Uncle Spud & Aunt JoJo

Where have I been???

2012-01-04T13:56:00.002-07:00

I was looking at some pictures the other day and thought to myself, I will post these on my blog. Shit!!! I got a blog that has been totally ignored, what was I thinking? So that being said, I have to go back gathering my thoughts to get caught up. Yes the last six months have been pretty busy. Hang on for updates.

Party in the Old Home Town

2011-07-01T07:04:00.004-06:00

http://youtu.be/9KhJ5jsUL5c

A little clip of the gig at the Toadstool Billiards Cafe in Emmett Idaho, fine camera work by Mel and Morgan. Great editing Honey, thank you everyone for coming.

Pickin and Drivin

2011-06-11T09:10:00.002-06:00

Getting all our ducks in a row for a trip to Idaho, really looking forward to seeing everyone and having a little R&R. But first we have Blooms and Butterfly's at the fort on the 18th, Jody is participating in her first 5K Run (She's going to do Great!) and I am playing at the Open Pit BBQ. Going to be a big crowd and good food $10 a plate and all the money is for restoration of the fort. Then on Monday the 2oth we hop in the car and drive to the land of ID to hang with Mel and family then spend a little time with Rita and Matt and of course we will see the rest of you along the way. Friday evening starts the gathering of Emmett High School Class of 71 with a get together at Roe-Ann at 6pm, a little later I will be playing a two hour show at the Toadstool Billiard Cafe music starts at 9pm. Saturday morning the class will assemble for coffee/danish and a walk at the Island Sports Complex, all of us O.F.'s need to stay in shape, my shape is potato. Saturday evening the class will have their dinner and entertainment, I will be part of that show too at the Old High School. On Sunday a picnic in the city park, class picture shoot the breeze, you know the routine. Then on the road again, get home and let the kitties out of the house. Back to the grind as the boss and his family will be on the farm for the their annual 4th of July visit. The camp ground is open for you all to come and hang with us for a while. See you soon.

Pond in the Morning

2011-05-17T08:19:00.002-06:00

A view of our pond from the outside security camera, don't know where the geese are but they're not far away. Gearing up for the bosses first visit of the year, lots of mowing and weeding and planting. Jody has planted a ton of new stuff on the island and with the help of Rita we have lilies in several places and they are floating on the surface already. I fished from the dock for about 20 minutes the other day and caught three good sized bass, the smallest was about a pound and a half. Finally going to have some sunny weather starting tomorrow so we will get some weed spraying done and few other tasks that require dry weather. Looking forward to you all coming by to camp and fish and stay a few days, see ya soon.

New Car - Thank You Shaklee!!

2011-05-07T07:53:00.002-06:00

Here it is folks 2011 VW Jetta TDI, that would be Turbo Diesel Injected. This puppy's got all the bells and whistles, 6 speed Automatic transmission, Navigation, Satellite radio, CD, IPod plug in, memory card reader. It is Platinum Gray with black interior, seat warmers and lots of leg room. We will be in Idaho for a week at the end of June and we will take you for a ride. See ya on the flip side.

We The People - On An Even Playing Field

2011-04-18T23:10:00.006-06:00

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. Term Limits. 12 years only, one of the possible options below..

A. Two Six-year Senate terms

B. Six Two-year House terms

C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

2. No Tenure / No Pension A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/11.

Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career.. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

PARAPROSDOKIAN

2011-03-24T05:48:00.001-06:00

Ø I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way; So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.
Ø Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
Ø Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
Ø The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.
Ø Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
Ø If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.
Ø We never really grow up; we only learn how to act in public.
Ø War does not determine who is right -- only who is left.
Ø Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Ø The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
Ø Evening news is where they begin with 'Good Evening,' and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.
Ø To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.
Ø A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. My desk is a work station.
Ø How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
Ø Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you push one down the stairs.
Ø Dolphins are so smart, that within a few weeks of captivity they can train people to stand on the edge of the pool and throw them fish.
Ø I thought I wanted a career; turns out I just wanted a paycheck.
Ø Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says "In case of an emergency, notify - - -", I put "DOCTOR."
Ø I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
Ø Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
Ø Why do Americans choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America ?
Ø Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
Ø A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
Ø You do not need a parachute to sky dive. You only need a parachute to sky dive,,,, twice.
Ø The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!
Ø A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you will look forward to the trip.
Ø Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.
Ø Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others, whenever they go.
Ø There's a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can't get away.
Ø I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.
Ø I always take life with a grain of salt... plus a slice of lemon... and a shot of tequila.
Ø When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.
Ø You're never too old to learn something stupid.
Ø To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit "the target".
Ø Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

Yes It Does Snow In Elkton!

2011-02-24T10:38:00.004-07:00

Here ya go folks Elkton Oregon is on the snow map, we have heard rumors that there could be up to 8 inches. Good thing I went to the store yesterday. Also my commute is only about 100 yards.

Take a Survey?

2011-02-10T10:25:00.002-07:00

Time is getting short for us to choose a car, we have sifted through most of the vehicles out there and this is our top three. They are listed as "The Dream Car" "The Practical Car" and "The You Can't Be Serious Car" . Your job if you want to participate is to match the title with the car, and any suggestions for other cars I may not have considered. We have to thank Shaklee for adding this awesome program to our compensation plan, if you want to know how to get one of your own you know my number. Thanks for your help.

2011 Dodge Challenger Convertible, can you say HEMI, who cares about MPG!

2011 VW Jetta Sedan TDI, Clean Diesel 42mpg Hwy

2011 BMW 335D Clean Diesel 26mpg Hwy

Public Service Announcement

2011-01-28T10:57:00.004-07:00

WARNING!!! Don't let your Dog eat raw fish especially of the salmon variety. Freckles went to the doggie hospital Monday with severe Salmon Poisoning and will be coming home today. This will be an ongoing problem for us as Freckles is a scavenger and will eat ANYTHING, so he will be living a much more confined life. No other animals can get this condition so you don't have to worry about your cats or gerbils. We will keep you posted on Freckles recovery. Below is an explanation of Salmon Poisoning.

Salmon poisoning, also known as Salmon Poisoning Disease or Neorickettsia helminthoeca, is an acute infectious disease of wild and domestic dogs caused by ingestion of raw fish. The infective agent is transmitted through the various stages of a fluke in a snail-fish-dog life cycle. The name of the disease is misleading because there is no toxin involved. The disease is caused by the Rickettsial organism Neorickettsai helminthoeca, and is most often associated with eating raw fish containing N. salminocola, the trematode fluke (worm) carrier.Exposure to a fresh brackish stream or beach and eating raw fish in an endemic area are risk factors. The fluke parasite is carried in the kidneys of infected Salmon (can occur in other fish but is uncommon). The fluke is passed to the dog after ingestion of the infected fish.

Common signs of Salmon poisoning include:
Fever
Lack of appetite (anorexia)
Lethargy
Vomiting
Diarrhea (with or without blood)
Depression
Enlarged lymph nodes
Nasal and eye discharge may be seen in some dogs
Fever

Yes It's True

2011-01-12T07:52:00.003-07:00

He grasped me firmly, but gently just above my elbow and guided me into his room. Then he quietly shut the door and we were alone. He approached me soundlessly, from behind, and spoke in a low, reassuring voice close to my ear. "Just relax." Without warning, he reached down and I felt his strong, calloused hands start at my ankles, gently probing, and moving upward along my calves slowly but steadily. My breath caught in my throat. I knew I should be afraid, but somehow I didn't care. His touch was so experienced, so sure. When his hands moved up onto my thighs, I gave a slight shudder, and partly closed my eyes. My pulse was pounding. I felt his knowing fingers caress my abdomen, my ribcage. And then, as he cupped my firm, full breasts in his hands, I inhaled sharply. Probing, searching, knowing what he wanted, he brought his hands to my shoulders, slid them down my tingling spine and into my panties. Although I knew nothing about this man, I felt oddly trusting and expectant. This is a man, I thought. A man used to taking charge. A man not used to taking `no' for an answer. A man who would tell me what he wanted. A man who would look into my soul and say .... "Okay, ma'am," said a voice. "All done." My eyes snapped open and he was standing in front of me, smiling, holding out my purse. "You can board your flight now."

Christmas on the Ranch

2010-12-26T12:12:00.001-07:00

Fully decorated, space is small but no Bah-Humbug around here. Oh yeah, and no snow but lots of rain. We wish you all a great Christmas and the most perfect New Year. Please come for a visit, we miss you all.
Love
Uncle Spud and Aunt Jo Jo

"Ireland's Best Photo Album"

2010-11-05T13:32:00.004-06:00

Click on the link below to enjoy the photo's of Jody and Cleota's trip to Ireland.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jodybnewell/IrelandsBest?feat=directlink

ENJOY!!

Two Years and Counting

2010-11-02T12:03:00.002-06:00

Yep, two years under our belt in Elkton and no signs of pulling out anytime soon. Those of you that have stopped by know what a cool place we have to hang our hats. We have become somewhat embedded in the local culture, getting to know our neighbors and other folks in the area. The workload is seasonal, weeding, mowing, fishing, planting, trimming, fishing, pruning, painting, fishing, you get the picture. The pets like their home, sharing with all the other wildlife, deer, elk, raccoon, skunk, bear, cougar, geese, duck, eagles, we get to see most of these on any given day. Jody and I would like to extend a formal invitation to come and camp in our park like setting and go fishing, hiking or just sitting around in a quiet beautiful place. See you soon!

The Travelers

2010-10-05T18:39:00.003-06:00

Two weeks and several thousand miles on planes and driving the girls are finally home from Ireland. They had a wonderful time and with the luck of the Irish everything went perfect. In country they went from Dublin to Belfast in northern Ireland to attend the National Sheep Dog Trials. Cleota's favorite herder Mike Gallagher won the event and they got cold and wet. Next they headed south to Cork county and spent the next week doing day trips around Ardmore, visiting castles and museum and kissing stones and finding headstones of ancestors. The list of all there stops is quite long, JFK Arboretum, Blarney Castle, Giants Causeway, Horseback riding, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Lisemore Castle, a lot of great scenery while driving. Jody did a great job getting them to all the different locations and in the end the rental car was returned with nary a scratch. Unsolicited help came from everywhere, anytime they looked like they were lost a helpful person would stop and give them directions or guide them to there destination. So the general consensus was the favorite part of the trip was the people, and now the thought of a return trip is being considered, and I get to go this time! Can you say Guinness?

2010-09-17T18:55:00.004-06:00

Well, I guess it's time to catch up a little. Yes we are back from Anaheim and another Shaklee Convention is history, I thank Shaklee for our continued good health. Disneyland is still there and doing well by the large amount of people. Jody is on a campaign to irrigate the newly planted trees and has been very successful and our young forest is flourishing. I was asked to play for the Fort Umpqua Musical Pageant over Labor Day this was the 8th year it's was a lot of fun, met some good musicians and learned a couple of song to add to my list. Boss was on site for few days to supervise the Island and Creek modifications, got alot accomplished in 3 days. Took Jody to Portland for a flight to Las Vegas to meet up with her Mom for a trip to Ireland, so I will be lonely for my honey for a few days. The cats are still adjusting to Jody being gone. Getting ready for the Bosses visit in October. Going soon to pick up Jody, I miss you Honey.

Off to Anaheim

2010-07-30T12:51:00.002-06:00

Leaving for Anaheim in a few days, going to annual convention. Thought we were going to visit the mouse, nope Mickey didn't make the agenda this trip. Besides, been there done that . Though I would like to see a ball game, Angels are out of town and the Dodgers are playing the Padres, yeah that's the ticket. Need a little time off from the farm, all the brush is hogged, all the trees are watered, most of the weeds are pulled or sprayed(never ending), the pond is full and the fish are doing great, lots of baby bass and bluegill. You all got to visit next year to catch some of the monster fishes in our big hole in the ground full of water. Well got to go pack my toothbrush.

Flag Raising on the Farm

2010-07-04T10:22:00.002-06:00

This morning we conducted a military style flag raising with honorary flag bearers Tommy and Trent ( Tom and Pat's grandson's ). The boys did a great job, the remainder of the day will include sedge planting, BBQ chicken, smores, and fireworks if anyone is still awake. Have a safe and sane 4th.

Music at the Fort

2010-05-31T07:52:00.002-06:00

Saturday June 12th Cats-n-Dawgs will be performing for the Open Pit BBQ at Fort Umpqua in Elkton Oregon. The photo was taken at the Forts dedication last fall, it was quite the elaborate celebration being the date also coincided with the Forts 173rd birthday. Kdawg and I will start the tunes around 5pm with the chow line queing up shortly after. Can you identify the man in black?

Truffles In Oregon

2010-05-07T07:50:00.004-06:00

Royce recently asked if my dog could be trained to find Truffles and the answer is Yes. Oregon it seems is the new France when it come to finding and harvesting Truffles. The dog has taken over for the pig in the search and it turns out they are easier to control because dogs don't eat truffles and pigs do. A stand of 15 to 20 year old Douglas Fir trees provide the perfect habitat for truffle farming and while cleaning around the base of a young fir tree I found a white truffle. Very distinctive odor though none made to the kitchen. Here is a little blurb I found on the internet.

Truffles are difficult to find and very expensive as a result! In 1994, black truffles sold for $350 to $500 a pound. In the United States, edible truffles are collected in the forests of Oregon and Washington. In Europe, most truffles are collected in France and Italy.

Truffle hunters in Italy and France use pigs and mixed-breed dogs to sniff out truffles. Dogs are preferred to pigs because pigs love to eat truffles. The hunter uses a staff to force the pig to back off, once the pig has located a truffle.

In Italy, truffle dogs are trained in several steps. First, the dog is taught to retrieve a rubber ball. Next, a small bit of smelly Gorgonzola cheese is substituted for the rubber ball. After the dog has learned to retrieve the cheese, the cheese is hidden, forcing the dog to sniff it out for a reward of food. Finally, a small truffle is substituted for the cheese. The dog is trained to fetch, then dig up the truffle.

Dogs like other food better than truffles, so bread and other treats are used for rewards. The night before a truffle hunt the dog is not fed so it will be eager to find truffles for the treat. Some dogs take the easy way out. They find and eat garbage buried by campers! Dogs generally do not find young truffles because the odor is too weak. The odor becomes stronger with age as the spores mature.

The boss is always asking for ways to make money on the farm this just might fit the bill.

Social Media ??

2010-03-31T09:23:00.004-06:00

Social Media poked it's nose into my space and booked my face
Time I've spent trying to tweet has wasted life I can't repeat.

Texture of my message grows smaller as I learn to pace
Because I only purchase enough time to type in 3 ltr wrds.

I get all blogged up and just don't digg it
Can't mixx my favorites with my book marks.

I'm just glad I've got my live delicious redd it bebo
What the hell is bebo anyway, another waste of memory.

I get no phone calls, I get no mail, by either E or crawling snail
What's become of us I cannot say, that's a tweet for another day.

Got Bread?

2010-03-02T23:16:00.002-07:00

Yep you can do it, bread from the sourdough pancake leftovers. Just add enough flour to stiffen things up a bit, knead it for about ten minutes, let it rise for an hour, knead again for a couple of minutes, let it rise again for an hour. Throw in it in the preheated oven at 350 for about 30 minutes and you got bread. You can also add a packet of yeast to help the rise, I didn't add any to mine and it came out fine. The crust was a little thick but not bad for a first attempt. Toast for our next XBreakfast.

Still Waiting!!

2010-02-23T08:06:00.001-07:00

XBreakfast!

2010-02-21T14:08:00.004-07:00

A little thick but they taste pretty good. I think with a little experimentation I will be able to patch a tire. Right now there is a mixture rising in the oven that if all works as desired we will have fresh Sourdough Bread for our next XBreakfast(more than three items on your plate).This XBreakfast consisted of Sourdough Pancakes, Bacon, Hashbrowns with cheese, Over medium Eggs, Toast, Orange Juice. Calorie count who the hell knows, the Wii Fit told me that I was Overweight, finally. For the last 70 days I have been Obese, so the ideal weight will be reached in the future, why set your goal too high. Thanks for getting us Started!

Like You Didn't Have Anything Better To Do

2010-01-16T09:39:00.004-07:00

Here are the winners of this year's Washington Post's Mensa
Invitational which once again asked readers to take any word from the
dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and
supply a new definition:

1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders
the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus: A person who is both stupid and an asshole.

3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts
until you realize it was your money to start with.

4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

5. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that
stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer unfortunately
shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the
purpose of getting laid.

7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and
the person who doesn't get it.

9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are
running late.

10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra
credit.)

11. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all
these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and
it's like, a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the
day consuming only things that are good for you.

13. Glibido: All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem
smarter when they come at you rapidly.

15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just
after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets
into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

17. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a
worm in the fruit you're eating.

...and in a similar vein...

The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions
to its yearly contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate
meanings for common words. And the winners are:

1. Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight
one has gained.

3. Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat
stomach.

4. Esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.

6. Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when
wearing only a nightgown.

7. Lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence, n.. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who
has been run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle n. A humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by
proctologists.

13. Pokemon, n. A Rastafarian proctologist.

15. Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul
flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent, n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn
by Jewish men

Now pick your favorite or create your own and let me know. Have Fun.

Live Music in Portland

2009-12-20T15:29:00.002-07:00

Dakota Bob at the Mock Crest Tavern with Cats-n-Dawgs

Jody and I took a quick trip to Portland for some last minute Christmas shopping and spent the night at the old Farm. Went to the Mock Crest to try out a few new tunes and met up of with Dakota Bob, Kdawg, Lahaina, Donna Jose and a few others for a good night of music. You all missed a great show.

Field Trip to Cancun 2009

2009-11-19T08:34:00.006-07:00

HOLA

Got home fairly early Sunday evening but crashed soon after. Had a great time with the girls. It would have been more fun except that Horizon Air computers were down when we got to Eugene and we missed our connecting flight and had to spend the night in Seattle( did get to see Carla and Mitch for a few hours, we had a good visit) so we got to the resort late Wed night instead of Tuesday afternoon. None the less the girls got a full day at the resort on their own and had a lot of fun.
On Thursday we went to Playa Del Carmen for a shopping excursion, mostly so they could get a small taste of the culture and be harassed by all the vendors. On Friday Jody and Mel went on a catamaran to snorkel and a catered lunch with the CEO while Mike(a friend that lives in Vegas) and I stayed at the resort with Morgan and Danielle, Mike's 12 year old granddaughter from Alaska.
Those little girls had a blast and it was fun to watch them. On Saturday Morgan was invited to go swim with the dolphins and all the OF's hung out on the beach, that evening was a semi-formal farewell dinner with 750 of our Shaklee family. We all had a great time and are glad to be home. For more pic's click on the following link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodynewell/sets/72157622695940107/

Adios

"Off We Go Into The Wild Blue"

2009-11-09T09:19:00.002-07:00

Leaving for Cancun this afternoon, driving to Eugene to catch an early flight tomorrow AM. Mel and Morgan are flying out of Boise in the morning and will arrive a couple hours before we do. Mel and Jason have had a few issues with their house, burst water pipe, lots of water damage, had to move into motel, at least they have some fairly descent insurance, we hope. Got lots of fun stuff on the agenda at beach, plus a special day in Playa Del Carmen. Hurricane Ida heard we were coming so she just decided to go bother Florida, so we don't have to worry about real crappy weather. Scheduled to be back home late next Sunday night. We'll be thinking about you all.

APHORISM

2009-10-16T12:48:00.000-06:00

APHORISM: A SHORT, POINTED SENTENCE EXPRESSING A WISE OR CLEVER OBSERVATION OR A GENERAL TRUTH:

The nicest thing about the future is that it always starts tomorrow.

Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.

Seat belts are not as confining as wheelchairs.

A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're in deep water.

How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?

Business conventions are important because they demonstrate how many people a company can operate without.

Scratch a cat and you will have a permanent job.

No one has more driving ambition than the boy who wants to buy a car.

There are no new sins; the old ones just get more publicity.

There are worse things than getting a call for a wrong number at 4am; it could be a right number.

Be careful reading the fine print. There's no way you're going to like it.

Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Corvette than in a Yugo.

After 60, if you don't wake up aching in every joint, you are probably dead!

Always be yourself -- because the people who matter don't mind, and the ones who mind don't matter.

Vietnam Vet Statistics

2009-10-13T10:48:00.003-06:00

In case you haven't been paying attention these past few decades after you returned from Vietnam, the clock has been ticking. The following are some statistics that are at once depressing yet, in a larger sense, should give one a sense of pride.

"Of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam; less than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today, with the youngest American Vietnam veteran's age approximated to be 54 years old."

So, if you're alive and reading this, how does it feel to be among the last 1/3rd of all the U.S. Vets who served in Vietnam? Don't know about you, but kinda gives me the chills, considering this is the
kind of information we are used to reading about WWII and Korean War vets.

So the last 14 years we are dying too fast, only a few will survive by 2015...if any.

If true, 390 VN vets die a day. So in 2190 days from today you're lucky to be a Vietnam veteran alive..... in only 6 years..

These statistics were taken from a variety of sources to include: The VFW Magazine, the Public Information Office, and the HQ CP Forward Observer - 1st Recon April 12, 1997.

STATISTICS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN UNIFORM AND IN COUNTRY VIETNAM VETERANS:

* 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam Era (August 5, 1964 - May 7, 1975).

* 8,744,000 GIs were on active duty during the war (Aug 5, 1964-March 28,1973).

* 2,709,918 Americans served in Vietnam, this number represents 9.7% of their generation.

* 3,403,100 (Including 514,300 offshore) personnel served in the broader Southeast Asia Theater (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, flight crews based in Thailand, and sailors in adjacent South China Sea waters).

* 2,594,000 personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam (Jan. 1,1965 - March 28, 1973). Another 50,000 men served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964.

* Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack.

* 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam.

* Peak troop strength in Vietnam: 543,482 (April 30, 1968).

CASUALTIES:

The first man to die in Vietnam was James Davis, in 1958. He was with the 509th Radio Research Station. Davis Station in Saigon was named for him.

Hostile deaths: 47,378

Non-hostile deaths: 10,800

Total: 58,202 (Includes men formerly classified as MIA and Mayaguez casualties). Men who have subsequently died of wounds account for the changing total.

8 nurses died -- 1 was KIA..

61% of the men killed were 21 or younger..

11,465 of those killed were younger than 20 years old.

Of those killed, 17,539 were married.

Average age of men killed: 23.1 years

Enlisted: 50,274 22.37 years

Officers: 6,598 28.43 years

Warrants: 1,276 24.73 years

E1: 525 20.34 years

11B MOS: 18,465 22.55 years

Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old.

The oldest man killed was 62 years old.

Highest state death rate: West Virginia - 84.1% (national average 58.9% for every 100,000 males in 1970).

Wounded: 303,704 -- 153,329 hospitalized + 150,375 injured requiring no hospital care.

Severely disabled: 75,000, -- 23,214: 100% disabled; 5,283 lost limbs; 1,081 sustained multiple amputations.

Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in WWII and 70% higher than Korea.

Multiple amputations occurred at the rate of 18.4% compared to 5.7% in WWII.

Missing in Action: 2,338

POWs: 766 (114 died in captivity)

As of January 15, 2004, there are 1,875 Americans still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.

DRAFTEES VS.. VOLUNTEERS:

25% (648,500) of total forces in country were draftees. (66% of U.S. armed forces members were drafted during WWII).

Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam.

Reservists killed: 5,977

National Guard: 6,140 served: 101 died.

Total draftees (1965 - 73): 1,728,344.

Actually served in Vietnam: 38% Marine Corps Draft: 42,633.

Last man drafted: June 30, 1973.

RACE AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

88.4% of the men who actually served in Vietnam were Caucasian; 10.6% (275,000) were black; 1% belonged to other races.

86.3% of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasian (includes Hispanics);

12.5% (7,241) were black; 1.2% belonged to other races.

170,000 Hispanics served in Vietnam; 3,070 (5.2% of total) died there.

70% of enlisted men killed were of North-west European descent.

86.8% of the men who were killed as a result of hostile action were caucasian; 12.1% (5,711) were black; 1.1% belonged to other races.

14.6% (1,530) of non-combat deaths were among blacks.

34% of blacks who enlisted volunteered for the combat arms.

Overall, blacks suffered 12.5% of the deaths in Vietnam at a time when the percentage of blacks of military age was 13.5% of the total population.

Religion of Dead: Protestant -- 64.4%; Catholic -- 28.9%; other/none -- 6.7% SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS:

Vietnam veterans have a lower unemployment rate than the same non-vet age groups.

Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent.

76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower middle/working class backgrounds.

Three-fourths had family incomes above the poverty level; 50% were from middle income backgrounds.

Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial or technical occupations.

79% of the men who served in Vietnam had a high school education or better when they entered the military service. 63% of Korean War vets and only 45% of WWII vets had completed high school upon separation.

Deaths by region per 100,000 of population: South -- 31%, West --29.9%; Midwest -- 28.4%; Northeast -- 23.5%.

DRUG USAGE & CRIME:

There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non-Vietnam Veterans of the same age group. (Source: Veterans Administration Study)

Vietnam Veterans are less likely to be in prison - only one-half of one percent of Vietnam Veterans have been jailed for crimes.

85% of Vietnam Veterans made successful transitions to civilian life.

WINNING & LOSING:

82% of veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost because of lack of political will.

Nearly 75% of the public agrees it was a failure of political will, not of arms.

HONORABLE SERVICE:

97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged.

91% of actual Vietnam War veterans and 90% of those who saw heavy combat are proud to have served their country.

74% say they would serve again, even knowing the outcome.

87% of the public now holds Vietnam veterans in high esteem..

INTERESTING CENSUS STATISTICS & THOSE TO CLAIM TO HAVE "Been There":

1,713,823 of those who served in Vietnam were still alive as of August,1995 (census figures).

During that same Census count, the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served in-country was: 9,492,958.

As of the current Census taken during August, 2000, the surviving U.S. Vietnam Veteran population estimate is: 1,002,511. This is hard to believe, losing nearly 711,000 between '95 and '00. That's 390 per day.

During this Census count, the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served in-country is: 13,853,027. By this census, FOUR OUT OF FIVE WHO CLAIM TO BE Vietnam vets are not.

The Department of Defense Vietnam War Service Index officially provided by The War Library originally reported with errors that 2,709,918 U.S. military personnel as having served in-country. Corrections and confirmations to this erred index resulted in the addition of 358 U.S. military personnel confirmed to have served in Vietnam but not originally listed by the Department of Defense. (All names are currently on file and accessible 24/7/365).

Isolated atrocities committed by American Soldiers produced torrents of outrage from anti-war critics and the news media while Communist atrocities were so common that they received hardly any media mention at all. The United States sought to minimize and prevent attacks on civilians while North Vietnam made attacks on civilians a centerpiece of its strategy. Americans who deliberately killed civilians received prison sentences while Communists who did so received commendations.

From 1957 to 1973, the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 Vietnamese and abducted another 58,499. The death squads focused on leaders at the village level and on anyone who improved the lives of the peasants such as medical personnel, social workers, and school teachers. -
Nixon Presidential Papers.

Is This A Problem?

2009-10-11T12:13:00.003-06:00

1. The federal government made at least $72 billion in improper payments in 2008.
2. Washington spends $92 billion on corporate welfare (excluding TARP) versus $71 billion on homeland security.
3. Washington spends $25 billion annually maintaining unused or vacant federal properties.
4. Government auditors spent the past five years examining all federal programs and found that 22 percent of them--costing taxpayers a total of $123 billion annually--fail to show any positive impact on the populations they serve.
5. The Congressional Budget Office published a "Budget Options" series identifying more than $100 billion in potential spending cuts.
6. Examples from multiple Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports of wasteful duplication include 342 economic development programs; 130 programs serving the disabled; 130 programs serving at-risk youth; 90 early childhood development programs; 75 programs funding international education, cultural, and training exchange activities; and 72 safe water programs.
7. Washington will spend $2.6 million training Chinese prostitutes to drink more responsibly on the job.
8. A GAO audit classified nearly half of all purchases on government credit cards as improper, fraudulent, or embezzled. Examples of taxpayer-funded purchases include gambling, mortgage payments, liquor, lingerie, iPods, Xboxes, jewelry, Internet dating services, and Hawaiian vacations. In one extraordinary example, the Postal Service spent $13,500 on one dinner at a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, including "over 200 appetizers and over $3,000 of alcohol, including more than 40 bottles of wine costing more than $50 each and brand-name liquor such as Courvoisier, Belvedere and Johnny Walker Gold." The 81 guests consumed an average of $167 worth of food and drink apiece.
9. Federal agencies are delinquent on nearly 20 percent of employee travel charge cards, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
10. The Securities and Exchange Commission spent $3.9 million rearranging desks and offices at its Washington, D.C., headquarters.
11. The Pentagon recently spent $998,798 shipping two 19-cent washers from South Carolina to Texas and $293,451 sending an 89-cent washer from South Carolina to Florida.
12. Over half of all farm subsidies go to commercial farms, which report average household incomes of $200,000.
13. Health care fraud is estimated to cost taxpayers more than $60 billion annually.
14. A GAO audit found that 95 Pentagon weapons systems suffered from a combined $295 billion in cost overruns.
15. The refusal of many federal employees to fly coach costs taxpayers $146 million annually in flight upgrades.
16. Washington will spend $126 million in 2009 to enhance the Kennedy family legacy in Massachusetts. Additionally, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) diverted $20 million from the 2010 defense budget to subsidize a new Edward M. Kennedy Institute.
17. Federal investigators have launched more than 20 criminal fraud investigations related to the TARP financial bailout.
18. Despite trillion-dollar deficits, last year's 10,160 earmarks included $200,000 for a tattoo removal program in Mission Hills, California; $190,000 for the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming; and $75,000 for the Totally Teen Zone in Albany, Georgia.
19. The federal government owns more than 50,000 vacant homes.
20. The Federal Communications Commission spent $350,000 to sponsor NASCAR driver David Gilliland.
21. Members of Congress have spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars supplying their offices with popcorn machines, plasma televisions, DVD equipment, ionic air fresheners, camcorders, and signature machines--plus $24,730 leasing a Lexus, $1,434 on a digital camera, and $84,000 on personalized calendars.
22. More than $13 billion in Iraq aid has been classified as wasted or stolen. Another $7.8 billion cannot be accounted for.
23. Fraud related to Hurricane Katrina spending is estimated to top $2 billion. In addition, debit cards provided to hurricane victims were used to pay for Caribbean vacations, NFL tickets, Dom Perignon champagne, "Girls Gone Wild" videos, and at least one sex change operation.
24. Auditors discovered that 900,000 of the 2.5 million recipients of emergency Katrina assistance provided false names, addresses, or Social Security numbers or submitted multiple applications.
25. Congress recently gave Alaska Airlines $500,000 to paint a Chinook salmon on a Boeing 737.
26. The Transportation Department will subsidize up to $2,000 per flight for direct flights between Washington, D.C., and the small hometown of Congressman Hal Rogers (R-KY)--but only on Monday mornings and Friday evenings, when lawmakers, staff, and lobbyists usually fly. Rogers is a member of the Appropriations Committee, which writes the Transportation Department's budget.
27. Washington has spent $3 billion re-sanding beaches--even as this new sand washes back into the ocean.
28. A Department of Agriculture report concedes that much of the $2.5 billion in "stimulus" funding for broadband Internet will be wasted.
29. The Defense Department wasted $100 million on unused flight tickets and never bothered to collect refunds even though the tickets were refundable.
30. Washington spends $60,000 per hour shooting Air Force One photo-ops in front of national landmarks.
31. Over one recent 18-month period, Air Force and Navy personnel used government-funded credit cards to charge at least $102,400 on admission to entertainment events, $48,250 on gambling, $69,300 on cruises, and $73,950 on exotic dance clubs and prostitutes.
32. Members of Congress are set to pay themselves $90 million to increase their franked mailings for the 2010 election year.
33. Congress has ignored efficiency recommendations from the Department of Health and Human Services that would save $9 billion annually.
34. Taxpayers are funding paintings of high-ranking government officials at a cost of up to $50,000 apiece.
35. The state of Washington sent $1 food stamp checks to 250,000 households in order to raise state caseload figures and trigger $43 million in additional federal funds.
36. Suburban families are receiving large farm subsidies for the grass in their backyards--subsidies that many of these families never requested and do not want.
37. Congress appropriated $20 million for "commemoration of success" celebrations related to Iraq and Afghanistan.
38. Homeland Security employee purchases include 63-inch plasma TVs, iPods, and $230 for a beer brewing kit.
39. Two drafting errors in the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act resulted in a $2 billion taxpayer cost.
40. North Ridgeville, Ohio, received $800,000 in "stimulus" funds for a project that its mayor described as "a long way from the top priority."
41. The National Institutes of Health spends $1.3 million per month to rent a lab that it cannot use.
42. Congress recently spent $2.4 billion on 10 new jets that the Pentagon insists it does not need and will not use.
43. Lawmakers diverted $13 million from Hurricane Katrina relief spending to build a museum celebrating the Army Corps of Engineers--the agency partially responsible for the failed levees that flooded New Orleans.
44. Medicare officials recently mailed $50 million in erroneous refunds to 230,000 Medicare recipients.
45. Audits showed $34 billion worth of Department of Homeland Security contracts contained significant waste, fraud, and abuse.
46. Washington recently spent $1.8 million to help build a private golf course in Atlanta, Georgia.
47. The Advanced Technology Program spends $150 million annually subsidizing private businesses; 40 percent of this funding goes to Fortune 500 companies.
48. Congressional investigators were able to receive $55,000 in federal student loan funding for a fictional college they created to test the Department of Education.
49. The Conservation Reserve program pays farmers $2 billion annually not to farm their land.
50. The Commerce Department has lost 1,137 computers since 2001, many containing Americans' personal data. Lifted from Mark Reidl

Food Show Refugee

2009-10-01T15:54:00.006-06:00

Food Show Refugee
By Phil Berglund
(Sung to the music of Happy Hour Refugee)

On the road again with Carla, headin out of town
Waitin for this Ironbird to get back on the ground
Work for eight, play for eight, sleep for two or three
Most the time I'm at a show peddlin my Brie.

I get myself a push cart, and cruise from booth to booth
Sampling salami, O.D. ing my sweet tooth
Checking out the Vendors, grade how they present
Report back to the boss, but I don't know where he went.

Free Food, Free Food
The sampling is good, I never shop for groceries
Cept for veggies and T.P., the diet can be deadly
To Us
FOOD SHOW REFUGEE'S
FREE FOOD, FREE FOOD, FREE FOOD

Sometimes I get hungry, usually I'm not
I need a bigger freezer for all the stuff I got
Ten pounds of Cheese, a case of sweets, I hope my teeth don't rot
I also need a membership to the nearest workout spot

Free Food, Free Food
The sampling is good, I never shop for groceries
Cept for veggies and T.P., the diet can deadly
To Us
FOOD SHOW REFUGEE'S
FREE FOOD, FREE FOOD, FREE FOOD

Shaklee Independent Distributor

2009-08-24T08:51:00.001-06:00

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Shared via AddThis

2009-08-16T10:41:00.002-06:00

Back from St. Louis for a week and things are starting to slow down. The boss and all his clan have been here fishing, riding ATV's, partying, BBQ, hiking, they started leaving yesterday and will be all gone on Tuesday. Back to the quiet life.
St. Louis was fun, toured the Arch, paddle wheeled the Mississippi, toured downtown in a horse drawn carriage(very cool), visited the St. Louis ZOO(Free, also very cool). Saw and got to visit with alot of our Shaklee friends, it's always good hang out with motivated like minded people. Heard the most inspiring speech from a guy named Mike Schilappy(Google him, very moving). Gearing up for a couple of family visits, that will be fun.
Shaklee didn't launch a new product at the convention this year, but created a pay plan that could make it possible for a person to earn 100K in the next 15 months, we have all the details if you are interested. Enough for now got to get to work, yeah I know it's Sunday.

Damn!

2009-07-24T08:23:00.002-06:00

KNOW THE SYMPTOMS. PLEASE READ!

Thank goodness there's a name for this disorder.
Somehow I feel better even though I have it!!

Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A..D.D. -
Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden.
As I turn on the hose in the driveway,
I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.
As I start toward the garage,
I notice mail on the porch table that
I brought up from the mail box earlier..

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car..

I lay my car keys on the table,
put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table,
and notice that the can is full.

So, I decide to put the bills
back
on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think,
since I'm going to be near the mailbox
when I take out the garbage anyway,
I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table,
and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study,
so I go inside the house to my desk where
I find the
can of Pepsi I'd been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks,
but first I need to push the Pepsi aside
so that I don't accidentally knock it over.

The Pepsi is getting warm,
and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Pepsi,
a vase of flowers on the counter
catches my eye--they need water.

I put the Pepsi on the counter and
discover my reading glasses that
I've been searching for all morning.
I decide I better put them back on my desk,
but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter,
fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote.
Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV,
I'll be looking for
the remote,
but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table,
so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs,
but first I'll water the flowers..

I pour some water in the flowers,
but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.

So, I set the remote back on the table,
get some towels and wipe up the spill..

Then, I head down the hall trying to
remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:
the car isn't washed
the bills aren't paid
there is a warm can of
Pepsi sitting on the counter
the flowers don't have enough water,
there is still only 1 check in my check book,
I can't find the remote,
I can't find my glasses,
and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
Then, when I try to figure ou t why nothing got done today,
I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day,
and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem,
and I'll try to get some help for it,
but first I'll check my e-mail....

Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming!!

Catching Up!!

2009-07-17T17:22:00.004-06:00

What have we been doing since the last post, besides all the normal stuff. We had visitors, played 3 gigs, caught 20 crawdads, caught 30 bass, had a week long visit from the boss and his wife and I almost forgot a family reunion a wedding and an assisted suicide of a deer. Things have been a little hectic, are they slowing down? NO, more tasks added to the spreadsheet another visit(Jim and Donna)(Cleota and Stan) then a week long trip to St. Louis first week in August and while we are away the boss and all of his clan will show up and we will have a full house. Campers, RVer's, grand kids, all sorts of activities, fishing, geo caching, birthday party, music, BBQ, no marshmellow roast as there is a full ban on open fires. Yeah can you believe it too dry to have a camp fire. I am guessing things won't slow down til it rains, I think I am going to like the rain. Come on Rain.

Umpqua Lobster

2009-06-25T07:11:00.002-06:00

Stocking our pond with crawdads, current count 5 down 95 to go. These little guys are very vital to a healthy pond if you want to maintain a growing fish habitat. Now all we need is a whole bunch of bass. Still trying to find the right bait, cheese? bacon? stinky bait? a combination? Oh and be careful they pinch like hell!

Got Music?

2009-05-24T11:23:00.005-06:00

Cats-n-Dawgs are back together and will be entertaining at the annual Fort Umpqua Deep Pit BBQ in Elkton OR. This marks my first gig since moving back to Oregon. Can't wait to try out the new Tele and PA system. The fun starts at 5pm on Saturday June 13th. BBQ is $10 per person. Looking forward to seeing you all there.

Escape Artist

2009-04-23T08:13:00.002-06:00

Houdini would be proud, without so much as a lesson in handcuff removal our year old kitten Polly has figured out how to open the front door. Click on this link to watch a short video.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodynewell/3455983867/in/set-72157616963079495/

We have to keep a close eye on her, lots of scary critters out here in the boonies.

April in Elkton

2009-04-19T08:24:00.006-06:00

The Kittens take their first outside adventures, now I know why cats can see so well at night.

Freckles scoping out the new baby geese, look closely.

Spring ritual, burning the excess.

Freckles gets a ride in the boat.

Turkeys strutting their stuff, the day before hunting season.

New cat toy.

Old Cowboy Advice

2009-03-18T21:19:00.001-06:00

Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.

Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance.

Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.

Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.

Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.

Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.

It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

You cannot unsay a cruel word.

Every path has a few puddles.

When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

The best sermons are lived, not preached.

Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.

Don't judge folks by their relatives.

Remember that silence is some times the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.

Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.

Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'.

Always drink upstream from the herd.

Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

Oh My Dog!

2009-02-16T09:53:00.006-07:00

Well here ya go, being we is in the country and have lots of room(outside), let me introduce "Freckles". He is a White and Red Irish Setter, don't know how old he is but he does have some gray hair going on around the mouth and jaws. He needed rescued and has found a happy home in Elkton. The cats are slowly getting to know him, much to their dismay. All is good on the farm and we are looking forward to having you come for a visit.

Where Does The Time Go?

2009-01-21T09:27:00.002-07:00

I read everybody's blog almost everyday and I realized I hadn't posted this year. Time fly's when you are having fun. While you all are having snow and rain and COLD we have had some decent weather so a lot of outside work is getting done and the computer is that dust gathering thing on the table. So I guess what it all means is you blog when you can or are awake, yep all is good though it's going to rain in a few days for a week. The work here isn't hard there's just a lot of it, never a dull moment. We are so glad we got two kittens they are so entertaining, I guess they are like kids if you are going to have one you just as well have five. We get a little break from the routine, Jody is going to Pleasanton Ca for a conference, cheaper to fly from Portland so I will be taking her to the airport and then staying with friends to play a little music, been a while since my last gig. You all take care now you here.

Yes You Can!!

2008-12-27T12:36:00.005-07:00

Gravy Anyone?

Dressing Of Course!

Perfect Rolls!

12lb Turkey

Yep, you can cook a complete Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings in a 5th wheel. The left overs are even better.

Christmas Lights

2008-12-24T10:01:00.004-07:00

We got busy and put up our Christmas Lights and we thought we would share them with you. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a good day with all your friends and family.
We love you and miss you.
Phil and Jody

Job Description

2008-12-10T08:48:00.004-07:00

So after a month in our new diggs things have settled down and we have a bit of a routine. The owners live in Rancho Santa Fe and only visit three or four times a year, but we do communicate through email and a little on the phone. Our tasks include, everything one would do on there own place, plus a lot more. We have about 5 acres of park like setting to weed, feed, mow, trim, remove leafs, and chase moles. The 5 acre pond has just been seeded around the edges and that will have to mowed as well, plus keeping the level up in the summer(large pump from the river). Those that have lived in the NW for any length of time know what a pain in the arse blackberries are, well they can be good or bad depending on the use, as a hedge for privacy good, covering up all the newly planted trees, bad. This Ranch has a large house that the owners call the barn, nicest damn barn I've ever seen, and it is prestine the ultimate vacation home with a great view and a river. There are a couple of miles of trails that have to be tended and extended, lots of old Oak, Maple, Doug Fir and about a thousand small pine and junipers planted three years ago. Across the road is about 200 acres of clear cut hillside that is being overtaken by Scotch Broom, bad weed hard to get rid of. So there always something to do, general yard work and lots of it, fencing repair couple miles, tree trimming, house maintenace, landscaping, carpentry, and security. Don't worry we have all the tools for the job, riding mower with mulching vacuum, 4 wheel drive Kubota RTV, and assorted hand tools. Most of the major projects are getting close to complete for the winter, so all the inside work can start, remodle the caretakers quarters, organize the tool and supply areas, fix the minor stuff in the house, mostly checking that all the stuff functions and nothing leaks. This are a full time job folks, and I am a little sore at the end of the day, but we are very greatful to be here and have such a beautiful place to live and work. Please consider a trip to south west Oregon, we would love to see you all.

Yep, We Finally Made It

2008-11-19T08:48:00.007-07:00

As of today we have been at our new digs for just under 3 weeks, it's always a major thing when we move even though we live in a 5th wheel. We are not like those weekend warrior travelers or true snowbirds, no this is our home. We have to take everything and there is just so much room in our 36' land yacht, so when we stop and spend the night while on the road we have to look for a motel with a large parking lot.

We spent the first few days settling in and hooking up, I won't bore you with all the details, but most of all we got phone, TV, internet with complete quiet and privacy. We are 5 miles from Elkton, 30 or so from Roseburg, 37 from Reedsport. So far every morning we have had anywhere from 5 to 50 wild turkeys in our front yard, they are very majestic creatures. No we won't be having wild turkey for Thanksgiving, though it is tempting.

This is going to be a long term gig for us, so we got a pair of 5 month old kittens from a local pet rescue. Meet Polly and Scottie, they are brother and sister, they are Scottish Fold very distinctive markings and of course Scottie's ears are a dead give-a-way. We really like these two guys, Polly is very playful and Scottie is still recovering from his rescue trauma but coming around quickly.
The kids playing

Polly in Launch Mode

Scottie and his cool ears

Polly playing with a mouse, oh did I mention that Polly is a polydactyl like Toes, she has seven toes on one front paw, six on the other and knows how to use them.

You all have a great Thanksgiving, our oven is just big enough to bake a cornish game hen so no turkey for us, we'll be thinking of ya.

Oregon Bound ------------- That's Right!!!

2008-10-24T10:11:00.006-06:00

Well the mystery is over, we will be pulling out of Marysville in a few days and heading up to Elkton, OR.
Jody and I have been hired as caretakers on a large property doing general maintenance as well as an on site presence for security. They will provide an apartment(under construction)and a place to park our 5th Wheel. We are looking forward to the new adventure. Our Shaklee business is doing great and that is what allows us keep moving around, come and visit. See ya somewhere down the road.

For more pictures we have put some up on flickr
Slide Show
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19361752@N02/sets/72157608339046277/show/
Single Pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19361752@N02/sets/72157608339046277

Take the "Body Burden" quiz

2008-10-07T15:03:00.003-06:00

Go to www.greengoeswitheverything.com to take the quiz

You'll be glad you did.

You Are What You Breathe!!

2008-09-24T10:50:00.001-06:00

There are many small changes we can make, one is going green in our homes. It is becoming common knowledge that the toxic chemicals in popular products are harmful to you, to your children, to your pets, to the planet.

From The Times

October 13, 2007

Household sprays 'linked to one in seven cases of asthma'
Lewis Smith Environment Reporter

Using cleaning sprays and air fresheners while doing housework could account for up to one in seven cases of asthma in adults, a study has found.

Just spraying a cleaner once a week can trigger an attack, according to the research. The risk rose the more that the sprays were used.

Furniture sprays, glass-cleaners and air freshener sprays were associated with the highest risk of a person developing asthma after doing the housework.

... Over 80,000 chemicals have been introduced in the last 50 years. Thousands of these chemicals are now in our homes in the form of cleaning products.

... Recent tests show hundreds of chemicals in the core blood samples of pre-born babies.

... Common bleach is the #1 household chemical involved in poisoning.

... 1 in 13 school-aged children has asthma. Rates in children under five have increased more than 160% from 1980 – 1994

... If your home is anything like the average U.S. home, you generate more than 20 pounds of household hazardous waste each year (the EPA designates toilet cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, oven cleaners, and bleach as hazardous waste).

The question now is What's under YOUR sink?

Resveratrol

2008-09-19T10:48:00.003-06:00

So if 30 minutes doesn't fit into your schedule, how about 2 minutes. Check out this short video clip.

Click Here

Looking forward to hearing your comments.

Do You Have 30 Minutes?

2008-09-11T15:02:00.003-06:00

Would you invest 30 minutes of your day to live 25 years longer? Take a look at this presentation to find out how.

http://trainingstartshere.com/Prescriptionforahealthierlife/player.html

I am on a mission, yes I have been converted to a healthier life style, and I am telling everyone I know about it, hopefully you will all join me in my quest.

We Haz A Vizit! or Let's CRASH at Jody and Phil's

2008-09-10T13:11:00.006-06:00

Jody got a cryptic phone message from Rita, that her and Matt would be at our door in a day or two. Oh and don't call me back I am roaming. Well that set off a small house cleaning rush(easy since we live in a small house) and quick trip to the grocery store. Just as Jody was getting in the shower the phone rings again and they need a guide for the last mile, off I go to play pilot car and we get our first out of state visitors. We did some catching up, local site seeing, ate out a couple of times and played some Hold Em and a good time was had by all and like Matt and Rita, you are welcome too. Rita did literally crash at our place, but that's a topic for another post.

Keynote Speaker

2008-08-17T15:50:00.004-06:00

At our annual convention we are given the honor of hearing from some very interesting and inspiring people. In Chicago it was Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, the speaker in San Francisco was Rudy Giuliani(great speech, not political). At our convention in Nashville in 07 we heard from Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind man to climb Mt. Everest(very inspiring). This year in New Orleans we heard the story of Nando Parrado, he is one of the 19 survivors of a 1972 plane wreck in the Andes. There have been books written and movies made about this very moving and inspirational story. Nando lost his sister and mother in the wreck had severe head injuries and after 62 days at the crash site walked for 10 days to get help. He claims he is not a hero, if he is not, I don't know what is. Alive!!

More Nawlin's

2008-08-15T14:28:00.004-06:00

Po Boy sandwich this one was Ham and Swiss, consumed at US Prime Steakhouse
It were good!

Riding the St. Charles Trolley Car, this runs past Tulane and Loyola into the Garden District, lots of old BIG homes.

One of the more interesting shops in the French Quarter, no smashed pennies here but they could shrink your head.

Jody and I at the Masquerade party with our friends, this was supposed to be a black tie event, and I do have one on, but you can't see it for all the Mardi Gras beads. They let me in anyway, Shaklee raised almost $750000 for NOLA recovery and pumped over $10 million into the local economy during our convention.

Fun Stuff in New Orleans

2008-08-14T00:51:00.006-06:00

We did more than eat, but it seems that the food was definitely a high light. The above picture is a yummy little appetizer called "Swamp Bites" half fried and half blackened. The drinks are Hurricanes, don't order the class "5" it will be the last thing you do for a couple of days.

Bourbon Street is everything you heard about and more, lots of good music, a bar on every corner, strip joints, bead throwers, flashers, drinks to go, 3 beers for a dollar, and that was on a Monday night.

There was a big oil spill clean up going on right out the back door of our hotel, this of course shut down the free ferry to Algiers and all the paddlewheel boats, which we where going to do, next time.
We had a great trip and I am tired and will post more pic's tomorrow or the next day, Oh Gale we found one penny smasher and it was out of order, and if you try to visit the Museum of Art it's closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, nobody on the Trolley told us until we got there. The cemetaries are open all the time 24/7, and there are bunch of them, more later. Good Night

I Haz a Post

2008-08-02T16:10:00.003-06:00

Well it seems I got caught up in a Blogger Bug and my blog was locked by mistake. A very nice explanation from Blogger in my Dashboard and all is well. I loved the answer and I quote:

"You Are Not Spam"

Jody and I will be leaving for New Orleans early Tuesday morning and as dumb luck would have it we purchased our ticket just before the deadline to get all our luggage on the plane at no extra cost.
So a little more coin in the pocket for our extended stay, after convention we will be staying in the French Quarter someplace and going on a steamboat cruise and checking out the night life. Gotta find some Blue's and hear some Jazz, but I hear that is not a problem in The Cresent City. We will post photo's when we get back. Ya'll have a good one.

Health Report

2008-07-19T09:19:00.005-06:00

Some of you may recall growing up over the years all the colds and coughing and runny noses we had going on around the house. I for one didn't get over it after moving out on my own, every other month it would be the same old thing. I wish I had a dime for every dollar I spent on cold and flu remedies. I was set in a routine, I could tell when one was coming and off to the store to stock up on one of everything cause I was going to beat the damn thing before it started, WRONG. Couldn't do it, the old immune system was shot and barely hanging on, see a kid with a runny nose run like hell, grab a couple of sanitary wipes to clean off that grungy shopping cart, panic at the first sign of a cold knowing I had a gig coming up. Can't count the number of times I was not able to sing my harmony part because I could just barely breath. Then a miracle happened four years ago this fall our world was turned upside down when our old company went bankrupt and we had to scramble to find a replacement income. Little did I know that not only would we have a better and more secure future but a healthier one as well. I know we have talked about Shaklee with most of you and you have tried some of the products but I have to re-introduce you to the one product that has stopped all of my cold and flu issues. Nutriferon, Dr. Kajima developed Interferon some 50 years ago and it has been used in cancer and hepititis treatments since, however the side effects are pretty nasty and sometime deadly. He decided to search for an all natural compound that would be equal to the immune building aspects of Interferon and after forty some years of research and clinical studies developed Nutriferon. I have been taking two tabs of Nutriferon everyday since December of 2004 and have not had a single Rhino-Virus symptom in that time, I have not had a flu shot nor do I ever plan to have another. I still run like hell from runny nose kids(mostly because they are brats) and wipe the shopping cart down but the only time I panic now is when we get low on Nutriferon. And as James Brown so aptly put it, I FEEL GOOD !!!

Fire and Smoke and then Hot!

2008-07-07T18:40:00.006-06:00

So we have these fires and the smoke in our area is in the DO NOT BREATH category. No breeze to blow this crap away and now the temp is expected to be above 110 degrees by the end of the week. The AC unit is working overtime, a good old swamp cooler wouldn't even help much. The plus side is, still trying to think of a plus, plus, moving on.
I did notice the price of Diesel fuel had dropped to $4.85 from $5.05, this is good, I CAN HAS DRIVE!
If any of you are in the area this coming weekend we are having a Yard Sale, temps are supposed to be down in the low 90's, I might have to wear a shirt or something. We have lots of junk I mean merchandise for sale or trade.
Hell with it, I am going to apply for a job at the local butcher so I can hang out in the cooler.

California Fires

2008-06-28T11:38:00.002-06:00

As of late yesterday there were over 1000 fires in California, looking at a map show us to be right in the middle of a lot of them. It's very thick and smelly and hard to breathe, stay in the house don't go out side for anything especially walking the dogs. This morning things are a bit better, we can see across the lakes to the back side of property, if the wind starts to blow it could all be back in our faces. Send gas masks!

Can't Just Sit Around

2008-06-27T10:01:00.004-06:00

Being the wondering souls that we are, an opportunity to check out some of the local attractions couldn't be ignored. On fathers day we took off on a short drive up into the Sierra foothills to visit some of the history in the gold country. Nevada City was our destination, you know walk around look at all the old 1850's architecture and rusty mining equipment. Thought it would be a quiet Sunday stroll, grab a little lunch, buy a couple of nicknack's stroll some more. But NO, we got there in the middle of the annual Father's Day Bicycle Race, all the streets were blocked off, could only cross at the proper places. The Bicycle Nazi's were very polite though.
The following weekend we took a spur of the moment trip to Jackson Ca, another 1850's mining community close to the area where gold was discovered to start the rush. Also home to the deepest hard rock gold mine in North America at a mere 5940 feet. But I digress, Jackson Rancheria Casino is also close by and they were conducting auditions for "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and thinking the odds of hitting it big on TV was better than the casino. So I stood in line for a couple of hours and took the test, two actually, evidently one has to ace those puppy's to make the cut because I am not waiting anxiously for a phone call to get my ass to New York. None the less it was an interesting experience, much the same as standing in line at Boot Camp, hurry up and wait. I was going to post another pic of the smoke we have here, yes it's thick and hard to breath, but I can't get the blogger to cooperate, maybe next time

Pictures For You All

2008-06-18T11:42:00.000-06:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19361752@N02/sets/72157605500290028

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19361752@N02/sets/72157605500290028/show slide show of above pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19361752@N02/sets/72157605500562468 The Berglund Brothers

Way Too Soon

2008-06-09T09:17:00.004-06:00

As I said at the funeral, to get up and give tribute to Rocky came way too soon. And as he would have it, it was a surprise. His showing up on our door step, Surprise!!! Who is this shaggy, lanky, scary looking guy wanting to crash at our house. As long as I had known Jody she had never mentioned the name Rocky, but I could tell by her warm greeting they were old friends. Surprise!!! We have had several people crash at our place over the years and I thought Rocky was another stay dog needing a nail to hang his hat for a while. Turns out it was for a little longer than a while. His talents and skills were untold and they came in handy when he converted our two car garage into an office, changed the counters in our kitchen so I could install a dishwasher and the list is so long I can't remember all the times he pulled my ass out of the fire. Rocky worked on my Sportster and was one of only a couple of people to ride it besides my self. I knew that Rocky would be a life long friend, but I never had any thought he would become my brother-in-law, now that was a surprise. Gale and Rocky rode the marriage roller coaster with the best, and I can only describe it as an E-ticket adventure at least from my point of view. Jody and I retold our Rocky stories on our trip home and we laughed and cried and still can't grasp the fact that he is gone, and as fate or luck or Rocky intervention would have it he pulled our ass out of the fire again, I won't say one last time because I know it won't be. Jody and I stopped at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and as we were leaving the first view point I realized I had locked the keys in the truck(Oh Shit). Call Chevron Travel Club, locksmith, break a window all time consuming a expensive options, none very attractive. In my pocket was the Buck knife Rocky carried that Gale had given me and with a little luck I was able to pop the lock on the sliding glass window and get back on the road with only a little delay. So once again Rocky came to the rescue and saved the day. We miss you Bro and love you, and know you are riding the long and winding road with all the Free Food you will ever need.

Dead Cousins

2008-05-18T19:00:00.004-06:00

The recent passing of cousin Carl has brought up thoughts of the other cousins that are no longer with us. As I recollect there was Grant, he was in the Navy and on leave and died in an auto accident. I don’t know his last name; his mother is Vivian, Dad’s sister as I believe she had a husband before Darrel. I don’t think I ever met Grant at least I don’t remember, of course I was pretty young, his death being sometime in the early 60’s. If anyone has a memory of Grant I would love to hear it.

Cheryl died of a brain aneurysm in the late 70’s or early 80’s she grew up in the most beautiful part of Oregon. Cheryl’s parents are Clayton and Fern ; Clayton is Mom’s 2^nd oldest brother. Cheryl had a couple of kids that her brother Larry adopted. They are both great kids that Jody and I got to meet at Clayton and Fern’s 60^th anniversary celebration. I remember Cheryl as a bossy teenager, but at that time in my life everybody older and bigger than me was bossy. I never got to know her as an adult, wish I had.

Marsha died of cancer in the late 90’s or early 00’s; she was living in Texas at the time. She was married and had several kids, which relocated to Portland after her death. Marsha was a big wig in the hospitality industry, hotel management, corporate level and all that cool stuff. I got to know Marsha a little bit as an adult when she would come to San Diego for business and we would get together for dinner and tell all the old stories. I liked Marsha very much she had her stuff together. By the way Marsha was Clayton and Fern’s oldest child.

Tom died of cancer or the cure I am not sure which in 05. Tom was career Air Force retiring as a Major after 25 years. His parents are Paul and Wanda and have two sisters; Paul is Dad’s youngest brother. Tom was the closest to my age of any of my cousins and we had a lot of adventures as kids, teenagers, and young adults. He was a little older than me and had a car first; we had a lot of firsts together, we could have gotten into a lot of trouble if we had known how . Tom’s family and religion were his life but he never shoved it down your throat. My last visit with Tom was at his house in Clarkston and it was good, but very somber as we talked about the end and it was harder for me than for him. I miss you Tom.

Carl died of cancer around the 1^st of May 2008, I am currently located about 3 hours away and I did not make the trip to see him before he passed. I am really sorry about that. His parents were Carl Sr (deceased) and Rosalee, they live in the same house in Petaluma Ca. for as long as I can remember he had one brother. Carl and his wife Robin still live in the same house that I first visited in the 70’s and they have two kids. He was upper management but saw the big picture and was lured to the real life of higher wages and way lower hours. Carl was 10 or more years older than me and my first memories of him were when he came to spend the summer with us when we lived in Hell’s Canyon. As a young sailor I would drive or fly or sail from San Diego and spend long weekends at his and Robin’s place, we went to a fireworks show on the 4^th of July 1976 in Petaluma, when my ship pulled into San Francisco for the bicentennial. Carl resembled Cookie from 77 Sunset Strip and lived up to it. RIP Carl.

I have to admit I shed a couple while writing this.

P.S. Any Memories pass them along.

Check out the web site of our new digs

2008-05-14T12:44:00.004-06:00

Here is a link to the Hidden Lakes Recreation Area web site, you will also find a link to Flickr for some pretty good Pics.

www.freewebs.com/hiddenlakesrecarea

Blog Slacker Here!

2008-04-29T13:24:00.002-06:00

Wow, almost a month since the last post and nothing going on. Finally things are slowing down, wait a minute things would have to speed up to slow down, so I guess it's all the same. We are fully functional, power, water(though sometimes a little smelly), sewer, Direct TV, a phone line, and four dogs. Most of the RV park construction has been put on hold and our role has been changed to back up security and clean up flunky, we have a small problem with homeless folks wanting to live on the property and leave a mess. So we go on a couple of patrols a day looking for fresh tracks and trash piles, if they would just clean up after themselves we would never know. But NO!
As far as fun goes Jody and I have done a small amount of sight seeing, checking out the local towns and a lot of flat ag land, we visited some friends in Woodland and they took us to a very cool Truck museum. Also on the sight was an Agricultural equipment museum, and as you will remember our place in Idaho we are fans of the old(Rusty) farm machinery. No more promises about keeping the blog updated, it will happen when it happens. So until next time, Blog On Dude!

It's Been a Busy Month

2008-03-30T10:03:00.002-06:00

March started out pretty slow, doing the daily routine. Checking things off the To-Do list prepping for the big move. Spent a few days with Cleota and Stan helping them move out all the old furniture while they had the carpet replaced throughout the house. Played with the thundering herd, they are such good dogs, we will miss them. Checked out a few of the local museums, Hurricane(very nice a little disorganized), Silver Reef(old mining town, cool history) and my personal favorite Dinosaur Tracks(a fossil fan must). Spent a good portion of the month sorting papers for the tax man, but got past that nasty chore and can't wait for next March. Got the final piece for my personal PA system, and it worked just as planned, I love it when a plan comes together. The Xetava Gardens gig went well except for the weather, temperature was good but the wind didn't stop blowing so with the wind chill factor it made things a little unpleasant. Took a break at the halfway point and the owner asked me to move inside for the rest of the night and I was more than happy to oblige. Finished out the gig unplugged all acoustic and a hat full of tip money. The morning of the 25th came early and we were all hooked up and on the road by 9am, it was a leisurely pull, even with the fuel prices ranging from $3.99 to $4.39. We spent the night in a cheap motel in Bakersfield, didn't want to hunt for an RV park as the house was full of stuff and not easy to setup for a one night stay. If you ever have to spend the night in Bakersfield, DO NOT stay at the Vagabond Inn North, especially in room 153, the previous tenant (Hank) got repeated phone calls(til we had them shut off the phone) and a midnight visitor, not sure what he was doing in the room but he had a pretty good clientel. Next day finished the trip and we got into Marysville about 3pm. Been set up for a few days and we both like it, quiet somewhat isolated, great fishing I have witnessed haven't drowned a worm yet but will get to that in the near future. Today we are going to walk over to the Flea Market and check out all the junk(I mean Merchandise). Will try and keep up the ol blog a little better. Ya'll have a good week.

Getting it all together

2008-03-01T11:52:00.003-07:00

Well we are down to 24 days and counting until departure. You would think that it is just a matter of hooking up the truck and hitting the road. But when you have parked in the same place for several months the things that make a house a home have been unpacked and and put on display. Pictures, books, music stuff, computer stuff times 4, not to mention the things we have stored at Jody's moms. It's not like we have that far to go but even if we had to change spaces in the park here it would be the same exercise. Luckily at our new destination there is a Large weekly swap meet within walking distance where we can purge again, not to mention it is a great place to buy cheap fresh local produce or a new fighting rooster when your old one wears out. And for those interested, in the same complex is a 1/4 mile Dirt track, Go cart track, Putt Putt Golf, open wheel driving school. Getting anxious to hit the road and see some new country. We'll keep you posted.

We had some Winter Too!!

2008-02-20T12:37:00.002-07:00

This is the most snow we have seen since leaving Idaho, luckily it lasted only a couple of days.

On the Road Again

2008-01-30T10:27:00.000-07:00

Those that follow us in the blogging world know that we have some far reaching travel plans. In the last few weeks we have been in contact with an old friend that is project manager for an RV park and marina facility in Marysville, CA. We are pulling there around the 1st of April, to be Assistant Flunkies. In the mean time I am leaving here on the 7th of Feb to take the Miata and do some preliminary work at the site. I'll be flying back to Vegas on the 19th. We will be moving the trailer back to Jody's mothers the first of March, more dog sitting while they go on a cruise and I have another gig close by on the 22nd. Hang out there for a couple weeks then off to California. I will make it a point to go visit Carl and Robin and Aunt Rosalee while I am in the area. We are still planning a trip to Idaho in the summer, but we won't be pulling the trailer. So beware we will be banging on your door.

New Motorcycle!!!

2008-01-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

I went motorcycle shopping the other day and we looked at dozens of bikes and even got a couple of test drives. It is totally awesome some of the great rides that are out there to be ridden into the wind and bugs. So I have narrowed the choice down to these two machines and let me tell you both are vehicles that the boys on TV would be proud. And I think Shorty would especially take interest in the fine artistic value, not to mention they are both my favorite color. So I need you to give your opinion and vote for your favorite.

It's been a long time

2008-01-23T21:57:00.000-07:00

I just got home from my 2nd rehearsal for the Hurricane Valley Choir, this group was formed one month ago and we have a concert on Feb 2. I am in the bass section, the last time I sang in a choir I was a 2nd Tenor. That was in the Blue Jacket Choir in Boot Camp, Sept of 71. Ya suppose age has any thing to do that. It's a good way to keep the voice exercised. So with one rehearsal to go before the show, everything will be perfect. Yeah Right.

Got The Gig!!

2008-01-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

It would seem the audition thing really works, and it's a lot easier than a job interview. If you're in the area I will be playing at the Xetava Gardens Cafe' on the 25th of January. Dinner Hours 6 to 8 p.m. The address is 815 Coyote Gulch Ct. Ivins, UT 84738 You can check out there website at www.xetavagardenscafe.com, we found a little bit of Portland in Utah.

Still Paying My Dues. Damn!!

2008-01-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

Well off we go this afternoon to audition at a restaurant for that next gig. You would think after 40 years they would just take my word that I can play and sing. What's wrong with these people? Should I get the job I'll get a meal and $50, now you tell me is that enough compensation for 40 years of experience? Probably not, but it's better than going to a joint and paying over $50 for dinner and listening to god knows what. I wonder if Jack and Freeman have to audition, I'm guessing NO, don't get me wrong I am not comparing myself or talents to either one of those guys. I just want once, someone to say, "Phil we would like you to come to our venue, play an hour of your original songs and we will pay you $50000." Would it be OK if we got Eric Clapton to open for you? OH and we will cover all your travel and accommodations, is there anything special you would like in your dressing room? Dressing Room, that's a post for another day. Wow, somebody wake me up.

Cruising the Strip

2008-01-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

Running up and down the Strip can be pretty exciting, ya gots to watch out for all the dummy's, driving and walking. Luckily the Miata is good for bobbing and weaving, in the truck there would be no mercy. We have been here since Thursday and heading home Sunday and then back again on Wednesday to take Jody to the airport and then back AGAIN on Saturday to pick her up. Good thing I like to drive. Note: No Luck at the Tables this trip.

New Years Celebration - At Home!!

2008-01-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

Didn't have a gig this New Years Eve, so Jody and I Toasted the New Year with Extra Dry Champagne. Please note that our toast was at precisely midnight EST and then it was lights out. I don't think that is cheating, but no cares anyway. 07 was a great year, we hardly knew ya.

Back in the Saddle

2007-12-31T08:38:00.000-07:00

Played my first solo gig in years the other night and things went well. I was going to use my new PA system that arrived the day before, but it was DOA and I sent it back. Turns out I didn't need it, the cool part is that the unit I purchased was a Blem or 2nd and when I called to get the RA they also upgraded my replacement to a New Unit. How cool is that? None the less the show was good, and got a lot of compliments and nobody got up and walked out. Jody got to use her new Camera and took some great pictures. Hope you all have a safe and sane New Years celebration.

Merry Christmas, We Got Elfed!!!

2007-12-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1779471430

Jody and I got elfed, Merry Christmas !!!!!

Wrapping Up The Year!!

2007-12-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

First off we want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Don't have to worry about us this holiday season, the weather is nice, the scenery is awesome and we are perfectly content in our little mobile life style.
We started out in Oregon in the rain, in the rain, in the rain, sometime around April or May we started making plans to go to Arizona, Willcox to be more specific and set our departure date to be the 1st of October. Then the phone call came from Cleota and she asked to come to Round Valley and house and dog sit, there are some pic's on a previous post. So our departure date was moved up to the 1st of September and off we went to spend a little time in Emmett, then Round Valley, back to Emmett and then south shortly after Josiah's birthday. Stopped for a couple days in Blackfoot to do a little Shaklee Business, the worst part of all the travel was almost everyday the price of diesel was climbing, rapidly. Willcox still being the goal we continued south to St. George Ut. to visit Cleota and Stan at their winter home and after visiting some of the local National Parks we decided to stay the winter and continue on to Willcox at a later date. Sounds pretty boring so far but we have had some great experiences and there will be more on the way. With the price of fuel rising we decided to buy a small economy car to do our sight seeing, so instead of pulling to Willcox we are going in the car to check out the landscape and a real estate opportunity. So to wrap this all up we had a great year, got to see the family except for a couple people and was glad to do that. We miss all you guys and there are hints that we may be back in the land of ID this coming summer. Don't tell anybody it's a secret.
Fun things we did this year:
Visited Mount St Helens
Almost got kicked out of the Spirit Mountain Casino
Partied in Seattle with the Eclands and friends
Spent 2 Weeks in Cancun, had a great time, All Expenses Paid
Jody went to the coast with Rita and Matt
Spent 10 days in Nashville, (The list of things we did there would take a couple of pages)
Visited the Hermitage, (Google It)
Had an 8 day going way party, we left some good friends in Portland.
Visited as many friends as we could while in Idaho
Enjoyed Mel and Jason and the kids AAALOT
Dog sat 8 critters of totally different personality for a month
ATV'd Idaho and Utah
Visited Zion and Bryce National Parks and several beautiful state parks
Ate tamales in Virgin Ut.
What kind of fun did you have this year?
And a special thanks to Shaklee for allowing us to live such a fun and eventful life.
We Love you and Miss you.
Phil and Jody

When All Else Fails!

2007-12-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

Last blog was complaining about the no night life issue. Well, wouldn't you know it, that hasn't changed. But in the last week a couple of opportunities have arisen to play some music. The first is at the club house of the RV park we are staying. Might even make a buck or two. And the second is in Virgin less than ten miles from the park. The first rule of complaining is to find a solution, just wasn't remembering the first rule. Now I have to practice as the voice is a little soft. And luckily we are house sitting for Cleota and Stan while they are in Branson and they have a great big basement, can't bother anyone there except the dogs.
Later

Utah Night Life, are you kidding?

2007-12-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

As you know we like to go out and enjoy the local night life where ever we may reside. Emmett used to hop pretty good on a Saturday night with it's 4 establishments on main street, at least until the cops scared everybody home. Now your choices are down to 2 and there hasn't been a live musician perform in God knows how long. So sad. Living in Portland was a whole different experience, literally thousands of places, all full menu, all full bar, and typically live music 3 to 4 nights a week. In 2 1/2 years we didn't even put a scratch on the dent, but we ate some great food and played with some awesome musicians, made some long lasting friends. I like Portland, except for the damned rain. Now to my point, couldn't wait could you, we have been in the St. George area for approximately 6 weeks, learning our way around, seeing the sites, visiting Jody's mom and trying to find a place with a cold drink and a song. I knew Utah had it's differences, but come on folks this is 2007. The only way to enjoy a night out and dance a little over a toddy is in a private club. Few and far between, in this county there are less than 10 places and only one within a couple miles of where we live but they do have live music on Fridays and Krapeoke on Saturdays. For the most part this area has no open mics, no jam sessions, no place for an old picker to sit in and show off a little bit. The Private club things is kind of bogus, to gain entry, show picture ID, fill out slip with name and the date, pay cover if there is music, go have fun. At least they didn't ask to check my six shooter at the door, Utah likes it guns. I suppose there are a lot worse things to bitch about, but we're spoiled and want instant gratification, now dammit!!

Do You Want Some Popcorn?

2007-11-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

We had just sat down to watch "Shrek The Third" when Jody says "Do you want some Popcorn"? Stopped the movie and the search was on for the microwave popcorn thingy. In the cupboard, under the bed, can't take long we live in a 5th wheel. Lo and behold under the sink JoJo dives and there it is, in a big puddle of water, OH Shit we are flooding. It seems sometime in the last few hours the kitchen faucet sprung a leak. Found an old coffee can to catch the water and got up every two hours to empty the bucket. So today I am changing out the old faucet. We did get our popcorn and finished the movie, it's pretty funny. And today Jody is my hero for wanting popcorn and preventing a flood, we already had one of those this year a second would have been very depressing. Off to the plumbing store, caio.

New Hat

2007-11-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

Here we are Miata fans, while you were all watching Football or Nascar or catching a few ZZZ's I was installing a New Top on the car. With help from Jody and Stan, we got the job done in a little over 7 hours, not bad for an old fat guy. Let me tell you the inside of that vehicle is pretty damn small and I contorted into some odd positions. Walking with a limp today, wait a minute I do that anyway. I was quoted over $400 to do the change, and that don't count the cost of the top. Got a couple of road trips scheduled in up coming months, me thinks this will make things a bit more pleasant. How did you spend your Sunday?

Saving Money and Having Fun Too!!

2007-11-14T18:10:00.000-07:00

Well here we are, our house, our truck to pull our house, and our new economy car. With the price of diesel increasing to the point a full tank is close to $100, we decided to purchase a small used economy car which when I filled it today from Empty in only cost $27. And then of course we had to go for a ride with the top down. Bet you didn't have your top down today. Oh, if you hadn't noticed it is a Miata, it was either this, a Lexus or a Ford Focus, what would you chose?

Going back in Time, Music in Portland

2007-11-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

Posting Pictures as promised, finally a few of the pic's from past Gigs and some friends.
Enjoy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19361752@N02/sets/72157603037743414

Photo's Our time in Utah

2007-11-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

Okay this is Aunt JoJo's first post here. I am experimenting with the flickr photo program that Carla uses.

Not sure if this is going to work, hope so....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19361752@N02/sets/72157603038030233
Less than a month ago we arrived in Utah and have only touched the surface on all the exploring there is in the area we have decided to settle for the next several months.
Okay, here goes, hit publish and see what happens ;-)

2007-11-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

Swimming with the dolphins at Excaret!!!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE CANCUN PICUTURES ;-)

Vacation Pic's I

2007-11-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

Uncle Spud and Aunt Jo Jo at the Myan ruins at Tulum Mexico

Happy Halloween - BOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

2007-10-31T15:01:00.000-06:00

Here we are on Halloween in southern Utah, parked at Cleota and Stan's, great weather, dry, and ready to move over to our new digs in the morning. We will be at the Willow Wind RV Resort in Hurricane UT, we got the last space, things get kind tight this time of year with all the snowbirds and construction workers. Hurricane is about 15 miles north of St. George and on the the highway to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Oh, and it's not pronounced with a hard A but a soft U at the end, you can compare that to KOONA and WIZER. We will also have a permanent address for a few months and I will send that out in a seperate email, don't want everybody on Blogspot to send us a Christmas card. Hope all is well with y'all.

St. George Utah

2007-10-24T09:00:00.000-06:00

We had a successful and uneventful pull to St. George, this is a very beautiful place. Cleota and Stan have allowed us to park on the side of thier house and we have water and power and things are good. It was good to see the Thundering Herd again, they all remembered us, I Think. Went out yesterday and toured some of the local sites and today we are off to Zion National Park(don't forget the camera). We have our Vonage Phone working here but the Cells don't at the house, do in town. Will post pic's soon. Ya'll have a good one. P.S. We just found out that several of our Shaklee family in the San Diego area are in jeopardy of losing thier homes, please keep them in your thoughts.

On the Move, Again

2007-10-20T08:25:00.000-06:00

Since the last post we have moved again, we are currently in Blackfoot Idaho, about 300 miles east of Emmett. Got some bidness to do here and Pocatello and then off to St. George Utah, where depending on the quality of our communications, cell and wireless broadband, we may stay or hit the road again. Jody's mother has a place there for the thundering herd and the horses with a spot for our humble abode. I must say we had a good visit while in Emmett, spent a lot of time with Mel and family, don't think we missed anyone, if we did we'll get em twice next time. Got to thank our long time friend Larry Lake for letting us park at his place for a week, good friends are hard to find and harder to keep. I will post pic's of all our adventures as soon as I get all the photo's organized. Please leave comments and don't get upset when they don't appear immediately as I had to invoke the dreaded moderator mode because some inconsiderate asswipe keeps spamming my blog. A subject for a whole other post. I will try and update this a little more often, but in the traveling lifestyle there are no promises. I know Jody and I will miss you all til we return to Hooterville. See Ya P.S. The Price of Diesel absolutely SUCKS!!!!!

Happy Birthday Josiah!!

2007-10-10T09:56:00.000-06:00

Today is Josiah's first birthday, and I was thinking it was his mother's first just last month. How time flys, the question is what does one get for a young boy that will influence and help mold him to able to master the challenges in his long and fruitful life. A set of drums would be cruel or not, he all ready has two dogs, any kind of noisy push toy, maybe the complete collection of Blues Clues on DVD. Josiah is blessed with the best parents and coolest big sister a kid could have, a new house, grandparents close by, others farther away but close in heart.

I am pretty sure you won't remember today, or the day of your official party but it is a special day that you will be reminded of for years to come. We love you and wish you the best birthday!!
Love
Grampa Phil and Gramma Jody

Catching Up and some Begging!!!

2007-10-03T09:13:00.000-06:00

We have been on a couple long 4 Wheeler rides, to Cougar Mt Lodge and back and then over to the Middle Fork of the Payette River somewhere between Crouch and Boiling Springs. Great time, it was fun to watch Jody progress from a timid novice to a "Oh Shit"! where'd She Go!!
We had a great family gathering, Mel, Jason and the kids, Gale and Rocky, Jennifer, Richard and Cathy. The Thundering Herd is a constant source of entertainment and annoyance( I was talking about the dogs).
None of my old music friends showed up so we broke out a guitar and the sing along was cooking, everyone was joining in, it was good.
Mostly we been holding down the fort, watching the dogs, watching the tube, seen a lot of movies, visited with Nikki couple times a week and ate some of her great cooking, thanks Nikki.
Jody has been working hard with our Shaklee business group and has adapted to sub standard communications at our present location, cell phones don't work, email has issues. It is good.
Rich and I made a quick trip to Portland, I left Round Valley at 6:03 a.m. Monday morning and pulled back into Round Valley an 6:19 a.m. Tuesday morning. It was good, Thanks Bro! Loaded the truck, went to dinner with K-Dawg, Stopped and visited and old neighbor, fueled up and hit the road. So I got a few things that I am trying to sell or trade. Call me. I also need some help installing a extra fuel tank in the bed of my truck, Call me, Pleeeze!!!
Gotta go start getting ready to leave and pull to Emmett for a few weeks, but first I must go feed the horses, Jody and Nikki took the four poodles to Boise for there bi-annual do, so it's just me and the Schnauzer's and the horses.
See Ya!

It's that music thing again!!

2007-09-16T08:52:00.000-06:00

Finally got hooked up with the guys and played a little music last night at the Longbranch in HSB. Robert, Bruce, JC, talked to Roger but he didn't play. Invited them all to come up on the 22nd and visit and pick a little. There will a great crowd, me thinks, I know of at least 6 car loads. Want all the Family to be here but that distance thing(or bad timing) is a problem. In Idaho you can't play music without a dartboard and a pool table, I think the table was tuned to F flat but don't about the dartboard. See you Saturday.

Schedule Update

2007-09-09T14:17:00.000-06:00

Jody and I have become very good dog watchers, with 8 dogs we watch one eat, then we watch one crap, and then if we watch real close we get to see a different one do the same thing. So here it is, on Saturday the 22nd of September we are having a party and you are all invited, we will have plenty of places for guests to sleep, as we have a house and a 5th wheel. So please come and have some fun. We are going to have some live music, might just be me but I am trying to get a couple of the old RoadAgent guys to come up, going to have a good time. OOPS gotta go watch one of the dogs pee. Later

Idaho Is Burning Down

2007-09-04T08:16:00.000-06:00

Got to Emmett on the 1st stayed at the Fairgrounds RV park, on the 2nd had breakfast with mother and brother, visited Mel, Jason and the grandkids. Left Emmett for Round Valley around noon, missed head on by ten feet, arrived at the ranch and got indoctrinated. Dog sitting for a month, one giant schnauzer, 3 mediums, 2 standard poodles, 1 medium and 1 mini, I thinks thats all. I can't remember all there names, More dog tales later. Oh Yeah, it's a little smoky here with half the state on Fire.

Goodbye Oregon We Hardly Knew Ya!!

2007-08-29T19:25:00.000-06:00

Well we have just a few days until we leave on our new adventure, Idaho for a couple of months and then on to Arizona. Got lots of people to see and things to do, have at least a week of maintenance work on the 5th wheel, stuff the you don't want to hear about especially the tiolet thing. We are looking forward to spending time with the new grandson and celebrating his first birthday on Oct 10th, I think he needs a set of drums, yeah that's it, a loud set of drums.
We have decided already that we will miss Oregon a little bit, met some great people and played some great music and overall it was pretty damn good. We'll Be Back!!

One day and a wake Up

2007-08-23T14:29:00.000-06:00

Well here we are down to the last day of work for Bob, Y'all don't know Bob and that's probably a good thing. It has been an adventure and now we are off to a new one. Couple of months in Idaho and then head south to Arizona, time in final destination Who Knows? Portland has been good to us and we have made some good friends and will have to come back to visit, drink few beers and play a few tunes. I will try to update this more often with our travel adventures, right now we are scheduled to leave Portland the 1st of September and be there for a couple months. Stay tuned

Made a sale today didn't write any music.

2007-07-12T15:21:00.000-06:00

Busy day on the lot, sold one unit. No time for any thing else. You ask what is that thing? You tell me and win a prize.

I can Sell a truck or Write a song or Not!!

2007-07-11T13:45:00.001-06:00

My First Blog Entry, Please read, this will be historic, yeah right.

It seems that my current job(I am a short timer, last day of work is Sept 30) is kind of slow sometimes and when I am not with a customer or writing up a sale I have plenty of time to write music. The problem comes when the free time arrives and the creative juices don't. No matter how hard I work at it, they don't mix. So everything suffers, my work, my music, so to kill more time while said juices are on permanent coffee break I have decided to start a Blog. You ask how is this going to help? I asked the same question, only smart ass answers so far and nothing constructive.

I prefer writing music to selling trucks and sometimes all I need is a tag line to get things started.
You Know Like:

There's a tear in my Beer

Help I need somebody

Happy Hour Refugee

You get my drift, any ideas?