotional and physical rest after the problems with the RV. Aunt Lucy, who is 88, tires very easily and I think she needed the rest, also. Turns out, she is a Scrabble nut, so we broke out the board and played a game.
Jan. 19: It’s Martin Luther King Day, so not much was open. We did ride around the town so I could see a few sights. Aunt Lucy also called her minister and set up for me to do a clown act for the Seniors’ Group at the church tomorrow.
Jan 20: We watched the inauguration on TV. What an historic day! Actually, every inauguration is an historic occasion, but this one certainly is. Many people have high hopes in Obama, as is often the case with any new President, but this one especially. It certainly seems to be a time of change in many ways. Whether for good or bad, time will tell.
Today “Hosanna Hannah” appeared to an adult group, so she juggled scarves instead of making balloon animals. Maybe I should say she talked
Sam on the porch rail
Sam--I keep reminding Mommy to put some pics in of me, so here I am doing my thing! about the lessons learned in trying to learn to juggle--not only scarves, but life itself. She told a lot of jokes and everybody seemed to have a good time, including “Hannah”.
Overall it was a busy day today. After the Seniors’ luncheon, we watched the Bushes’ return to Midland on the news, then went to supper at Dave and Maggie’s. Dave is Aunt Lucy’s son, so--you guessed it--another cousin!
Jan 21-25: I spent a busy week with Aunt Lucy. We played bingo at the Senior Center, shopped with Maggie in Midland and ate supper at Dave and Maggie’s again. She makes the best guacamole and I think I will turn green with all I have eaten this week! Maggie, Lucy and I also went out one night to a wonderful Mexican restaurant--(more guacamole, but not as good as Maggie’s.) It has been a wonderful week here, visiting with my aunt and getting to know my cousin and his wife!
Sam--Aunt Lucy is cool! She let me come into her house. I even slept there all day and she and Mommy didn't notice!! I really liked the wall I could get up on and keep an eye on everything Sandhills State Park
Jan. 26 entry: This beautiful park is near Monahans, TX. You can just see the roof of my RV near the center of the picture. That will give you an idea of the size of the dunes around. going on outside!
Jan 26: I left Odessa this morning and headed for the Sandhills State Park near Monahans. Although I was not very far from Odessa, I still wanted to visit this park. It offered so many photo opportunities that I decided to stay the night. I took lots of pictures and got some beautiful ones of the sunset.
Sam--I gotta say, I really liked this place! I rolled in the sand all over the place. Everywhere I went, there was more sand! What a huge litterbox! I got to track and shed sand all over the RV! It got really cold outside after dark, though. Needless to say, Mommy and I stayed in the RV and slept warm! Jan 27: Sam and I slept in and it felt good. Woke up to a beautiful blue sky. The wind blew hard last night and had thoroughly swept the sand clean on all the hills. What a beautiful place! I had to laugh, though, when I started unhooking everything. The water faucet and hose were frozen solid. I forgot to unhook them the night before! I got out my hair dryer and thawed the campground faucet enough
Twilight at Sandhills
Jan 26 entry: The evenings and nights were wonderful here. I took this photo just before night. to unscrew my hose. It didn’t want to fold up, though, being full of frozen water! I left it hooked to the RV, looped it over the spare time and anchored it with a bunji. Next stop, Fort Davis, on the way to Big Bend National Park.
Still Jan 27: I was headed south out of Pecos to Fort Davis when the RV conked on me (again!) I finally found a tow company that would take me back to Pecos. I thought maybe my gas gauge might be wrong and I was out of gas, so the driver towed me to a gas station. After pumping a few gallons in, I tried the engine and started with no problem. By that time, it was pretty late in the day, so I boon-docked at a truck stop in Pecos for the night.
Jan 28: The RV started and stopped again, so I called the driver of the tow truck and he referred me to a local man who might help. After consultation with Mike, the mechanic, we decided it must be the fuel pump. Something certainly keeps the RV from moving down the highway and it seems to be
Sunset at Sandhills
Jan. 26 entry: No words necessary!! gas related. So, we ordered the pump (from Dallas) and I spent the night at the garage where Mike worked. They very generously allowed me to hook up to their electricity for the night. Such are the joys of traveling!
I have been praying, of course, and feel that God is with me. I feel very blessed, even with the mechanical problems. I am blessed by the people who have been very helpful, so far. Mike, for instance, is a friendly Hispanic who believes he can replace the fuel pump and has been willing to run around trying to get the right one. In the meantime I am blessed to be connected to the garage electricity, so I am able to cook, work on the computer and stay warm. I have groceries to eat and plenty of liquids to drink, unlike many others in the world such as my friends in Haiti. I have a telephone I can use for communication. (Thank God for cell phones when broken down on the highway!) I have enough books to read for a month! In addition I can practice my juggling and make balloon animals, do crosswords, cross-stitch, write and work on this travel blog. (Unfortunately, I can’t get on line to publish it right now!) So, in spite of it all, I am doing ok and can praise God who does all things well.
Jan 29: Okay! The fuel pump is installed, the RV starts! I drove around town a bit to see how she runs and had no problems! I am leaving Pecos! (With all due respect to the citizens of this town, I am glad to be leaving!)
Sam--Uh oh, we’re on the move again. I’ve been cooped up in the house for two days! I don’t know why Mommy wouldn’t let me out! She just keeps saying “No”. I don’t know what has gotten into her! We have finally gotten to Ft. Davis! It only took us two and a half days to go 60 some miles! What gorgeous country this is! Ft. Davis is on a plateau at some 5000 feet high. The mountains here are bare and rocky for the most part but the rock formations are incredible! I really look forward to exploring the town’s shops, visiting the National Historic site of the old fort and seeing the nearby observatory. I think I will stay here a few days.
I registered at the RV park office and came back to the RV to drive it into the assigned site. Guess what!
It doesn’t start!
I think I’m going to lose it!
(Later) The park manager got the RV pulled into a site so I can hook up. Tomorrow it’s back to the drawing board.
Sam--Yay! I’m out of prison! Mommy opened up my door so I can come and go again. I wonder what the last couple of days was all about? Jan 30:
Sam--Uh oh. I’m locked back in again. I wonder if I did something wrong? I don’t think so, though. Last night she petted me but cried, too. I tried to comfort her by nuzzling her nose and purring as loud as I could. She told me I was a good cat and she didn’t know what she would do without me. After a while she stopped crying. I guess I did a good job of cheering her up! Another day, another garage. At least the RV started so I could drive down here. This garage has up-to-date computer equipment and ran a lot of tests. (Sounds like a doctor’s visit, doesn’t it?) According to the results, a sensor in the crank shaft needs to be replaced. Looks like the fuel pump was not the problem after all. Oh, well. I guess I’m part of the current plan to help stimulate the economy in West Texas! Good news is, the part is available in a nearby city and they can fix the RV today! I’m taking the opportunity to start exploring the town, which is small enough to walk everywhere. Poor Sam, though. Cooped up again!
Evening, the same day. This sounds like a script for a soap opera! The RV seems to be fixed. Sam and I are back at the RV park. I am going to eat, take a long hot shower, and go to bed!!
Sam--I’m skipping the shower! I will go outside--yes! Yes!--and explore this new place some more.
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Melanie Neer
non-member comment
Wonderful
another great blog entry and the photos are breathtaking especially the sunset...and of course LOVE the picture of Sammy