Getting Back in the Swing of MO Things

First - It has been HOT here, in the 90's every day, its 95 degrees now, at 3PM. Praise the Lord for AC! Highs Wed & Thur are forecast to be 93 degrees. Then down to 81 on Fri and 69 on Sat, before several days with highs in the mid 70's. We have had 1.5-2" of rain since we returned home but our pond is lower right now that it was when we got home. It's the lowest it has been while we have lived here, by far. Enough with the stinky weather.
Lydia & I went out for breakfast Saturday morning. It's the first time we have done that in a long time. We had a good time.
Sunday we had a couple I go to church with over for lunch. He is a retired construction worker, only 62. She retired from working in the court system but is back working part time. They bought a 33' Class C motorhome and have been doing some small trips. Jerry is chomping at the bit to do some serious sightseeing. Debbie is not quite as excited about extended trips. Kelsey, Andy & the kids came for leftovers for supper Sunday evening.
Tonight our Life Group is having a meal at the church and a work night. We are going to hang fabric on the back wall. Try to move the stage, in one piece, to the back wall and help, if we can, with moving sound system components.

When new neighbors moved into one of the houses at the top of our driveway, two years ago, I offered to cut down a couple of dead trees in their back yard. Tanners works nights, sleeps days, and that has been my excuse for not cutting them down yet. Last spring Brandy, Tanner's wife, asked Kathy if we were interested in helping them cut down some trees in their front yard. I said yes, just let us know when they were ready. The week before we left on vacation Brandy called to say they were ready. I said I wouldn't be ready until we got back. Last week she called to say they were ready so I went up and we marked three tress they want cut down. I found out Tanner is working 11PM-11AM this week so I went up yesterday and cut down the two smaller ones. You see the stumps in the photo below.

I loaded my tractor with all the wood I could put in the bucket and on the platform on the back, and there is still enough to fill the bucket again. By the time I got this far it was 10:30 and 80 degrees. I didn't get back up there this AM. Hopefully I will get up there tomorrow morning before it gets to hot.
The remaining tree is much larger, 24-30" diameter. It may be tall enough that part of it will fall on the road.
God is good, may He bless you and yours.

Expanson at FreshwaterJC

FreshwaterJC is bulging at the seams. We have leased more space from the warehouse where we meet and are in the process of expanding into it. The Sunday School area is complete now we are expanding the worship area.

We had a great turnout Tuesday evening.

A before photo of the wall behind the stage.

Getting things covered up to protect them from dust.

The drywall has been removed from the backside of the wall, and the 6" batt insulation has been removed and bagged.

The wall is gone.

 Wednesday afternoon the remainder of the metal studs were installed in the wall between us and the main warehouse.

 Kenny fastening studs to base track.

 Steve screwing the first piece of wallboard to the studs, with Jerry doing Quality Control.

I didn't take a photo of the progress when I left at 5:30, but all the drywall was up on this side of the wall except the top 4'. Those pieces were going to require a lot of cutting and fitting around purlins, pipes, etc. More people were coming in at 6 to continue the work.

It sure is exciting to be part of such a vibrant worship community.

God is good, may He bless you and yours.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

9/11 – A day that will hopefully always be remembered by the people of the United States. Nearly 3,000 of us were murdered and more than 6,000 of us were injured by 19 terrorists who were here illegally. The 19 came here legally, on business/tourist/student visas, and illegally stayed to carry out the attack. Now, 17 years later, the federal government STILL can’t track those who have overstayed their visas. According to a Pew Research article we had an estimated 9.4 million illegal aliens in the US in 2001. In 2016 the number had grown to11.3 million. Why do we continue to elect people to federal office when they refuse to allow our immigration laws to be enforced? (They also refuse to change the laws. During 2 years of the Obama presidency the Democrats controlled the House and had a filibuster proof majority in the Senate. If Democrats want immigration laws changed why didn’t they do it?)

Post trip ramblings

We drove 3,024 miles on our trip. We stayed off the Interstates as much as practical. Roads in Iowa were the worst by far. The road surface didn’t look that bad but my truck rode like a bucking bronco, mile after miles after mile. Occasionally we would hit a couple of miles where the ride was good. I couldn’t see any visible difference in the condition of the roadway surface. I considered getting out and kissing the road when we hit Minnesota.

Roads in Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio were good, with only occasional bad areas. Roads in Indiana and Illinois (where we drove mostly Interstates) were poor, not as bad as Iowa but not nearly as good as the other 4 states.

It is interesting that Iowa has the highest fuel taxes (30.5 gas/32.5 diesel) and the worst roads. We paid an average of $3.04/gal for fuel in Iowa. Missouri’s road were as good as those in any of the states and it has the lowest fuel taxes (17.3 gas & diesel). The fuel we bought in Missouri cost us average of $2.98/gal. We paid the most for fuel in Michigan, $3.30/gal. It’s fuel taxes are 26.3 cents per gallon for both gas and diesel.

I wonder how Iowa can collect 6 cents/gallon more tax and sell fuel for 26 cents/gallon less than Michigan.

Illinois has the 2^nd lowest fuel taxes (20.1 gas/22.6 diesel), which may be a partial explanation for their poor roads.

In fairness to Indiana it is worth noting that they raised their fuel tax by 10 cents/gallon on Jan 1, 2017. Hopefully the condition of their roads will improve dramatically.

Last Sunday was the 5^th anniversary of the startup of the FreshwaterJC. I’ve been worshiping with them for about 15 months now. It started up as the “vision” of a couple and initially met in their living room. Average Sunday attendance now totals over 400 at the two morning services, and we are still growing. We recently increased the size of the area of a warehouse where we lease space for our services. The changes to the enlarged kids Sunday School area are mostly complete and we are starting to build/move some interior walls to increase the size of the worship area. The anniversary celebration was held at Calgary Lutheran High School because we don’t have near enough room for everyone at the Warehouse. 

Singing

In the middle of the crowd a young adult man is being baptized.

 Games.

There were 3 different size bounce houses. This one was for the littlest kids.

A good time was had by all. God is good, may He bless you and yours.

Wed - Day 28 & Thur - Day 29; Back Home

The campground in Indy had a nice lighted fountain, in the pond where people fish. The photo doesn't do it justice, but its the best I could do with my phone.

Wednesday I drove from Indy to a campground in Effingham, IL, because I didn't want to drive all the way home in one day, 390 miles. We had stayed at the Effingham campground in the past and I chose it for that reason. Traffic wasn't bad.

Thursday I drove the final leg home. I stopped at a rest area near Wright City, MO for lunch. I saw this rig on the way out.

RV "triple towing" is allowed in many states. It isn't legal along the east coast, nor in Oregon nor Washington. Indiana limits you to an overall length of 65'. In Michigan  this is called a "recreational double". Overall length is limited to 75'. You need an endorsement on your license in MI. The endorsement requires a written test but no skills test. This rig might have been legal in MO, where the maximum overall length is 65', but I doubt it. The west bound rest area is maybe 60 miles into MO, from IL. The outfit certainly wasn't legal in IL with its maximum overall length of 60'.

If you are interested in RV triple towing Good Sam's has a lot of information on the subject at https://www.goodsam.com/article/default.aspx?articleID=1195129#IL 

It rained, fairly hard at times, during about 40 miles in MO. Kathy said we didn't get any rain in Centertown. It was the only significant rain during our entire trip. I kid about our small pond being a mud puddle. It is so low that it is getting close to being just that. I doubt that we would get enough run off to fill the pond if it rained an inch a day for a week.

Parked at home. Still have some unloading to do, but most of that is done.

We drove 3,024 miles during the 29 days. We had some hot weather, which I detest, but overall the weather was great, especially once we got to the Lake Superior area. I just looked at the forecast temperatures for Ishpeming, MI for the next 10 days. Four days the forecast high is 76, Four days the forecast high is in the 60's. Three days the overnight lows are in the 40's. No overnight low is above 60 . My kind of weather. Forecast temps in Bayfield, where we spent 3 nights, are about the same.

I'm thinking about where to go next. Bayfield & Michigan's UP rank high on a place to get away from the heat next summer. Bayfield, WI is 660 miles. It would be 2 long days trailer towing (for me) to get there. Freeport/Surfside Beach, TX, options for a winter trip, are 800 miles from us, 3-4 days trailer towing for me. I've thought about Tucson, AZ, so that I could have some dental work done in Mexico, where it is reasonably affordable. Tucson is 1,350 miles.

God is good, may He bless you and yours.

Tuesday - Day 27

2,700 miles down and 400 yet to go.

Spent over 2 hours at lunch with Tony Holt today, in Lafayette. Tony and I have known each other for over 30 years. Never socialized that much because we never lived that close together. Most of interactions were work related.

This evening I spent 2 hours over supper with Tim Deckard and his new (they were married 13 months ago) wife. Tim and I were business partners for many years.

I love both these guys and look forward to spending eternity with them in Heaven, both are great Christian men.

It was HOT again today in Indy, mid 90's. Coolest the AC could get the trailer was 80, which wasn't bad because the humidity was low. At 10PM it is still over 80 here, at least the trailer has cooled down now that outside temps are lower.

Heading west in the AM.

Good is good, may He bless you and yours.

Monday - Day 26

Kathy, Kelsey & the kids arrived home (back to Missouri) safely last night. I left Ed & Cindy's this morning and headed for Indianapolis. Traffic was surprisingly light for the last day of a 3 day holiday weekend. I was parked and set up at the campground by 2PM. Traffic probably got a lot heavier later in the day.
I'm at Lake Haven Retreat, on the south side of Indy. We have stayed here in the past.

My site is for short term stays. All sites are fairly close together but many of them have large trees for shade. Typically sites, including this one, have a patch of grass, its on the other side of my truck, for a picnic table. The place is large, and busy. The campground was full over the Labor Day weekend, which wasn't a surprise. When I drove through the campground last night I noticed only 2 empty sites. I expected it to be half full. I'm staying here again Tuesday night. It will be interesting to see how many are still here.

I did a load of laundry in the afternoon and then met Doug & Anthony for supper at La Parada, a Mexican restaurant near them. They were laughing because when I texted them, around noon, suggesting we eat there, they were having lunch there.

It was HOT here, 92 degrees mid afternoon and still 88 degrees when I drove home after supper, around 7 PM. It is supposed to be just as hot tomorrow (Tuesday). The first thing I did when I parked at the campground, around 2PM, was hook up the electricity and turn on the AC. It was 85 inside the trailer when I turned on the AC. It ran continuous until around 9PM. At 5PM it was still 79 inside the camper.

God is good, may He bless you and yours.

Sunday - Day 25

Kathy went with Kelsey and the kids, I drove separately, and we went to my Mom's. We caught my Mom totally by surprise. She was not expecting us.

Lydia's back, Colton (one of my brothers grandsons) and Pressley (one of his granddaughters). Colton and Pressley had stayed all night at Mom's.

 Nolan, Kelsey and my Mom.

 Pressley, Kelsey and Nolan.

 Colton, Lydia, Pressley, Kelsey and Nolan.

 Mom and Kathy.

 Nolan checking out my Dad's old Ford tractor. Dad died 9 years ago. David occasionally uses the tractor.

Around noon Kathy, Kelsey and the kids left Mom's and headed for MO, a 570 mile drive. Arriving in Centertown late tonight will give the kids (and Kelsey) tomorrow to recuperate a little before school (1st grade for Lydia & pre-school for Nolan) on Tuesday. I'm staying camped at Ed & Cindy's tonight and heading out in the morning. My current plan is to spend tomorrow night on the south side of Indianapolis.

God is good, may He bless you and yours. (whew!!! posts caught up again 😊)

Friday - Day 23 & Saturday - Day 24

Friday we moved from my Mom's to Ed and Cindy Ott's (Kathy's sister and her husband) place near Montpelier, OH. (Same last name as Kelsey's husbands family in MO, but no relation as far as they know.)

We had a nice picnic that evening. The fine gentleman with his back to the camera is Kathy's brother Tom, from Crossville, TN. Then Kathy, Nancy (one of Kathy's sisters) who lives in the area, Mary Lou (Tom's wife), Ed, Cindy, Nolan (our great-grandson) & Kelsey (our granddaughter who lives close to us in MO).

 Kathy, Nancy & Mary Lou

 Another fine photo of Tom's back, Ed, Cindy, Lydia (our great-granddaughter) & Kelsey. Note the fine pedal tractor Ed dug out for the kids to play with.

 Lydia was stalking one of the barn cats.

It was a little warm but Ed got a nice fire going for us to sit around, visit, and roast marshmallows. Lydia pulling Nolan in the wagon & Tom.

Nolan surprised by something and Lydia.

Saturday afternoon was Kendahl Baer's (one of Kathy's nieces) wedding. I wasn't feeling well and did not attend. From the reports I heard it was a great success.

God is good, may He bless you and yours.

Tuesday - Day 20, Wednesday - Day 21, Thursday - Day 22

Tuesday we left the Wayne County Fairground and drove to my Mom's, near Coldwater Lake, MI. We parked down by her pond. Mom's place is at the right of the photo. The circle drive loops around the pond. My brother and his wife live in the place to the left of Mom's.

 Note the lakes stretching from Kinderhook, bottom left, to Quincy, top right. You can travel this entire distance, 30 miles (?) by boat. Coldwater, MI is the town at the upper left.

Temperatures were pretty warm the first day and night. I unloaded our generator from my truck so that we could run our AC. There is enough power for lights at the pond, but not for running an air conditioner. It was cool enough the rest of the time that we didn't need the AC.
We went out to dinner with Mom, David (my brother), Kathy (David's wife) and Colton (one of their grandsons) Tuesday evening. The food was very good.
We had a fire and a hot dog roast one night. It was cool enough to enjoy sitting by the fire, visiting and swatting mosquito's. (I like good hot dogs so for me the food was also very good that night.)
Our (David's and mine) Uncle Don came over one afternoon and we had a great visit. I hadn't seen him for years.

God is good, may He bless you and yours.