Back in Livingston

We left Vinton, Louisiana today around 8:30. We went directly to the Montana dealer in Orange Texas and had the right front landing gear replaced. Only took them less than an hour. We arrived in Livingston, TX around 11:45 and had lunch.

Today was an absolutely beautiful day out. In the mid 70's with a calm breeze. We attended the usual 4:00 meeting at this Escapees Park where they announce upcoming events. Since we just came in again today, we had to go up front and introduce ourselves even though we were just here last month.

We are waiting for a response about where we have to be on Saturday or Sunday for our first NOMADS project. I am getting worried. I expected to know by now as I am a planner and like to know well in advance about things like that.

On another note, daughter Terri's friend Sharon now lives outside San Antonio. I talked to Terri earlier and she is looking into she and Steve flying out from NJ around April 5 and staying for a week. If so, we will meet up with them at Sharon's, stay the week there and then head up to the Texas Hill Country for a week to finally get to see our new Great Grandson.

Then we will have one week the get ourselves to El Dorado Springs, MO for our next NOMADS project. As I said, I am a planner. I like knowing where we will be for the next several weeks.

Len tried but he can't receive any TV at all here at this time. So, he is reading. I think I am about ready for my shower and to settle in for the night.

Making plans

On Thursday night when Cassie and the children were here, Clara asked to stay overnight. We decided instead that we would get her Friday morning, spend the day with her, she would stay overnight and Cassie would pick her up Saturday morning. As agreed, Len and I drove the one hour to her house Friday morning. Well, (almost) 4 year olds tend to change their mind. We were disappointed that she would not come with us. We could not blame her as she is really just getting to know us. We still enjoyed the time we did have with her.


Cassie and Clara

Our friends Diana and Don had talked about us getting together to go out to dinner. I called Diana and we decided we would meet them at their house and then decide where to go eat. A short time later Don called Len. He has a friend who was looking for someone to drive a dump truck for a few days. GREAT! Len still has his CDL. Len left me at Diana's and he and Don went to see the friend. Len is working for the friend today and expects to work Monday and Tuesday. This will help our pocketbook.

We came to this area thinking that Len would work for 4 or 5 weeks doing what he did way back when we met. He was supposed to have a job in Houston starting 3/9 but that fell through. Other leads have fallen through also. This down economy has hit this area hard too. The money would have been nice and then there would be the unemployment benefits once the work ended. We will be fine with what we have but gosh ---- it sure would have been nice.

Since he is not going to be working, we decided why hang here any longer? I looked at the openings for a NOMADS project. EUREKA! One in Jacksonville TX only 5 hours from here starts on the fifthteenth and there appeared to be an opening. I called Carla who is the NOMADS administrator in Kansas and asked if they needed volunteers. She checked, called back and yes they do.

Our plan: the part for the Montana came in yesterday. We will leave here Wednesday, stop at the RV dealer, have the part installed then head north. The Escapees Park in Livingston TX that we stayed at a few weeks ago is about 1/2 way between here and Jacksonville right on the route we will be traveling. We will stay in LIvingston on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights. Then we will head on up to Jacksonville. Aside from meeting great people and doing something worthwhile, there will be the financial benefit. NOMADS provides a campsite in exchange for each of us working 6 hours Monday to Thursday for three weeks. We look forward to our first project and visiting that area.

BTW, in deciding where to eat last night, Len wanted a steak. Diana and Don went along with the streak idea and we went to a steak house in Lake Charles. Len had his fill - a HUGE prime rib cooked perfectly medium rare. He was one happy camper!

The original girlfriend

First I welcome John and Terri Shea. Good to see you here.

As I said in an earlier blog, on Sunday Len got reacquainted with his very first girlfriend Diana and we met her husband Don. We went to their house on Tuesday for coffee and again on Wednesday for a great lunch of rice and gravy, pork and the best lima beans I've ever had. We thank Diana and her husband Don for their hospitality.

Here is Len surrounded by his last girlfriend, Me, on the left and his first, Diana, on the right.


This is Len with Diana and her husband Don Johnson.

This is Welsh United Methodist Church in Vinton, La. We have attended twice and will attend whenever in Vinton. We really like this church.


Right now it looks promising that we will be changing our domicile to South Dakota from Texas. Changing will save us $540 a year on my Medicare supplement; $781 a year on insurance on the fifthwheel and $426 a year on truck insurance. As of now we don't know the costs of the mail service, vehicle registrations and Len's health insurance. We are awaiting forms to arrive in the mail with info.

If we decide to change, we will head to South Dakota in mid May. I understand most of the changes can be done by telephone, mail or Internet. But we need to go there in person for drivers licenses. To be a resident you need only stay one night and have an acceptable address. The address of the mail service suffices. Of special note there is never any vehicle inspection on either the truck or fiver. Ongoing annual registrations can be done by mail.

Len will be making a pot of shrimp and okra gumbo tonight, Thursday. We are expecting daughter Cassie and grandchildren Hunter, Nathaniel and Clara for dinner.

At this time we are still up in the air on a temporary job for Len. There are a couple of possibilities but if nothing materializes by Friday we will plan to leave Louisiana next Wednesday when our campground rental is up. We both have hitch-itch.

The solution to our problem....

We had a beautiful Sunday. Last week and this week we attended the Methodist Church here in Vinton, La. Yesterday a lady turned around in her pew and asked Len what his name is. When she heard it, she turned to her husband and said, "that is my first boyfriend". When Len realized who she was he turned to me and said "this is my first girlfriend". They were 5 and 6.

She and her family lived next door to Len's Aunt and Uncle. He spent much of his childhood at their house. Diana gave Len her Mom and Dad's phone number. They now live with her sister in Lake Charles. Len called Diana's mother and we went right over to visit. All were so happy to get caught up with each other. Tomorrow we will spend some time at Diana's house.

We really like the church we have been attending. It is a very welcoming congregation.

Now, for the down side of the last few days. We are still having issues in getting health insurance for Len. It is possible he might keep what he had in NJ at a cost of almost $700 a month! We are also looking into changing residency to South Dakota. We know the truck and fifth wheel insurance will be much cheaper. We will look into the cost of health insurance. At this point I sure wish Len was old enough for Medicare like I am.

I told him there is one other option. We can ditch this 38" fifth wheel and go smaller. Then our costs of travel will be less. Something small will be cheaper to pull. Insurance costs and registration will be less. We can sell the rest of our "stuff" to get some money. What do you think? Will he agree to travel in this?????


My guess is NO!

Really getting the itch.

Things have settled down with Len's Mom. We had thought that Len would have a short-term job in this area and then be able to apply for his NJ Unemployment. He has talked to his sister and two brothers about different possibilities but nothing has materialized so far.

We are waiting for a part to come in at a nearby RV dealer that will fix the problem with our right front landing gear. We can not take the chance of traveling until that is fixed. It's been two weeks yesterday since it was ordered. They said one week. Here we go again!

We are also having difficulty getting low cost health coverage for him. If it's not one thing, it's another. But we know it will all work out in time.

Once these things are settled: 1) either having a job or not having a job; 2) continued improvement of Mom; 3) getting landing gear fixed; 4) finding insurance = then we will look into moving along. We really are having hitch itch.

We are both BORED BORED BORED. Today we left at 10 and took a 200 mile drive. We got back to the fiver around 2:30. I took the camera but only after seeing something interesting and moving on down the road, did I think, "hey, why didn't I take a picture". As I keep saying, Len and I have 5 brain cells between us and are losing them fast.

We had a nice evening last night with Len's cousin Russell and wife Margie. We went to a Chinese Buffet that had lots of boiled crawfish. It sure made the 3 Cajuns I was with happy. It is always a treat to visit with them.

Temporary solution

Len's youngest sister has moved into Mom's house to take care of her. This is a major responsibility. The other brothers and sisters continue to stop by to assure things are going well. We know this is a short-term solution.

This is Len's mother Alice and our sister-in-law Susie.

Yesterday we found the local United Methodist Church and attended services. There was another couple visiting the church. To our great joy we found out they are NOMADS! We found them after services and spent a few minutes talking to them. They just left the Moss Point MS project that Len and I were scheduled to work before Len's skin cancer scare and we had to postpone fulltiming for a few months. Then we found out they are parked just four campsites away from us. Dort and Butch are having car problems and are leaving the area today.

Later in the day, Len's older Daughter D'Juana and her girls Alex and Lindsey stopped by the campground. They were returning to Houston from visiting her mother in Louisiana. Len spent some time outside frying his wonderful Southern Fried Chicken. We kind of overdid it. We had enough for dinner last night with the girls plus enough for tonight and two bags in the freezer for future meals.

Now let's see what the day brings.

Taking Turns

At this time we are alternating days of caring for Lens mother with Len's brother Royce and his wife Susie. We will go to her house around 8 am and stay the night, the next day they will do the same. We are hoping the four of us can have weekends off and other siblings provide the care.

Other arrangements have to be made. Len has a job south of Houston starting 3/9 for 3-4 weeks with the same company he worked for when we met back in 1988. Then we head to see our new Great-Grandson Alec up near Austin. After visiting the hill country of Texas we will continue on eventually arriving in Missouri mid April for our NOMADS project.

We are all so very tired. Today is our day of rest. Earlier we shopped WalMart and then ate at Chilllies. Tonight we will try to get a good nights sleep.