Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 10:40 AM
Being the new guy in a new place is almost always a challenge. Every one has their place and their routines. Then you step in, unfamiliar with how things work. I've seen this at jobs, bars, communities, even rodeo's! It seems wherever people gather for any period of time they form their way to look at the world. Coming in from the outside is always a big challenge.
In my twenties I would butt heads with these idealists and try to show them the way of the world outside their little sphere of reality. I wasn't saying that there was a right way or a wrong way, just that there are many ways. I was raised in a small ranching community and we had OUR ways of doing things. It wasn't until I moved to Oregon the first time that my field of vision was expanded. Later I moved to the city of San Diego and had a bigger field of vision. When I left there I was looking for something a little smaller scale. I found a lot of that in Austin.
Now, having returned to Oregon and back in some very familiar territory I have a new way to handle these narrow field of visions. Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming. I think Dori had it rigth when she sang those words to Nemo's dad. I have found that just doing my thing the way that works best for me has lead to some interesting observations by the locals. I may get poked fun at for the way I handle things, but after a while they see that I have worked out a pretty efficient way to take care of the things I need to do. I've found that the mocking turned to questions and questions lead to instruction and now I've got a few people doing things a little bit differently than before. Just keep swimming.
This isn't the first time I've thought of Dori. She comes up a lot in my conscious. One because I love marine biology. The ONE thing I really miss about having a house with a foundation on it, my Aquarium!! Maybe I will remove the television that slides down behind the fireplace and put an aquarium that does the same thing. That would be fun. But I digress. I have also started swimming again. I found myself too focused on other things that had to be done and not giving myself the physical exercise that my body requires. I decided to start using the pool that I had available to me. I have an hour nearly every day that I can jump in and swim. The first few days were difficult, but I pushed myself to continue on. Just keep swimmming.
What I have notice through all of this is that doing my thing my way, while still listening to others ideas, shows by example what works for me. Jumping in a pool or any exercise that pushes you through your comfort zone is not for everyone. To some it's an incredible waste of time and energy that could be used being productive some where else. That is great for them. I know from my own experience that exercise and physical exertion keeps my mind at ease. It's easier to relax during the day when I've had a good work out. I'm less irritable, edgy, nervous, or any of the other words that can be used to describe the feelings when you worry. By swimming my laps every day I'm finding a way through that trouble. I'm also not inflicting pain on others because I'm more calm. For some it's yoga, some meditation and others, sitting on the couch and watching football. What ever works best for you, do it. Me, I'll just keep swimming.
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Saturday, November 19, 2011, 10:08 AM
Last night we got our first dusting of snow here at the RV park. I have seen snow in recent years. Contrary to popular belief Texas does get cold. I have seen snow in Austin several times during my life there. However, when it snowed there I was cold as hell. I am not sure why, today, I'm not cold when I step outside with the boys. The thermometer reading is the same, 32 degrees. Yet for some reason I'm not cold standing out there. Maybe it's the beauty of seeing the tall pine trees dusted with snow.Maybe it's my heart warmed by being in the mountains. What ever it is, it is all in my head.
I find this to be the case with most things in my life. Since 2006, I have learned how to step back from situations and look at them from another angle. Often what I think is a problem is only a perceived problem that my mind is trying to figure out. I remember reading about that one time in the book, The Power of Now. In that book the mind is described as a powerful tool that is capable of solving very complex problems. It is the same tool that evaluates our daily situation and figures out if we need to fight or run. At the same time it's trying to figure that out it's planning both routines. However, and this is the interesting thing, we are not wandering the woods on a daily basis and don't really need our mind to solve very complex problems on a minute by minute basis.
So what does the mind do? It creates problems and then tries to solve them. WHAT? Yes, it creates problems that it can then try to figure out and solve. I have noticed this in my mind on several occasions. I have been in certain social situations and things have gone very well. After I leave, however, my mind starts playing things back differently. "Oh that joke you made, that had to have offended Sue. She's going to be very mad at you and you work with her. How are you going to face her?"
This can go on for as long as I let it. Before I knew what was going on with my mind, that it was basically like a running chainsaw with the throttle stuck on wide open, slashing everything it comes in contact with, I would shriek and hide. Now, through a lot of hard work, I have learned to tell my mind, "that is not what happened. Every one laughed and it was a jovial time." I still think of my mind as that chainsaw. Only, instead of being afraid of it, I know where the kill switch is and I know I have the power to turn it off. So I take a breath and do just that. Sometimes however, I can let it run, removing myself from the situation and watching some of the crazy shit it comes up with. If you ever want a good laugh, listen to yourself create all these crazy situations.
The best part of all this is, I've learned how to remove myself from the drama that my mind creates. The second best part is, I know I have a kick ass chainsaw that will fire up on a moments notice and slash my way out of any real situation that comes up. It's kind of nice to know I have the tool I need to get myself out of a predicament. It's even nicer that I don't' have to think up every possible predicament before it has really come to pass. I have found that for all the crazy shit my mind comes up with as possible outcomes, the one that really comes to pass was not even in the play book. So I find it better to say, "Thank you, mind, that was an interesting situation you came up with. If it comes up I know I can count on you to figure out the problem. However, there's nothing in front of me right now so you can rest." And I visualize putting my mind (chainsaw) on the shelf in my brain for later use.
Well that was a rabbit hole I wasn't planning on going down. It is a nice reminder of the tools I've come up with to deal with things that are in my head, even 32 degrees can be handled in this way.
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Friday, August 5, 2011, 10:56 AM
Eighteen months ago I embarked on a daunting journey. It's not a journey to a location but a journey to a new way of living. Really an old way of living but new to my life. Eighteen months ago I began living a cash only life. I considered walking away from my debt obligations too, however, decided I would 'do the right thing' and pay down those debts as fast as I could. Both of these decisions proved to be challenging.
I began this journey by setting up a budget and a spreadhseet to track my progress. I had already began paying down on one card but really hadn't tracked it. I put in place a tool to help me track the paydown over time. After all the numbers were in place I made the decision to keep that budget and payments at those levels until the debt was gone. My spreadsheet showed that doing so I would be debt free in three years. Like a good hike up a mountain, it looks insurmountable when you first hit the trail. Alas, I took the first steps.
Of course the best laid plans rarely map out every event that comes up. I had in my plan to put away some savings in addition to paying off my debt. I had heard before, pay yourself first! I had intended to use this savings account to make periodic lump sum payments to my credit card debt. However, I neglected to put in my budget things like quarterly auto insurance and truck repairs. Having a truck that is paid off is a wonderful feeling, but it also means you have an older truck that is going to need maintenance and repairs. My original idea of using the savings for lump sum payments really ended up being my safety net for the costs that just come up. I was thankful that I had something in place, although frustrated that every time there was a repair it seemed to be within one hundred dollars of my savings account balance.
I kept hiking up that mountain, paying monthly the same amount. In the first few months I checked the spreadsheet regularly. My first payment to the account was twelve dollars more than the minimum amount due. It wasn't much, but I told myself that every little bit mattered. The second month it was a little more, and the third even more. Like any fixed payment loan I was paying more principal off with each payment. Each step took me further up the mountain.
Just as with any hike, the further you get into it the more you get lost in the hike itself. You lose focus on the summit and start to notice things around you. This happened to me about four months into this plan. I began to ignore the spreadsheet and the tracking of payments. I made sure they were paid on time and in the same amount. I watched my daily expenses closely and became comfortable with the budget and the lack of extraneous funds. It has been a hard climb up the mountain, but I am keeping on track and keeping a good pace.
Like a climb up any mountain you set milestones and objective way points to stop and catch your breath. I set mine to be 18 months. I hadn't updated my spreadsheet in several months. The move to Oregon and hiking and other things kept me distracted and entertained. I stopped noticing the low balance at the end of the month aside from making sure nothing bounced. Then I reached a milestone. When I scheduled this months payment I realized that my balance on that account was going to dip below a milestone number. I was amazed because this is one of three accounts and not the one getting the bulk of my work. It's the one that gets a regular payment of the same amount every month. It is the one whose first payment included twelve extra dollars to go toward principal. I figured this was a good place to stop, catch my breath, and look back at all the ground I had covered.
I downloaded the last twelve statements and put in the REAL numbers in my spreadsheet, replacing the forecasted numbers I had put in place eighteen months prior. To my amazement, this month that same payment amount that I have budgeted pays an additional two hundred and fifty five dollars in principal. Now that is some traction! Not only was I hitting a milestone number this month, but my monthly payments have more teeth. I'm taking bigger bites out of my total balance with the same payment. What a great feeling. Just like stopping on a hike and looking back at the land I'd covered I was taking in an amazing view.
When I turn forward again I still see a large mountain ahead of me. There is some steep climbing left to do. It's going to take continued discipline. Now, however, it's easier. With each step I take today I'm making more headway up this mountain. Every month ahead I get closer to the summit. I have lived with this budget for over a year and a half. I'm comfortable with the amount of cash I leave over for myself and the savings I have for the things that come up. My energy and commitment are renewed by pausing and looking back. Yes, I want to be on top of that mountain today, but I know that it is going to take continued baby steps. As long as I keep on task and stay focused on the goal, I know I can and WILL make it. I am a third of the way there!! The views from here are fantastic, but I know when I reach the summit, they will be unbelieveable.
No matter what challenge you are facing, keep one foot in front of the other, keep going forwad. Don't focus on the BIG picture, but focus on your plan. Then, every now and again, take a moment to look back and see how far you've come!!!
Peace!
Brian
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Monday, July 11, 2011, 07:01 PM
Ha ha ha, okay not really! On the eve of my 39th, yes, really my 39th, birthday I am thankful for making it this far. I know we've all said that before! It's been quite a journey and I've come a long long way. Hell I've come a long way in the last two months! Texas to Oregon is a long way, no doubt about it. It is always interesting to take a look back on the path we have followed.
This last weekend I had the pleasure of going to Grants Pass to celebrate my brother in laws 40th birthday party. It was to be a surprise and so we were to take a ride on the jet boat down the Rogue river as a distraction. Twenty years ago this month, I made that same trip down the Rogue. It was 1991 and I had just graduated from Highschool. BiJae hadn't been adopted yet, he was born, but our paths hadn't crossed quite yet. I was nineteen, full of hopes and dreams and ready to conquer the world. That summer was a great beginning to a great story. It's a story of adventure, love, betrayal, all wrapped in the tale of a boy becoming the man he wanted to be.
As I rode down the river in the jet boat my mind wandered back over the last twenty years. What an incredible journey! What a ride!! Like the jet boat, sliding around the shallow corners, I have skidded through some tight spots. I have navigated the stream of my life with a lot of success. There have been pitfalls along the way, and I'll be the first to admit I tried to cling to the walls of more than one canyon hoping to slow the pace. However, that's not what my life has been about. My life has been about flowing with the river, riding the currents where I can and when I get in a tight spot... Well that's why them boats have THREE 350 HP motors on them, fire up them bad boys and get your ass out in a hurry! Or at the very least persuade the currents to move a little more in your favor.
I felt a great sense of completing a circle on this trip. It was as though the current me could feel across the chasm of time to the me that was twenty years ago. I sensed all the things that person of my past would reach out to accomplish. I smiled at the juvenile eagle that we saw at the turn around point in Hellgate Canyon. I knew that juvenile once.. and I know him again. He'll grow up to achieve great things just as he believes he will. He will learn that these great things are not like building the worlds tallest building or becoming president. The great things he learns is how to sing with an open heart. How to lend an ear or hand to a friend in need. He will learn that having all the latest toys and gadgets, while fun, is not the sole reason for existing. He will find that companionship, loyalty, honesty, and faith are the four greatest things in this world. Everything that is not contained within the heart can be replaced. Even though these things are cherished, they are not what makes a man.
I said hello to that me of so long ago. I greeted him with a long warm smile. I wished him well. I wished him all the strength it took me to get back to where I began. I did not wish him a different path, for nothing has happened by mistake. Every step I have taken in the last twenty years has been for a reason. Had I not walked a difficult path I would not nearly appreciate the things I do today. I have stumbled on my journey. I have fallen. I have cheered with joy, and I have weeped with sorrow. I would not trade any one of these moments in my life for the other.
My life has been to learn about duality. I have come to appreciate the oscillation of it's energy. It gives me peace when I am too hyper. It gives me strength when I feel I cannot go on. I appreciate the night as much as I appreciate the day. I appreciate the spring as much as I do the fall. I appreciate the new life and sharing of things with my nieces and nephew. I even appreciate the greif and sorrow at losing a friend when they cross. Each oscillation gives me a moment to look back and appreciate the other side of that emotion. One cannot fully appreciate one without the other.
It is an honor to get to walk so closely with my past self, to see where he's going so bright eyed and hopeful. I know the despair he will face. I know the challenges he will over come. I know who he aspires to be. I know that he will achieve his goal. He, like me, will succeed in becoming the man he's always wanted to be. Peace my friend! Enjoy the journey. Maybe in twenty years you will look forward and see me of the future and where I am then.
Thank you for all the memories and sharing in making them!!
Brian
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Sunday, July 3, 2011, 03:03 PM
Happy Fourth of July! This weekend the boys and I celebrated our independence from the heat and humidity!! I feel for my friends and family back in Texas. They have been suffering from a long hot spell and little to no rain. I know what that is like and I do not miss it. Yes, I miss all my friends but I do not miss the heat and humidity of central Texas. I have come to learn that I am not a hot weather person. The last two years in Texas really wore me down. I realized this even more when it got to 85 degrees here the other day. It was too warm for me. Of course there was no humidity so I wasn't on the couch under the air conditioning, but I was noticing that the heat was tickling something unpleasant in me. I don't think I would have survived one more summer in Texas. Sorry guys, I love you all, but the heat is not my friend.
We have been taking advantage of the cooler climate here. This holiday weekend we have been making the most of if. Yesterday we took a drive over to the coast, stopping for a hike along the way. We left the house close to nine in the morning. Yes, I slept in to 6 am and did a few things around the house before leaving. We drove two hours before we arrived at Saddle Mountain Trail head (My Tracks Map of our Hike, click on END to see elevation gain!! ). Along the way I was greeted (guided?) by my hawk friends. I knew it was going to be a great day because they were with me. When we arrived at the trail head I was quick to learn we did not have an original idea. The parking lot was overflowing, cars were parked a couple hundred yards down the two lane road. Thankfully there was room to turn Cody (the beast of a truck I have) around. I managed to park along side the road close to a quarter mile back down the road. We were here to hike so we didn't need to be the closest parking spot ;-)
One of the biggest joys is discovering a new trail. I was a little worried that this trail might be over crowded. When you have three dogs you can take up a majority of the widest trails. I thought for a moment about if we were really going to go up on this heavily traveled path. Then I thought, "I came here to hike and northing's going to stop us." With that final thought we were on our way. I hitched up the team. I call it hitching up the team because I have a single leash that splits to three harness connections. Several people have commented that I need a sled for them to pull me. It is quite a site and watching the different reactions we receive is priceless. Not only do I have three dogs on one leash, but I have three black dogs. The fact that they are all black gets just as much reaction as their numbers.
We hiked up the road and hit the trail. I was encouraged to see several people coming down the mountain that were not in the best hiking shape. This is not a judgmental thing, but having read that this was a difficult hike, seeing people that were in worse shape than me said we could make it. The trail started up through a dense poplar grove. The wind rustled the leaves, shimmering them from green to silver back and forth. It was a beautiful site to see. I continued at a decent pace with the boys in the lead. The trail wound up and around the side of the mountain. It was a nice gradual climb, not too steep. Of course Bear had to stop at every bush to leave his pee-mail. When he wasn't leaving a message he was reading one. All three boys had their noses to the edge of the trail, seeing who had been here before them.
We came to our first switch back about a quarter mile into the trail. I looked up and ahead to where the trail was heading. I was surprised to see that not only was the first switch back, but this was the first of four in a row. As I looked up through the trees up the side of the mountain I saw people heading the same direction I was, only they were close to three hundred above me. It was steep enough that I could see up through the trees to see them walking along the trail. It was clear they too were climbing. "Here we go," I thought. We continued up the mountain, leaving the beauty of the shamrock garden below. Yes, there was a shamrock garden. It was not labeled, nor was it planted by anyone other than the great mother. It was a beautiful meadow of clovers standing tall, reaching for the light that penetrated the canopy of the tall pines.
I was sweating profusely when we made the sixth or seventh switch back. I lost count because I was focusing on the path and the boys and our ascent up the mountain. We reached a clearing and I could see that the valley the road came up was well below us now. After several more switch backs I realized how steep the mountain we were climbing was. We seemed to be on a stairway straight to heaven. Little did I know that's exactly what we were on. We passed mile marker 1.25. Hershey was starting to lag a little, being pulled by the other two on the leash. The trail wasn't too wide, and I had seen other dogs off their leash. I didn't unhitch the whole team, But I figured Hershey could walk with us off the lead, and move Black Jack to the outside, giving him more space to stop and sniff. Hershey appreciated the move and fell to the rear following us up the mountain. Hershey is now twelve years old and a little slower than the rest of the team, but at 84+ years old he is still doing it! He's my slow and steady guy. He has tortoise medicine and knows that he'll make it.
We hiked on like this for another hour, continually climbing. We passed in and out of trees, revealing expansive views of the valley that we had drove. I could barely make out the line that was the highway in the center of the valley. A mall gap in trees was the only indication that there was anything but forest out there. I felt completely removed from industry and the "civilized world". It was the best feeling I had had in years. Of course there were plenty of people on the path to remind me we weren't alone. We finally reached a more gentle incline. I thought I heard Hershey breathe a sigh of relief. He was having a blast coming along with us. He greeted the people and dogs coming down off the mountain. The further we got up the hill the more he seemed to want to follow them down rather than continue up with us. He stayed with his family.
The trees cleared and gave way to a spectacular view. The main trail wrapped around the mountain, and a side trail followed the sliver of a ridge jutting out from the main mountain. I watched five hikers come back off the ridge, returning to their trek. I lead the boys down this side path to see what I could see. While I would like to use words to describe it to you, I'm afraid words escape me.. I know.. shocking but really?? Look at this?
;)
Yeah it was that amazing. The Pacific Ocean was clearly visible along side the other half of Saddle Mountain. We had reached the summit of the first (and lower) part of the saddle. Now it was time to head down the saddle and up to the TOP. I had reservations if we would go all the way. It was part because of Hershey, it was part because of me. We had come up a long long way, and now we were going to go down and then back up??
After fifteen minutes out on this small ridge I decided we were going to summit. Even if it was crawling with people. I guess I did not have an original idea and the parking lot wasn't the only indication. I could see from the vantage point of that picture that I was going to see a lot of people up at the top. Hershey followed us on our path. As we made our way down I had to coach Bear to not pull the leash. Nothing like having your dog pull you down a rocky path. Hershey was very grateful to be going down hill. I didn't even think to tell him that it wasn't for long, nor the last uphill battle. The last 1/4 mile was the most difficult. Yes that picture was spectacular, but if you look closely you can see that the trail snakes up the side of that big rock. It wasn't straight up, but it was close enough. The trail was very well maintained though. In many locations, where there would have been small rocks, they had covered it with fencing material. Not only did that keep the erosion down, but your hiking boots or tennis shoes (I recommend hiking boots) could grip the metal of the fencing as well as the rocks to keep you moving forward. I have been on trails that did not have this. It was an amazing improvement.
We pressed on, reaching the true summit two hours after we started out from the parking lot. My shirt was soaked through. My hat was soaked through. I was sweating my ass off! This is a great hike. I don't know if I would call it a difficult hike. Yes the steepness of it warrants a more difficult rating, but it's well maintained and many people were at the summit who were not in the best of condition. It was a challenging hike but I would say because of the less technical aspect of it, it deserves a moderate rating. It is a strong moderate hike, not quite a difficult hike. Then again, ask me in two years when I'm a little older.. Ha.. I'll still be hiking that mountain!
I took my backpack off, instantly feeling the cool breeze on my wet back. It was a little crisp! So I took off my shirt to relieve me from that cool air mixing with the wet shirt causing a bigger chill. Yes, you can get hypothermia from simply sweating too much. Not that I was in any danger of that, but I wasn't comfortable. Once I had my shirt off, my skin dried almost instantly (GOD I DON'T MISS TEXAS). I pulled out my water bottle and cupped my hand. I let the boys drink first. Several people smiled as they saw all three dogs poking their nose into my cupped hand. When they had a little bit, I took a big drink myself. Now it was time to take in the view. I looked all the way around. Three hundred and sixty degree view, Summit View . Amazing doesn't begin to describe it. It was breath taking and remarkable and such an achievement. I took in the remarkable view. From this vantage point I could see the Pacific Ocean, always a sight to behold. I could also see five snow capped peaks back towards Portland. It was clear enough to see Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens, Mt Jefferson, Mt Adams and Mt Hood. You know i love my mountains and seeing them from this angle was spectacular. It was an amazing hike and this was the pay off.
I will have to tell you about the other half some other time.... We'll start with our journey down the mountain and then on to the beach and our amazing drive home... until then.. Happy Independence.. may you be free from anything that oppresses you from being all that you deserve to be. Find your path and hike your dreams. You deserve to be happy. I wish you well!
Love,
Brian
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Sunday, June 5, 2011, 01:17 PM
This morning we had our first big hike. I found a trail that is just about ten miles up the road from where we are staying. Pup Creek Falls on Fish Creek Trail It's a great hike, not hugely technical, but has some good inclines and follows the Clackamas River. The first half mile was an easy hike with a wide path and fairly level. After that the trail narrows and starts to climb. It was not a full up hill climb, but enough that Hershey had to slow down a bit. We took the trail slow and steady climbing up the hills when they came our way.
;)
The woods were amazing and awesome to be in. When we descended down next to the river again I could feel the rush of ions coming off the river. We were the only ones on the trail that early in the morning. There were two cars in the trail head parking lot when I parked at 7 AM. We saw two hikers on the way back and passed through one camp where a dad and son were packing up from staying the night. It was a glorious morning hike.
Hershey was the first to be off leash, he does very well with being off leash and follows me pretty closely. About three quarters of a mile in I let Bear off the leash. It is totally new terrain for him and was curious how he would handle it. The trail was on a very steep hillside and I asked him to stay on the trail. I didn't want him to go tumbling down into the river. The current is very swift and he would have been back to the lake by the RV park before I could have gotten him out. He did for the most part.
The Picture above was taken at our turn around point. It's a falls called pup falls. The picture doesn't do the falls justice, but you can see I have three very happy boys! On the way back I let Black Jack off the leash so he could run. He loves to run and needs to get to do that. I was in a fairly flat stretch and figured he'd be fine. He took off in a tear like he always does. Then he took off and turned toward the river. I hollared for him to stop and he turned, yelped then came back to me holding his left hind leg up. I looked and saw that he had a half inch puncture in his knee. It looked like a clean cut, not sure what he caught it on but he caught it good.
He didn't put weight on it for a few minutes. I walked with him slowly. With each step he put a little more faith in his leg. It bled for a while. I found a patch of clovers and used that to wipe the blood away. I guess I need to start carrying a first aid kit if the little boy is going to continue to be a little boy. He managed to make it the rest of the way back to the truck. He had a little trouble getting in the RV. I'm sure it's going to hurt for a few days. I'm going to get some super glue this afternoon and 'stitch' it up so it heals better. It's a pretty good gash. Poor baby!
We had a great hike this morning and now I have three sleeping dogs. I'm sure they will be more than happy for me to go to work tomorrow. Little do they know it's only 11 am and we still have an afternoon hike planned.. ha ha ha.. okay not really. I'll probably let them all rest and I will take the kayak across the way and paddle around for a bit.
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Monday, May 30, 2011, 08:49 PM
Today the boys and I took a drive up the river. We didn't get in the kayak, but we did follow the river on the highway. We made it up to where the snow covered the road. Yes, I put it in four wheel drive and followed the tracks up through the snow. It was wet and slushy so it was fun to drive through. Black Jack didn't know what to think about the truck bucking and bouncing like that. He will learn!! Going to make a four wheel dog out of him before long!
We stopped at three different locations, the snow being one of them. We also stopped at a couple spots on the river. It was tough to find a spot that wasn't already take, but that's not surprising giving the holiday weekend and all. However, we did manage to find two beautiful spots to get out and stretch our legs!!
;)
This was my first trip up the river so it was more a fact finding mission than a hiking trek. I spotted several places that are very close by that we might have to check out after work one day. With the long summer nights and our flash light we should be able to get up there and hike a bit along the river or up in the mountains. I also found two hot springs that are available. One requires a trek across the river. Not sure I'll want to swim across a cold river to get to sit in a hot spring only to have to swim back across. That kind of defeats the purpose. But then again when it gets hot this summer.. HA HA HA ROFLMFAO!!! It's not going to be that hot for me this year!
Well, we are all enjoying our time here in the Pacific Northwest. We are probably going to spend this next weekend in the mountains again. Although we have yet to make it to the ocean. Then again the other hot spring I found doesn't require swimming.. and is only 15 miles from my RV park. I might have to explore that one on the next full moon!! Yes, I'm missing people that I love in Texas, but as for the terrain.. I am loving the mountains and rivers much more here than there. Sorry Texas, I'm a mountain man ;-)
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Thursday, May 19, 2011, 08:51 PM
Well for those of you that are not in the know.. I have left Texas and moved to Oregon. You may wonder why and the answers are many. There have been circumstances in my life that have necessitated and facilitated this move. Without getting into specifics, I will say this I have moved for family and myself. I am happy to be back on the west coast and close to my sister and her family. My sister in Texas is still there, they are expecting orders to move soon.
Life is much different up here in the Pacific North west. Today we have had our second day in a row above 70 degrees. Tomorrow will be the third day, reaching a high of 77 degrees. They are all excited because it's the highest day on record this year. It is also the first three days above 70 since September. Myself I can use a few more days of rain and cloud cover. However it was nice to get out and walk the boys today with the sun on my shoulders.
The boys have adapted nicely to our new environment. They didn't much care for three days of driving but they all did very well. By the second day Black Jack had the routine down. I used my laundry bags to make a good comfortable seat along the bench seat in the back. My friend Nick drove me up here. That was a huge help. I couldn't have made it in the time needed without him. After three days on the road we pulled into our new RV spot.
;)
It is no La Hacienda, but it works just fine for me and the boys. The park is nested in the National Forest with forest roads right across the way and a lake equally close. Silver Fox RV Park I am so glad that I have my kayak with me. I plan on doing some fishing very soon! We have been here for a week and a half and are all feeling at home. Hershey loves the cooler weather. He's able to run a lot more without the heat and humidity. He also loves his Aunt Salome too. They took to each other very quickly. I am so thankful to the universe for this opportunity.
Life has changed, but our house remains the same. The boys were able to adapt so quickly because their home hasn't changed. They eat at the same location and sleep in their beds. Of course I could move into a cardboard box and they would be happy, but that's not going to happen. We have our condo on wheels to call home.
;)
The views from the RV are just what I had hoped for, trees, trees, and more trees. The lots at this RV park are not the biggest and I surely don't have a spot that was as nice as the one I had in Austin. I knew I was spoiled there and am adapting to live in a regular RV park. The park has great people in it, a few retired hippies and several loggers, including a group of helicopter loggers. They are the ones that go in and extract specific trees. It's one of the most dangerous jobs in the business. If I were a normal techie I might not fit in, but I'm a high tech red neck so we're doing fine. The park manager and assistant manager have taken to me and the boys, offering up different places to hike with the boys. They have given me the ins and outs of the marina across the way too. We'll be renting boats there as soon as they open.
In all it's been a very smooth transition to the Pacific Northwest. I wanted to be here sooner, however everything has happened for a reason, AGAIN. Getting here in May will help me adjust to the climate. Our sun sets forty minutes later than in Austin already. I hear by mid June it will be light out until close to ten at night. That will be interesting to see. We're going to have to find some great camping sites to spend those LONG days at. By getting here now I can enjoy the summer and EASE into the long winter nights. I have also heard that the winter sun rises very late and sets very early. I will have to update you on that when that time comes. Right not it's the beginning of summer and we are loving our move.
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Sunday, February 13, 2011, 09:56 AM
When I signed up for Big Brothers Big Sister of Central Texas ten years ago I never thought about where I would be in ten years. Well ten years later I'm out whooping it up with my two little brothers. They are now twenty two years old and wanted to hang out with the old man on their birthday. I may be on a shoe string budget, but all work and no play... well you know the rest of that story. No one has ever accused me of being dull.. Crazy yes.. dull? Never!
;)
Our night started at the RV two hours later than expected. I guess the guys started partying the night before and were a little "SLOW" that afternoon. I almost used this as my way out of going out to sixth street. I didn't want to skip the celebration, but the down town scene is not really my speed. I am not the twenty something crowd, but I was hanging with them. So we headed out for a night of celebration.
To make sure we were safe, I got us a room down town, just a couple blocks from all the hopping clubs. I have thought about this night a few times. Last year when Scott turned 21 we hung out here at the RV park, walking down to the bar at the end of the RV park. This year Dean was down from Canada and I wanted to celebrate with both of them. So I got us a room at the Hilton. We started there with a bottle of tequila! They said something about staying in the room and party all night. I was like SWEET!! But I got showered we headed out on the town.
The rest of what happens is just what you would expect of a few guys out on the town for a birthday. There were shots, drinks, a town car, boobs, babes and an unknown return time to the hotel. Yes i knew when we got there, but I couldn't tell you what time of night it was. I turns out that it was close to 6:30 in the morning. Guess the old man still has it!! I can't speak for the boys, but our "Hangover Night" turned out to be a whole lot of fun!!
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Friday, February 4, 2011, 08:35 AM
Winter has come to Texas! I know it's not as cold as every one up north, but the last two days it's been warmer in Portland and Seattle than it has been here. Thankfully there hasn't been precipitation with it. That is until last night. This morning we woke up with a couple inches of snow on the ground. Bear was in heaven, making "Bear Angels" in the snow.
;)
Black Jack wasn't too impressed with the white stuff. He was interested in playing with the toy, but then as his paws got colder and colder he sat underneath the RV on the dry ground. Hershey was indifferent, the ball wasn't out so he wasn't much interested in running around. I love it. It's been so long since I have had snow of any accumulation. Plus it gives me the chance to work from home. Nothing beats a day at the office with my office assistants.
Of course this storm and arctic blast has had its challenges. In the first night my water pipe from the post froze. Thankfully I had put enough water in the reserve tank so I wasn't without. The next night I had the electric heaters running so I didn't burn through my propane. Well I guess the undercarriage got too cold and the line between the tank and the pump. So I was without water for most of yesterday.
I finally got out the hair dryer and went out to the post. The water had froze into the post pipe. So I balanced the hair dryer on the post so it blasted the T fitting to warm that metal up. It took a good thirty minutes or more but finally it blew through. Next I had to get my hose thawed. I had a thicker garden hose that was coiled up. I put that in the shower and put the heater on high pointing right at the hose. It took about an hour but I finally got water flowing in the house again. I know I wasted a bunch of water.. but it's nice to have coffee on a cold winter morning..
;)
Some one has made it very clear he's not that interested in the snow. He went out to do his business and then he ducked under the RV where there was none of that white stuff!!!
;)
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