All (most in Bcc) –
Sorry
it took so long to email. Had trouble getting a machine and internet
access. Sending this from work as coworker said it is no problem but am
trying to find alternative – will look into using machines at LSU (Louisiana
State University) today or tomorrow.
Spent
the week before leaving getting ready – deciding what to take and making a list
(I can see Laura now making quotes with her fingers and saying “oh yeah, ‘THE
LIST!’ “). Here’s how I recall things:
Wednesday
(March 12th) – Changed the air filter and oil in the truck and noticed some oil
drops on the bottom of the oil pan and that the pan was rusty. Tapped on
the pan and the metal sounded really thin. Checked the Internet and it
seems to be a common problem with the Ford trucks. Now I am getting
concerned.
Thursday
– Made an appointment for oil pan to be replaced. I also asked them to
replace the oil pump as several people had written saying that the pump could
go bad later and most of the labor was already done with removing the oil
pan. Noticed the spot on the ground under the truck was getting larger –
about 4 inches in diameter.
Friday
– Dropped truck off at dealer’s to have work done. Picked it up late
afternoon. Service rep said another day or two and all the oil would have
gushed out. Anyway, got in the truck and noticed the clutch was real easy to
use – they must have lubricated something. As I drove away I realized I
could hardly change gears – the clutch was hardly disengaging! Limped back
to dealer and service rep said it might have to wait ‘til Monday, as he didn’t
know if any mechanics were left. Fortunately, a mechanic was there and
determined that the hydraulic fluid was very low. He said it probably was
never checked although I was curious why it dropped so suddenly in just a few
hours. Anyway, back on the road again!
Saturday
– Changed the spark plugs as they had about 40,000 miles on them. One of
the plugs came out only a turn or so and then locked. Just tightened that
one back up – no sense pushing my luck and ending up with a major
problem. Will do something in Louisiana. Bob (my brother) and Cindy
came over Sunday morning to say goodbye and also show us pictures of their trip
to Hawaii. Looks like a very nice place to vacation at. Bill
(another brother) and his wife Donna and daughter Tammy came over later to say
goodbye. Bill helped me load the motorcycle into the back of the
truck. Then Laura beat him in a one-on-one basketball game! Later
in the evening I collected everything I was taking and put it in the living
room and then packed it all in boxes. Hey – that is the way I pack!
Sunday
– Early in the morning I loaded the boxes and bags in the truck and got on the
highway. I had about 1400 miles to go in 3 days and wanted to get as much
done in the first day as I could. About 60 miles down the road the
traffic slowed and I wanted to down shift – no clutch! Pumped the clutch
up and could shift. Went another 100 miles and stopped at a rest area –
still acting up but the fluid level was fine. Starting to think that
there is some air in the hydraulic line. Hope I can make it to Louisiana
in the truck, as motorcycle won’t carry it all! By dark I got a hotel
room close to Spartanburg, SC and grabbed a bite to eat at an old fashion Diner
– the food was not very good. 700 miles down, 700 to go.
Monday
– Got on road by about 9am to visit Joedy and Bill in Georgia. Maureen
and Joedy grew up near each other in Kenmore. Joedy and her neighbor
Sally were instrumental in helping me get the job in Baton Rouge. Joedy
made a great stew dinner for St. Patrick’s Day. Afterwards we watched the
President’s speech as he declared war on Iraq.
Tuesday
– Joedy made a very nice hot breakfast and packed me a lunch to eat on the
road, which was much, appreciated. 500 miles to go to hit Baton
Rouge. As I went through Alabama and Mississippi and the clouds cleared
it got to be pretty warm. Haven’t seen this type of weather in a
while. Noticed signs before rest areas proclaiming security was on duty
24 hours a day – that gave me a bit of an uneasy feeling in those states.
Also noticed that the clutch was back to normal, as the air bubbles must have
worked there way out of the system. Made it to Baton Rouge at about 4
o’clock (5 eastern) and got a motel just off the highway pretty cheap – thanks
Jean for telling me where to look. Planned for the next day – finding
library, apartment hunting, locating work, etc.
Wednesday
– Went to the library first thing in the morning. Had to wait a few
minutes for them to open. They had lots of computers with Internet access
but all email was blocked! Don’t know why – maybe they had trouble in the
past with viruses coming in on email. Did some more looking online for
addresses of places I saw advertised in the paper. After the library I
went to a couple of Rental Brokers who gave me a list of cheap places and
recommended that I drive by them at different times of the day and let them
know if I was interested in any of them. Went to RadioShack district
office and told them I was interested in working a bit at a store to keep
active with selling and learning (but, mainly so I can keep my cell phone at
the employee rate!). Also, I found a hotel that rents by the week and has
a small kitchen area with stove, fridge and microwave.
Thursday
– First day on the job. My new boss was out sick so some of the people
helped by pointing me to manuals and CDs that I could start reading.
Colonel Allen walked me around and gave me a feel for what goes on.
Others also offered me assistance. It was funny – last night I missed
dinner and said “oh, well I’ll get up early and eat a good breakfast at the
Waffle House”. Well, after I got ready and packed the truck up I didn’t
have a lot of time as I wanted to get on the road early as I wasn’t sure about
traffic – “I’ll eat breakfast AND lunch at the cafeteria at work”.
Well, I got to work, got through the barrage of guards, met a few people and
asked where the cafeteria was. They informed me there was a coffee machine,
candy machine and soda machine and that was about it. I had some coffee
and at lunch went out to the truck for some snacks out of my “goodie
bag”. After work I moved into the week-by-week hotel. It is nice to
be able to spread my things out knowing I don’t have to pack and move
soon. Drove around town and am starting to become more comfortable with
streets and neighborhoods. Unloaded the motorcycle with help from some
Mexican laborers staying at the hotel.
Friday
– Met my boss. Friday is dress down day so I was the only one in shirt
and tie and most wore jeans (actually, no one wore a tie yesterday and military
all wore there BDUs or CDUs [Battle/Camouflage Dress Uniforms (I think)].
They are now wearing civilian clothes so as not to attract attention during the
war. Many of the soldiers here were called in from the reserves in other
locations. It was easy for me to remember their name as it was sewn on
there uniforms. Oh well.). One soldier joked that some civilian at
the hotel he is staying at ask him where the US was going to strike next – he
pulled out his cell phone and said “wait – let me call up George Bush and ask
him!”. Stopped by local motorcycle shop that used to carry Moto Guzzi but
now only carries BMW. Asked if anyone knew of rooms for rent (I ask
EVERYONE!) and one mechanic said he had a trailer – too rusty to be moved,
electric and plumbing could probably be made to work located in some
isolated area. I told him I would keep it in mind.
Saturday
– Worked all day. Weekends are dress down also. Met with woman who
advertised renting part of her house out in the paper. Nice neighborhood,
real nice 3 year old house – a few things though – no basements around here, a
lot of garages are just carports or, like this one, a garage that is open like
a carport in the back and has garage doors on the front. Also, 9 and 10
foot ceilings. Nice as it includes phone, utilities, is furnished and has
a computer I could use for email and stuff. Still looking to see if I can
find something cheaper.
Sunday
– Still reading manuals and trying to learn military lingo. Found a
church that has a 6 pm mass near where I am staying and plan to go
tonight. I work 7am to 4pm every day except Tuesday and Wednesday so
finding a church with a late Sunday mass was a bit difficult. Rode
motorcycle to work for the first time.
All
in all, things are going pretty well. Getting a little more comfortable
knowing the area. A little concerned about the heat coming.
Overheard one woman say “still a little chilly today – only about 75”.
Talked to another guy who said it might hit 95 or 98 in the summer (not 110 as
one guy told me) but the humidity is pretty bad.
I
am trying to lose a little weight and I think that by walking and eating
carefully I can do it.
Hope
to hear from you all soon but I am not sure how often I can get to my email.
Paul