Monday, July 19, 2010

OVERNIGHT STORM KNOCKED OUT OUR ELECTRICITY FOR 11 HOURS

DSC_0002

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, YOU CAN SEE THIS FARMER IS A FELLOW RV PERSON:))  (Motor Home by the grain silos)

A severe band of thunderstorms & heavy rain ripped through our area around midnight Sunday & lit the sky with continuous lightning for about 10 minutes.  It took out our electricity about 12:15a.m. & many parts of our area including us were blacked out well into the late hours of Monday morning.  It's late afternoon on Monday now & our electricity has been off & on this afternoon with big trucks out front on the road working on high voltage boxes & power lines.  One load explosion sound hours ago & lesser cracks like rifle shots awhile ago so whatever the electricity boys are doing out there it sounds like they are earning their dollars today.

DSC_0007               DSC_0006

Closely checked the real time computer weather for our immediate area before leaving the house this morning & made the decision to go topless.  Parked the roofless Jeep in Clinton & picked up the Town & Country mini-van.  Had folks to pick up over in Grand Bend about a half hours drive away on the shores of Lake Huron.   While dropping off people here & there on their shopping excursions & errands I kept a very nervous eye on the foreboding heavy gray clouds loaded with moisture coming in across the lake & heading inland.....to where our topless little Jeep was also keeping a nervous head light on the very same darkened sky as well!!  In the end, the weather people were correct & the clouds held their moisture & finally began to dissipate in the early afternoon.  Upon arriving back at the Jeep I was happy to find all was dry & there was no need to unpack my scuba suit for a splishy splashy drive home. 

DSC_0003

MIGHT BE A LITTLE TOO WET TODAY FOR TAKING OFF ANY MORE WHEAT

Many times in the past I have blogged about the huge decisions that arise with RV folks at some point in their week-end camping, snow birding, or full timing lifestyles.  We began making RV decisions as far back as the late 90's when we bought a 1970 17 Foot Dodge Centurion Class C.  Several more RV's brought us up to a point in late 2006 when we invested major money in a truck & fifth wheel followed shortly thereafter by an even bigger decision to buy a Motor Home.  It was a risky decision but we figured it would be the only opportunity for us to live a preferred lifestyle at a time when we were both able to physically & mentally do so.  It is a decision we have not regretted.  Today, I was reminded once again why it is important to get out there & do things while you still can.

DSC_0001

YOU CAN SEE WHY I KEPT A NERVOUS EYE ON THE SKY THIS MORNING

Talked to an elderly fellow who gets around now with the aid of a walker.  Lives in a small apartment by himself because his wife is in a nearby facility suffering from Alzheimer's.  Said she doesn't know him anymore but he's thankful for the many years they had together & for the lifestyle they chose to live at an early age.  With his early retirement at 45 they spent many wonderful years traveling the North American countryside in their truck & Prowler 5th wheel trailer.  He talked about one trip taking them over 50,000 miles & as far north as Alaska.  Trips to Arizona & Florida & countless points in between.  Wonderful times together sharing & building countless traveling memories, secure in the knowledge they had made the right decision for themselves all those many years ago.  For one of them the memories are gone now, but for the other, they live on in a mind that had the courage to try something years ago that wasn't even fashionable at the time.  The clock is ticking or all of us, so work hard on your dreams & do what you think it is that seems right for you.  Remember...."The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now."

DSC_0004

TOOK TODAY'S PICS ON MY WAY TO GRAND BEND THIS MORNING (road at left is the Babylon Line)

GROANER'S CORNER:((   A couple of elderly RV'ers who'd recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary were sitting on the sofa in their Airstream motor home, when the wife said, "Dear, do you remember how you used to sit close to me?" He moved over and sat close to her.
"Dear," she continued, "do you remember how you used to hold me tight?" He reached over and held her tight.
"And," she went on, "do you remember how you used to hug me and kiss me and nibble on my ear?" With that, her husband got up and started to walk toward the rear of the Motor Home.  "Where are you going?" she asked. "Well," answered the husband, "I have to go get my teeth now."

--------------------------------------------------------------

Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/ (a work in progress)

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

15 comments:

  1. I think a field of wheat is one of the most beautiful sights there is.

    I wonder how many old ladies' hearts you made skip a beat when they first read that you were going topless. (Probably a lot of younger ladies as well, although I can't speak for them.)

    For whatever reason, the time is now to do whatever it is that you've been dreaming of. Great post today, Al.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like you have faced the fact of life called mortality, I think the one thing in my life that made me a believer was Doona's heart crisis last year and then the loss of my younger brother Dec 31st to cancer.Timewaits for no one, and I now believe that you should enjoy life while you can, be sfae out there. Sam & Donna.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Im with Gypsy on that one, live for today, as tomorrow may never come.
    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great post Al, I think we each should act on our dreams the best we can before it's too late.
    Love the pics of the wheat fields.
    take care & keep jeeping!
    Mike & Gerri

    ReplyDelete
  5. You sure dodged a bullet with that jeep and the storm!

    Enjoyed your post very much. The story of the old man and his wife is terrific in that it really exemplifies our philosophy: Do it today! Let no grass grow under your feet while you wallow with indecision.

    Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Rain tomorrow and maybe some on Friday, but right now I'd gladly trade you some of these 40 degree days for some of your 27!
    Maybe you are right that the weather has broken toward more fall like conditions, and that hard top needs to go back on.

    Have fun while its off, its a loooong winter!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I really liked the photos of that farm equipment in the wheat fields - good stuff!

    The old guy sure had it right by living his dreams while he and his wife were able. A wise man.

    Now, as for Gypsy's thoughts about Al going topless, I was sure after her cataract surgery her eyes were beginning to get better!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Glad you got your power restored and had no ill effects with the top down on the jeep.

    I think one of the main reasons we decided to do this is precisely the point you made with the gentleman and his wife. We will always be glad we did and will not have to wonder about what it would be like to full time.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Loved the groaner today Al and especially enjoyed the story of the man and his wife.

    ReplyDelete
  10. You're so right about doing things while you can. You never know what will happen tomorrow or even later today!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for that reminder of how short life is and we all need to follow our dreams while we still can. We are a little over a month from retirement. Also I love your groaners corner you always find something to make me smile. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'M SOOOOO WITH YOU ON THIS ONE!! WRITE A BAD CHECK THE DAY WE DIE!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. We have sure been looking at the options recently, with our various surgeries and serious pain problems. However, things seem to be turning a corner for the better, and we can see travel again as a real likelihood. Shorter trips perhaps, but still travel. We have been able to go to most of the places we wanted to go to, but never reached the east coast. Now we are tentatively planning to stay west but at least DO IT! And if it doesn't work out, we are so thankful for what we actually have done so far!

    ReplyDelete
  14. How true, how true. My parents could have been that couple you spoke about today. They're both gone now, but what a retirement they had fulltiming. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. We totally agree about living for today as tomorrow may never come. My In-Laws wanted to travel so bad but couldn't afford it and finally when they could their health wouldn't allow it.

    Great photo's today!!

    ReplyDelete