Visitors today

Joe came by with his two girls and I gave Alyssa her birthday present!  The girls are fun to be around and I enjoy their visits.  I don't get as much chance to visit with Joe now that he works crazy hospital shifts.  Keira likes tangerines and now I have just 3 of them left.  Do I want a tangerine now or a good craft beer?  I might just eat a tangerine or two and then have the beer, it's Friday night after all!

Keira told me she loves my house because the "attic is downstairs".  I obviously don't have an attic but she probably means the moldy storage room with the washing machine, or the camping gear storage room!  Kids have such a cute and innocent way of expressing themselves as they see it.

I spent the morning with my Brother labeler, file folders, paper shredder, gathering  and sorting papers.  I was able to whittle the stack down, but there is a whole lot more everywhere I look.  I will just work on a chunk at a time.

I worked a bit with Mapquest and some of  the new maps I recently got at AAA, trying to figure out how I want to travel to NY in April.  As much as I hate interstate travel, I might do it to drive fewer miles and use less fuel, at least on the outbound trip.   I have no idea how I will drive back to CA in June or July.  One of the biggest drawbacks of being on the interstate for an extended period is that there are few, if any, suitable tent camping places along the way.  I don't mind a motel now and then, but since I prefer to drive fewer miles a day I don't want to sit around in a motel room in the afternoons, whereas in a federal recreation area campground there are usually trails to hike, at least, or something to see and do.

For the return in mid-summer, I love the National Parks and Forests in the northern U.S., but there are a few places I wouldn't mind going to in the south, depending on the weather.  If it's hot then I ain't going there!   The Natchez Trace has been calling me for years, but when I get from Nashvile TN to Natchez, MS, then where do I go.  Who knows but I might just get to see those western national parks after all - me and about a million other travelers!  It's way to soon to stress about the return plan.

My brother and sister-in -law (Bill & Wilma) who live in Milwaukee are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on the 28th of Feb.  I didn't think I would be able to make it since I had committed to going to NY in April for my grandson's First Communion on April 25, as well as to celebrate his birthday on June 4th.

My son Mike surprised me with a Christmas present of an airline ticket to Milwaukee in Feb., so I will be able to attend the anniversary celebration, fly back to Sacramento to get my car ready and packed to start the drive to NY in early April.   It is almost overwhelming to me and it isn't that far off.  

I wish the weather would warm up for a few days so I can pull some of the weeds that have grown in all the rain a couple of weeks ago.  The Park Police do their annual lot inspections beginning April 1st and I won't be here.  I'll explain to them that I'll be away, but I need to get the worst of the weeds pulled and disposed of, and maybe they will go easy on me.

That bottle of craft beer in the fridge is calling me, and I'd better go open one up!