Back at the Lake

Well this morning I woke up in my own bed. How sweet it is. We have been gone most of the week. While staying in hotels it is just not the same when you get up. I like having my coffee before I get my day started but when on the road you have to get your day started and then get the cup of coffee. I have even side stepped the coffee in the morning being that I am already dressed and going...who needs coffee at that time?
This morning I am up and in the kitchen making a pot of coffee and I am going to enjoy sipping this cup and maybe a second one to boot.
My lawn mower cratered the last time I used it. I had changed the oil...air filter and the blade. This was enough for the handle on the mower to break. Why is that ? I have no idea but when I go and fix something up something else breaks making what I just fixed or tuned up worthless! I was not going to let that happen to my 8 year old lawn mower so I took this time to fix the handle. A drill and some bolts were all the things I needed to get me back in the yard mowing.
Next thing on the list of things to do is wiring some plugs on the screened in porch. This will take me going to the hardware store for some electrical supplies. Being that this day is just about used up I think I will make that trip...

Somewhere in Time

Missed the Eclipse

Sherri and I traveled to Texarcana Sunday afternoon. We arrived there about 7:30. We checked into our Hotel room and unloaded all our junk. We have to travel with computers and luggage and enough stuff to fill a hotel cart to the top.
We didn't stay long in the room before we decided to head out and get us some food. We found a Texas Roadhouse and I ordered me a steak! I have not had a steak in a good while. It was only 6 oz. but it sure was good.

On the way to the restaurant we took some pictures of the setting sun. We really did not get any pictures of the eclipse. The clouds and the buildings were in the way but I did take several pictures in hopes of capturing something.

We came back and got ready for bed. It did not take too much time and we were both dreaming of better places to be...

Somewhere in Time

Collection Calls Are A Joke

Sherri once again beat me to the coffee pot this morning. I guess I am just getting to slow and old to get up early. I could feel the MH rock back and forth as she moved about. By the time I got up she was no where to be found inside so I assumed she had retreated to the porch with her coffee.
Soon I mustered up enough strength to get up and go down to the kitchen. I found a full pot of coffee and poured me a cup. I slid down behind the computer and began my morning ritual of reading journals and emails.
Sherri was on the porch so I decided that I should go out and spend some time with her before the day got underway.
Later in the day while sitting inside I got a phone call on the house phone. I hardly ever get calls on that phone and when I do it is always a bill collector for some of the dead beats that had this number before me.
The phone call today was really funny because I had never had a collection agency present themselves the way this one did.
"Hello this is Blank Collection Agency calling for Mr Deadbeat". "If you are Mr Deadbeat please push 1". "If you are not Mr Deadbeat please push 2".
Now I don't know about you but if you where Mr Deadbeat would you push 1 or 2? Now take a minute to think about it...I don't want to rush you.
OK so I decided to push 1 seeing as how I was not Mr Deadbeat. What did I have to lose....
"Please hold your call is important to us". No kidding? I bet it is important to you...but Mr Deadbeat is surely not going to hold for you to harass him! But I did because...once again...I am not Mr. Deadbeat.
"Please hold your call is important to us".
"Please hold your call is important to us".
"Please hold your call is important to us".
Yes this went on for some time. Would a person owing money...with no intention of paying it back hold for a collection agent. I was amazed at the gall these people have putting you on hold so they can dun you for a bill.
"Pleas hold your call is important to us".
"Pleas hold your call is important to us".
"Pleas hold your call is important to us".
I held for some time and then the message changed and I was almost excited!
"This is the mail box of Cliff Collector...Cliff's mailbox is full and cannot hold any messages". "If you would please call back at a latter time". "Thank you".
This is when I fell out of the chair...
I wish I could have recorded this. I mean you could not have made up anything any funnier than this call. I don't know where Mr. Deadbeat is now but he sure is missing out on some good laughs here...

Somewhere in Time

Back Porch Trip Planning

This morning Sherri was up before me. I had slept in a little...being that I stayed up last night watching TV longer than usual.
She had the coffee made and was going out the door to the porch when I stepped into the shower. I cleaned up...poured my coffee and went outside to join her.
We sat for a while and then Becky, our SIL came over to drink coffee with us. She and Sherri's brother live next door to us in their MH.
It was not too long when the conversation turned to retirement and leaving on our maiden voyage. We will be headed south being that the time of year Sherri and Becky retire will be in the winter months. All the plans we make now are in jello as you well know. It is fun talking about it and I always quote some of our friends that have posted their trips on line. What they have done gives us thought for what we might do. We take a little of this and a little of that...put it all together and dream of what we might do.
This is all a part of the fun we have planning trips...that we might or might not do. Planning is half the fun.
We lounged around most of the day and then it was cool enough for me to start mowing the yard. Not the most fun thing to do but something that has to be done...

Somewhere in Time

A Real Struggle Getting Back

We finished up work about 1:00 pm and checked out of the store. Sherri and I had to go by and get some gas before we hit the highway so we stopped by the Walmart just down the road. Gas there was about .15 cents cheaper than anywhere else and we try to cut every corner we can.
After filling up we decided not to stop for lunch just yet. We would drive to Abilene before we stopped. There would be more of a selection there to eat and we did not want fast food so we took off in that direction.
The drive to Abilene was only about 40 minutes and and we found a Jason's Deli just off the highway there. This would be a good place to stop and we could get something light and then get back on the road.
We did just that and before long we were trucking on down the highway with Sherri at the wheel this time. She drove until  we go to a place to use the bathroom. The stop was short and when we got back on the road I was behind the wheel.
Not too long after we left the rest stop Sherri got a phone call from one of her co-workers that was about 45 minutes ahead of us. He reported that there was some construction just as you got into Weatherford and the traffic was barely moving. Well that's great! We have a 5 hour drive ahead of us and now it will be lengthened to more due to construction. We tried to find a way around it but to no avail. So forward we marched right into the mouth of the traffic...Sure nuff we sat there for about 45 minutes.
We broke through just about the other side of Weatherford and picked up good time all the way until we got about 2 miles from I-35. The traffic there came to a screeching halt. OK now we are held up again and this time we spent about 40 minutes idling our engine. OH WELL...let's draw this trip out as long as we can!
We made it home about 7:30 and we were both beat. We had to unload the Jeep...log in our work and travel time and then get a shower.
It was sure good to lay down in bed and relax after a trip like that...

Somewhere in Time  

Allen's...Good Eats

Good Food in Sweetwater...try it out.

We got up around 5:00...showered and headed to the breakfast room here at the hotel. They had quiet the spread! Eggs...ham...French Toast...gravy and fruit. You could not ask for anything more than what we had. After breakfast we all headed to the work place and put in a long day.
After work we all headed back to the hotel to freshen up. I especially had to take a shower after setting charcoal. Now that is a dirty job. I looked like a coal miner after I got through and there was no way I was going to go out to eat looking like that.
Allen's is a buffet that specializes in chicken. They do make some good chicken. That is exactly what I got along with potatoes green beans coleslaw and a big ol Dr Pepper.
We all visited for a time and then we had to leave. We all had reports to fill out and get to bed so we could do this one more time tomorrow.
It has been fun to be out and doing something with all our work friends. I am not sure when I will get to go out again but until then I will enjoy today...here...

Somewhere in Time

Long Drive Day

Sweetwater Round Up...Sure hate I missed this.

We left Athens around 2:00 pm and headed out to Sweetwater. Up 175 to I-20 then straight into Sweetwater. It was a 4 1/2 hour drive with little traffic. We skirted Ft Worth on the south side and was surprised that the traffic was not that bad. It was early which was a good thing.
We got in about 6:30 and checked in. We unloaded the Jeep and started looking for anyone that wanted to go out to eat with us. We found Rick...who was staying across the hall from us...ready to go. We left with no idea where we would eat but soon spotted a BBQ and Steak house just across the highway. The food was OK but not as good as Soul Mans.
After eating we returned to the hotel to get our time turned in and then showered and got ready for bed.
We have a hard day ahead of us tomorrow so we both turned in and soon were fast asleep...

Somewhere in Time