Dust, Bats and Bugs

Sunset on the Ranch

Day 7

It appears I am a day late or a day missed, but since I've only had 5 hours of sleep and one short nap it feels like it has all been one day since 2 days ago.

Dave and I decided that I would take the late night shift and him the early day shift. I stay up until 2 or 3am while he goes to bed about 7 or 8pm.  Then I go to bed at 2 or 3 am, but unfortunately I haven't been able to sleep more than 5 or 6 hours.  However, I slept 4 1/2 hours the first night and 5 1/2 the 2nd, so by the middle of next week I should be getting back to my 7 hours.........let's hope.

The first night I sat outside and watched all the bugs congregating around the light tower and then watched the bats having a banquet.  Not so many bugs last night as it was low 40's.  I guess it was too cold for them.

I had read in other blogs about the dust, but so far we haven't accumulated much inside the trailer.  The plastic covers on the screen doors seem to really help keeping the majority of it out.

Yesterday (?) Dave and Willie (our company man) moved the generator farther away from the trailer and turned the exhaust so it was pointing up instead of down.   THAT really helped the fumes not coming out right under the door.  A little less vibration inside the trailer too.

Most of the traffic going in and out has been the rig workers and delivery trucks.  Late afternoon and evening the workers run into town (Cotulla) for awhile....to get something to eat, go to the grocery store or whatever.  Tonight most of the guys came back pretty quickly because someone hit a light pole in town and knocked out a transformer.  No electricity in half the town.  The half with the grocery store and places to eat!

Yesterday, Diana and I (our gate neighbors) ran into Pearsall (40 miles up the highway)to find a propane place, and an AT&T store and a Walmart.  Found all but a propane place.  Asked around and got sent from place to place.  Finally found someone who gave us the propane guys phone number.  He couldn't meet us at the yard until another hour, so we decided to head back.  Stopped at the Cotulla post office to find out about General Delivery and the postman directed us to the Ace Hardware store.....directly across the street!  Got the propane filled and headed back.  We were gone about 4 hours.  The speed down here seems to be slooooowww.  Slow to answer questions, slow to explain, slow to help, slow, slow, slow.  Not that they don't answer questions or help, it's just slow moving, slow talking.  Good thing we have also slowed down the pace the last 7 months or we would have really been annoyed.

Diana and I got along well on our fishing expedition.  We have a lot in common.  We both have 5 grandchildren, they have 3 boys and 2 girls, we have the opposite.  She has 5 kids to my 3, but my 3 are close in age to 3 of theirs.  They have been fulltiming for about a year.  It's nice having another woman around to talk to and go do things with.  Love Dave, but I think we both could use a break once in a while!

Ok, I'm going to attempt to download a picture.  Internet is steady, but slow.  Lets see how slow.....

Our home for 5 months

Not so bad....about 2 minutes start to finish, so here is one more. 

The two gates.  We're on the right

And the one at the top makes 3.  I'm thinking that is all I can add...the photo add window keeps locking up.

I'm off to nap in the chair now.  I think all the boys are in for the night, but since it's only my second night there's no telling.  Tomorrow-Feral Pigs.

SHOUTOUT:  To all the gate guard blogs I read because they were soooo helpful in preparing us for this....Texas Heat, MyOldRV, Fork in the Road, Wandering Wendals and a few others I've run across .  Special Thank you to Bob and Gaby for spending the time with us at Benbrook Lake.  THANKS ya'll!!