Exhaustion

Terri and Steve's family room decorated out for Christmas

This picture was taken Christmas Eve at Mom's house. There is Leonard in his Christmas Cowboy hat, great-niece Siani, my daugther Terri, top of the head of son-in-law Steve and grandson Justin.

Well, I had been feeling quite run down starting about two weeks ago. I thought I was just being lazy. I managed Christmas Eve service at Terri's church as Steve was singing a solo. He has an outstanding voice and many people have commented on it since. After service we went across the street to my mothers for snacks.

We had Christmas morning breakfast at Terri and Steves. Also attending were Steve's mother, Grandson Justin and my ex-husband and his wife. Then we came home to relax a while before going back to Terri's for dinner.

I woke up Saturday feeling really poorly and completely exhausted. We decided a trip to the ER was in order. Seems I have been suffering with some type of flu. They gave me an IV and prescription. I came home and slept rest of day.

Yesterday I debated going to church but since we have so few weeks left to attend, I got up, got showered and we went. I could not stand for the hymns or readings. We did not stay for Sunday School. We came home and I went to bed. There I stayed until our friends Peggy and Bill called to say they were coming over. It is always a pleasure to spend time with them and I am glad their visit forced me out of bed.

Today I took Len to work as I needed the truck to take Lucky for his "procedure". He is not feeling very lucky about this time, I would think.

This afternoon Leonard and I have Dr. appointments to get our medical records and make sure our all meds are a Walmart $4.00 brand. Tomorrow night we will get Charlotte and keep her until Thursday night. A friend of Len's owns a very nice local restaurant. He is treating Len, Charlotte and I to dinner on Wednesday night as his way of saying goodbye for now.

We have many friends and relatives we will miss as we travel and voltunteer. But our return in June is just a short 5 months away.

BTW, I am feeling better today than I have for over two weeks. Those meds must be working.

Reflections

As I am sitting here looking out the window at 2 feet of snow, I am reminded this will be our last Christmas living here in NJ and likely our last one in the area for a couple of years. How nice that it is a white one.

The home you see in this picture is that of our friends Gene and Kathy and their two remarkable boxers Max and Candy. We met Gene and Kathy when we joined the local Good Sam Club a few years back. They had been living in their Tradewinds Motor Home but not long after we moved here they bought a park model trailer and had it moved onto their site. You can see their motorhome to the right of the trailer.

We met a lovely couple a few years ago while camping in Virginia. Ursula and Karl were workamping at the KOA in Charlottesville. They said they were fulltime RVers. We had never heard of such a thing. When they told us they had no home but their RV, we were HORRIFIED! That was in May. By that September we had decided to do the same! When we met Gene and Kathy and they said they lived in their motorhome but were still working and not traveling, we thought that to be so strange. Well, here we are living across from them in our fifth wheel for almost a year now! Up until end of September I was still working. Len is working until January 7.

People live so many different lifestyles, seeming strange to others at first. As we move through this life we eventually find that perfect fit realizing that the perfect fit has its own ebb and flow and often changes over time.

This year, Ursula and Karl, after living their dream of workamping in Alaska, gave up the fulltime life and are settling into an apartment. Kathy and Gene moved from their motorhome to a park model and we are about to start our phase of traveling and doing volunteeer work with the NOMADS. Three stories about the ebb and flow of life.

What a week it has been

Looking at our back window at our bike seats - snow cones?

I started feeling "run down" last Wednesday or so. By Friday I could hardly get out of bed. I wanted to sleep but had a hard time doing so. Then the coughing started and the sweats. Without getting graphic I will say there were other issues too. Today is the first day I am feeling almost like myself again.

On a happier note, we got the truck back on Friday. Sure does make the husband happy.

We have been hit with a MAJOR snow storm. We have about 25 inches of the white stuff all around us. Len was called in to the prison to plow on Saturday at 2 pm. He got done at 7 am on Sunday. They called him back Sunday evening at 6 and he plowed until 6 am this morning. At 7 he went into the facility to start his regular job for the day. He gets done at 3:30. He just called and said his boss told him to go to his shop, plop his feet up at his desk and go to sleep. If he is needed, they will call him. He said he went to sleep at right after 6 and just now woke up at 8:30. He told his inmates to come get him at 10:30 so he can take them to their lunch.


Since we didn't have the truck, then I felt so bad on Friday, then the snow, then Len working 19.5 hours today - looks like tomorrow is my best shot to get those few gifts bought.

And our cat, Lucky, got Lucky again. He was supposed to go to vets for neutering today. Since there is no way I was going out last night to take Len to work so I could have the truck this morning, Lucky maintains his manhood for one more week.

I am so ready

Only 26 days and we are off to our great adventure. I am so ready. Having retired at the end of September, I AM BORED!!! It does not help that we sold my car (thankfully) and unless I want to get up in the cold and drop Len at work at 6:00 am, I am stuck here all day.

Our truck is STILL in the shop. They told Leonard that the engine would be completed yesterday and they will remove the dashboard to install the heater core today. They say we MIGHT get it back tomorrow. I sure hope so.

We have a little bit of Christmas shopping to do. We give gift cards to all the grandchildren in Alabama, Louisiana and Texas. Grandson in Philadelphia gets cash as he is 22. The only grandkiddies we will actually buy a gift for are Charlotte and Abby. Amy tells me Charlotte wants a bean bag chair. Easy enough. As far as 6 month-old Abby, I just don't know.

We have made doctor appointments to get copies of our records. We also want to make sure our prescriptions are the WalMart $4.00 brand. Len takes blood pressure meds, I take med for thyroid. We both now take cholesterol meds. Also, Len is to take a fish oil supplement and I take Calcium and Vitamin D. Oh dear, do all these medicines come with old age???

On Sunday our friends Tom and Clare Ayers invited us and our mutual friends Bob and Marie Price to dinner at their house. The house looked so festive. We cherish this time with friends whom we will not see again for several months. I do have to remember to take my camera for just such an occasion.

Promise of a job

We are scheduled for NOMADS projects 2/1 to 2/18 in the Rio Grande Valley. Our next assignment is not until 4/25 in Kansas, leaving us lots of time in between.

As Len is retiring from NJDOC at 61 he does not get social security for another year. Since he is, in effect, quitting his current job he is not eligible for unemployment as I was not because I left my job on my own. However, if he is re-employed and earns 6x his weekly NJ benefit rate and then is laid off, he can make a claim for unemployment benefits from back here in NJ. This is all done online.

Lens' sister manages a business that belongs to her son-in-law that does work in refineries in the Beaumont TX area. Len spoke to Sissy two nights ago. They can use him for several weeks in late February and into March as he has years of refinery experience before he met me and moved to NJ.

YIPPEE!! A short term job promise and when it is over, the ability to collect unemployment with possible additional temp jobs down the road. Now, I feel so much better about our financial situation. So it looks like we now know where we will be headed following the first NOMAD project. Putting Leonard to work!

We had to make a decision

We have often talked about "trading up someday" from a F250 to a F450 Ford Pickup. The reason being, a F450 has dual back wheels and had a higher rated towing capacity.

When Len was at the Ford dealership about our truck repairs, he saw the truck salesman we have always dealt with. Jim told Len about a 2008 F450 they have on the lot as a trade in. He could not show it to him at that time as someone had it out with the intention of buying it. But if the deal fell through, he would give Len a call. Well, the potential buyer could not get the financing so we got the call to come look.

We looked at the truck and loved it. There are so many reasons to have a F450. Had we known in 2006 that we would be pulling a Fifthwheel trailer all around the country, this is what we would have bought back then. We seriously considered buying the F450. However, we only owe $8,000 on our current truck. And the loan is at 0% interest. We have often considered just paying it off; but why do that when the money is better left in the bank making a few dollars each month.

With trading in our F250 the cost of the F450 would be $17,000. Not a bad deal. But we would still owe the $8,000. Len was leaning toward trading up. He really wanted that truck. A calmer head prevailed - mine. When he told the salesman no, he came down another $2,000 on the price. Still no. (Lesson learned - NEVER agree to the first deal they offer.)

Considering all, we both know we made the right decision Our truck is able to do the job we need done. It has the tow package that includes the engine brake, a heavier suspension and helper springs. It is able to pull our rig through mountains with ease, even using the cruise control option. AND we are getting a brand new engine and lots of other new stuff installled this week. The old engine never gave us a bit of trouble and is only being replaced because of possible contamination from the coil issue.

Len only has 19 more work days. We have between 30 and 34 more days until we take off. We decided to travel a different route south this time. We usually go the shortest route inland through the Virginia mountains. However, we decided to follow the coast to Florida and then head west. At this time of the year, we have experienced heavy snow in the Virginia mountains. The coastal route is longer, but isn't this what Fulltiming is all about? Taking our time and seeing something different.

A day with our beautiful granddaughters

Daughter Amy, who lives in Northern Maryland, was going to a baby shower up in Brooklyn, NY. at least 2 hours from here. She asked if we would like to meet her at the Cracker Barrel at 9 am over by the Delaware Memorial Bridge and keep the girls for the day. ABSOLTUELY!

This was the first day we had actually spent a length of time with Abby, who is almost 6 months. Charlotte had turned 3 in July. We had a good day with them even though we were beseiged with a cold rain and then snow showers. We visited for a while at Aunt "T's" and uncle Steves. Then to WalMart and back to the fifth wheel. Abby only takes very short naps so was awake except when in the car. Charlotte was her usual curious, talkative self. We appreciate every moment we spend with these precious gifts.

We had planned to take pictures but only remembered AFTER we had delivered them back to Amy at 7 pm. It was snowing and Amy still had a two hour drive home. She reports today they have about 4 inches of the white stuff. We had no accumulation.

A truly precious soul

Yesterday I attended the funeral service of a dear man who for his entire life attended the little church Len and I were married in. He was one of those very special people. In the 45 years I had know Robert I had never seen him without a smile on his face and joy in his heart. Robert loved life and all it had to offer more than anyone I have ever known. The slightest event or conversation gave him great joy. Yes, if I had to think of one word to describe Robert Faubell it would be Joyous.

I have been reflecting on the lessons to be learned from Robert. How lovely it would be if more of us saw life as Robert saw it. He died two days short of his 86th birthday. I will always remember his zest for life, his constant smile and, yes, joy! His family and all who know him will never cease missing him and his smile but the Lord has welcomed a true Saint in heaven this week.

On another note - we got the word yesterday that Ford has decided the contamination from the original problem throughout the truck is more extensive than originally thought. They have authorized installing a new engine, heating system, radiator and who knows what else. Total cost parts and labor - $25,000. THANK HEAVEN still under warranty. So another week to a week and a half before we get the truck back.