tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23393600098342237152024-03-13T21:53:06.348-06:00The Ultimate Photography AdventureThis is about finding adventure in everyday life, through Travel,inspiration and photography.
"Photography is a Gift, God is the Artist." jlcAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-83219607471338905992016-07-28T11:39:00.000-06:002016-07-28T11:45:28.449-06:00Please Vote for my photo :-) <script type="text/javascript" src="https://starherald.upickem.net/engine/SubmissionWidget.aspx?PageType=VOTING&ContestID=244998&SubmissionID=83582434"></script>
First the<a href="http://starherald.upickem.net/engine/Welcome.aspx?contestid=244998"> welcome page</a>
Then you go to "Vote"
My photo is called "Legs"
This photo is in a contest, I sure would appreciate you taking the time to vote for me. Thank you in advance :-)
You have to register and the name of my photo is <a href="http://starherald.upickem.net/engine/Details.aspx?p=V&c=244998&s=83582434&i=1&m=X&sort=SORTORDER&#SD">"Legs"</a> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-16012784711282089952016-07-06T15:47:00.000-06:002016-07-06T15:47:57.400-06:00Reflecting Back on 2005 part 8<span style="font-size: medium;">Now here it is 2016 and by now all the dogs we had on the trip, Rocky, Candy and Sammy D have left this world and went on to the Rainbow Bridge. My Mom passed away July 2014. 2005 will always remind me to be grateful for every thing in life. </span><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Reflecting Back On 2005</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">part 8</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">by: JdyJdyJdy</span></strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/grannyatcamp.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Here we go back at Lake Minatare, camp is all set up. That is Granny in her spot! The one and only camp chair. By this time after being out on the road and camping here and there we were all pretty worn out. At least we knew we would be staying here at least two weeks. The limit for camping at a State Park is two here, however you can move for one nite then come back. </strong><br />
<strong>Day after day just seemed to pass by. Each day brought new memories, some best forgotten, some treasured. During this time I was really starting to like the freedom associated with just being out in nature. I had mixed feelings and if I had not had Jonathan and the dogs with me I am not so sure I would have wanted to come back to society at all. Then on the other hand the over whelming urge to go home ate at me. However, I longed to be inside, watch tv, flip a light switch, get water out of a running sink, wear clean clothes, shower daily, open up a refrigerator to get a glass of milk or cook on a real stove. </strong><br />
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<strong>I figured I probably started at least 200 some odd campfires.</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/campfire.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Let me just say I can cook pretty much anything outside! I cooked every meal. Did all the dishes in the little tub. We had to haul water, walk a about 4 city blocks to the outhouse and gather wood everyday. Granny did a lot of the wood gathering. She would take Jonathan with her and they would come back with the hood of her car full of wood. At this time I did not have batteries for my digital camera and only had cheap out of date film for my 35 mm camera. So I never did get a good picture of Granny's car full of wood. </strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/grannytired.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>A day in the life at camp, Granny looking exhausted, Milo in his kitty tent, Myatuk close by Granny and Me contemplating on what to do now. Thank God Jonathan cut my head off in this picture. lol About the only thing I had going was a good tan! The orange bucket in this picture is what we used to do dishes, well lets not say we...ME...hehe Okay so Granny did do them once in a great while. </strong><br />
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<strong>Jonathan was a little trooper. He is an outside boy anyway, but things where getting to him too. He likes to draw and he brought me a picture one day he had drawn of a house. The house had a circle around it with a slash through it. You know like the no smoking signs. He was ready to find a place too. He turned six years old that day.</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jonbday06.jpg" /> <br />
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<strong>He did manage to smile and kept occupied with looking for cool rocks, wading in the lake and trying to keep on Granny's good side. </strong><br />
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<strong>Candy thought she could talk to the Morning Doves. It about drove us all crazy! Hoot hoo Hoot hoo from the bird, Woof woooo Woof woo from Candy...for hours it seemed. Granny said, "Candy girl do you think that bird is talking to you?" We would laugh cause Candy looked at Granny like, " You think I am just barking into the wind or what?" Then Candy would do here Woof wooo and every damn time that bird would answer with Hoot hooo! lol That bird conversation happened every evening about the same time. It made Candy really happy. </strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/candywoofwoo.jpg" /> <br />
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<strong>Myatuk and Sammy D were still mean towards each other so all the dogs had to be tied up. There were no other campers here, but we did get the occasional visit from near by town people. They would drive by and stare, some stopped to see how we were doing. Mostly we had visitors after a big storm. I guess they wanted to see if we had blown away or not! </strong><br />
<strong>One day the wind really started to pick up. I took a few pictures before it got bad.</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/trees2.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>To bad you can not see the white caps on the lake!</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/trees3.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Shortly after these were taken we had to gather the bedding and head to the cars. What a long night that was. No way to stay in a tent with winds gusting upwards of 70 mph, rain, hail....Just one of many nights spent in the car. The tents did stay up, however they were wet inside. So when day came. tired or not we still had to get things done around camp. </strong><br />
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<strong>During all of this we would have to go to town and try to find a place to live. The community center in town helped us. They provided a list of landlords and helped pay some rent. It was not easy to try and find a place with 4 dogs and one cat! Day after day we searched. Some days we were just exhausted and never left camp. Lack of sleep and lack of her proper medication was really getting to Granny.</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/hadenough.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>We had been asking all over the near by town if anyone knew of places to rent. We got a lead one day and we went to look at some trailers in this trailer park. Oh my gawd!! NO WAY !! They were just terrible, and I mean NASTY!! EWWW! Granny was just not thinking, she said, " Judy we have to take these two trailers that is all there is to it" I said, " No if you want to go ahead, I will camp out and wait! Then the guy showing the trailers would not take a check, he wanted cash! THANK FULLY it turned out. </strong><br />
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<strong>We went and got cash, well Granny got cash. I told her we should wait on the little house I had found. You see a few days prior I had met a landlord, filled out an application and he had a house to rent at the end of the month. Well Granny did not want to wait!! Come on!! This landlord was awesome, willing to work with us on the rent, would take housing assistance once that came in and AND take all the pets!! But nooooooo Granny was frantic, she really was exhausted, not thinking straight and wanted one of those nasty ass trailers. I tell you what, those trailers should have been condemned! Yes they were that bad. Well anyway Granny gets her cash right, then we go back and THANK the good Lord that guy was not there. </strong><br />
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<strong>Come to find out a few months later that guy did not even own those trailers anymore and the law was looking for him! I knew something was fishy and I was not going to live in one of those trailers. </strong><br />
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<strong>The next day we went into Walgreens. Granny had ordered some medication. Well first I had to beg her to let me go take a shower first. She was not happy about having to wait! Excuse me! We are going out in public here an I had not had a shower in days, slept in the car, gathered wood, cooked over a campfire..smelled worse than a dogs butt! lol I WAS taking a shower. She said, "Well people know we are camping they expect us to stink!" *rolls eyes* Whatever, anyway I showered!</strong><br />
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<strong>So off we go to Walgreens. Oh boy, they had over charged her or something. They had to call in the assistant manger (who was a total hottie) to HANDLE Granny! She was yelling in between crying her eyes out. OH my, I was sooooooooo embarrassed. I had to calm her down and make jokes with this man to make light of the situation. Finally it all worked out and she got her meds! To this day every time I walk into that store and see that man, Chris is his name, he always smiles and asks "Hows your Mom doing?" Then we both laugh. I have to say he did so good not getting upset with her that day. Truly a professional. He told me has never met anyone like my Mom. I laughed and said "Yes she is an original for sure." lol</strong><br />
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<strong>Days keep going on and on Wait! I have to say someone please call the fashion police!</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/judy05tan.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Go figure the only picture of me is in this outfit! By this time I was out of clean clothes and had to wear whatever was clean. Not sure why but I brought a ton of clothes, but they did come in handy. I even had brought clothes of Granny's she had left at my house. </strong><br />
<strong>We had more days to wait until the little house was ready. Finally Granny agreed it was a good choice and we got to rent the place on August 22, 2005. It was a small place but hey it was a place! Here I am a week after we got settled in. </strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/judynelaughing.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Jonathan is hiding behind me. I got him signed up for first grade. Then the job search began. I put in 20 some odd resumes until finally finding a job! I started work the third week in Sept. It was great! I was going stir crazy in the house with Granny. We had some good times, but we just don't see eye to eye well enough to co habitat for too long! Oh ya and the day after I got my job, my Jeep died! Yep totally died! I was once again stranded on the side of the highway. </strong><br />
<strong>Luckily a railroad guy was nearby and he came over to see if he could help. Well nothing was happening. The car motor was just locked up. He did have a cell phone and I called Granny to come get me. Great, I get a job then no car!! The old Jeep has done its job and now it was time for it to be towed off to the crusher. Jonathan cried. :( </strong><br />
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<strong>Well Granny was cool enough to let me borrow her car, for a time. Then all of sudden she decides she is moving back to IL and that I can no longer use her car to get to work. GREAT!! UGG! Oh well, I called the bus service and they took me to work and picked me up. Thankfully I was on some work program that Nebraska has to help folks out. They ended up buying me a car so I could continue to work and become self sufficient once again. </strong><br />
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<strong>Granny moved out at the end of October. She moved back to IL and once again peace reigned in our household. No more fighting dogs, or Jonathan and Granny having yelling matches, but also no more long conversations. Now I realize I have probably been rather hard on my Mother during this trip, but you just have to know her! I do have to give her much credit for always being a Mom that is full of adventure and memorable moments. Even if all the moments are not pretty at the time, later on in life you can look back and certainly laugh! </strong><br />
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<strong>She did help out a lot by watching Jonathan after school and letting me use her car. It was really good to see her drive up that first day she arrived in Nebraska too. I guess I knew the adventure would start when she got there. Also she did manage to get me to one of my dream locations. All in all my Mom is pretty cool, but would I live with her again??? Not a chance! I do miss her being around sometimes. She can really hold some great conversations. </strong><br />
<strong>Well this is an American story and it does have a happy ending. Christmas 2005 was just awesome. My older son Jasper got to come and spend it with Jonathan and I.</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/jonjas.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Jonathan loved having his brother here. Then we got a knock on the door and it was one of the guys I work with and some of his friends. They had got together at work and bought Jonathan and me some gifts for Christmas. :) </strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/jasjoncandy.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>They even got Jon a bike! with all the accesories. :) Christmas day I fixed lasagna.<br /><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/lasagna.jpg" /> </strong><br />
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<strong>T</strong><strong>hat is our traditional meal. It was yummy and we had the best time.</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/jdyjasjonxmas05.jpg" /><br />
<strong>Jonathan tried out his new bike and skateboard.</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/jonbike6.jpg" /> <br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/jonskateboard.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>The year really ended up well. Jonathan loves his school and it was fun to watch him in his Christmas program. </strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/jonxmasprog.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>We are very happy and life is good. This is one year I will never forget!</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/jdyjonrocsam.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>It was quite a journey and I would not trade it for anything. It was very difficult at times, but we endured. A Wing and Prayer and a lot of faith. I know now I can handle anything life throws at me and I will just make the best of it. I had a lot of friends and family praying this whole trip and I have to say I know they sent out all the Angels to watch over us. I am truly blessed to have such great friends and family.</strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #3366ff;">The first day of January 2006 I found MySpace! I thank all the great friends I have on MySpace for encouraging me with writing this story. I hold you all close to my heart and will forever cherish you all. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #3366ff;">Hugs</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #3366ff;">Judy </span></strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-77392234535481097662016-07-06T15:16:00.001-06:002016-07-06T15:16:32.486-06:00Reflecting Back on 2005 part 7<span style="font-size: medium;">This part is hard to look back on, but thankfully I've totally moved on and learned from this phase. </span><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Reflecting Back on 2005 </span></strong><br />
<strong>part 7</strong><br />
<strong>by JdyJdyJdy</strong><br />
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<strong>Lake Ogallala, Nebraska was a regroup spot. Granny and I hardly talked there the first day. Jonathan was probably sick of both of us as well. He spent most of his time at the camp across the road. </strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/joncampers.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>He really liked those people and they did not mind him hanging out. He even ate with them! lol Jonathan was really good the whole trip. However when we got here he was being a bit ornery. </strong><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/joncandyog.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Notice Candy is right behind him. She rarely lets that boy out of her site. This picture was taken after a spat with Granny. Now she was picking on Jonathan. However Jonathan has a way to take the heat off himself. </strong><br />
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<strong>The bathroom was a bit of hike from our campsite. I walked with Jon over to Granny's site. Then he said he was to tired to walk the rest of the way to the bathroom and wanted me to go get the car to drive him. Well he only had a little ways to go! Granny piped up and said just go its not that far and its farther for your Mom to walk back and get the car, Just go now! Jonathan turned and looked at her, thought about it for a minute and said, " Well I can't, I have a rock in my pocket." We all bust out laughing! He cracked me up with that comment, I ended up just walking the short distance with him to the bathroom. After laughing so hard at that "rock in the pocket" comment Heck I had to go to now. </strong><br />
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<strong>I had to drive in town to the store everyday to get ice. We only had this small cooler and it did not hold much. </strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/cooler.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>The store had cold cooked shrimp on sale with cocktail sauce. Yummy! I got a small one for each of us, yes Granny too! Jon decided he did not want his, so I said well go give it to your friend over there. Well they must not have wanted it either because they used it for bait! lol It was those peoples first time ever camping. It was fun to watch them try and start a fire with green wood! Also they were trying to fish for the first time. They let Jon fish with too. Then we all heard a big hoop and holler! WOOHOO Oh MAN ! WOW! ha those shrimp had came in handy. This is the fish they caught. A nice big Catfish!</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/marcus.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>We stayed here at Lake Ogallala about 3 or 4 days. It was just to hot(100+) to travel with dogs and kid in the car. Jon and the dogs cooled off in the water. I don't even remember what I did. I think I was pretty much in a daze about this time. Granny had decided we were going back to Rapid City. She was going to stay at her friend Janice's and sleep in a real bed! However Jon and I ended up at my sister-in-laws. </strong><br />
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<strong>We got to Rapid City then Granny and I went our separate ways! What a relief. We had spent way to much time together anyway. My sister-in-law is actually one of my very best friends who just happened to marry the twin to Jonathan's dad, my ex! At first we thought it was really cool! Then things changed and not for the good.</strong><br />
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<strong>Anyway we stayed there and I looked for work. It was nice to at least have a real bathroom and shower when ever I wanted. The tent was just for sleeping in at night. I was enjoying spending time with DeeDee (sister-in-law). It did make me sick to see her wait on her hubby hand and foot like some migrant slave, but hey that's her business not mine! </strong><br />
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<strong>Jonathan loved playing with his cousin Amber. His Dad came over to visit for like 5 minutes. After he left Jon cried. He had not seen his son in over 3 months and it was more important for him to go see his girlfriend in jail! Not to mention he had been having sex with his best friends mother so he could get free rent. Egad! He promised to come back later that day but he never showed up. You know drink and drugs are way more important! *rolls eyes* What a waste of a human being. Very Sad actually. :( </strong><br />
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<strong>He did stop by a few more times, but always had some druggie with him and Dee Dee didn't want them in her house. I did not want Jon around them anyway. However the time in Rapid City did confirm I had definitely made the correct choice in leaving this man in Sept 2003!</strong><br />
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<strong>A few days passed and here she comes....Yes Granny returns! lol </strong><br />
<strong>She said, "well we need to go back to Lake Minatare. I can not stay at Janice's any longer. They are working me to death. I am just to old to do all that work! They are feeding me good, but I can't do it. When do you want to leave?" Oh boy! I told her I had to think about it, I had job applications in and might be able to rent DeeDee's house because they were moving. </strong><br />
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<strong>Well Jonathan's dad made another appearance and I got to thinking it would probably be nothing but trouble if I stayed in Rapid City. The rent is high anyway and the jobs do not pay squat. Granny comes back over and we decide to head out and go back to Lake Minatare, NE. </strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/backtosquareone.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>We traveled well over 3000 and some odd miles to end up back where I was when Granny showed up the first time! lol</strong><br />
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<strong>Well time to break again...heck part 8 next...part 7 was just a drag...lots of lessons learned though and confirmations made. I guess there is a reason for everything. Part 8 Granny is back full force! nuff said....lol</strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-35550378505004130932016-07-06T10:29:00.000-06:002016-07-06T10:29:35.139-06:00Reflecting Back on 2005 Part 6<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I can still remember how good that shower felt! I still can't comprehend how rude my Mom was to that lady at the Motel in Clayton. What a journey this had become. Looking back now, I wonder how many wonderful things I missed, because of the circumstances and attitudes. One thing I did learn, was to be thankful for everything. </b></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Reflecting Back on 2005</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">part 6</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">by JdyJdyJdy</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">The night in the motel was really refreshing and much appreciated. We were in Clayton NM. Time for the long haul to </span></strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"><b>Ogallala</b></span><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"> , NE.</span></strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/clayton.gif" /><br />
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<strong>As you can probably tell by the Map, we were on the secondary roads. First stop was Elkhart, KS. We pretty much breezed right through Oklahoma with no calamity. It was a nice pretty day, one made for road tripping. </strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/sryacuse.gif" /><br />
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<strong>From Elkhart we headed off toward Syracuse. This part of the trip was like the eye in the storm. Calm! :) We stopped for gas and potty breaks and not much was really said. </strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/ogalla.gif" /><br />
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<strong>Somewhere along the line from Syracuse, KS to Ogallala. Granny decided we should head to Rapid City, SD and not back to Lake Minatare. I am thinking WHATEVER! These roads were getting smaller and smaller, it was getting darker and darker. I do not care much for driving at night anyway. There were no campsites in sight anywhere on the map or otherwise on this 2 lane road. Heck there were barely any cars! My thought was if we had car trouble it could be days to find help! At least if we were on Interstate there are plenty of people around. Anyway I was getting a bit pissed now. </strong><br />
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<strong>Granny kept pulling over in nowhere land. She said I was driving to slow. Well hell, I cant see shit! I am used to following the white line on the right side of road at night. There was not a white line on these cow paths, she called roads! So I said." you lead then!"</strong><br />
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<strong> Ya right what was I thinking? She did not want to lead. Blind leading the blind anyway so who cares who leads. </strong><br />
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<strong>We finally get back to driving and driving. Jonathan knew things were tense. I tend to cuss while driving when pissed. Ha! Anyway he hands me a pop and says, " Mommy can you open this?" Sure why not! Geez! Okay so I grab the can and open it.....SWISHWHISH SPLIRT! UGGGG! Pop everywhere!!!...."giggles from the back seat.</strong><br />
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<strong> It was so unexpected I had no choice but to laugh too! Pop on me, my glasses, the windshield, the dogs! I gave the can back to Jonathan. He said, "Sorry I forgot I shook it up first!" I just wanted to see what would happen." Kids! lol </strong><br />
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<strong>More driving and driving. I was getting really really tired. Finally a campground sign. The atmosphere outside was quickly changing. I really could hardly see anything now...FOG! We made it to the campground to find out it was really an RV park. Granny said, "lets just pull over here and sleep." WHAT? Just sleep in the cars??? What?? I got out the map and said, "Look! Here is the campground you wanted to go to, its about 5 more miles."</strong><br />
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<strong> Okay so we went to try to find it in the FOG! This was truly a mistake. I turned the wrong direction first. The camp station was closed. Granny was pissed! She said, "You are just doing this to waste gas and it's my money!" I am broke now. You are going to have to do something." I bit my lip, wanted to just scream! Got back in the car we turned around and tried the other way. It was clear the hell back on some skinny ass one lane road and FULL! UGG! Besides we could not see anything to well.</strong><br />
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<strong>Theme of the trip so far was go back where you started! lol So we drove back to the RV park and sat in the cars. No one was awake in the RV park. I felt really weird sitting there. I tried to sleep, but just could not. It was nearing dawn again by this time, So I told Granny I was going to call a friend to send me some cash. At this point I was wanting to just leave her ass in the RV park! Get the cash and head back to Lake Minatare and continue with the first plan I started. </strong><br />
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<strong>I went to a nearby truck stop, called my friend Disa from South Dakota and told her Granny had wigged out on me yet again and I needed money to get back to Rapid City or Lake Minatare. Her boyfriend Larry was a truck driver so he knew the truck stop. They both thought they could Western Union. I thanked her and she said to call back in a hour or so. She would have to go to the bank and all that jazz.</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Well I just stayed at the truck stop. I was on empty once again. It was getting extremely hot already and it was early in the morning. I found a place to park near some bushes. Got the dogs tied out and gave them water and just sat in the car. I called an hour later and there was a problem. The money had to be wired by credit card or something. Anyway it would take till 2:30 in the afternoon! So back to the hot car. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>I decided to change clothes and try to clean up in the bathroom. I got Jonathan some clean clothes too. Made sure the dogs were securely tied. A trucker walked up. The dogs barked for a bit. He said they were beautiful dogs, so they pretty much shut up then. I decided to put Sammy in the Jeep and then </strong><strong>I walked to the truck stop with clothes in hand and Jonathan close by. The trucker was already inside by now. He saw us come in and asked if we would like a shower. I said YES! He gave me a ticket for a free shower. Oh that was awesome! :) </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Jonathan and I got cleaned up and got back to the car to find no SAMMY D! He had gotten out of the car. I left him in because he chews ropes and I did not want him wandering around the truck stop. Well I had forgot to close the back window. Shoot where is he? </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>We called for him and nothing. Then here comes two cop cars! I am thinking what now?? They said, "Your Mother is worried about you, she thought you might have taken off" I just laughed! I was like WHAT? I said, " I am sorry she called you, I told her I was coming here to get some money. I am still waiting. I can not go anywhere because I am out of gas!" WOOF WOOF...out runs Sammy D! After the cops! Oh shit....I caught him just in time. Got him hooked up on a lead. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>The cops were good spirited thankfully. They totally understood about everything. One of them said," I told your Mom you were over here. I seen your car here earlier." Now mind you Granny was only about 1/4 mile away! She could actually see my friggin Jeep from where she was parked at the RV park!! Anyway one of the cops went to tell her to just come over to the truck stop. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Crimminie! There was more waiting to be done and then Granny makes it the whole 1/4 mile over and parked by us. Complained about how HOT it was etc. She said, " I thought you left me back there" LMAO! I was thinking Ya I sure wanted too!! </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Finally it was time to make another call, then the money came for gas. During the time we were waiting we found the correct directions to camp at the nearby lake. Off we go...well I think Granny is right behind me. She was there when we got directions! There were quite a few twists and turns and by the time I got to the lake I had no clue where she was!</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong> I scouted around for a campsite and couldn't find a suitable one. Then here she comes! Eyes blazing to kill! She was friggin pissed! HOW COULD YOU LOSE ME ON PURPOSE LIKE THAT? I just rolled my eyes and said , "WELL YOU FOUND ME DIDN'T YOU? Needless to say we were pretty much sick to death of each other at this time! </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>I got out of the car and filled up the water bottles. I asked the park attendant about the sign for camping at the Lake that was right across the highway. He said its less crowded and there are more grassy spots there. So I tell Granny lets go over there. Its less crowed and more grassy spots. She says, "Are you going to try and lose me again?" I said, " It's right across the fucking highway! How can I loose you!" </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>So off we go to camp at Lake Ogallala. </strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/ogallane.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>I set up camp and made sure there was not a good one close to me! So here is where Granny set up....LMAO!</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/faraway.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>It was a nice little break too! My dogs could play in the water, I did not have to worry about Sammy and Myatuk fighting. I fixed supper and walked it over to Granny. She did not want to come to my camp to eat, because she did not want to leave her dog that far away! Oh did I mention I cooked every meal? Washed all the camp dishes except for one or two times? Oh ya, well I did! lol </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Part 6 is over,,,, next is a few days at Ogallala, Rapid City and a visit from the ex...the journey is almost over.....</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Oh and here is the Cat...Milo this shot was from Jemez, NM</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/miloatjemez.jpg" /><br />
<strong>Side Note: I forgot that before we left the motel in Clayton, Granny was freaking out because she could not find the cat! He had somehow squeezed his fat cat bod out of the cracked window and was up in the car engine! :) He is fine! We found him before she started the car.:)</strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-87159481330257256812016-07-06T10:02:00.000-06:002016-07-06T10:02:29.266-06:00Reflecting Back on 2005 Part 5We were all so tired at this point in the journey. It was like a whirlwind.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Reflecting Back on 2005</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">part 5</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">by JdyJdyJdy</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">I last left you as we were standing on the side of the road waiting on a tow truck. The traffic was swift on that two lane road. I guess everyone was pretending to be driving in Los Angeles! Off in the distance we see the tow truck.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">The tow truck guy pulls over and looks at the Jeep. He proceeded to try and get it hooked up for the tow. Wow these drivers had no consideration! You think they would get in the other lane. Whooosh they would pass by without a care. The tow truck guy kept having to get up and move because of the traffic. Finally he got it all going. He looked at the dogs and said, " I don't have room for them in the cab of the truck, but I don't think there is a law about towing a car with dogs in it." </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Jonathan and I got in the tow truck and he took off. Granny of course following close behind. He took us to a mechanics shop and thankfully they could get us right in. I got the dogs out of the Jeep and onto their leashes and we stood by watching the mechanics make quick of the situation. It was the alternator. Totally froze up! They came and told us it would be 165 dollars. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">The owner of the shop came out and seen dogs, a kid, Me and a Granny standing in the shop. He became a tad unglued. (boy was he in for it) </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">He said,"You need to wait outside!" He was not exactly peachy about it and boyyyyyyy Granny piped right up! First she starts in about how we are homeless, she starts crying and says no Man can talk to her like that!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">OH SHIT! I thought, you do not and I repeat DO NOT argue and piss off someone that is working on your CAR! Those two had a colorful word exchange, Granny continued to be pissed and cried the guy was a bit overwhelmed and left her standing there. Then Granny had to ask where an ATM was. She had to borrow money against her next months Social Security check. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Meanwhile I am outside sitting on a curb with the dogs and Jon. The parts truck arrives finally! DOH! Wrong part! So about 20 minutes later another parts truck comes. Well come to find out that Jeep did not make their own alternators for that year. It was either a Ford or GM one and either way it had to be rigged. At least that is what they said. I went inside to go to the bathroom and over heard the guy that had words with Granny. He said, to his fellow worker," I hope that lady realizes what kind of day I have had. I feel bad about the situation, but she attacked me. I just got back from a fender bender, not to mention what the rest of the day was like."</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">I went back outside and told Mom about his day. She started feeling bad about attacking him. It wasn't long before the two of them apologized to each other and the tension was finally broken. The car was fixed now and it was time for the journey to continue.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Let me take this time to fill you in a bit about Granny. Her childhood was not pretty. She was shuffled about in foster homes, abused by step mothers & foster people. Her Dad was an alcoholic. She watched him get her bunny rabbit so drunk it died. One of her Step Mothers used to make her get a rose bush branch and she would proceed to slap her and her sister on the back of legs with it. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"> She is the type of person people either Love or Hate and there is not much grey space. I have been on both sides with her. There have been times in my life I did not even talk to her. When I was growing up she was many things, church lady, alcoholic, divorcee, gay, Indian, cab driver(who wore men's clothes), cross country bike rider, musician, song writer, always sick with something or other. However she is a well educated person with gypsy like tendencies. The woman does not stay put long. She has moved at least 10 times in the past 2 years alone! She is a breast cancer survivor, has fibromyalgia, arthritis, and who knows what other ailment. She was at one point on SSI for mental, ya she drew a crazy check! She loves an adventure, loves reading, hiking and camping. One thing she is not is boring, the woman loves an adventure and just going with her anyplace always turns into just that!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Okay, so now we are back on the road. Driving Driving Driving...now its getting dark and I am almost out of gas once again. Oh there is a Stucky's! YAY maybe some hot food, get gas and drive on. Ya right! Its closed! Not opening until 6 am. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">We sit there and up drives a an old beat up pick up truck. It contains two men with barely a set of teeth between them and they have a cute puppy with them. They start talking to Granny, well flirting actually. They are both about 4 or 5 sheets to the wind, beer in hand and Granny proceeds to tell them about our story. Well these guys are drinking bottled beer in glass wine glasses, the truck is from Georgia and they say they live in New Mexico about 30 miles from the station. They ask Granny if we want to drink with them. OH MY GAWD! I can't believe the next words out of her mouth. "Hey Judy, these two want to know if we want a beer, you want one?" </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Hell NO! I can't believe she is serious, not to mention she is really considering going to their house! To camp in there yard! OMG...I am sitting on empty....looks up and thanks GOD! No I don't think I can make it that far...She looks a bit peeved, I guess its been awhile since anyone has flirted with her. Boy they were really grinning and chatting it up. I just sat in my car waiting for them to leave!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Then when I figured they were not going anywhere anytime soon I told Granny I was going to go to the truck lot get something to eat and try to sleep. HA! The winds were picking up and the truck lot was all dust! It was still hot so had to have the windows cracked open. Lots of dust and sand blowing in now. Finally Granny comes and parks by me and wants something to eat. Well not many choices here, so I got out a can of "Treat"...hell it looked like and smelled like dog food! lol </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Then here they come, the pickup truck guys. They had to give one more shot at Granny I guess. The older guy really had the hots for her. He asked again if we wanted to follow them, I said," No thanks, I do not have enough gas." They were nice enough yes, but I am not going to follow two drunk guys in a truck from out of state, out in the middle of nowhere with my boy and dogs in tow! </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway the pickup truck guy said,"what is that stuff? Dog Food?" I laughed and said "sure looks like it!" I made Granny a "Treat" sandwich and he took it and handed it to her in her car. The pickup truck guy got back in his truck and off they went. During this time Jonathan had been eating little weenies in a can. I did not realize he had fed most of them to Sammy D. Oh they were the barbecue kind. So we had a little nasty food and then proceeded to try and sleep.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Oh what the hell is that smell? Sammy D is trying to get out of the car. I get him on a leash and let him do his business. The smell is worse in the Jeep now. I asked Jon what happened back there. Oh he said, "I fed Sammy D my wieners and he got diarrhea all over back here!" It stinks Mommy! </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">I know! </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Now I have to drive over to the dumpsters. At least now it's daylight and almost time for the gas station to open back up. I take the blankets Sammy D soiled and threw them away! Screw it , need more room in here anyway! </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">It looks to be a really nice day for driving and plans were to drive out of New Mexico and back to Nebraska. We get to the fork in the road and stop to see how far we need to go. Granny says no way in hell she is going back over Raton Pass! GREAT! Its like 10 hour drive if we hit I-25 at this point, but NOOOOOOO! We have to go through the rest of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas to get back to Nebraska. I tried to suggest we just go through Raton Pass, it would be cheaper and not so much driving. However Granny wants to stay off the interstates. I have no choice, I do not have the money! So I followed her. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">We came upon a cute little town outside of Raton. We went to the store and found a park to have a nice picnic in. We just kicked back a bit and then it was time for the 5 dollar campground hunt once again! They had a great campground about 10 miles outside that town. It was 10 dollars a night and there were no hosts or rangers to be found. Granny said, well she did not want to set up there. UGGG! Back to town we drive, she says she doesn't have enough money for a motel. At this time I am wondering if we have enough money for gas to even get back to Nebraska! </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Then Granny decides, since she is Catholic(but doesn't go to church) that she will ask the town Priest if he knows a place we can stay. Of course Jonathan and I have to go with her, we bit the bullet and knocked on the door. Granny cracks me up, but dang she can be sooooo embarrassing at times! The Priest answers the door and gives us a once over, Granny starts in about the situation and how tired she is and that she is old etc. she starts to cry....*I think I rolled my eyes* Anyway the Priest said, just a minute, closed the door and left us standing there.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">A couple minutes later he gave us a business card and said to go to this motel, that it was run by a woman in his parish. She would gladly give us each a room for the night. Oh yes! A bed, a shower, TV, air conditioning!!! YAY! </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">So we drive the short distance to the Motel. The lady was just really really nice. Then she met Granny! Oh boy! Those two immediately hated each other, Granny did not want to leave her dog in the car. She stormed out of the office and went to sit in her car. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">I looked at the woman and thanked her for offering us a room and told her I would go talk to my MOM. I begged Granny to keep the DOG in the car! I wanted to stay in the motel room, we needed the sleep! Especially after the night at Stuckys parking lot. So with crying eyes she agreed, she was actually to tired to argue. I went back in and smoothed things over with the woman. She was really nice to me, but by this time the two rooms had been downsized to one. I did not really care! I thanked her for the room. Granny was rather pissed still, she wanted her Dog and cat in the room. Hey its a free room! Take what you can get!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Oh it was soooo NICE! I got my necessary stuff out of the car, fed watered and walked the dogs. Parked the car under a tree and told the dogs they had to sleep in the car. Heck they were tired too and with Jonathan and me out of the car they had more room to stretch out. What troopers those dogs and Jonathan were this whole time. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">I think that was the best shower I have ever had! It had been a few days and whew did I ever smell! Granny and Jonathan both got cleaned up too and we kicked back on the beds and watched some TV, ate some supper and passed out cold. Oh it was such a great nights rest. Even Granny was in a really good mood and she did not even mention anything about her dog. I went to get some free donuts and coffee after I had walked my dogs. They looked like they slept well too. Everyone was ready for another day.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Well part 5 has ended and part 6 will come around shortly...exploding pop and cops next!</span></strong><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-12775773178367389642016-07-06T09:32:00.000-06:002016-07-06T09:32:25.797-06:00Reflecting Back on 2005 part 4<strong>The Jemez Mountains are a beautiful sight. I hope to go back there again someday. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Reflecting Back on 2005 </strong><br />
<strong>part 4</strong><br />
<strong>by JdyJdyJdy</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Well here we are at Jemez Mountain campground. I am tired, pissed and thinking I could be in a comfy motel room! We spent so much money on gas today that would have paid for it!! </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Great RAIN ! I have about had it!</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jemezsammy.jpg" /><br />
Sammy D and my tent and car door.<br />
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<strong>The ground was just mushy mud! I had to set the tent up under the pavilion. Granny set hers up on the drive in front of my car. Oh I forgot to mention that Sammy D does not like Myatuk! Myatuk is Granny's dog! We have to keep them separated. So every time we stop somewhere it is a big ass battle about who is going to be tied up where etc....Believe me there were days were I just wanted to let Sammy D loose and have his WAY! I was totally getting frustrated at this time. What the hell was I thinking? </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Then I started to just realize there was not a lot I could do at this point and I started a fire fixed supper and then I finally looked around! It was soooo pretty here. Peaceful, too! No other campers close by and Candy wasn't barking her ass off! So just as I get back to close to normal, here it comes...Granny! She pipes up and says,"Well do I at least get credit that this is a beautiful place?" I turned around and thought to myself, she best be glad she has the money and she is my MOM cause, ewwwwwww she has a way of grating on my nerves like no other human on this planet! </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Anyway I suck it up and say yes! This place is awesome and it truly was. Still didn't change the fact that I sooo wanted to be in a cozy bed and have a nice shower. Camping for fun and camping because you have no where to go are totally different things. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Things calm down and we watch the fire and have some pleasant conversation. Jonathan goes to the tent to sleep and shortly after so do I. Then Granny walks by with Myatuk before I get the zipper shut and Myatuk tries to get at Sammy D in my tent! Wakes up Jonathan....ewwwwwwww I just wanted to kick that dog of hers! uggg</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Finally sleep comes.......</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>New day starts....Already Granny was on it! lol </strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jemez.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<strong>Mind you she takes my son with her, to go and see if we can get another discount night! Jonathan comes back all proud...He said "she did it and this time she didn't cry. We can stay another night for ten bucks!" I just look out the corner of my eye and say "COOL". Heck I did not feel like driving all over going nowhere anyway! It was a beautiful day and it was really nice to just relax. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Jonathan and I took our dogs on the hiking path. It was really neat. Such a nice place to take a few pictures. I talked to the couple that was hosting there. They were really nice. They had been living there for five years. The lady said her husband was a cancer survivor and that they had many repeat campers that came for the view and to see them. Her husband made arrangements with the Indian tribe, for when he died. He got permission to have his ashes spread out on this mountain.</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/68ef32a8.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Of course they prayed that would be many years down the road! It was so cool to see this couple. They had a great relationship and truly cared for each other. They understood our plight too. When we left there I gave her the plant I had been carrying with me the whole trip. I had brought the plant I got from my Dads funeral in 1995. He died of cancer. I asked her to watch over it for me and she gladly took it. I sure hope they are still doing well there. Here are a few more pictures from Jemez Mountains.</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/49206cd4.jpg" /> <br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/sky.jpg" /> <br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jemez6.jpg" /> <br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jemez5.jpg" /> <br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jemez4.jpg" /> <br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jemez3.jpg" /> <br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jemez2.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>By now I have adjusted to the fact that I am not going to be in a Motel anytime soon. At least I got some nice photos too! Day two is over here now and its time to hit the road. We got up early, packed up and headed back down the mountain. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>We got to the town right outside of Albuquerque. It was time to get a spare tire. Luckily they had one to fit and put it on for 25 bucks. Oh I forgot that when I was sitting at a gas station in Las Vegas, NM a man walked up to my car and handed me 20 dollars. He said, "Many blessings to you on your journey. The Lord told me to give this to you." I took it and cried! Granny came over and asked what did he give you? I said , "20 bucks and then she started to cry!" Well it came in handy for that tire that's for sure. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>So off we drive to Albuquerque. Holy moly! Traffic traffic and more traffic. We pulled over at a gas station and Granny says, "Hey lets get a Motel here, this traffic is bad and I am so tired...FINALLY I think a nice soft bed! Well guess what?? No motels would take the dogs! So off we go, now Granny says "I want to get out of New Mexico." Oh Man! Okay whatever! Been here all of what 3 , 4 days? I lost track of time completely somewhere along the road.</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong> Well we head out of Albuquerque. We are going through egad tons of traffic, 5 or 8 lanes...lost count! Then finally a two lane again through part of the mountains. Going down hill on the final descent out of Albuquerque my Jeep dies! Yes dies! Totally nothing. I had a heck of time guiding it off the road. I turned on my emergency blinkers and Granny pulls in behind Me!</strong><br />
<strong>Okay so now it looks like someone is already there to help. We have no cell phone. Looks like a healthy 3 mile walk at least to the nearest town. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Thank God, a lady in a Van pulls over and she has a Cell phone and calls a tow truck. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Awww time to end part 4...</strong><br />
<strong>Mechanics, Stuckys and Motel....part 5</strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-78330910827292704532016-07-06T09:08:00.000-06:002016-07-06T09:08:48.745-06:00Reflecting Back on 2005 part 3<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">I can still remember this time so vividly. I look back and wish I had not been so angry and frustrated. It is what it is though and through out this story you should be able to feel the real emotions we were going through at the time. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Reflecting Back on 2005 </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">part 3</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">by JdyJdyJdy</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Well we spent a couple days at the lovely Sugarite Campground. The view was really pretty!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/sugarite2.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Jonathan and I went to get some water at the bottom campground. On the way back I noticed a hiker. He was looking at that hill like, Oh I don't think I can make it. I stopped the car and asked if he wanted a ride to top. He just smiled and said YES! He had been hiking all morning and by that time had pretty much over done it. His name was George from Trinadad, CO., for 70 yrs old he looked in good shape to be hiking all over the mountain! I drove him up to his campsite and he said "Wait here". So I waited and he came back with 10 dollars. I said, " Oh I don't need money for giving you a ride up here!" He said, "Well you are on a Wing and Prayer, please take this it will pay for a night of camping somewhere." So I kindly thanked him and took the money. </strong><br />
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<strong>The next morning we were getting ready to head out and George drove by. He stopped and called Granny over to his truck and handed her a ten dollars! He said,"I just found this on the road!" </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>We got all our stuff together and proceeded to head farther into New Mexico. Granny said, "This isn't the place!" So we looked at the map and noticed there were several campgrounds around Las Vegas, NM. Off we went. </strong><br />
<strong>Uggg! The campground for tents had no trees! It was hot as all get out and to boot Granny only wanted to pay 10 dollars so we would have had to leave one car out in the parking lot! Here we go again! </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>This time we drove to Sapello. There was a gas station and that was about it. Oh I forgot to mention that my Jeep only got 10 mpg! Money was running out fast with all this driving. Well there was a campground at Maur Lake. So off we go to try and find that. OMG, the road sign said, "Not recommended for RV traffic" Okay well we are not RV's...later we found out it should have read, " NOT REALLY PASSABLE AT ALL!" Anyway the lake was suppose to be just 10 miles. About an half hour later or so I found the road to the lake...Now I had a four wheel drive and I tell you I have driven on some bad ass roads, steep roads, curvy roads etc....This one took the cake! It was so steep I was going backwards in drive! I was getting a bit spooked at this point and put the car in reverse and somehow managed to get turned around. I got back to where Granny was and told her NO FUCKIN WAY! She had taken longer to get there, because her car was low to the ground and she had to keep getting out and moving big ass rocks so she could continue to follow me. I did not realize that! So many curves that I lost track of her. lol </strong><br />
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<strong>Well by now I am out of gas and its like 20 miles or so back to the gas station. So back down the gravel,bumpy, rocky, curvy, holey road. I sat and waited 15 min. for Granny to catch up. The whole time looking at that damn sign that said, "Not recommended for RV traffic" If I would have had some paint I would have changed it right then and there! lol</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>We get back to the gas station and of course its nearing dark once again. I get desperate and call a friend who happens to work at my dream ranch "Surprise Valley Ranch" This ranch I had seen in a magazine like 4 yrs prior and I always kept a picture of it on my refrigerator. I had also talked to the manager at the ranch a few times. He said he had a bunk house with a couple beds in it and to come on up. He gave me directions. My Mom was pissed! She said do you know what those roads are like? I said, NO! but they are paved except the last mile! lol And besides its a place to shower and stay the night for free so you don't have to spend your 10 bucks!</strong><br />
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<strong>Ummm ya at this time things are getting a bit testy! lol So we drive the 10 miles(took 30 min) to get to Surprise Valley Ranch. It was so beautiful and I was soooo tired! Finally I had actually got to a place I dreamed of going to and I am homeless, with my son , 3 dogs and following me is my Mom , her dog and CAT! </strong><br />
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<strong>I get out of the car and probably stunk like a skunk! lol First thing Hal said, "Do you all wanna shower?" He showed us the bunk house and it was just that. Two beds, no bathroom just and outhouse, but hey he wasn't charging us! There was a little stream out front of it and the dogs of course went right for the water!</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jonsvr.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>We first went to shower and get cleaned up. We had to drive down to the shower house. Boy that shower felt great! Granny was still pissed, so she didn't even shower! She was mad because Hal didn't want any pets in the bunk house.</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong> Well when he first opened the door Candy, muddy feet and all proceed to run past him and me and jumped on every bed! HOW embarrassing! That's when he said no pets in the bunkhouse. Well we had to get out our blankets and pillows. Ate some supper and when it got dark Mom sneaks out and get her Cat and Dog and brings them in!! OMG...My dogs started barking, so I end up sleeping in the friggin Jeep with the stinky wet dogs! It was just a disaster.</strong><br />
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<strong>The next day I get a lecture from Hal about how I didn't plan anything and I come there to try and find work and bring my MOM! lol He gave me some leads on some possible work and some advice. Then it was time to leave. Jonathan cried. He always wanted to live at Surprise Valley Ranch. </strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/svrleaving.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>We head out of the ranch and its a beautiful day! We got to Las Vegas, NM and looked around and now Granny's car has a flat! So we stopped and she got a used tire for 20 dollars. Thanks George! He gave us just the amount we needed to get the tire. Well after browsing around Las Vegas we decide to head to Santa Fe. Granny said she did not really like Las Vegas, NM. So off we go. We headed out on the interstate and I was leading this time. I got tired of Granny always pulling over right after I would get the car up fast enough to pop it into to third gear. Well there she goes! Passes me! Dang it! I was cussing she pulled me over!</strong><br />
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<strong> Okay so I will give her some credit here...ummm I had a flat and did not even know it! lol So now the problem comes, my spare tire is under neath the car! I have no clue how to get that thing off of there. </strong><br />
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<strong>Two really nice guys stopped and were heroes for a day. They got the tire changed and guess what? Its low! The closest town is Pecos now. So we thank them and ask if we can give them some money for helping and they said , " No way you're on a Wing and Prayer" best of luck the rest of your journey! " </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>We made it Pecos and aired up the tire. Since we had more mountain country to drive through I stopped at Sam's to see if he could fix a tire. Well they had closed a few minutes before and were already in party mode! However he checked the tire and said it was trash...no way to fix it and he didn't have one to replace it with. He tried hitting on my Mom too! He asked me if Granny could be his girlfriend. They asked around to see if any place was for rent. Nothing really but a two bedroom trailer and no pets! So off we drive to Santa Fe.</strong><br />
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<strong>We arrive in Santa Fe in time for the sunset. It was beautiful. We stopped at a gas station and Granny gets out and says, "This is it! This is where I want to live." I told her its really expensive to live here. I tried to call a landlord I had talked to but no answer. So we drove around and of course no campgrounds in Santa Fe! lol We got some food at Kentucky Fried Chicken and Granny said, "Well lets get a motel." Yay</strong><br />
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<strong>Save that Yay! I went in and found a room, but she decided while I was in there that she didn't want to spend the money! Sooo off we go to the rest area outside Santa Fe. A sleepless night in the car! It sucked. </strong><br />
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<strong>The next day Granny decides she wants to go to Albuquerque. I just rolled my eyes and said whatever! We get outside of there and she finally says okay we are both tired we should get a room! Well I get out again and the lady at the motel, says yes we can have all the pets and two rooms and check in now! With a discount! Only 70 bucks for two rooms and not check out till 1 pm the next day! It was 7 am...I was so loving that...dreams of a soft bed, a nice shower! I came out smiling, only to be pissed about a half a second later! Guess why she did not want to stay there! Nope not the money this time. There were no doors to the outside, there were hallways! to the doors!(I was so friggin MAD!)</strong><br />
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<strong>Granny said,"Well there is a campground right over there" It will be cheaper. Yes, but we need rest and I need to get cleaned up if I am going to look for work. Ugggggg she had the money tho...so off we go to the campground. Its already HOT as hell and no shady spots at that campground! So we drive and drive and got lost! OMG blind leading the blind. I swear we drove 200 friggin miles, because Granny is now looking for 5 dollar a night campgrounds. HELLO its 2005 not 1965! lol </strong><br />
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<strong>We drove and drove and ended back up at the first campground. We went to a different section and I was getting ready to set up. BUT oh noooooo....Granny said, "Hey I got the right directions for that cheaper campground, lets go there." If looks could kill, she would have been laying flat on the ground! Anyway I went to the grocery store and got some supplies. We headed off to the "CHEAP" campground. Well hell its clear up in the mountains! Its not 5 dollars but 10 dollars a car! If you have been following along you probably know what happens now! lol Yep Granny in action again. She talks them into 10 dollars a night.</strong><br />
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<strong>Wow this is way way more than I thought , this is going to be at least 5 parts maybe 6! I am leaving you now with us at Jemez Campgrounds. </strong><br />
<strong>I made this graphic from one of the many pictures I took there. </strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/add2.jpg" /><br />
<strong>Stay tuned for part 4! Jemez, Rain, Albuquerque ....and this is only half way through! :)</strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-158354257279001862016-07-06T07:48:00.000-06:002016-07-06T07:48:09.446-06:00Reflecting Back on 2005 Part 2<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Now on to part 2: I look back at this now and it seems so unreal, but it was all real. I gave my Mom a copy of this whole story and she was suppose to write her version of the story, but she never did. She passed away July 7, 2014. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Reflecting Back on 2005 </span></strong><br />
<strong>Part 2</strong><br />
<strong>by JdyJdyJdy</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>By now it is Sunday July 10th. Granny had arrived late in the afternoon and it was time to get her tent all set up. </strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/grannytent.jpg" /><br />
<strong>Then we figured it would be good just to kick back and relax!</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/rockygrannyogalla.jpg" /><br />
<strong>She found a nice shady spot. Rocky was hanging out with Granny's dog Myatuk(white fang). Jon said, " Hey Granny, come look, I think its going to storm, the clouds are looking weird."</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/stormcoming.jpg" /><br />
<strong>That was one side, </strong><br />
<strong>this was the other</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/storm2.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>It was not very long after that the wind picked up. The sky got increasingly darker and darker and clouds were just crazy! It started to rain and the WIND! OMG...I had to grab Granny's cat, who was still in his carrier, get 3 dogs and Jonathan all to the bathrooms. We made it in there just before the </strong><b>torrential </b><strong> downpour, lightening and wind like crazy! Jonathan said, " Mom? Do you think this bathroom will hold up?" I said, " Well it is better than the tent!" Then we realized, Were is Granny?</strong><br />
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<strong>Well she was trying to secure her tent! LMAO It is not easy to do with winds speeds gusting up over 50 mph! So she finally gave up and got in her car. She drove over by the bathroom. Her dog was in her car. She was soaked! </strong><br />
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<strong>Well the storm ended and we got camp put back together. The tents actually did stay up! It was however a good thing we had taken out all the blankets and sleeping bags. The inside of the tent was kind of wet. We got towels and dried everything off and proceeded to get ready for bed. WELL!!!!! The storm happened to be just in a lull or the eye or whatever! LMAO... snuck right up on us! No time to get to the bathroom this time. So there we sit in the middle of the tent with Granny's cat and one dog. The other dogs were in the Jeep. Granny was in her car again. Mind you my mother had not sleep in like 30 some hours by now! </strong><br />
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<strong>Even though the tent stayed up it sure was scary being in there. The sides would suck in and touch us. The dog was shaking to death and the cat was meowing. Then as quick as the storm hit it was over for good now. </strong><br />
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<strong>My Mom asked, "So has it stormed like this since you been here?" I laughed and said, "No! That's your welcome to camping Storm!" We found some dry wood we had put under the picnic table and made a fire. Had some coffee and went to bed.</strong><br />
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<strong>The next couple of days it was HOT! I mean HOT! 100 degrees in the shade. Mom started complaining about the heat. She took a nap and got up and said, " I got it! We are going to New Mexico! I had a dream about the house we will get and everything!"</strong><br />
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<strong> Now you need to know my Mom a bit to know this isn't how things are gonna work out! I said, " I have no money left!" She said, " Well I got money and we are getting out of here." Now that I look back I must have had sun brain to go for her PLAN! </strong><br />
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<strong>However, we leave the next day for New Mexico. I had had a lot of hits on my resume and only from New Mexico so we figured I would have a better chance at a job there. Ya go figure! lol Anyway the shortest way would have been straight down I-25...but NOOOO we had to take HWY 71 through CO. talk about the middle of nowhere land! We drove and drove and drove...it was getting really late and we had no clue where to camp etc. </strong><br />
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<strong>We ended up stopping at a gas station and mind you there is a campground right there! Well now is when Granny starts to wig out and realizes this is going to cost some cash! We sit in the cars outside the gas station for hell, hours! it seemed. She did not want to pay 15 dollars to camp. However we had passed two FREE campgrounds right before that, but she said it was too windy and they did not have drinking water. WHO CARES?? Its FREE! We are homeless! Good grief! </strong><br />
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<strong>She goes in the gas station and talks them down to 10 dollars to camp, well by now its friggin pitch dark! Almost midnight and then she decides she wants to go back to the FREE place! ( Lake Henry) Oh I forgot to mention that my tail light was out and of course in nowheresville nothing is open. Sooooo after all that we get ready to go back to the FREE place. Oh great! A semi now almost rolls over on the only road out of that gas station...so of course there are cops and we cant go by them with a tail light out. Well don't despair we found a bumpy gravel back road to get back to the FREE place. I left my lights on and sat up my tent in the pitch black night! The ground is hard as rock and bugs city! I go to help Granny with her tent, well now she is pouting. I said come on lets get your tent set up. She said, " No, I am gonna sleep in the car!" OMG! What the hell ever! </strong><br />
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<strong>Next morning I take down the tent. Had about 5 hours sleep I guess. Not sure if Granny slept at all. There was some weird giant birds running around out there and they kinda freaked her out I guess. lol </strong><br />
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<strong>So the journey continues, we make it the bottom of CO. and now we are getting up higher in elevation and my car is really screwing up. Second gear is just not there anymore. I was shifting it manually, but now its not working. I stopped at a parts store to get a new bulb for my tail light. Luckily there was a mechanic in there and he came to look at my car. We looked pitiful by this point. No showers, its was hot etc. They thought it might be bad plugs, so they gave me the tools to get the plug out! ha well ya I got one out and took it in ...nothing wrong with the plugs...soooo I couldn't get the plug back in now! lol Thankfully the mechanic guy came back and he got the plug in. He said you can drive the car without second gear, but sooner or later they will all go out and that car is not worth fixing! </strong><br />
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<strong>Question is now, should we go on or go back?? Go back where? We are HOMELESS. Well Granny is the leader in this pack and she says we are going on! So off we go to New Mexico. The roads are getting steeper and steeper now and we have not even reached Raton Pass! If you have been here you know that Raton Pass is some scary ass shit in a car! lol Its not bad going up, but going down.....weeeeeeeee...it scared the hell out of my MOM! Awww but we made it! </strong><br />
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<strong>In Raton we stopped at the visitor center to get information on campgrounds. Anyone who has ever been to New Mexico knows that road signs are not real prevalent! It took forever to find Sugarite Canyon State park campgrounds. Finally we find it! Its getting later in the day now ...of course! We find a spot and guess what?? Ummm Granny says, "Oh this just won't work!" WHAT?? oh hell....anyway they have another campground up on the hill! Ya okay we need more hills at this point! </strong><br />
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<strong>We go to that campground and yes it is way better! Really neat actually. They gave us the horse campsite because of all the dogs. Granny had once again talked them into 10 dollars a night instead of 20. We get set up.</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/sugarite.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>I said, " Hey look at this, they have a place to put your firewood in case it rains!" Granny says, "Well that is really neat! I hope it doesn't rain though." We got some supper cooked and pretty much fell fast asleep that night. </strong><br />
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<strong>Next day, Granny was teaching Jonathan how to play cards.</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/sugaritecards.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>It was just a beautiful day! The ranger then stopped by to inform us that bears were in the campground last night and to make sure we put our food up. I said, "Up in the car or tree??" He laughed and said no in that metal box right there." I said, " Oh I thought that was for the wood!" ( haha we were clueless! )</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/strongbox.jpg" /><br />
<strong>Notice we had food on top of that box! </strong><br />
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<strong>Then Granny has a really strange look on her face. She said, "Bears? I heard something last night by my tent and Myatuk was acting strange. Then I smelled something really bad right by my head. There was a bear by my tent!!" </strong><br />
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<strong>After that bit of news Jonathan said he wanted to go on the trails. So here we go with dogs on leashes and up the trail...</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/beartrail.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>The farther we get up the trail, the more I noticed Jonathan slowing down. Then Candy tried to go off trail and had her tail standing at attention! Jon screamed, " Candy sees a BEAR! I am getting the hell off this trail!" He drops Candy's lead and hauls ass back to camp! I stand there debating whether to go on up to the top and see the view or go back...</strong><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/view.jpg" /> <br />
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<strong>Well shit by this time I am getting scared too! So I just went back to camp! After all Candy was acting weirder than normal. Rocky and Sam wanted to go, but Candy was like NO WE ARE GOING BACK TO CAMP WITH MY BOY! She made a sound of some kind, scared the hell out of me and then Sam and Rocky beat ass and pulled me the rest of the way back to camp! So no trail hiking there.</strong><br />
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<strong>When we got back to camp Jon comforted Candy. She seemed really freaked out and needed </strong><br />
<strong>some loving.</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/joncomfortcandy.jpg" /> <br />
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<strong>Time to break for part 3...guess this is way longer than I thought! </strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-64799824220018486492016-07-05T21:38:00.000-06:002016-07-05T21:38:30.729-06:00Reflecting Back On 2005<span style="font-size: medium;">Reflecting Back on 2005</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">by JdyJdyJdy</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;">It's now been 11 years ago today that this adventure started. I've come along way since being homeless in 2005. I hope to travel these roads again with new eyes and gain a new perspective. This was a great learning experience. There are 8 parts to this story. Today I am sharing Part One. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Part One</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">The year 2005! Wow what a year it was...</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">January:</span> </strong><strong>I worked as a cook in a hospital/nursing home...The hours where good and the people were nice. This is were I worked</strong>. <br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/work.jpg" /><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">January</span> was just a regular month. </strong><br />
<strong>Jon and Candy in the snow.</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jansnow05.jpg" /><br />
<strong>Me and Jonathan</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/meandjon.gif" /> <br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>February</b></span><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">:</span></strong> <strong>Here is where things really started turning around. I woke up one day after work and could not move my neck! I figured I just slept wrong and went to work anyway. Next day it was worse...I went to the DR. before work. They took X-rays and immediately set me up an appointment with a neurologist. The Dr. said the X-rays looked Nasty! Yes he really said that! lol </strong><br />
<strong>So I go to get an MRI...then to the Neurologist. Aww well he said, " I don't want to scare you , but your neck is so bad, that if you happen to fall down or something you could risk being paralyzed from the neck down. WOW...I just sat there and stared! Surgery was planned for 4 days from then...I had to have a cervical fusion of vertebra's 5-6-7...Dang that sucked! I was in the hospital for 2 days and one night...off work for 3 months and had to wear a neck brace. So that pretty much takes care of Feb, March.</strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">April:</span></strong> <strong>My older Son decided to move from IL. to SD to live with me and Jonathan. It was sooo great having him there. Even though there were NOTEs! lol (He knows what that means) funny now when we look back at it!</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong></strong><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jaspernjon.jpg" /><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Jonathan loved having his brother home. :)</span></strong> <br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">May:</span></strong> <strong>Well I was feeling much better in May. So I tried to get my old job back in the laundry dept(I had worked there before the kitchen) at the hospital/ nursing home...Nope! They were afraid I would get hurt and the DR. had said not to go back to kitchen work. He said to find a nice office job. At that point I still was not allowed to lift to much...I was in a small town and no one wanted to hire ME! They had all seen me around town with a Neck brace on...I guess that means you have the plague or something...ha</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Jon graduated from Kindergarten! :)</strong><br />
<strong></strong><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jongraduation.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Looks so Happy! lmao...More like big friggin deal I just wanna go out and play! After all he had a trampoline at home.</strong><br />
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<strong>So Jon spent his days playing on his trampoline.</strong>..<br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jontramp.jpg" /><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">June:</span></strong> <strong>I paid my rent on June 2nd. Then on June 3rd I got an evict notice from my landlord....OH GREAT!!! He decided he did not want to rent anymore! Now what?? A week after that, my son's father quit his job...so no more child support! I still did not have a job and there was nothing! absolutely nothing available to rent...anywhere!</strong> <strong>No one wanted us to stay with them because of the dogs. I wasn't going to get rid of my DOGS! They are part of my family. ;)</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Then thoughts of no more walks on the prairie entered my mind</strong><br />
<strong>.</strong><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/Copy2ofmediacard04102.png" /><br />
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<strong>No more prairie weeds as flower presents from Jonathan,</strong> <br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jongivingmomflowers.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>No more long walks with the dogs</strong> <strong>and Jon.</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/walkonprairie.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<strong>We So loved those walks...there is more to see on the prairie than you would think. :)</strong> <br />
<strong>Everything was just leading to the fact that South Dakota was just not working out! </strong><br />
<br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/thesnake.jpg" /> <br />
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<strong>We came back from the store one day to see this on our porch! Just another sign it was time to go.</strong> <br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Then I received a check from the school district for gas from driving my son to school. I decided I would just have to camp out for awhile. So I researched camp grounds, cost of living and calculated how far the money I had would go.</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">July:</span></strong> <strong>This was it! Had to move...I put all I could in a storage unit, loaded my 1976 Jeep Wagoneer with a bunch of stuff! I painted, "A Wing and Prayer" on the back of it with fingernail polish! </strong><br />
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<strong></strong><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/july52005.jpg" /><br />
<strong>Did I mention that second gear was out?</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/readytogo.jpg" /> <br />
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<strong>163,000 miles or 263,000...no one really knows!</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/theoldplace.jpg" /> <br />
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<strong>It was scary at first, but I also remembered this picture I had taken just a few days before we </strong><br />
<strong>left.</strong> <strong>I had seen the face in the clouds</strong><br />
<strong>.</strong><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/thesign.jpg" /> <br />
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<strong>To me it was a sign God was watching over us. The storm before this picture was over 70 mph winds, tornadoes in the area, hail etc...We were in a trailer on the prairie! Trees were knocked over and everything, yet the trailer actually stayed put. It gave me enough faith to go out on a wing and prayer! </strong><br />
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<strong>That and lots of people were praying for us. :)</strong><br />
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<strong>Jonathan and the dogs loaded up no problem. After all they figured it was just a giant vacation! The first stop was at Chadron State park in NE. I knew right away I was on the right path. We went to set up and someone had left a campsite with a fire already burning! :) Another storm was approaching so it was nice to have something to cook on.</strong> <br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/chadronstpark.jpg" /> <br />
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<strong>I know it looks sunny, but there was a storm coming! :)</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/firststop.jpg" /> <br />
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<strong>Rocky wanted to stay in the Jeep when the storm started. However Candy would not have that! She wanted Rocky with us. Candy about had a doggie heart attack! She hates storms to begin with and I tell you what, her eyes about popped out of her head when it thundered and we were only in tent! (So that night the dogs slept on the camp mattress with me and Jon!) Sammy didn't care for it much either. Jon and I were laughing! The storm was short lived and we slept all night. The tent even stayed up! </strong><br />
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<strong>The next day we headed for Lake Minatare in NE.</strong><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/2ndcampsite.jpg" /> <br />
<br />
<strong>The weather was great we stayed here for a week. Here are some of the </strong><strong>photos from this part of the journey</strong>.<br />
<strong>The sunset view over the lake. </strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/theview.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Candy climbing Trees...I missed the shot of her in the big tree...she was really climbing it! It was laid over just enough so she could get in it. She climbed clear to the top,up about 50 feet in the air! Jon was scared and made her come back down. lol </strong><br />
<strong>At least I got one shot of her on a tree.</strong><strong><br /><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/candytree.jpg" /></strong><br />
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<strong>Sammy D jumping trees!</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/samlog.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Jonathan climbing on Trees.</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jontree.jpg" /><br />
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<strong>Jon, Rocky, Candy and Sammy D all enjoying the cool water on a hot day. :)</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/funinlake.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Sammy D swimming out too far! Candy had a fit! She barked her ass off! She insisted that Sammy get back to shore immediately!! WOOF WOOF! NOW SAMMY NOW! WOOF WOOF! You'll drown! You are out way to far!</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/sammytofarout.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<strong>Oh my I laughed so hard...You see Candy is the Queen and all must obey her! ;) </strong><br />
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<strong>It was just like a vacation at first. Learning how to cook every meal </strong><strong>over a campfire was a chore! I got pretty good at it though. ;) </strong><strong></strong><br />
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<strong>Jonathan collecting wood for the fire.</strong><br />
<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/jonwithwood.jpg" /> <br />
<br />
<strong>The first day he was all gun ho! He went to every abandoned camp site and got all the left over wood. He was grinning and having so much fun. Well the next day was a different story!</strong><br />
<strong>Right after he woke up the next morning, Jonathan looked at me,</strong><strong>looked at the campfire, put his hands on his hips and said, " I tell you what! I am not working my ass off today getting firewood!" I laughed and told him he did not have too! He said, " That ain't fun it's work!" To funny! However he did end up getting more firewood. I think he was just tired and sore from doing to much the day before. Bless his little heart. </strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/nomorewood.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<strong>At this point Jonathan really did not understand we were "homeless" and that we had just the tent to live in. To him and the dogs it was fun just staying at the lake! Rocky was in doggie heaven! :) Rocky was at the lake. first sign of light everyday. Candy hung around the camp or stayed by her boy Jon. Sammy D stayed mostly by me, unless of course a rabbit came by. </strong><br />
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<strong>Then day 7 came. I still had no job, but I did have a P.O. box and was going to get public assistance. In NE. they will help you out even if you are staying in a tent! </strong><br />
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<strong> My mother had said something about coming out to camp with us. Then she could watch Jon and the dogs while I looked for work. Aww best laid plans of Mice and Men! </strong><br />
<strong>So Granny(that's what everyone calls my Mom) shows up! With her dog and cat! Yes CAT! lol</strong><br />
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<img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/2005/grannylakemin.jpg" /><br />
<strong>This is were I am going to end the first part, because whenever you get Granny involved in anything...well its gonna be long! </strong><br />
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<strong>Part 2 coming soon...adventures in Bear Country and more to come...</strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-45312423916374926552016-01-09T16:05:00.000-07:002016-01-09T16:05:02.872-07:00Revision of my Blog<span style="font-size: large;">Hi all I hope you're having a fantastic day! I rearranged the blog today and added some great links for your photography! Just check in the right hand column and click the link to purchase the actions of your choosing. ( Actions I Recommend from Envato) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I've been having a lot of fun with these actions. The model is Matika Dawn. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Here are some sample images</span><br />
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Realistic Paint and Square Portraits action<br />
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Square Portrait Action<br />
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Water Color and Sketch Action<br />
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Covergirl (one of the 63 action set) then added Legendary Action and I added lighting bolt brushes<br />
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Modern Art Action<br />
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Stardust Action<br />
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Smooth and Silky(from the 63 actions) and Paradigm Action<br />
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All the actions have lots of layers to play with, so you can customize your work. Lots of fun! To check out the action and have your own fun see links on the side of this blog.<br />
Thanks and have a creative adventurous day!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-75701506511021389422015-12-07T19:24:00.001-07:002015-12-07T19:24:59.282-07:00Leia at Laguna Beach<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uQZobO9c5bY" width="480"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-36855451481793838072015-12-07T19:14:00.001-07:002015-12-07T19:14:29.159-07:00Pacifica CA.<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QFQKadsqk3A" width="480"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-49178856478199540272015-10-27T12:06:00.001-06:002015-10-27T12:06:04.787-06:00Pumpkin or Ball?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dQEGUFnoMdg" width="480"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-42526637010742369612015-03-31T12:28:00.000-06:002015-03-31T13:00:54.161-06:00Playing Tourist (from 2011)The weekend of May 7th and 8th my son Jon & I decided to go to the Motocross Races in Kimball. It was a beautiful weekend!<br>
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I drove down hwy 71 to get Kimball. The Wildcats Hills looked gorgeous!<br>
It was a nice drive and after about 45 minutes we arrived at the Highpoint Motor Speedway, just a short drive south of Kimball on 71.<br>
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I took a lot of photos of the races. It was so fun! Motocross is a nice family orientated event. It was was great to see the families supporting the riders and cheering them on. <br>
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Here are a couple of my favorite photos from Day one at the Races.<br>
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Okay so getting back to playing tourist, we left the races late in the afternoon and headed off to find the highest point in Nebraska. We drove north on 71 until we got to interstate 80. We headed out west and the drove to the Bushnell,NE. exit. Then we turned south onto Road 17. <br>
(If you decide to take this trip make sure you have a full gas tank, because there is no service anywhere close!)<br>
Ok now back to the trip:<br>
<a href="http://ultimatephotographyadventure.blogspot.com/2015/03/playing-tourist-from-2011.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-16454669282191550592015-03-31T10:29:00.002-06:002015-03-31T11:09:06.559-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dXO7zuo4hcA/VRrLO9nf-cI/AAAAAAAAEqU/_oSPbcjCY0U/s1600/DSC_09471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dXO7zuo4hcA/VRrLO9nf-cI/AAAAAAAAEqU/_oSPbcjCY0U/s320/DSC_09471.jpg" /></a></div>
This year I'm doing the 365 project. Starting April 1st through the 26th, I'm going to do the Alphabet project alongside it. I'll be posting these on my photography page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheUltimatePhotographyAdventure">https://www.facebook.com/TheUltimatePhotographyAdventure</a>
I would love it if you would play along! There will be an album you can post to, called "Adventurers Alphabet Project" Starting tomorrow with the letter "A". Rules are anything that looks like an "A", begins with the letter "A" or something you make that represents the letter "A"! I'll be looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with. Come play in the "Alphabet Adventure"!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-46919099330194474892015-03-27T23:15:00.000-06:002015-03-27T23:15:54.941-06:00Just take the first StepI've been thinking about my initial dream of driving an RV cross country and visiting all 50 states and viewing all the National Parks. That dream started a little over 2 yrs ago. Since then I've been plagued with health issues and along with that financial decline. I haven't given up on my dream! Over the past two years I have been able to travel a little bit, more than I thought I'd get to do.
I need to get those photos up in this blog soon and start compiling all the things that I have gotten to do. I need to start thinking of all the positives and leave the negatives at the door. Lately I've watched a lot of movies about hiking, like "The Way" and " The Wild". These gave me a new motivation to relook at my dream and maybe go about it in another way! It's super expensive to have an RV and gas prices are heading back up again. Plus I don't have an RV! While it would be comfy and nice, for me at this time it's not an option. So I decided the thing I do have is feet!
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All it takes is, to take the first step. I did that today! I walked a mile around my property. Just in that short time I got to take some beautiful photos.
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I need a lot of practice before I do any big through hikes, like in the movies I watched, but that's okay! I have to start somewhere and where better than my own yard?
I have chronic pain with the fibromyalgia and also migraines along with a few other issues. I plan to heal myself, one day at a time and a little more each day by hiking in nature. I feel like this choice is more realistic for me at this time.
Although by the end of the one mile today I could barely move and my back was on fire, I still made the one mile! To do the first through trail I want to try, which is the Cowboy Trail here in NE. I will need to be able to walk at least 14 miles in a day. That is the longest segment of this hike. If you would like to see more about the Cowboy Trail their web site is: <a href="http://www.outdoornebraska.ne.gov/trails/cowboy_trail/cowboy.asp">http://www.outdoornebraska.ne.gov/trails/cowboy_trail/cowboy.asp</a>
There are shorter day hikes near my home and my son and I are going to practice on those this summer. Make everyday an adventure! Big or small they all count! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-7686184605039526312014-09-17T21:57:00.001-06:002014-09-17T21:57:49.310-06:00Our Hike in Wild Cat Mountains (July 2007)<html>
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Our Hike in Wild Cat Mountains
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<td>Our Hike in Wild Cat Mountains</td>
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<td>7/16/2007 8:45:00 PM</td>
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<td>7/16/2007 7:05:00 PM</td>
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<td><P><FONT size=5>Wild Cat Mountain Hike </FONT></P>
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<P><FONT size=3>It was a beautiful day July 14th 2007. Jon and I decided we should go hike in the WildCat Mountains. Well the directions in the phone book were not to clear. It would have been easier had they said, " take a right at the red barn after you have gone two miles north of the lake by the blue barn. Then turn left after you see that 3 legged cow and proceed until you see a sign that says Wild Cat Mountain hike!" </FONT></P>
<P>I took pictures of course!! Here are a few on our way to the hike. </P>
<P> </P><BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/panhandleofnebraskawcmountains.jpg" border=0></A><BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/onourwaytowcmountains.jpg" border=0></A><BR>The old, Out the car window shot! lol <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/outthecarwindow.jpg" border=0></A><BR>I was really trying to get the road ahead here, guess my hand doesn't see too well! <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/skyshot.jpg" border=0></A><BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/anotherouthewindowwhiledriving.jpg" border=0></A><BR>Just a couple more shots along the way. I think I missed the red barn. <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/viewtoeastonourdrive.jpg" border=0></A><BR><BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/cornfieldsopencountry.jpg" border=0></A><BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/eastviewdriving.jpg" border=0></A><BR>This was the last picture I took on our way to our hike. Jon said make this the last one please! You know if you keep stopping and taking pictures we are never going to get there and you missed the turn already! KIDS! ha he was right though! lol <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/saturdayjuly1507.jpg" border=0></A><BR>So we finally make it and decide to go for a hike. <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/wildcatsmountains.jpg" border=0></A><BR>It was our goal to make it to this far away peak! <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/ourgoal.jpg" border=0></A><BR>We started out and it was going rather well. I had to call Candy back and tell her to stay on the proper side of the fence. She did listen, but first she had to roll in cow dung! <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/timeforaroll.jpg" border=0></A><BR>DOGS! Jon and the dogs were ahead of me most the time. <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/jonwithsammyd.jpg" border=0></A><BR>I kept stopping to take pictures! Like these<BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/hawkoverridge.jpg" border=0></A><BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/prettyviewwildcatmountain.jpg" border=0></A><BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/anotherridgeview.jpg" border=0></A><BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/coolridge.jpg" border=0></A><BR>Jon decided to wait up for me. He said, " Mom just take a picture of the Yucca plant and lets get to hiking already!" <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/jonsaidtakepicofyucca.jpg" border=0></A><BR>Pretty soon there they were clear up ahead of me again. lol <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/jonwithsammyd.jpg" border=0></A><BR>By now it was mid afternoon and it was getting HOT! HOT! like around 100 degrees. Way to hot to be hiking and the sign said, "FISHING" so we were thinking there would be water somewhere! We walked and we walked and we walked. <BR>This was our goal, we figured maybe the pond/stream was here. <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/wedidntmakeitthisfar.jpg" border=0></A><BR>However we never made it that far! <BR>So we decided we would head back to the car. Wow what long walk! Jon gave me the backpack and headed back still way ahead of me. Sammy D went with Jon. <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/jononhiswayback.jpg" border=0></A><BR>I kept taking breaks to ummm ya take pictures! I'm not going to admit I could barely move, it was so friggin hot! Even Candy was Hot <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/candywashot.jpg" border=0></A><BR>I thought for awhile I was going to have to carry her. She was slower than me! I did take a few more photos, besides it was a good way to take a break and get some water. <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/southviewofwildcatridge.jpg" border=0></A><BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/southvalleyview.jpg" border=0></A><BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/northviewfromwildcats.jpg" border=0></A><BR>By now I'm pretty sure I'm getting heat stroke, I seen this cliff and thought any minute there would be someone coming over the top to shoot at us! It reminded me of the old Country western Movies!<BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/moviecliffs.jpg" border=0></A><BR>Then I seen a cloud that looked like a Native American<BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/sammydinwildcatmountain.jpg" border=0></A><BR>Still have a long haul back to the car. Jon and Sammy are out of sight and Candy and I are dragging booty! <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/longwaybacktocar.jpg" border=0></A><BR>Oh my gosh! Was this my idea?? ROFL Pretty views, but not at 100 degrees and no shade. This will be a walk we will have to take on a cooler day. Then I remembered this was rattle snake country. However I think they were smart and were in their holes. <BR>Now even the clouds were making faces at me<BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/holycloudwildcat.jpg" border=0></A><BR>Where is the car? lol <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/coolridge.jpg" border=0></A><BR>Sammy D came back to check on me and Candy. Then he went to stay with Jon. Jon and Sammy D were sitting by the car when Candy and I finally arrived a full 20 minutes later! Sammy D is such a good dog to stay with his boy. :) We got in the car and headed to town to get mail. It was a HOT day, but we did have a little fun and got out and about. We stopped to get mail and I took one last picture for the day. <BR><A href="http://photobucket.com/" target=_blank><IMG alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/jdyjdyjdy/nativesunflowervariety.jpg" border=0></A><BR>Thanks for coming along on our walk in Wild Cat Mountains. I actually took around one hundred photos! I just picked out my favorites to share with you here in this blog. I hope you enjoy them as much I did taking them.</td>
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</html>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-7867449414650890662013-06-01T22:50:00.000-06:002013-06-01T22:50:44.842-06:00The Ultimate Photography Adventure Begins<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheUltimatePhotographyAdventure">The Ultimate Photography Adventure</a> was suppose to start today. Then I realized that truly it had began way before this. I think back on some of my most vivid memories as a child. I've always been a little adventurer. At the wee age of five I would take off for walks, to see what I could see. I would visit neighbors to see how they lived life. I met some fine people and learned a lot in those days. <p>
This is a photo of me at Christmas 1963. From the gifts I got, I guess I was expected to grow up to be a housewife!
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uwtR_1Bq8jw/UanLt-PZSOI/AAAAAAAAEa0/EpdvIeAK2NU/s1600/2561_72674574264_2391796_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uwtR_1Bq8jw/UanLt-PZSOI/AAAAAAAAEa0/EpdvIeAK2NU/s320/2561_72674574264_2391796_n.jpg" /></a> <p>
I visited the farmer and his wife down a long country road. They showed me how to feed pigs, how to gather eggs and check them. They were so happy and they worked hard. They worked together to make the life they wanted and cherished. I visited the neighbors behind my house. They had cheese with holes in it! Swiss! I'd never before tasted such a delight. One of my favorite neighbors lived across the street. I would spend hours at their house. Mrs. Neibour taught me to how to play bridge and we would sit and have cookies and lemonade. She was a stay at home Mom and she kept her house so neat. She was proud of children and she showed me the projects they had completed. Her husband raised sheep and she had a garden with grape vines. Oh the grapes were delicious! I always wanted to know more about the world. There had to be more than what I saw at home. When my little brother got old enough. I drug him along on the adventures too. We often got in trouble! <p>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xinvWD7cN6E/UanMEuD6C0I/AAAAAAAAEa8/Zkhc7PIhKs4/s1600/2561_72674589264_1485075_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xinvWD7cN6E/UanMEuD6C0I/AAAAAAAAEa8/Zkhc7PIhKs4/s320/2561_72674589264_1485075_n.jpg" /></a><p>
Back then I lived for the freedom of summer days. Now the learning could really begin. I'm not saying I didn't learn anything in school, but school could painful. School is where you learn that not all people are nice, but that is another story. Finally the summer of my 10th birthday came to pass. I got my first camera! It was a Poloroid Instamatic. We went on vacation and I took photos. After that I dreamed of traveling and taking pictures of beautiful things. I sold my first photo when I was 14. It was a sunset with a shed in it. I remember feeling proud that someone wanted a picture I had taken. <p>
Through the years I worked off and on in the photography industry. I made a pretty good living. Things got tiring after awhile dealing with the general public. I went off to learn new things and meet new people. The one constant thing was my camera. I love the memories that photos hold. Sometimes you don't realize how precious things are until you look back. Too bad we can't see those at the time. <p>
Life went on and I went on, still taking photos all along the way. It wasn't until the year 2005, that I became passionate about photography. It was like a light came on and now nothing would stop me from recording the great beauty of the world. The digital age was exactly the format I'd dreamed of.<p>
Yes today was suppose to mark the day I would take off and travel around the country taking photos and meeting online friends. However life has a way of trying to distract you. I have been called to jury summons for three months. That keeps me here at least until the end of July. I am also now unemployed, thanks to my back and neck problems. I don't have a decent vehicle and on and on. The thing is, even though I can't make the journey I dream of at this time. I can still have adventures! Just like when I was younger. There are things to explore right out your door. Somethings may have been there all along and I've passed them by. It's time to take a look at the world around me with the eyes of myself when I young. Everything was an adventure then! <p>
So I will continue on and try to make the most of each day. Tonight we started a fire and roasted hotdogs. I won't give up my dream, for I know it's out there now. Each passing day, each photo I take just brings me closer to it. Have a wonderful day and dream big or don't dream at all.<p>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-spWHLdwBUP8/UarOEphZY7I/AAAAAAAAEbM/ryC2ox6x8UQ/s1600/DSC06775+copy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-spWHLdwBUP8/UarOEphZY7I/AAAAAAAAEbM/ryC2ox6x8UQ/s320/DSC06775+copy+2.jpg" /></a>
If you haven't had a chance yet, please check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheUltimatePhotographyAdventure">The Ultimate Photography Adventure</a> page on Facebook. Thank you! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-49234107149972084692013-02-11T19:43:00.000-07:002013-02-11T19:45:29.506-07:00Feb 7th -10th Days 38-41I've been busy entering photo contests as well as contests that have things like gas cards. I figure if you don't play you can't win. Anything I can do to help my dream come true I will do. The last few days I was waiting for a blizzard that was suppose to come through. It snowed a little, but we ended up we just got mostly wind. I was looking forward to snowy photo opportunities! Winter isn't over yet, so I'm sure I'll still get a chance to do that. <br>
If you would like to help me win a contest, here is a link where you can "VOTE" for my Dream. <a href=" http://t.co/jPOYrNDE ">http://t.co/jPOYrNDE</a>
Thank you!<br>
Day 38<br>
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Day 39
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Day 40
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Day 41
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Another day closer to my dream. Now there is an easy way for you to help me with my dream...Please "Vote" for me in this dream contest. <br>
This is the link where you can "VOTE" for my Dream. <a href="http://t.co/jPOYrNDE">http://t.co/jPOYrNDE</a>
Thank you!<br>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-37232943443605617412013-02-06T20:07:00.000-07:002013-02-06T20:07:04.861-07:00Feb 1 - 6 days 32 -38Feb has so far been uneventful and I'm happy about that! A few drab days, some nice sunsets and a little more work done on my Jeep. I don't know how long it will take to get the Jeep totally road worthy. I got an oil change, so next in line is to replace some of the old hoses, find out what is wrong with the wipers and get the radio put in. <br>
Our first big snow storm of the season is suppose to happen this coming weekend. I'm really looking forward to that! <br>
This video has photos from the first six days of Feb., it will open in a new window.<br>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tr><td><a href="http://smilebox.com/play/4d7a557a4e5467304f544d3d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link" target="_blank"><img width="420" height="330" alt="Click to play this Smilebox slideshow" src="http://smilebox.com/snap/4d7a557a4e5467304f544d3d0d0a.jpg" style="border: medium none ;"/></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?partner=googlead&campaign=blog_snapshot" target="_blank"><img width="420" height="46" alt="Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmilebox.gif" style="border: medium none ;"/></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center">This <a href="http://www.smilebox.com/slideshows.html" target="_blank">free picture slideshow</a> made with Smilebox</td></tr></table>
It feels good to be caught up on photos and blog. Another day closer to my dream...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-85095363372070781312013-02-06T16:16:00.000-07:002013-02-06T16:16:17.601-07:00Playing Catch Up Days 22 through 31I have to say I'm happy that January 2013 is behind me. It was a stressful month, but at the same time so many blessings came through to help me out. Jan. 22, I wasn't feeling well, but I still went out and took pics of the sunset. It was a beauty. Jan. 23, was a sick day. For the life of me I couldn't get warm all day long. Outside was dreary. The 24th, I made it back to work and my son had a basketball game. I had court on Friday the 25th. <br>
Glad it's over! I was the only one in the court room besides the court reporter and the Judge. The plaintiff's attorney was on speaker phone. The Judge goes over the papers, yada yada yada...the attorney speaks...I'm pretty much just standing there up at the bench. I had to be sworn in. So anyway I give the Judge my paperwork that I got from Legal Aide...he talks more, then says he thinks the garnishment will stand, but at a different rate, since I'm head of household...Sigh! My heart dropped to my knees...I said, I want to claim the "Wild Card" exemption for my checking account...Judge says " I've never heard of that!" Ughhh! So the Capital One lawyer says, " Oh that is something the Legal Aide Lawyers, like to throw around, I don't think it's a law here in NE"...I am sweating now and standing there in disbelief! WHAT??? So there is a pause and the Capital One lawyer tells the Judge there is a case"....:" I can't remember the name of it,anyway the Judge excuses himself to go look it up. I sit there and I tell you at that point I could totally feel the prayers all coming in! It was just a couple minutes later and the Judge comes in and says, " You are right!" WOOHOO!!! Got my account unfrozen!!! and get this, it's all thanks to the honesty of the Capital One lawyer who mentioned this other case to the Judge! Now that is GOD! WOO!<br>
Jan. 26-Thanks to a friend for loaning me the money to get another vehicle and yet another friend for giving me a super low price on the vehicle! Ya it needs some TLC for sure, but it runs Great! Drives Super! We our now proud owners of a New to Us 1993 Jeep Cherokee!<br>
The rest of the month was pretty calm, thankfully. The weather was warm, cold and snow. I've taken photos everyday so far for my 365 project. This time I put them in this slide show. <br>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tr><td><a href="http://smilebox.com/play/4d7a557a4e5459304e54593d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link" target="_blank"><img width="420" height="330" alt="Click to play this Smilebox slideshow" src="http://smilebox.com/snap/4d7a557a4e5459304e54593d0d0a.jpg" style="border: medium none ;"/></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?partner=googlead&campaign=blog_snapshot" target="_blank"><img width="420" height="46" alt="Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmilebox.gif" style="border: medium none ;"/></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center">Customize a <a href="http://www.smilebox.com/slideshows.html" target="_blank">free photo slideshow</a></td></tr></table><br>
Here it is Feb. 6th, 2013 and I'm just now finishing up Jan.! Although I am running behind on posting, I have still been able to take photos each day. Now I'm trying to decide if I want to do a weekly blog, instead of a daily one. Maybe I'll just play it by ear and do what seems best when the time comes. Now to get caught up with Feb. :-)
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-3218198594459667492013-01-22T00:25:00.000-07:002013-01-22T00:25:48.784-07:00The Moon & Jupiter Day 21I got woke up early today. My son missed the bus, thankfully my other son had to work and he drove him to school. I was tired all morning so about 9 am I went back to bed. I had the most vivid dream. <i>I was living in this huge house by the ocean. It was an upstairs apartment, but it had like 6 bedrooms and lots of windows. I had to go down some back stairs and through a restaurant kitchen to take the dogs out. The landlady was fixing soup and one the dogs licked the pot. She was going to evict me for that!<br>
I got the dogs down to the beach and we went walking. It was a beautiful day. The skies were blue as blue could be, with white fluffy clouds. The beach started to change and it went uphill. There were penguins and dolphins jumping into a waterfall. Yes it just kept getting weirder! Then instead of walking the dogs, I was pushing them in a baby stroller! The road kept filling up with water and I had to have someone help me get the dogs out of the stroller.<br> </i>
Then as dreams go, <i>I'm suddenly in a house having an interview about a photography job. This place was full of actors and they were doing a play. The boss just happened to be the landlady's husband and he said he'd have a staircase built off my apartment so the I wouldn't have to go through the kitchen.<br></i>
When I finally woke up, I had been asleep for almost 4hrs! Wow I must have been tired! Anyway later in the afternoon I went out to get my photo for the day. Nothing was really catching my eye though. I did take some of the moon, some of the ground, some of the woodpeckers that come to the feeder and later tonight I took more of the moon and Jupiter. <br>
After I loaded the pics up on the computer I noticed I had captured Jupiter this afternoon as well.
Here are a few of the shots I got today. <br>
THE MOON & JUPITER in the East Sky about 3:40pm<br>
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The Ground <br>
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My dog Foxy Roxy. I think this one needs a cool caption. Can you think of a good one?<br>
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Ms. Hairy<br>
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Mr. Squeaky<br>
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Mrs. Sqeaky<br>
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The Moon and I think Jupiter tonight around 10:45pm<br>
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It was a nice pleasant day...one day closer to my dream...
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-66016732598299108392013-01-21T23:40:00.000-07:002013-01-21T23:40:42.765-07:00And again More Multiplicity! Day 20I decided to try the multiplicity again, but outside. It's really addicting and fun! <br>
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After I saw myself duplicated or multiplied...I signed up on some site to keep track of what I eat. I really need to get in shape. Menopause just sucks! No mater what you do the fat just sticks around like a cat in heat. <br>
Oh and I made brownies! DOH Nothing like sabotaging myself on day one! ;-) <br>
It was a nice peaceful day and I can take more like this. Another day closer to my dream.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-34118255135464584432013-01-20T15:17:00.000-07:002013-01-20T15:17:30.271-07:00More Multiplicity, day 19My grand daughter Leia was here visiting over the weekend. She really liked the multiplicity photo I posted earlier this week. We did one of her by herself and one of her and her Daddy. <br>
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These are so fun to do! <br>
This is a timeline cover for Facebook. It is of the sunset on the 19th of Jan. 2013.<br>
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A nice peaceful weekend and I got my car radiator hose fixed. I think! One day closer to my dream and one more day to be thankful for such awesome friends and family. Be blessed~! :-)
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339360009834223715.post-77714037250385518402013-01-18T17:39:00.000-07:002013-01-18T17:39:24.994-07:00Prayers & Duct Tape! Day 18It was a gorgeous morning. I got a ride to work and a ride after to work to get a few errands done. <br>
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There have been many prayers said for me this week. I appreciate that so much. I have such awesome friends! One suggested to try the car again. I did and nothing happened. I decided to lift the hood and check again. One of the hoses has duct tape on it and I squeezed that and noticed the tape was loose. Just for fun I tried to start the car again. V room V room V room!! It started! I got some more duct tape and re-tapped the hose. I put some more anti freeze in the radiator and drove to the store. I'm so relieved it started! I'll still need to get another car soon, but for now it's working!
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A day with a wave of relief! I'll take that! One day closer to my dream...another thanks to all the folks who took time to say prayers!
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01632767953568414070noreply@blogger.com0