How Precious Life Is!

Today, 9/11, I think of those families that lost loved ones 6 years ago when we were attacked by terrorists, and those that have sacrificed their lives to keep our country free since. How I value my relationships with my family and friends.

The Rear

So, this is what the rear looked like when first stepped foot in the trailer yesterday. Cliff has pretty much removed all the junk. Yea!!! Day one down, 364 to go!

Moment of Truth!

This was my first inside look (front of the trailer)...What a crack up and Cliff and I just laugh! All of it, and I mean all of it will be tossed! Cliff started on it today, and said there is so much junk to throw away, it will take days just to get to the bare bones of the inside. Regardless, Cliff is busting his buttons with pride and joy! As mom (Idris) says with a chuckle, "I guess a guy needs a challenge to make him feel good about himself!"

Hi-tech Security

Now for the real story...our little beauty has a multitude of repairs and replacements in it's future. Security locks aren't a priority at this time...you will see what I mean...

Home at Last!

Here she is...our retro 1971 Roadmaster brought home yesterday (strategically, I might add, as the lights don't work and Cliff had to tie the side down)! She's a beauty, isn't she? She looks different with the algae/lichen stuff washed off (Cliff stopped at the car power wash before bringing her home. She is rather cute from the outside and I'm not getting in the way of Clifford's vision (Operation Ghetto Restoration). Continue to check in for updates!

Soon to be ours...

Cliff was bound and determined to have a project (like he doesn't work hard enough as it is)...mind you we still have 18 boxes of ceramic tile in the garage yet to lay down in our kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room...But, this will be a fun project (I'm told convincingly), refurbishing (gutting) this 1971 Roadmaster to a fabulous, coveted, vintage, beauty (or so I hope)! Cliff has given me a promise of completion the end of next year. I have not seen this trailer up close (zoomed photo), but I'm told a side flaps in the wind, the floor has a hole in it, the window louvers have wasp nests in them, the outside has mold/lichen stuff on it and the refrigerator stinks to high heaven. What are we doing with our tent trailer, you ask? We will continue to be the proud owners and campers in between "Operation Ghetto Restoration". Oh yeah, Cliff has also promised to complete our home improvement projects as well! I guess a good motivator since we have had the tile nearly 3 years...I will update with before and after photos throughout the year.

Tree & Me

I painted this a little over a year ago (and yes, that is me cropped, not painted into the picture). The painting doesn't look too bad from a distance, but when you get closer you begin to see the imperfections and it doesn't look much like trees, in fact it looks rather messy. Sometimes we do that with people. We look too close to find their imperfections and point them out. It's good to remember that God is our creator and we are his masterpiece! Enjoy what you see in others...

Less But More

We have decided as a family (with much persuasion from me) to start tossing or giving away 5 items a week! It can be as little or as big as you like. We have all become these pack rats!!! Now is the time to get down and get dirty! Well, get down, anyway. So, I chose my sock drawer. I was amazed at how many socks I had. Perhaps I never really knew, until I pulled it out completely, how packed those suckers were in that drawer. It seemed they grew once I pulled it out (having never pulled it more than 1/3 out to retrieve, for quite sometime). What am I doing with all these socks? Most of them had holes in the toe or the heal. I'm very proud to say that I can now shut my drawer with ease. I'm beginning to feel that the less I have (yes, that includes socks) the more freedom I have. Hmmmmmm, what's next?

Payette River Rafting

We followed the Payette River on our way back to Boise from Cascade, and came across a multitude of rafters. It looked like so much fun and very dangerous at the same time. On the same day and perhaps within the same hour this photo was taken, a tour guide rafter lost his life on the South Fork Payette when he along with the others in his raft capsized. All the others made it to safety, but sadly he got his foot wedged between two rocks from the force and drowned.

Gracious Hosts

Meet our gracious Boise hosts, Gene and Marie (Marie and I worked at the same gift shop years ago). These two are just awesome people and wish all could know them. They treated us like royalty (not just friends) while our stay with them for 3 nights before going onto Baker City. This photo was taken at Cascade Lake where they drove us for a leisure drive. It was beautiful!!! Thanks Gene and Marie for a wonderful visit!

Our journey began and it seemed it wasn’t long before we were traveling the dreaded, desolate desert. While traveling from Reno to Winnemucca, one tries to make the best of the time, and I like to look at the cars, license plates, etc. We came upon a white Cadillac and I noticed there was a bird…a very large bird in the back looking gout of the window. I took a second glance and it was a living crow not caged. As we began to pass the vehicle, the crow turned his head to follow our car. We were amused. Then we passed the people in the front seat and they were a weathered, older Native Indian couple. We live in suburban California and it was an interesting encounter. Some say the Indians believe that the wild life are their ancestors. Because we do not have the same belief, it tickled us to think that that could be grandpa?