A Thanksgiving Message

Now that the holidays are upon us, I have had a chance to reflect on this past year. I really had to sit and think what I was most thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day. Of course, the normal things like health, safety and comfort were all thought of immediately. Then while watching the news, I saw some tear jerking stories about those who didn't have as much as I do, that wake up to gun shots and live in fear daily. This reminded me why I spent 36+ years serving my country both as a soldier and then a civil servant.

What I am most thankful for is that we live in a country where people can dream. They have an opportunity to make that dream come true, and with hard work can live free with their dreams. My dream is that I have the best golf web site in the world which allows golfers world wide a chance to see courses before they go and play them. I am so thankful that this great country of ours has allowed me the opportunity to work at making my dreams come true.

My Thanksgiving wish to all of you is that you follow your dreams, your true passion and be happy making it happen.

Thanksgiving Gratitude

It is hard to believe it has been over a year in our new life. Yet, when I think about how much has changed since we took off that Monday morning in October, 2007 and how scared I was because there was so much to learn about the motorhome and living in 320 square foot space and being away from friends, family and the comfort of knowing our doctor and dentist and the familiarity of it all.

A year later I am so grateful we made the decision to do this. We are comfortable with our home and how it works though we keep learning sometime new all the time. We are comfortable with each other and frequently acknowledge how we love our life.

Here simply put is what I am grateful for:

My husband -- If Lance had not be so wise with his savings we would not be able to do this. I remember the day I realized how much was possible for us because of "all that money"! Not to mention he is just plain good company. I love him deeply for the life he has provided me. How he listens to me. How he has grown and changed over the years just as our love has grown and changed. How he talks to me. How he loves action adventure as well as disney movies and even chick flicks. How he is living his passion of golf and loves the rewards of his hard work all those years. How he loves his sons dearly and treats my sons and Tia and Aaron just as lovingly.

My time -- Life is so much simplier now especially once we got comfortable with everything. I have had time to reflect and think about my life past and future and I come to new conclusions -- some even life changing -- eiphs -- as Gretel and I call them. So even my thinking has relaxed and is less complex.

The little things -- The lovely, shiny gold curtains that cover the windshield. The little traveling gnome Gretel gave me. The niffty nabber which makes reaching for things possible. The comfortable seats for the driver and passenger. The DirecTv east and west coast feeds for local statons -- we get to watch ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox anywhere we go. XM in our HHR -- never have to find a local station with XM. My little Shark that steam cleans our tile. My two new "really nice" purses that wear like iron. Tiffin who always is there for us. Our computer which keeps me in touch with the world.

My Improving Health -- I think back how I could hardly get out of seat at the movies. I can do that now. I think back about how I dreaded the A1C tests for my diabetes -- they were always high. Now I am below goal. I think back how I hated myself for constant failure in getting some weight off. Now, each day I make progress in getting the weight off -- my mind especially.

My bed -- Our bed is the most comfortable bed we have ever owned. Every night I snuggle into it and thank God for Lance and all of you and our wonderous adventures.

My camera -- taking pictures to record our travels has caused me to be more aware of what is there right in front of me. It has taught me to look to each moment and see what gift God has waiting for me.

Spectacular Flowers:

Trees:

Critters of all types:

Restaurants and buildings and churches and barns:

And roadside sights:

What I Will Remember About Beale Air Force Base

I will remember the birds. There were cranes and hawks.

and a magnificient heron.........

and the ants and the fiery red tree that welcomed us every time we opened our door.

and the graffiti on the roads and the miles of dry grass and the crooked, twisted giant oaks and snags. And, how I think about all of you every day.

I Never Cease to be Amazed

Just when I think nothing can surprise me I am driving down a lonely, country road and I see two beautiful peacocks walking along the side of the road. I do love being surprised.

Been busy getting some photos ready on four courses for a golf management group. We have worked out an agreement with them (God -- even lawyers were involved!). They have around 100 courses throughout the United States. Pretty cool when you get a large organization to work with. Golf courses can be quite beautiful. These courses are in the San Diego area.

The Vineyards

Mission Trails

Riverwalk

Eastlake

Even the clubhouses are beautiful with unique fountains

This is also at Eastlake

Red Flag Has New Meaning Here in California

Never heard of the Red Flag Warning for weather until yesterday when they had the fire in Montecito (on the coast by Santa Barbara) and then again today inland in Sylmar (near San Fernando). Both are approximately 450 miles south of where we are north of Sacramento.

United States National Weather Service describes a Red Flag Warning:

A Red Flag Warning is a forecast warning to inform area firefighting and land management agencies that conditions are ideal for wildland fire ignition and propagation. After drought conditions, and when humidity is very low, and especially when high or erratic winds which may include lightning are a factor, the Red Flag Warning becomes a critical statement for firefighting agencies, which often alter their staffing and equipment resources dramatically to accommodate the forecast risk. To the public, a Red Flag Warning means high fire danger with increased probability of a quickly spreading vegetation fire in the area within 24 hours.

The weather criteria for fire weather watches and red flag warnings varies with each Weather Service Office’s warning area based on the local vegetation type, topography, and distance from major water sources but usually includes the daily vegetation moisture content calculations, expected afternoon high temperature, afternoon minimum relative humidity and daytime wind speed.

Listening to the local news reports -- real scary because they are like fire storms with high winds, embers flying and high heat.

Trip to Sacramento

We took off this morning to explore Sacramento. On the way we saw a real wreck -- it was a mobile mexican restaurant on its side. There was also a care with a smashed in front end. We were lucky as the entrance to the freeway we were on was just a little before the accident so we did not get caught in the backup.

Those windows are the windshields sideways --

I am always fascinated with the way a city decorates their freeways. Sacramento's was especially colorful.

We made a real day of it -- we saw the Catheral of the Blessed Sacrament:

The State Capitol:

We walked around Old Sacramento:

And....We always love seeing the wondrous architecture and art work.

It is Quiet Here at Beale AFB

It is typical at air force bases to have a lot of noise -- day and night -- from jets taking off. This is the first air force base we have been at that is quiet (except for the BIG VOICE - See 10/31/08 post).

The first clue came when we arrived. These spy planes greeting us coming into the base.

They other day we finally figured it out when we saw this spy plane doing touch and gos at the air field. Spy planes only make noise those few moments when they take off -- then they are very quiet. Every weekday we see them practicing. All very nice for us I must say.

Critters, Critters, Everywhere Critters

Well, we think we finally have gotten rid of the ants. After a week of trying different things the ant bait stations we just put out seemed to have done the trick.

It seems though that the ants were not the only critters giving us a hard time. See this beautiful little squirrel. We think it may have been one of the cute little critters that ate our wiring to our HHR's emission control. We were lucky they only gnawed at the wiring -- $191 to fix -- they could have messed with the entire wiring harness and that would have been $3000 (yes, our insurance would have paid for it!).

Birds

There are birds everywhere. There were several flocks of geese with hundreds of birds flying.

These are some of the cranes that live here.

Lance caught a wild turkey on the golf course he was photographing.

Around Beale Air Force Base is a lot of nothing. Miles and miles of dried grass. It is no wonder fires are so prevalent.

And, since there are no buildings the graffiti ends up on, yes, you guessed it -- the roads.