My new favorite place is the laundrymat (or is it laundromat). Why, you ask? Because I like surprises and when you live on the road or are in the oilfields you never know what surprises await you there.
Dirty or clean? Equipment works or doesn't work? Water hard or soft? What happened to all the folding tables? WHERE are the folding tables? Nice people or not so nice people? Lock your car or don't? Staffed or not? Who washed their oily clothes in that washer before me? Bebe's kids? $1.25 or $2.50 a wash? Clothes dry in one quarter, two or six? Oops, dropped my underwear on the floor. Rewash or not?
Come back here or not?
See what I mean. Lots of surprises.
Happy Monday!
Monday, December 2, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Outta Here!
Tonight is our last night in the oilfields surrounding Cotulla. We have enjoyed our Winter here, met some new people, made some new friends. Did some of that re-connecting with our good friends Mary and Jack. We go our separate ways this summer but will see each other next Winter I'm sure.
Our new neighbors, Tim and Katy are terrific people and helped in our decision to trade in the 5er for a motorhome. Thanks guys!
Also enjoyed the gate guard ladies lunch every other week. Made some new friends there too and also met some fellow bloggers.
We are off to San Antonio until Friday. We'll be cleaning the dust and dirt out of the motorhome as well as get the dirt and dust off the dogs. A little shopping, one very nice dinner out, errands and seeing a few people.
Our good friends, Cindy and Ernie are meeting us at the RV park on Wednesday and then we are travelling together back to Kansas. Spend a month with the kids and grandkids, visit with our friends, take care of Dr's appts and prepare to head out for our Festival season.
All you gate guards working through the Summer....be careful out there. All you other gate guards taking off for parts unknown for the summer...be careful out there also. May the roads be smooth and dry and your adventures all you hope them to be.
And to our kids.......HERE WE COME!!!
Our new neighbors, Tim and Katy are terrific people and helped in our decision to trade in the 5er for a motorhome. Thanks guys!
Also enjoyed the gate guard ladies lunch every other week. Made some new friends there too and also met some fellow bloggers.
We are off to San Antonio until Friday. We'll be cleaning the dust and dirt out of the motorhome as well as get the dirt and dust off the dogs. A little shopping, one very nice dinner out, errands and seeing a few people.
Our good friends, Cindy and Ernie are meeting us at the RV park on Wednesday and then we are travelling together back to Kansas. Spend a month with the kids and grandkids, visit with our friends, take care of Dr's appts and prepare to head out for our Festival season.
All you gate guards working through the Summer....be careful out there. All you other gate guards taking off for parts unknown for the summer...be careful out there also. May the roads be smooth and dry and your adventures all you hope them to be.
And to our kids.......HERE WE COME!!!
A Community All It's Own
Three of the worst things that can happen in this fulltiming lifestyle happened over our winter. Not to us but to people we know and like.
A hail storm and a totaled motorhome.
A flood and extensive damage.
A fire and a death.
I have sympathy and empathy for each of the victims of these capricious acts of nature. I wish I could do more than offer that little bit. One I have helped monetarily, one is too far away to help and one the only offer I can extend IS my sympathy.
One of them I have never met in person, one I have only met once and the other was a neighbor for a short time.
Such is the lifestyle we lead. Fulltimers are a special neighborhood all it's own and encompasses the world. You make friends you have only met once but keep in touch through your travels. You make friends with other bloggers and keep in touch through each other's adventures and some come into and out of your life for a short time but make a big impact.
Just like in a static neighborhood there are a myriad of different personalities, ages, types of homes, income levels, political and religious affiliations. They just don't all seem as important as the experience of the travels and meeting new people. All of them are a special breed. Each with their own lives and each connected to you by the lifestyle we all lead. You exchange phone numbers, email addresses and blog URL's and somewhere down the road you meet again, catch up and both hit the road once more. I think we all connect on a much different level than any physical neighbors we all once had.
We keep in touch with our friends from our sticks and bricks life. We miss them, we love them and see them whenever we're home. We KNOW where to find them. And we NEED that re-connection, but the new friends we meet on the road share the reasons, the understanding, the troubles and all the things that come with this life we have chosen. They KNOW what the attraction to this lifestyle is and what it entails, whereas some of the ones we hold dear back home still want to know why.
And that's OK. They know we're doing what we've dreamed about and even without understanding they're happy for us.
A hail storm and a totaled motorhome.
A flood and extensive damage.
A fire and a death.
I have sympathy and empathy for each of the victims of these capricious acts of nature. I wish I could do more than offer that little bit. One I have helped monetarily, one is too far away to help and one the only offer I can extend IS my sympathy.
One of them I have never met in person, one I have only met once and the other was a neighbor for a short time.
Such is the lifestyle we lead. Fulltimers are a special neighborhood all it's own and encompasses the world. You make friends you have only met once but keep in touch through your travels. You make friends with other bloggers and keep in touch through each other's adventures and some come into and out of your life for a short time but make a big impact.
Just like in a static neighborhood there are a myriad of different personalities, ages, types of homes, income levels, political and religious affiliations. They just don't all seem as important as the experience of the travels and meeting new people. All of them are a special breed. Each with their own lives and each connected to you by the lifestyle we all lead. You exchange phone numbers, email addresses and blog URL's and somewhere down the road you meet again, catch up and both hit the road once more. I think we all connect on a much different level than any physical neighbors we all once had.
We keep in touch with our friends from our sticks and bricks life. We miss them, we love them and see them whenever we're home. We KNOW where to find them. And we NEED that re-connection, but the new friends we meet on the road share the reasons, the understanding, the troubles and all the things that come with this life we have chosen. They KNOW what the attraction to this lifestyle is and what it entails, whereas some of the ones we hold dear back home still want to know why.
And that's OK. They know we're doing what we've dreamed about and even without understanding they're happy for us.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
What the Fuck?!
I love this phrase. Sure, I know, I could find other phrases that say the same thing, but there is just nothing that says it quite as clearly. And it can be changed to Where the fuck, who the fuck, when the fuck and why the fuck.
Wickepedia says about the word fuck: "By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed and may also be used as an intensive." "In "what the fuck?!", it serves merely as an intensive."
Of course anyone who knows me well knows I have no reservations saying fuck. I try to hold back in the company of people I do not know well, but once in awhile I'll let it slip. I don't think I've chased anyone off yet.
I'm still sorting out exactly why there can be a negative reaction to swear words. I don't think it shows that anyone is any less intelligent or that it would make someone appear trashy. Some of the smartest or well thought of people I know use them quite frequently. And, we go back to the first paragraph. There is more than one way to get the point across, but those usually aren't as satisfying as a good old "what the fuck" accompanied by a look of total bafflement.
"That's fucking bullshit" is another good one. Short, to the point and no one misinterprets that. Of course you could say "you're lying" or "you're crazy" but it just doesn't have the same impact.
They are great for quick succinct clarification. They are great for blowing off steam. They are great for getting people out of your face.
Some people are funny about the swear words they use. My mother said she didn't like the word piss because her grandmother (on the farm) never said she was going to the bathroom, she said "I'm going to piss". My mother only said two swear words, "shit" and "damn", and she rarely used those. When those words could be heard around the house you knew someone's ass was in DEEP shit!
Wickepedia says about the word fuck: "By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed and may also be used as an intensive." "In "what the fuck?!", it serves merely as an intensive."
Of course anyone who knows me well knows I have no reservations saying fuck. I try to hold back in the company of people I do not know well, but once in awhile I'll let it slip. I don't think I've chased anyone off yet.
I'm still sorting out exactly why there can be a negative reaction to swear words. I don't think it shows that anyone is any less intelligent or that it would make someone appear trashy. Some of the smartest or well thought of people I know use them quite frequently. And, we go back to the first paragraph. There is more than one way to get the point across, but those usually aren't as satisfying as a good old "what the fuck" accompanied by a look of total bafflement.
"That's fucking bullshit" is another good one. Short, to the point and no one misinterprets that. Of course you could say "you're lying" or "you're crazy" but it just doesn't have the same impact.
They are great for quick succinct clarification. They are great for blowing off steam. They are great for getting people out of your face.
Some people are funny about the swear words they use. My mother said she didn't like the word piss because her grandmother (on the farm) never said she was going to the bathroom, she said "I'm going to piss". My mother only said two swear words, "shit" and "damn", and she rarely used those. When those words could be heard around the house you knew someone's ass was in DEEP shit!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
A New Year a New Me
Not!
I gave up making New Year resolutions a long time ago. The last time I made one to lose weight I ended up pregnant! (a whole nother story).
I think a more realistic thing to do is to set a series of small goals throughout the year. Small things, one at a time can sure add up over that time. Start with just one small thing tomorrow. I'll be nicer to just one person. I'll smile at that grumpy looking woman in the grocery store. I'll eat just one less sweet this week. Whatever. Doesn't matter. Once you feel good about that first one, do another one. Doesn't have to be everyday or even every week but it could be. Before you know it those small things have become a new you!
Some studies say it takes 21 days to make a new habit stick or to get rid of a bad one, so maybe every 21 days. That's 17 changes in a year. Not bad. My challenge to myself, one small thing at a time. Today's small thing? I bet regular readers could guess.
I gave up making New Year resolutions a long time ago. The last time I made one to lose weight I ended up pregnant! (a whole nother story).
I think a more realistic thing to do is to set a series of small goals throughout the year. Small things, one at a time can sure add up over that time. Start with just one small thing tomorrow. I'll be nicer to just one person. I'll smile at that grumpy looking woman in the grocery store. I'll eat just one less sweet this week. Whatever. Doesn't matter. Once you feel good about that first one, do another one. Doesn't have to be everyday or even every week but it could be. Before you know it those small things have become a new you!
Some studies say it takes 21 days to make a new habit stick or to get rid of a bad one, so maybe every 21 days. That's 17 changes in a year. Not bad. My challenge to myself, one small thing at a time. Today's small thing? I bet regular readers could guess.
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