mother's day 2010

sunday, may 9th.

the first mother's day i haven't spent with travis.

i have been missing him alot and we have been trying to keep in touch

but with bad phone reception and our work schedules, it has been hard.

i hope he and krystin know how much we think of them even though we are so far away.

we went to breakfast in a cute little bakery restaurant in jackson called the bunnery.

the service was good and the food was yummy, definitely a place we will go back again.  especially for the baked goods.

i had a waffle since i associate waffles with travis, he & krystin happened to call me while i was eating.

just as i was finishing breakfast, i got a call from jamie

we had a good talk.  i really miss her too and hope she can make it up this summer.

after breakfast we walked around the town which has a rich history.

in the center of town is a small park with arches made out of antlers in each corner.

from there we drove out of town to the back side of the elk reserve and were excited when we came upon a group of big horn sheep.

and we got to see what the reserve looks like from the other side

the highway that leads out of town to the tetons runs along the far side of this pasture against the mountains

on the way out of the reserve, we got an extra treat.  i happened to see this little guy just as we were passing by and made john back up so we could see him.

he was hiding down in this small gulley

we finally realized he was stalking some small ground rodents of some kind

we watched him for a few minutes, but both he and the rodents knew we were there so

neither of them were cooperating.

we snapped a few more pictures of him and then left him alone to hopefully get his afternoon snack.

considering it was a different mother's day, i had a good one.

john & i were both able to talk to our own mothers and wish them good days and

i talked to travis, krystin, and jamie.

catching up

a very rare photograph of the ever elusive johnicus dourlifarticus.

has been known to gather in large herds with other meat eating, tequila drinking farticus males.

is always friendly and approachable and rarely aggressive unless unnecessarily taunted.

folklore states he has been known to be domesticated, but it takes much patience and understanding and is well worth the trouble and effort to have a johnicus dourlifarticus in the home for life.

tuesday may 4 - saturday may 8

it was day to day for the first week.

freezing weather and strange environments did not make for a fun and exciting time.

every morning was a new adventure.

we never knew what we were going to open the door to,

but we just assumed it was going to be miserable

and it pretty much was.

the temps at night hovered in the 20s with the lowest at 13 degrees and the days were a balmy 30 or so.

i could at least hide inside my office in the warehouse with the heater blasting

but john had to work in the warehouse and then go out to deliver.

there were a few days i really did not expect to see him return.

i figured he would get into the association's rickety old ford van and just drive right on out of town

and then call me from salt lake or vegas or wherever he ran out of gas or the van broke down.

but he didn't.

he hung in and kept going and toughed it out.

i am really proud of him

i know how hard it was for him to make all the changes he has made in the last few months

and i know how hard he has worked to make this happen.

i only hope when the weather gets better and the job gets easier

that he comes to enjoy all of this and appreciate the opportunity we have been given.

anyway...

then when we got home, we had to deal with warming up the trailer and

trying to keep the water pipes from freezing.

we made a trip into town to do the laundry one night.

wow, if i ever decide to invest in a business, i think it will be in a laundromat.

i think it cost us about 20.00 to wash & dry 4 loads of clothes.

luckily,  we now have a washer & dryer in the park employee's complex we live in.

and it only costs 2.00 to wash and dry a load!!

yesterday i propped open the door and watched a deer cruise around while i folded laundry.

can't beat that.

i was actually wishing i had more laundry to do so i could stay and watch him.

the week ended with us catching up on household (or should i say trailerhold chores?) on saturday.

i don't have any specific pictures to post for this week, so it will be a mix -

our "driveway"

this is as you turn off the road and head into the campground which is in the trees

notice the gate on the right

this is what we had to get out and unlock every morning & evening the first week because the campground did not open until the friday after we arrived.

it wasn't much fun trying to unlock a stubborn lock in cold windy weather

this is a bunch of bison butts

i was sitting in the trailer one evening and happened to look out the window

and saw a bunch bison at the end of our street

i scared john when i jumped up, grabbed my camera and ran out the door.

i stalked them at a pretty safe distance, but they just kept wandering away from me

so i got frustrated and took this.

i kinda like it cuz the butts alternate with the trees.

these were taken in the evening after a kind of freezing snowy rain that lasted for a few minutes.
the one on the top was taken standing in the doorway and looking out over the trees and the one on the bottom is on the ground next to the trailer looking in the other direction.   i didn't touch up these pictures.  this is the way everything looked - all gray and white with a bit of brown.

hi ho, hi ho..

it's off to work we go!!

tuesday, may 4

we had a horrible night of wyoming weather.

the temperature was below freezing with

rain that turned into snow

and a wind that was on par with the socal santa ana winds.

we were awake most of the night listening to the wind blow the snow

into the side of the trailer

and waiting for the wind to blow the trailer over.

i felt like we were in devore during one of the worst santa anas ever.

i actually laid there asking everyone i could think of to please give us a break

i talked to my sister laura, john's brother chris and aunt betty, my grandparents and

i was so desperate to survive that night, i even tried my ex-parents in law.

i figured they were all up in heaven and i was going to call on anyone & everyone

who might have connections.

we had been through so much to get here and i figured it would be typical that the trailer would

tip over and we would have to end the adventure before it even began.

anyway, we survived the night and got up to get ready for work.

we opended the door and just stared.

it was the 4th of may and we had snow!!!!












we made it the 10 miles to our job location at the park service headquarters in moose

where our warehouse is located. 

we work for the grand teton assocation and are partners with the park service.

they wasted no time putting john to work moving some boxes and unpacking/packing other boxes

and then loading completely different boxes into an old ford delivery van and going out into the

park with his coworker to deliver to our visitor centers and gift stores.

needless to say, mr john dourley did not know what hit him.

he was sore and achey in places he forgot even existed.

our first stop after work was at a small store to buy tylenol.

he used that whole bottle over the next few days.

my job is a typical desk job.

i have alot of freedom and can pace my day to keep busy until 4:30.

i am lucky that i get to walk to the post office which is about 200 yards from the office and

a couple of times a day i walk to our main office which is in another building.

the backdrop to our work location is the grand tetons on one side and a river on the other.

there is usually a moose or two at the river and i even watched  a moose walk by my manager's office

window one day.

all in all we can't complain.

it took awhile getting used to being told what to do and when to do it, but the jobs are both easy and

the work location can't be beat.

john gets out of the warehouse into the park or town most every day and i have deliveries of my own

maybe once a week.

we have figured out the routine to keep the trailer in one piece while we are away all day.

here are some pictures i took on our first day of work

on the road outside our campground looking towards the tetons and coming up on a herd of bison

looking out the truck window at the bison along the side of the road

close up - notice how he is losing his fur now that winter is over

looking towards the tetons with the storm clouds sitting on the peaks

on the ride home along the road to camp looking down to the river

i not a moose expert, but the guy on the right looks a bit like a baby

just out for a sunday drive

sunday may 2, again, the weather was snowy and cold, but the snow wasn't sticking.

we decided to go past moose and see what was further down the road.

we were pretty much the only ones on the highway.

we know that is something to appreciate, because in a few more days, this valley will be filled with more tourists than we will be able to stand.

we cruised about 30 miles up the road to moran junction.

at that point all the roads were closed due to the weather, but if we had been able to drive thru the ranger gates, we would have been able to choose between going one way to the north end of teton park and jackson lake, or going another way to yellowstone national park.

both places will have to wait for another day with better weather.

but i can't wait to go exploring further on down both of those roads.

on the way back we did the touristy stops at all the turnouts for the pictures,

but it was abit too overcast to get any really good shots of the snake river or the tetons.

and again we saw bison and elk throughout the park.

it was an early day because we wanted to get the trailer ready to move on to her new home.

ohh, an exploring we will go!!

saturday, may 1,  we got up and decided to cook breakfast before we headed out.

i promptly set off the fire alarm while frying the bacon!

and because of the windows all being closed, it took FOR EVER to make it stop.

as i was opening the door to carry the pan outside, the camp host came over to make sure we were all right.

we all had a good laugh and he said that their alarm goes off when they make toast.

the weather was on again off again stormy and snowy, but not so bad that it was miserable.

we finally headed out thru town and the first thing we came to was the national elk reserve.

OH MY GOSH!

what a beautiful sight.

rmiles and miles of open land with small herds of elk scattered about.

in the small ponds right next to town, there are canadian geese.

the highway travels along side of the reserve and over a small hill.

and then you forget all about the elk reserve.

that is because you are in the teton valley and looking at the base of the tetons.

i say "the base" because of the clouds hanging on to the peaks of the mountains.

you look for miles at the bottoms of the mountains and open land with just the highway running through.

we drove by the campground we will be calling home for the next 5 months, but it was locked.

so we traveled up the road to where we will be working.

the national park headquarters in moose, wyoming.

it sits just off the highway on the other side of the snake river with an awesome view of the tetons.

we found our post office which is in the same complex.

by the way,  any mail can be directed to po box 243, moose, wy, 83012

we welcome any and all tidings sent to us.

from there we just drove back thru the jackson golf course complex where we saw either an eagle or osprey sitting on a telephone wire with a fish in it's talons.

i personally like to think it is an eagle, but i was told that osprey look alot like eagles.

we also saw (and took pictures) bison, elk, and deer.

it's is hard to believe that we will actually be living and working here in this beautiful area.

friday april 30 2010

we woke up in utah to cold, snow, wind, dark skies.

we had no idea what was ahead of us.

we had a pretty good idea though.

the weather website called for snow storms and low temps (like 20 degrees).

the webcams for the pass we were supposed to go over showed snow.

we were pretty much scared to death to head out onto the road and start driving north.

it was pretty quiet in the truck for awhile.

in provo we stopped for a few more supplies at the walmart and camp world.

our driving plan was to stay on hwy 15 straight up into idaho falls and go east over the teton pass into jackson.

this was per the chamber of commerce lady in jackson who told me this is how everyone comes into the area.

(since we have been here, everyone who hears we were going to go over the pass says how crazy that is.
it is a dangerous road for rvs on a good weather day.  we were really lucky.)

she also advised me it is a 10% grade.

john was totally freaking out over that!!!

especially in the bad weather that was predicted.

we both decided about the same time that there was no way in hell that we were going to try to pass
in that bad weather, which by the way was supposed to last thru monday.

as we were heading into salt lake city, i called our supervisor to let her know we might not make it to our
first day of work.

luckily we called her when we did.

she gave us alternate route that was way way better.

it was a bit touchy going over the pass from salt lake past park city and on into wyoming because of he snow, but once we hit evanston, wy, we stopped for lunch and were able to breathe a sigh of relief.

the route took us along a two lane road thru some beautiful country.  it wrapped up through wyoming back into utah, into wyoming again, then into idaho and finally back into wyoming.

we hit a couple of passes, but nothing compared to what we would have had to deal with on the teton pass.

it got a bit windy out on the open plains and once in awhile we would hit a snow flurry.

the best feeling was when we came down from the last pass and came into a canyon with the snake river running along side the highway.

man, that river is beautiful.

again, i took great pictures, but nothing wants to download.

we hit jackson, wyoming late afternoon.

the first campground we came to was the virginian and we were so exhausted, we pulled in.

it was a good decision.

it was going to be our first time actually using the trailer and hooking up and we wanted to do this while it was light outside.

we fumbled abit, but overall we didn't do too bad.

there were 3 campground hosts that helped us over the next 2 days with alot of  beginner questions and issues.

they were pretty patient with us, but i think they had a couple of good chuckles on our behalf.

once we got in and settled, we started to feel really relieved.

the long drive was over,

the truck and trailer did what they were supposed to do,

we hooked up the trailer and all the important things worked.

the toilet flushed, the water ran, and the electricity powered the lights.

it felt like we were almost home.

we were excited about getting out the next day and exploring the area.

and we are rollling...down the highway

thursday april 29th we left primm, nv and headed on up to utah

weather was definitely a major factor the whole day

little did we know what we were going to hit friday

we had alot of wind and by the time we got to st george utah it was trying to snow

we had wind and snow flurries all the way to a small town called springfield, just south of provo.

we decided to call it a night as it was getting dark and very stormy

i had tons of pictures for the whole trip up but for some reason nothing will download.

i am still working on it.

ready or not, here we come!!

whew, we did it!

we finally got everything done that needed to be done and were able to leave this morning.

we got a bit of a late start - 10:00am, but it was still a start.

we woke to rain,

left under overcast skies,

cruised under bright sunshine

and headed straight into santa ana winds.

typical california weather.

the truck purred right on over the cajon pass

and the trailer behaved itself and stayed right behind the truck like it is supposed to.

we had great views of the valley under overcast skies while we drove across the 210 and up the 15.

(i took some pictures put don't have a adapter for this laptop, so they will follow later.)

it was a weird feeling to know that we won't be seeing this area again until the end of october.

i definitely won't miss the crowds or the 100 degree summer weather.

we were able to get ahold of my mom and

she drove over from lake havasu, arizona to meet us in primm, nv.

we had a nice lunch at whiskey petes.

i promptly lost $20.00 on the machines

mom made a few bucks

john lost a few bucks.

it was nice being able to spend some time with my mom before we left.

we will miss having her come to stay at our house in socal.

hopefully, we can get her on a plane to come up and visit us in wyoming.

mom left to drive home and we decided to avoid the afternoon rush hour in vegas and get a room in primm.

we will leave early in the morning and head up towards the salt lake city, utah area.

it was a nice surprise that the room was only $13.00 because john has a commerical drivers license.

an even nicer surprise was when we took a jar of loose coins that i brought from home to the cashier and found out that it was worth $150.00!!!

woo hoo

i felt like i had hit a jackpot without the gambling.

i took the money straight back to the room and put it out of sight so we wouldn't be tempted to take it back out to the machines.

well, we didn't know if we were really ready to leave this morning,

but once we left and traveled awhile and had a chance to relax when we got here,

we realized we were more than ready to leave.

maybe not phsically ready like being packed with everything we need,

but mentally ready for sure.

we are actually starting to get excited about what lies ahead on this adventure.



.

winter, spring, summer & fall

a gathering of good friends to say good bye

tuesday night, i met with 3 of my oldest friends and their daughters

paula has been my constant friends since 2nd grade (won't say how many years ago that is!!)

i have watched her daughter stacey grow from a cute little baby girl to a beautiful young woman

kath w. is paula's cousin whom i met 36 years ago

her daughter reyna is a friendly and darling girl who will grow up to be as talented and kind as her mother

kathy b.  met up with us in 1983

letti is kathy b's daughter who i also call a treasured friend, she is a wonderful mother and great person

we three were the founding sisters of a bunco group i started in the spring of 1983

we met every month along with 8 other girls

those 8 spots changed throughout the years

but it was always the 4 of us

we have been together through births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and everything in between

we have laughed together and cried together

we have basically grown up together

we were young women when we came together

we are now not so young women with kids and grandkids

they are 3 of the most beautiful, talented, loving, honest, generous women i have ever known

i am glad to call them my friends

i am going to miss our girl's nights

but when we meet up together for our winter gathering

it will be like no time has passed

and i know that if i need any of them between now and then

all i have to do is call

and they will be there

just as i will be there for them

you say goodbye and i say hello

we all gathered this weekend to say hello to little miss adelyn christine

and to say goodbye to paul, caroline, and angelina before we leave for wyoming
and they leave for india

(i learned how to add pictures, woo hoo   thanks letti)


it was a nice visit. 

adelyn got to meet her great grandparents, uncle paul & auntie caroline and cousin angelina

she had her first visit to in-n-out, her first airplane ride, and got to visit auntie betty's grave.

she is a sweet baby and we all enjoyed getting to know her


it was a sad visit also,

it did not hit us until it was time for paul & caroline to leave that it will be months (better not be years!) before we see each other again

we will miss having paul spend the occasional night with us when he has to stay in this area for work

we will miss spending the holidays and bbq's with them

we will definitely miss seeing angelina grow into the beautiful young girl that she is destined to be

i know her uncle john will miss her extra special.  they always have a good time together .

we wish them well on their new adventure to india and wherever the road leads them.


after we dropped the kids off at the airport, we drove up to travis & krystin's

had a great homecooked dinner and a relaxing evening hanging out.

said goodbye to berkley the dog

 and tillman the cat

we are going to miss the horseshoe tournaments at their house this summer but we will be back for the sunday football games this fall


the next week will be filled with lots of goodbyes (and lots & lots tears) to family and friends

but they aren't forever goodbyes

we will be back

to say hello once again

the wheels on the truck go round and round

and what a big truck it is!!!

we found it and it's paid for and it's waiting for us to go back up to big bear and pick it up

and it's purty too.

an '06 dodge 3/4 ton diesel 4x4 fully loaded

and it's purty too.

dodge red purty to be exact.

they will definitely see us coming down the road.


the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle of a great adventurous plan we came up with just a little over 4 months ago are starting to fall into place quicker and quicker. 

as i have said before, the hardest decisions are behind us and everyday we are checking off more and more items on the list.

the remaining items are easy, not to much to think about there.  and as we cross off a couple of items, we actually add a couple different things to do.  but it's all good, nothing to stress over.

one of the things on my to do list is to figure out how to add pictures to this thing.

as much as my ramblings are truly entertaining and inspiring (not!!), i'm sure a picture or two will really liven things up.

well, it's looking good.

everything is rolling forward

just like the wheels on the truck

abner, we done got us a new home!!

and it's got wheels on it so we can pull it behind the truck!!!!

finally, one less thing to fret about.

it's 10yrs old, 30' but in excellent shape.  the owner bought it new and has taken great care of it.  there is nothing broken because he fixes everything before it ever breaks.  it has just about everything we were looking for.  i was concerned about the length, but because of the layout, you don't realize it is only 30' long.  plus it has a separate bathroom/shower which is what i really like.  most of the ones we looked at had the shower and sink in the master bathroom.  that really bugged me for some reason.

we just need to get a tv and new sleeper sofa for it and we are ready to go

except for the fact we don't have a truck to pull it with yet

but we will

everything else has fallen into perfect place

so i know the truck will also

signed, sealed, and delivered

well....

we signed the final escrow documents

sealed the last box of crap to be stuffed into the storage unit

delivered the keys to the realtor to pass on to the new owners


what a relief.  i didn't think i would say that, but it's done and over with and i am relieved

we don't have to worry about extended unemployement benefits or the declining
housing market or blowing thru our limited retirement funds

now we have a new set of things to ponder.

but they are fun things

like deciding on the 5th wheel we want to buy or if we will get a chevy or gmc truck.

and silly things, like if we will be pulling into our campsite with a foot of snow on the ground.

and who will be coming to visit us while we are up there

and what animals will be hanging out in the campground

we made it through the hardest part.  making the decision to sell the house and all the upheaval that
went with it and then walking out the door for the last time. 

the rest is easy. 

this is where the real adventure begins.