Time passes

Time simply passes too quickly when it is all accounted for and every moment is planned out.

This is self evident to anyone who reads this terribly out of date blog.. Somehow I have lost two entire months simply because it was all planned out for me. Well that and an unfortunate back injury which has taken a great deal of energy and time from me..

I'd rather not go into all of it publicly but the general idea is that I have been in pain for most of this year and finally had it checked out to find out that I was very near the point of needing surgery (this is not entirely out of the picture yet) .. I am currently in a form of physical therapy and adjustment to try to rectify the problem

Progress is nonetheless being made.. I've completed a few of the major projects I have been involved in here, and since I am feeling somewhat better, I have been able to begin to make up for lost time... Not that this is appreciated by some "clients" (pronounced: "family")

There has been a series of unfortunate events which have for the time being removed the original destination and time line from the realm of the possible.. Perhaps I can eventually find that path again, but not at this time. What this means for me is that I am currently spending the few free moments I have working on a new house design. The original, which was the result of many months of work and thought, was very much specific to the original location and its rather unique constraints. Currently I am not certain that I will be permanently building on a new location, or whether I will live out of a caravan for a year or possibly more (these two are not mutually exclusive it turns out, btw.. )

The exciting or perhaps merely interesting (both to me) part of this change of plans or detour, is that I get to plan on an underground house, which I believe is not really an option on the original path.. This is actually the ideal house for me, I believe. It is certainly the house I most want to design and build.

Since I am still trying to keep to my strict budget and build the entire home and all utilities, etc. for under $5000, with an ideal goal being under $3000, I am of course challenged in the design. I am not including my own labor in those figures, and I hope to salvage much of the material so as to keep the costs down. I believe that it is possible to show how an average person can dramatically decrease their cost of living with a few simple choices and a bit of personal effort.

Mass Merch Hell

I had thought on some previous trips that I was simply spoiled, or that I had developed highly specialized tastes in food and drink to the point that I was in danger of crossing into the area of the foo-foo or snobbish realm. Sure I enjoy aged cheeses like 5+ year old Gouda, and yes I truly enjoy good wines and the like, which may sound a bit foo-foo or snobbish, but what I came to realize tonight is that what I truly enjoy is well crafted food and drink, just like I enjoy well crafted furniture, art, or architecture.

Tonight's realization came as I looked through the aisles of the "good" liquor/wine store in this lovely midwest town in which I am currently staying. I realized that I was annoyed not only at the 20% increase in prices, and the general decrease in selection, but also in the specific nature of that decrease in selection. What was on the shelves, and this holds true for all stores here from grocery to kitchen supplies, and even to the very types of stores which are available here. What has clearly happened is that folks in this area have no idea how to create their own goods, or being I believe overly generous they believe that there is no market for well crafted local goods.

What you find on the shelves here are the most common mass produced products. Oh sure there are a few left overs from the micro-brew days, but that is as far as it goes here. I had hoped to find a nice hard cider tonight. But after a great deal of searching all that I could come up with is the most popular and most tasteless brand which is available nationally..

I understand that not everything will exist everywhere, and I am actually very okay with that. What I see as a real problem, and one which I suspect from my own travels, is very prevelant across the country, is that craft made products are disappearing or as in the case of the midwest completely gone.

So since mass produced generic crap was all that was available, I left the store with one of the less respected mass produced wines (considered a bulk wine producer) because if you have to drink mass produced er.. stuff... you might as well pay as little as possible for it..

Still I am unhappy with the product (no surprise) and less happy that I could not find something local and interesting.

We travel not to see the same places we have seen or eat the same food we can eat at home. We do not need another Applebees or some other vile bland carbon copy place anywhere in the world. We need local people doing the local thing, creating unique foods and new experiences.

Tulsa

I have just returned from a quick turn-around trip to Tulsa to see a friend I met at the Atlanta Fish show back in 2000, who I have not seen in at least 5 years. I am beginning to believe that Tulsa is a city into which you cannot ever set foot in twice. Am of course referencing the Heroclitus notion of never stepping into the same river twice. I have been to (not counting the times I drove through) Tulsa several times and I have never seen the same Tulsa on any two trips. On one I saw old regal ladies (referring to houses here..) which were well maintained, manicured parks and an almost metropolitan feel. This last time, I saw a run down town barely holding its own, if not in outright decay. And these two are merely the two clearest extremes, not the only examples.

Never before have I seen such a different city with each visit Still, I have to admit that Tulsa never fails to be interesting despite being in Oklahoma.

While in Tulsa I had the pleasure of meeting another of the very few artists whose work instantly inspires and evokes hope. He is thus far "undiscovered" but I predict that this will not remain the case for long given the nature of his abstracts and color choices. Much of the work I truly enjoyed was layered abstracts with allusions which would fit well in progressive collections, or on progressive albums. Not sure what the artist (whose name I will give later) would think of this reference, though he too saw the connection to the artwork on one of the old Asimov book covers and one of his own pieces (though this was not the inspiration).

The rest of the short trip was spent in hopefully mild banter with a rabid leftist who briefly sang a union song, only to be reminded that it is solely because of unions that GM may cease to exist... :)

The time spent with my friend I went to visit went well. It is very good in this time of change to be reminded that some aspects of my life are stable even in troubled waters, or upon challenging paths. This particular friend shares a passion for the music of Fish and Marillion, a true rarity it seems. This music has helped us both in important times and we have been fortunate enough to share two concert experiences, though the last in two separate locations.

One of the more unexpected elements of this trip was the presence of what I can only call smog or haze all across southern Kansas and north central Oklahoma. Never was I without the grey haze that one expects to see in population centers, but not out on the desolate prairie. I am not sure what to make of this, other than to be saddened by the loss of perhaps the only redeeming quality of this flatland: the open clear skies with endless horizons..

I cannot claim to have gotten any rest, but I have been busy

I've spent the better part of the week I've been here working on demolition, design, and some remodeling of my mother's home. The short list so far includes removing a hearth, scraping down three popcorn ceilings, completely removing the sheetrock from the library ceiling, removing all of the bookcases in the library, adding new door knobs (lever/paddle type) to several rooms, replacing several light fixtures, hanging a new ceiling fan, and painting walls and ceilings.

I've also designed a mantle and hearth-shelf with wood storage underneath for the fireplace (obviously) and a new coffered ceiling for the library along with completely new custom built in bookcases. Tomorrow will bring the installation of the ceiling, which will be a chore, but result in what I believe is a truly elegant if unexpected ceiling in the space. The objective is to turn the space into an English library..

Several other folks have asked for help, advice, and my services while I am here so with luck I will be able to add at least a little to my nest egg for the homestead to be built in a few more months..

In the meantime I am planning a side trip to Tulsa next week, and hopefully this weekend go see the caravan I will soon own..

First of many stops

Well I have left Texas, perhaps for the last time in my life. I cannot say that it was all good or all bad, but it was a time of some contemplation and remembrances. I have spent a greater portion of my life in Texas than I have spent in any other place. I truly appreciate and enjoy the entire Texas mystique and myth, still it was time for a move.

So now I find myself in the center of the contiguous US... I will spend some time here in KS working on the homes of relatives and friends before moving on to the next stop over. During that time, I expect to make at least a couple of side trips to see other friends, so the travels continue even within the larger picture of the larger trip/move.

For now I am exhausted and tired of moving boxes. I sincerely hope to unload about a third of what I still had when leaving Texas, here in KS. With any luck by the time I reach my new homestead come next spring, I will have managed to reduce my possessions still more, to the point of having only the essentials. "Simplify, simplify, simplify" shall be my motto for some months to come.

TO all who have been wondering, rest assured I have arrived safely and will get to some sort of routine in a few days when I have recovered from this first stage of moving. I hope to tell a bit about the journey up here and post a photo or two once I am rested.

On losing weight.

Some have noticed that Fish is a lot lighter in the new pic. I mentioned this to him, to get the following diet plan:

"Lot's of sex and lots of stress. You should try it"

All I need now is a "diet buddy" :)

Colorado cruising, Boulder bravado, and other Fishiness

I am back from heading out to Colorado to see the Fish show in Boulder as well as paint the home of a friend who I had not seen in at least 11 years.

I headed out on Sunday with a good friend to drive to Denver in one day, about 15 hours of driving though quite a few varying landscapes. The panhandle is as flat as a pancake griddle, but in my book less appealing..

Fortunately New Mexico brought us volcanoes and antelope to gaze out as we passed at 70mph. Once in Colorado the limit increased to 75 making short work of souther Colorado as we drove up the east side of the Rockies. We arrived just as the sun was setting on a very long day of driving. I met with Alice, a friend I had not seen in what we figured to be about 11 years. Good to see her after so long. Her husband and I hit it off and she has done well by her kids. I am quite pleased for her.

Monday brought us run arounds as I tried to find a mere 13 gallons of Manor Hall paint with which to paint her house. Apparently no one in Denver has ever used more than 10 gallons of paint at a time! Pittsburgh Paints needs to drop every single one of their dealers in the Denver area!

Tuesday came early as I was already painting as of 6:30 am. Sam and I managed to complete the house in two days, which is near a record for me for a house of that size. Alice and Rich are pleased, so all is well.

Wednesday after finishing up the house, Alice took me up into the mountains above Boulder to meet a frienf of hers and to give him an estimate on doing his house. Lovely location, with only one truly high side to the house. Thursday we were back up in the mountains for a quick trip to Estes and general tour of Rocky Mountain National Park. The wind was unbelievable, so we only managed a very short walk up to a lake, through some remaining snow, and then back to the car where a short while later we found ourselves in the middle of a snow storm.

We arrived back in Boulder at the Sink around 4:30 to grab a bite to eat before the pre-gig meet and greet with Fish.

Sam arrived after we had eaten and with minimal fuss we switched over my bags so that he and I could head over to his Aunt's place after the show with the idea that we could leave earlier in the morning that way. A rushed good bye to Alice and her kids, and back into the Sink for the pre-gig. Spent some time with other fans finding out that many drove up from various parts of Texas, with Sam and I being the far reaching Texans coming from Austin. With little warning and less fanfare, Fish arrived sitting down at our table. Apart from one obnoxious "fan" who tried to monopolize Fish, even to the point of Fish telling him to shut up and let him (Fish) ask a question, it was an almost surreal experience. Fish and I got into a great discussion about his greenhouse and various veg that we are growing. I was fortunate to have about an hour and a half of his time, interupted only by other fans getting autographs and having pics taken. Time came for him to take off to get some dinner before the show, and so I took the opportunity to pick up the tickets I had bought weeks previously on the net. Returning from getting them, coming downhill, I passed Fish coming uphill. Or I would have passed him except that he stopped me to comment on a gardening topic, and then the show. Another handshake and we went our ways.

A quick bite of dinner for Sam, one beer for me, then we took off to walk the CU campus before heading back to wait for the doors to open at the Fox theater. After many contradictory instructions from the theater folks, the doors finally opened. A quick run to the merch table I picked up a couple of shirts, a 13th Star cd for Sam, and a Return to Childhood DVD and CD for myself. I spent more than I normally would, but then it is the merch which is paying for this tour, and it will be the merch which will determine if there is a return leg in North America.

The show was beyond expectations and defied predictions as to the set list. Fish played almost all of Clutching at Straws, an album that I never expected to hear live, as well as the new CD. Friendly crowd, and inspiring performance led to a night which will always rank as one of the best I have experienced. More than a concert this was a happening. an event, a shared experience.

After the show we headed to Morrison CO to rest for the night, then slowly got on the road in the morning for a drive which seemed at least twice as long as coming up. Thankfully it was uneventful, and about 16 hours later I pulled into my drive, and quickly headed off to bed.

Now begins the last dash of packing for the initial stages of my 9 month rambling in the process of moving. It seems likely that another trip out to Denver may well happen as well, so stay tuned..

The first nail in the coffin..

We frequently hear that old cliche "the last nail in the coffin" and it certainly has its place, but some recent events got me to thinking: "What about all of the rest of those nails?"

A group of which I was a part until recently has a few members who appear to be dead set upon killing the organization through bullying, intimidation, and by shutting off all discussion of issues. Now you are probably saying to yourself: "yeah, what's new" and you could not possibly be blamed for thinking this way since this sort of behavior shows up all too often especially given the move to organizations being predominantly on the internet. Still, we should not be so jaded as to be unwilling or unable to recognize such individuals exist and are a very serious problem for any organization in which they are allowed to run wild.

But that said, I would not call the existence of such persons the first nail in the coffin, because after all usually mild control used by the administration will keep such bullies in check. No, the first nail in the coffin for any such organization is when the administration opts to support such individuals and their behavior. This is the first and perhaps strongest nail.

Such is what has happened recently to one of my favorite organizations. One individual in particular took to using personal attacks and insults which were overlooked by even the ones attacked for the sake of the organization, but sadly also by the administration whose sole purpose for existing is to prevent such activity. Still, mature individuals can live with a bit of this uncivil and uncouth behavior, though of course we should never be asked to do so.

No, the problem arises when the administration then lashes out at the behest of such uncivil dishonest individuals at those who dare to not kowtow to those individuals. The moderator who chooses not to moderate, but rather to be the weapon of the uncivil and dishonest, is the first nail in the coffin of any such forum, and eventually the organization if no changes occur.

The one remarkable element of this particular case is that the reasons cited, and the posts which were used as excuse for this use of force, simply called for civility as a necessary element of honest intellectual discussion. It was not the insults and personal attacks which the moderator took issue with, but rather with the requests for calm, civility and honest discussion.

The organization? Kitchen Gardeners International. The immoderate moderator? Roger Doiron. The idea upon which this organization was started was a good one, the behaviors endorsed, celebrated, and promoted abhorrent. To all of my fellow gardeners, whose love of growing one's own food is strong, do not be fooled into giving to this organization, for if they will actively lie to founding members and engage in direct personal attacks, certainly their objectives are not those shared by all who have a love of gardening.

This first nail, is but one of many to come, and I can only hope that a honest, civil, reasonable group of individuals survives to take up the idea of spreading the love of kitchen gardening but leave behind all of this nastiness, dishonesty, and antagonism to civility which now is so celebrated by this organization, its founder, and the sad scared individuals who choose to attack others instead of discussing issues like adults.

One step closer

This weekend I will experience the shift of mine to yours... I am adding some of my stuff to a garage sale of a friend. It will be interesting to see what is valued by the near random sampling of people who happen to come by.

Most of my clothes are boxed up now, trinkets gone through, and wheat separated from chaff.

So what will I really be leaving behind? Well the easy and just shy of glib response is "my past," but this is too quick despite the degree of truth in it. I am leaving behind myself in some ways. I am leaving behind a comfortable, relatively easy (by my own standards) life, full of fine wines, very nice scotch, even wonderful bourbon, aged cheeses, delicacies I never imagined I would enjoy. I have managed to find myself wined at the finest homes worth more than I ever thought to earn myself, yet without me they would not be the homes that they are. They would be less regal, less comfortable, and less an expression of the spirits of the homeowners. I leave behind customers who are much more than customers, even though perhaps not quite friends in the conventional sense yet still quite important.

I leave behind the hidden spy holes into lives I will never lead nor fully understand, but which I can still appreciate. I leave behind much of the association with the movers and shakers, though I was never really one with or of them.

I leave behind the rugged beauty of a landscape which shapes the people even more than the people shape it. I leave behind the sweet and savory prickly pear, the crooked and stately live oak, the heat and heart of the the real Texas, the only place I ever felt at home as a child, as well as much of my adult life.

I leave behind an era of my life. I leave behind my business time. It was here alone that I truly tried my hand at business, to some degree of success. It was here that I was convinced to create a corporation, and here that I abandoned that corporation as inappropriate for me, to discover that my business is my own knowledge and experience. I created my remodeling and design company which has provided me great rewards, only some of which has been financial. Most times the rewards came in the faces of those who saw their dreams and desires given life in their own homes, sometimes even better than they dreamed. This is not a trivial thing to leave behind me, but I leave knowing that a great deal of joy can be found in my footsteps on this limestone laden land. Leaving more than footprints is good.

I am not crowing about my accomplishments, merely examining the reflection I see looking back at me. Mostly good, but not without flaws. That is what I leave behind but what do I take with me?

Experience, knowledge, and hope are the easy answers, but surely there is more. I take with me a greater understanding a appreciation for the land and the seasons, which I believe can only come from living where life is not easy. I take with me the beauty of the struggle to live, to survive where life is not given half a chance.

I take with me the friendships I have been privileged to enjoy from the happenstance of time and location, combined with the intention and deliberate nature of each of us. The individuals may stay here for now, but they remain with me as well. My door will always be open to them, and I expect that they will one day join me again even if not in location. These ties will not be broken by the miles or by whatever flag is waved on the pole.

On the same note, I know that I am severing many social ties which are more like anchors than buoys. People to whom I am polite, but who add nothing to my life, yet I still feel the social pressure to tolerate and associate with. I leave behind the expectations of specific others in this regard, while realizing that new expectations will arise, though hopefully less binding ones.

As is clearly evident, I have not central point in this posting, rather I am simply revealing some thoughts I have had about this decision and this choice. While I am clearly of mixed emotion on it, rest assured that I know that this is the right move for me now. The mixing of emotion comes from the respect of what I have experienced, the love of the land here, and the appreciation of the people who have helped shape my life while here. This is merely a glance back, probably not the last, at what it is that I am not choosing at this time. It is a grateful look at what has been, at part of what has made me the me of today.

It is the beginning of a thank you which may never be fully spelled out, but is none the less for that.

Reducing the load (Pt 2)

How many clothes do you have? Have you really thought about this? When was the last time any of us actually went through every item we own with a critical eye?

Well this is how I spent a portion of my day today. I have never been a fashionista, or a clothes horse, but even after getting rid of a good amount of clothes over the last couple of years, when I went through my closets and dressers, I found that I still have many more than I need. So, as many as possible are going away to hopefully serve someone else well.

With this, packing is progressing fairly well, though slowly. I have ended up with more books than I really wanted to move, but I just cannot see getting rid of those I have packed to move with me. I still have probably three or four boxes of books left to pack yet, but they are essentials which I will access even during the transition time.

On a different note, I have begun using up my Freebird's credits.. two shirts and five burrito's later, I still have almost two burrito's worth left to spend before I leave. Strange to think that I will have to leave behind Freebird's.

The schedule for the last of the work here in town is starting to come together. as of now, I believe that I have four jobs to knock out, plus some work on the house I am living in right now before I leave. Not a bad load given that I will be in Colorado for a week in the middle of June.

So for today, no profound insights, not epiphanies, just the mundane aspects of leaving behind one place to start out on a new path. They say that the waiting is the hardest part, and right now this seems to be true. I would almost rather be on the move, than wait for that time to come.. Still, I have learned, or at least I am trying to remember, that wishing time to pass is one of the most foolish wishes we can make. So I will appreciate where I am while I am.

Reducing the load

The first step on this particular journey is to reduce my possessions. I have alluded to this, but I am going to briefly explore some of the steps taken. Today for instance I went through my CD collection and reluctantly removed all of the jewel cases, choosing to put each insert and CD into a large CD folder. At the same time I chose several CD's which I could live without and set them aside to sell. What surprised me is that with the CD folder, I honestly saved only about 20-30% of the space that CDs with jewel cases takes up. Still, it is admittedly more organized and easier to move this way.

I am still going through my books trying to filter out any that I will not use in the future. This is a real challenge as there are some books which I suspect that I will read when I get to that point where I have more time on my hands and no idiot box with Tivo to distract me. Still, some the more esoteric philosohy books, all of the russian language books, and some of the sci-fi can go by the wayside now.

I have separated the clothes in my closet into those which I can discard and those which I should keep. This was far easier than either of the other two things. I should be able to cut the clothing mass in about half. Fortunately I just do not need much in the way of clothing since I am not one to follow the trends.

I am planning on leaving or selling all of my gardening equipment and buy new when I get to my final destination. These things are just too bulky to transport all across the nation. So too with most of my work equipment. I will keep some of the smaller and specialized tools and equipment, but most of the saws and other larger equipment will all go into the sell pile.

The kitchen supplies will be limited to many cast iron pans and dutch ovens, in fact more than I truly need, but I will confess a love of cast iron both for its use in cooking as well as the general aesthetic of the material. Besides, they last forever and do not lose their value! Other than this, a few special glasses, a few utensils, and a four place set of dishes I picked up 7 years ago which is still packed all nice and neatly in the box. Anything else I need I can pick up inexpensively either on the road or when I get to where I am going.

What more is there? I am sure a great deal and the next couple of months will reveal the form this other takes..

Great news!

I just got off the phone with the current owner of what will be my new caravan! It is a 1974 Golden Falcon of good size (not sure exactly how long) which currently rests in Wichita Kansas. This works out great as it saves me from hauling a trailer up to Kansas. This I suspect saves me close to $100 in gas alone!

So though I will not take possession for a couple of months, I have a portable shelter which will play the role of home for the next clost to a year at least..

Brand new travels-radical changes afoot

After quite a long hiatus, I am back to blogging about traveling. To make up for this, I have a few very interesting events which will change this blog permanently.

The first is that in just over two months I will be traveling indefinitely. Yes you read that right, I am going on the road, leaving behind any semblence of a home. No longer will I have a Texas base, nor will I have any other base for the foreseeable future. This came about from a lost lease and the desire to leave the US, the former playing a far larger role than the latter.

The first step in this process, after the initial shock wore off, was to start shedding my possessions. I have learned a little from my last two major moves, that it is very easy to accumulate too much stuff, and moving in more than one trip in the truck is a serious problem when the distance is great. When the ultimate distance is unknown as it is now, this is a fatal problem so I must shed enough of my possessions that I can fit the remainder in the truck.  This is an ongong process and one which has caused me to make the ultimate sacrifice: I am selling and giving away many of my books. Some people have photo albums and mementos to record the passage of their life, I have books. Still, there are only so many I can take.

The next step was to find a travel trailer (caravan! I really do prefer the British term!!), motor home, or some other sort of portable living arrangement. I hope that I have done this. I have not see the caravan yet, but I have talked to the owner who is a friend of a friend, and it seems like it will be more than sufficient. To make matters even better it is already at the first stop on my travels: Wichita Kansas. Okay, that is really the second stop..

The first stop will be in Colorado. I had already begun planning a trip to Colorado to see the Scottish poet and singer Fish, when I was told that I was going to lose my lease. I am fortunate to know some folks in the area, and so I will be staying there for about a week, doing some work to pay for the trip (and hopefully more, like a website for my portfolio) and enjoying the company of friends left too long unvisited.

Then I am off to Wichita where I will stay for some indefinite amount of time, doing work for friends and family. Once I decide to leave, I may well be heading to Arkansas, or Indiana, or perhaps somewhere else.. that decision will wait until it is necessary to make it.

What is my ultimate goal? Well this is a broad question, and the answer no less so. I expect to relocate out of the US to a wonderful farm in Canada, but I am not forcing the issue. I hope to gain a more free wheeling spirit while on the road. Letting myself go where the winds take me or where I see something of interest will be a welcome if uncomfortable learning experience. I keep going back to a phrase I first listened to from a philosophy professor at WSU, then heard from the source (Kris Kristoferson, via Janis Jopin (via David Soles)) Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose. Over the years of studying liberty and justice, I have come to believe that there are two ways to be free, to be in control of all (this might not be freedom after all) or to be without that which others value. I have chosen this latter path for myself and this journey upon which I am about to embark is a major reflection of this.

If nothing else I shall learn and experience. I promise to try to be as free as possible and to welcome opportunites as they arise, whether in person, from this blog, or from any other source. So with that I welcome comments, suggestions, ideas, or whatever comes to mind.

In the coming weeks I will explore the changes I will have to make in order to be prepared for this unique and exciting journey.

On the road again

I realize that it has been a long while since my last post on this blog, and for that I am truly sorry.. mostly selfishly so since it means that I have not been traveling!

But now I am on the road again. I am in Kansas where I have been doing some remodeling and design for my grandparents and my mother. As some dear friends back in Austin keep pointing out, I only take busman's holidays.. For whatever reason I cannot just sit around very long at all without needing a project, and I even have a hard time breaking away from the businesses I run if I do not have a specific reason beyond my own enjoyment. So here I am working away in KS.

The drive up was unusual in a couple of regards. For the first time in my memory I had no timetable, no plan on being anywhere at a given time. This may not seem to be a bid deal, and I suppose for most folks it isn't, but I was raised with the idea that we travel with a purpose, stop only for gas, and get from point a to point b asap. I have been working on changing that characteristic in myself so that someday I will be able to take off with only a map, some cash, and a desire to get lost for days or perhaps weeks.

The second unusual aspect was that the entire route up, until I got into Kansas anyway, was green. This too may not seem strange to folks who have not spent much time in the great American desert, but this time of year has never been green along US81 in my memory. The very unusual rains this year which have let Austin over double it's annual rainfall with the fall rainy season still forthcoming, which has refilled the aquifer for the first time in over forty years, has also allowed north Texas, and oklahoma to be green and have a look of good health about them. I can only imagine that it must have looked like this when settler's stopped, why else would they stop?

This trip was necessitated by stress. This summer has been very difficult for me with trying to run two businesses as well as participate in a third. The second business has delivered nothing but stress and problems so far unfortunately. My junior partner and my supplier have both been dropping the ball far more often than they have been picking it up. Still, I did not start this blog to go on about work. I mention this merely to emphasize the stress which has left me mentally and physically exhausted. So I decided to get away... and work! I cannot claim that this is the smartest notion I have ever had. Still, the trip has been good so far. My second night here, while still recovering from the drive and the general level of stress, some dear friends had a gathering so we were able to catch up, and I was pleased to see others who I have come to expect to see whenever I am in town. I was not at my best, but still I enjoyed catching up and being with such good people again.

Almost immediately after I started working with my grandparents on a redesign of two rooms and two halls in their house. I was flattered that they would want to listen to my ideas, despite my doing this professionally. As most of us have experienced, family and often friends simply fail to see the abilitites that we have since they often remember those times when we were simply young and stupid.. :) Surprisingly my grandparents actually liked my initial ideas for the spaces, which I feared would be a little much for them, despite being fairly modest. It is all complete now, and even my grandfather who has built his own homes, spent a good deal of time in other homes, and whom I respect a great deal, loves the new look . It is subdued but lends some color to areas which lacked life before.

With that completed I have been doing some general maintenance on my mother's home. Nothing exciting or new, unless I can find some good top soil or garden soil which is reasonably priced so I can add a berm to her front yard. That will change the look of the house and really set it off from the rest in the neighborhood.

But again, I did not create this blog to talk about work, either paid or pro-bono. It is supposed to be about traveling. So I have a few days left here, which I am trying to spend catching up with old friends and making time for any who will have me. I believe that we are too lax with those we know and care about. We tend to take them for granted, often putting them far down our list of priorities and I seek to not live such a life myself. I want to make time for those I know, for those I meet, and for simply living. Why get caught up in the church on sunday, work 9-5 routine? Why miss out on seeing friends when they are avaialable? How will the world change if we miss that one meeting, that one sermon, or take an evening to spend with a drink and a friend (to borrow a line from Rush)?

So a few more days and then I am on the road again, this time headed a bit south and east to the farm in the hills of Arkansas, which are surprisingly and remarkably beautiful. I will be scoping out possible sites and scales of an underground home built into a ridge and overlooks lowlands and onto a ridge across the way covered with a mided wood forrest.

One interesting possibility has hit my plate, I along with one or two others may be putting together a traveling and food blog. As I know more I will share it.

Until then my friends, thanks for following my mini adventures..

Deep in the heart...

I am back in Texas, and traveling is over for the time being. I have a new business as the central Texas distributor of Weatherbos, the only truly environmentally safe and proven protectant of wood, masonary, fiberglass, etc. I am continuing the design and remodeling that I have been doing for the last several years, but I hope to move onto a new venture which will be first and foremost the right product and service that people want and need. This is my newest adventure, and one I hope will allow me to go onto the next stage of my life.

I will try to continue this blog as things of interest happen, with the hope that others will find something of interest in my struggle to not merely start and run a new business, but also to continue to walk the path towards the life I want to be living.

As always I welcome suggestions and comments..

back in the Southlands.

Well I am back in Texas, and though I am glad in many ways to be here, I have to admit that this was the most difficult return trip yet. It seems that I have more trouble leaving each time I visit. Perhaps I will eventually listen to that feeling..

Still, now that I am back things are moving very quickly indeed. I am getting caught up on the normal design and remodeling business, but then too I am flying about trying to get the Weatherbos of Austin business off the ground. We have established our phone number and acquired the domain name (weatherbosofaustin.com) where with luck in short order we will have a page up directing folks to our product. It really seems that almost everyone I talk to about the product wants to try it, and I know from my own experience that all it takes is one try and they will be permanently sold on the product. This is one of those very rare instances where the product out performs all others, but also has the advantage of being environmentally safe. There seems to be no downside to it.

On top of this, a long time customer of mine has approached me about doing house flips, which I may well do as well. Though money is not important to me, it would be nice to be able to develop a nest egg.

So life back here is very interesting to say the least. It is warm (70 and 80s) and sunny, with little wind. I am struggling to stay upright so it seems. I sincerely hope to get some plants and seeds into the garden this weekend between appointments.

Such is the very interesting and strangely fast paced life I have returned to.

Little over halfway

After a grueling 13 hour drive, 12 or so against the wind all the way to Hot Springs, where I got in to the hills and out of the wind, I have finally arrived at my Dad's farm. It was a bit strange to go from a few feet of snow just a 3 days ago to full spring, including some snapdragons already in bloom. From what I have been told, it is just about summer temperatures back at home.

Bright sunny day today, with little on my agenda other than resting up for the final leg of the trip tomorrow. I may well get out and do a bit of hiking out in the woods, as well as check out the changes here since last I visited.

Back in the USSR...

Well I made it back to the US, though the above title seems far more appropriate for a near infinite number of reasons, but perhaps the most poetic is that when I get to the US border official, he asks me "Vere iz your citizenship" in what was almost a perfect match to any 80's or earlier cold war movie. It seems that with all of the concerns over outsourcing, the US government is actually importing border guards from the former soviet republics... I can only assume that this is because they are the most experienced with the current set of policies under which the use border patrol operates.

Still I was finally allowed through (I of course had to give over my travel papers...) and I managed to get ot Indy without further event, as long as you overlook nearly forgetting to watch the gas guage. :) Speaking of which, I cannot complain too much as it appears that I am getting around 18 miles a gallon for most of the trip. Sure I would like better, but given that I drive a truck, this is not too bad.

Ran into some ice pellets about 50 miles out of Indy, but they almost instantly melted after they hit the windshield so driving was not slowed.

Tomorrow looks like rain, but not freezing rain so I plan on heading south again tomorrow. It seems somewhat likely that I will be at the farm for a day before heading on back home to pursue the new business venture.

For now I am going to sit back and catch up with Todd and Tiff here in Indy and enjoy the fact that I have chosen to lead a life that allows me to see old friends and family.

Ch ch ch changes..

Since I did not manage to get the last entry posted yesterday, it appears at the bottom of this post.

I head out in a few hours for Toronto to see family there. There is no snow falling and it looks like the next two days should be good for traveling. This is doubly good as my wonderful hosts gave me a bit of a send off last night, so I am moving a bit slowly this morning. Still it is a beautiful morning and I can honestly say that I am very reluctant to leave. This is indeed a remarkable and enchanting place in winter as well as spring and summer (and I assume autumn as well, but I've not been here in autumn as of yet).

Now that I am beginning my southward journey I will have much reduced internet availability, but still I will try to get a post in where I can.

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As you can tell, I have made a few changes to the blog. My intention is to have the aesthethic feel of the blog match the nature (pun intended) of the content of the posts. Feel free to let me know what you think about it.

The news this morning is that the snow has stopped, from the looks of it we received a couple of inches (though of course this is metric snow :) ) and the route to Toronto ought to be clear for my trip tomorrow. So barring unforeseen adventures (such as difficulty in crossing back into the gulag, I mean the US) I should be on schedule for the trip southward.

One of the activities here which I have not commented upon much, but which as taken a bit of my time is catching up on the stack of reading which has been getting ever larger. (to be continued at a later date..)

A storm's a'comin'

I have been sadly lax in posting the last few days, which I attribute to some practical hinderances, as well as simply the good times that I have been enjoying with my friends here. The former consist of the redesigning and remodeling of a stair hall and bathroom, as well as the installation of a ceiling fan and some other similar projects. As most folks I stay with on my travels know, I have a difficult time just sitting still doing nothing for more than a day. I get quickly restless and tend to find or request projects to both keep me occupied, but also to provide to me the opportunity to show my appreciation to those who have opened their homes to me.

The good times have been many, and of the sort found only amongst close friends. They have been mostly good evenings in which we share ideas, explore various topics, examine possible designs, and basically enjoy one another's company. Still there have been a few movies involved, including the first and second Shrek movies (yeah I know I am late in seeing them.. so sue me.. as most of you know, I just don't usually make the time for movies), one on the Avro Arrow, and Good Night and Good Luck. It is good to have friends such as these who serve as wonderful filters for movies so that I can be almost certain to enjoy whatever we happen to watch.

I've been using the snowshoes a good deal for not only the sheer enjoyment of walks into the fields and woods, but also for very practical matters such as raking snow from the roof, or getting across to the barn. I have definitely discovered a distinct fondness for showshoeing of the same sort as my love of hiking. Sadly I have not had the opportunity to do any cross country skiing, but now that I know that the winters here are far more pleasant than those in Kansas or other such areas in which I have been, I am planning on return trips during which I will make the opportunity to try out cross country skiing come to pass. I will also be surprised if I do not own my own pair of snowshoes by the time I return.

I should note that we have gotten more than a foot of snow since I arrived, possibly as much as two feet. I have had to dig out the truck a couple of times, in part because I dumped a load of snow off of the roof onto the front corner of the truck, essentially burying the front wheel on up to the top of the hood. Still once out on the roads I have had no problems at all, even without ever getting around to adding weights such as sand bags to the bed of the truck. The roads are kept remarkably clear, except for side roads but even those get plowed so that they are still quite passible.

I have had to think about leaving as I do have the new business waiting for me back home, but the original plan of leaving today had to be canceled due to a winter storm which could include some freezing rain. So the current plan gives me two more days here, then a jaunt down to Toronto to see family before heading south again. That said the trip is not yet over as I get to see my friends in Indy once again, then head to Arkansas to work on my father's farm for a day or so. There is no rest for the wicked or available.. :)

So ends another entry and evening, so I believe I will seek out any remaining 10W-30 (local brew) and return to reading.