Toeing the Line

The mayor of San Antonio was caught red handed on camera tossing medals to the crowds in a Fiesta parade. No big deal you say; right? Well there is a city ordinance that prohibits that. In fact, El Rey Feo was thrown out of the parade that bears his name and told to park his float by parade officials for the same violation. I agree with the mayor that this is all kind of silly. Where I disagree is when the mayor calls out the press and television for making a big deal of it. He repeated that on the evening news and said that the city council would be revisiting that ordinance soon. I'm no hard ass, but I believe everyone would have been better served had the mayor been more contrite. People, especially children, are very impressionable and the message the mayor is sending is wrong. It can never be correct for the violation of a rule/ordinance to be ignored simply because you believe it to be wrong and have the power/influence to change it.

A Hit and a Miss

Birds serenade me every morning, so we put seed out for them. I thought purchasing seed wouldn't be a big deal. Wow, was I wrong! I went to Wally World and there must have been half a dozen or more varieties. I decided on something called "Wild Bird Mix" and they have turned their beaks up at it. Definitely a miss.

Both Missy and I are big nature fans. We are on a hunting ranch and also have one next to us. I don't know were the deer on our property are, but they are out in force next door. So off to Wally World again. I have no idea what turns deer on, but we got a bag of raw corn kernels. So far that has been a hit and they visit regularly.

The saga of our overheating problem(s) with our motorhome engine continue. We again paid a mechanic to come out and misdiagnose our problem. Since we are tired of giving away money we started tearing into the engine. Once we pulled the thermostat we gave it a bath in boiling water. Supposedly, just like mollusks, it is supposed to open in the water. Voila! The thermostat was bad. The verdict is out till we put the engine back together and run the coach; but it looks like a hit!

We paid a repairman to repair the water damaged floor in our bathroom. (Apparently sixteen years is too long for a toilet to last in a motor home) We were suspect of the job because the leaks continued and the toilet swayed like my grandpa's rocker. Fearing damage to the tank, which the toilet sits on, we again hired a repairmen to fix the problem. This time the underlying damage was addressed and the toilet properly supported. The old toilet had to be retired because the parts to repair it cost more than a new one. We still have to re tile the floor; but the toilet is secure! I'll call it a hit-especially to my wallet.

Spring has sprung We have finally gotten some much needed rain, but the storms have also left quite a bit of damage in their place. On the plus side, wild life is stirring, the temps are moderate and flowers  are blooming everywhere. This one I'll call a hit and a miss. Here are some pics.

I Wonder

There are some things that remain a mystery to me no matter my age or the wisdom I have gleaned out of life. For instance:
I still don't know why women go to the ladies room in pairs or what they do in there that takes so long.
I still haven't figured out how you determine whether an outfit (or piece of clothing) is dirty or can be worn again. I tried a colored clothespin system in my closet once.
Why does toilet paper have serrated sections and are you supposed to fold or bunch it?
If your late why does something always happen to exacerbate the situation?
Am I the only one that goes on a tear looking for something that is in my pocket?
Why do car commercials offer some insignificant trinket if you purchase a car? I mean has someone really dropped everything to go purchase a car so that they could get tickets to some minor league game?
At what point do you let everything you hold dear go because you feel the work offered is beneath you? Seems to me I'd rather eat.

What got me going on this was the wacky world of gate guarding. Folks seem to get set in a comfort zone and; no matter the offer, refuse to budge. It took me a while to figure out we are just warm bodies, contracted to do a specific job. I figure as long as I'm stuck somewhere on a gate I ought make as much money as possible. For most companies we are an expense and an asset to put where they need it. You simply get parked like an idle piece of equipment otherwise. Some things like going from one gate company to another repeatedly tend to raise a few eyebrows. Or acting like a prima donna and expecting your service person to be your personal concierge. Other than that it's pretty simple. So I remain mystified when there are openings offering much better compensation and folks refuse to avail themselves of it. I wrestled with a sense of loyalty when we moved to this company; but haven't regretted the move to this day. I like it here and I like the owner of the company but if a better offer comes along-adios muchacho! The only caveat would be that I'd be straight up with this guy and try not to leave him in a lurch-I feel I owe him that.

 

On another note (or two) we are going on vacation around Memorial Day and will take most of June off. Take a break from the sagebrush, cactus, dust and coyotes. We have put our beloved motorhome up for sale in the hopes of purchasing a newer model-maybe a 5th wheel, who knows? We are just tired of fighting the air conditioning system and that is a necessity in South Texas.

Vermin, Goodwill and Spring Cleaning

I have seen indications that my nemesis (mice) remain unperturbed by my current assault. Last night the cats again alerted and a bag of leftover sweet rolls was pilfered. Recently the cats and I have sent at least three mice to their everlasting reward. We have tried a ton of things to eradicate the mice, but remain unsuccessful. We even had the undercarriage of the coach professionally treated. Still they persist! Our next step is to evacuate the coach and set off a bunch of bug bombs. Perhaps they will get the message then. Update; since I started this post we have trapped two more mice!

 

As I have written previously we have been spring cleaning and going through the coach. I have been told that if you encounter something you haven't worn or used in a year, just get rid of it. Somehow that doesn't make it any easier. We continue to bag and box stuff up and take it to Goodwill when we hit town. Perhaps the coach will run a little better after its diet!

 

Wanderlust

A mountain climber was once asked why he climbed mountains and he responded with something to the effect of "because it's there". Anyway I think that's how it goes. I have spent my entire life traveling and discovering things because it was there. Before my tenth birthday I had travelled through a great part of Europe, stopping off at everything from castles to fjords. It was in Europe that I discovered an explorer named Thor Heyerdahl, who believed ancient civilizations conducted transoceanic voyages on simple watercraft. Because most scientific journals refused to publicize his theories he built a raft in Peru out of balsa and other native woods (based on descriptions given by the Conquistadors) and set sail from Peru. After just over 100 days he successfully landed in Polynesia and history was made. I remember seeing the raft in Oslo, Norway and that adventure enthralled me, further fueling my wanderlust. My father and I shared the common belief of transmigration and attempted to prove it through our travels. My father also became an expert on the Mayan culture and shared his adventures and beliefs with other explorers as a member and medalist with the Explorers Club. He was also a member of the Royal Geographic Society and listed in many publications. As I grew older I continued my travels. My father and I explored the rain forests and great plains of Brazil long before the developers chain saws and heavy equipment destroyed over half of it. In total I spent over seven years in South America. I had the opportunity to explore the ruins of the Aztecs in Yucatan along with the ruins of the Mayans in Peru. My stint in the Marine Corps allowed me to return to South America as a young man and renewed my appetite for exploration and travel. I worked in the aviation industry before all the security was put in place due to nine eleven. During those heady days I could basically hop on the plane of my choosing and fly wherever the whim took me. I became involved in scuba diving and underwater photography and dove the reefs of South Florida and the Caymans. At this time my father became involved with a group researching the viability of  man living and working under the ocean. They have an underwater hotel in Key Largo and a smaller research habitat near it. I volunteered for experiments conducted by NASA and spent days in the habitat; researching the effects of nitrogen in the blood stream and the length of time it took to dissipate. I had the pleasure of becoming one of the few certified aquanauts in the world. Later on in life I travelled the United States and parts of Canada as a commercial truck driver. Heart problems have slowed me down; but my wanderlust is still strong and I yearn to see the national parks. Hopefully we can work in some before my time is up!

A Change in my Life

After years of submitting resumes and numerous phone calls I received a job offer as a transport driver for Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR). Specifically I will be working at a start up for RWR called Racing with Rusty where average Joe's will be afforded the opportunity to drive NASCAR race cars. As the transport driver I will also help in the pits, just like any NASCAR  team. I am excited about the opportunity and look forward to our imminent move to the Charlotte, North Carolina area. I hope to have further information soon, especially given what day it is. Wish us luck!

Have a wonderful April Fools Day!