Naomi and Eddy came to My Home!!! (away from home!)

This is a picture of my daughter Naomi and her son 3 1/2 year oldEddy!!!
They are sitting by one of the beautiful tile signs on the walls of NYC Subway system:

A couple of months ago I learned the Rabbi and his wife, from Beit Simcha, were putting on a Messianic Praise Concert AND hosting a Messianic Passover for their congregation and other local churches in the Allentown, PA area.

I decided I would take 5 days off of work to attend the regular Shabbat Service and the CoffeeHouse concert on Saturday and then the Passover Seder the following Tuesday Eve.   I thought it would be very nice if Naomi could go with me!!!  I could ask, all she could do was say, I'm sorry, I won't be able to come.  BUT she talked to Dan and they decided she and Eddy could come!

Yay! I made arrangements with Nomi to get my car (my great little Subaru Forester) prepared for the trip.
Then we prayed and asked God to please arrange loads for me so we could caravan with my truck and car to Allentown.  God did just that!  I got a load from Kentucky to Chicago on Thursday AM.  That morning Naomi left Eau Claire and met me in Bloomington, IL, I picked up my load and we drove to Pennsylvannia together!  We had 5 amazing days together, everything went as planned and God blessed every aspect of our time together. (Even the weather and where to park my truck!)

On Saturday we attended the morning service, then the "after service fellowship lunch" (an Oneg), then Nomi and Eddy went back to the truck to sleep, and in the evening was the Messianic Praise Concert.

On Sunday, we got up and drove 1 1/2 hours to Hoboken, NJ.  Took The Path train under the Hudson River and spent a day exploring Manhatten!! So fun!!  Looking close, you can see the Statue of Liberty in the background:

On Monday, we did a self guided tour of 7 Covered Bridges in the Allentown area.
In the evening The Blanks, the Rabbi's family invited us to their personal Passover Seder in their home, Passover began on Monday Eve.  It was wonderful, we also learned so much and enjoyed lots of conversation!

On Tuesday, we headed over to a truck stop in New Jersey to relax a bit and get ready for the Community Seder scheduled for the evening.  At both seder's the children are included looking for the Afikomen and checking to see if Elijah is at the door.  Eddy got to do both of these, he loved it!

This is a pic of my pastor Rabbi Glenn and his wife Pam, Naomi, Eddy, and me:

                                                                                 
The next morning (Wed) Nomi packed up and her and Eddy started on their two day journey home. 
It was a perfect visit, eveything went so well, we had a wonderful time!!

Comforting Oasis

Many Years ago, Back in Spring of 1997, our family made the lonely move from California to Eau Claire, WI.  It was one of the hardest things we ever did.  We knew God loved us and were trying very much to accept what God was doing in our lives, but the struggle was very great.  We fought bitterness and lacked trust in our loving God and our Savior, Jesus.

After many months of fighting our desires and reality, slowly God through His Word and through loving believers at the church we now had joined, began to work in our hearts.  One family, among many, I am writing about today.

Their name is Hobbs.  Forrest, Cathy and their children Collin, Lindsey, and Dan.

Through these many years a strong wonderful memorable relationship has developed and lasted.

So, now, when I am out driving around the country and unexpectantly get a load back to Wisconsin, it is a happy and exciting time. Driving into the Hobbs' driveway and knowing how comfortable their home will be is a gift from God to me. One of my daughters married one of their sons, and now have a son of their own, Eddy, which makes everything even more wonderful!

I am sooo thankful to God I have these people and this place in my life!!

Walks

This summer has been a wonderful time of WALKS

I have always loved Nature Walks. Really the only entertainment I enjoy, that along with swimming! Walking is much more available to me than swimming. Everywhere I go I seem to be able to find a wonderful place to walk. Yesterday, after I dropped my load at the Nuclear Energy Plant in Shippingsport, PA I, yet again, went on a beautiful walk. I walked down a one and a half mile 8% grade country road - and back up. Then continued walking and found a place called Raccoon Municipal Park. I didn't see any raccoon's, but they had a wonderful 1 mile walkway through the woods, it was refreshing and cool.

As an OTR driver I am all over the country East of the Mississippi. I have walked in so many beautiful and refreshing places. Here are some pictures. I’ve been and seen so many more places than this. Sometimes I love the environment so much I forget about taking pictures.

    Truly God is the best “entertainer” of the World!!!!!

Fort Meyers Beach, Florida Gulf of Mexico

Arkansas

Albany, Oregon

(I was in Oregon last year, didn't have my own truck then, but I included it, because I enjoyed being there soooo much)

Alabama Country Road

This road is in Mound State Park in Illinois. I went up and down these stairs at a couple different times during the walk. It was so peaceful and beautiful. Truly, the world is my gym, as I use these walks for a fast paced exercise also!

Georgia

Knoxville, Tennessee

New Orleans, Louisiana

New York City Central Park

(My first glimpse of the park - So Exciting! =)



Skyline

Central Park is so much more beautiful than I imagined!







So much to see, these are only a few glimpses

San Antonio, Texas Riverwalk

The Alamo is just two blocks away, they are both in downtown San Antonio

South Carolina

St Charles, Louisiana

Saw this Statue of "My Kids" while I was walking downtown! =))

St Louis, Missouri

Drove by so many times and loved the Arch, one day I stopped and went UP!

Virginia Beach, Virginia

It is ALWAYS wonderful to be able to go to a beach on the Ocean

William Sterling State Park on Lake Erie, just south of Detroit, Michigan

Barefoot in Cool Water - Awwww! =)

On a Walk

This morning on Google Maps I chose the direction I wanted to walk my 4 miles for the day. After about 1/2 mile of walking I saw a sign, it said:

Beit Simcha ("House of Joy") Shabbat Service 10 AM

It was 9:50 AM

I have studied modern Hebrew for 2 years and have always been very interested in Israel and Messianic Jewish Christians. This would be my first opportunity to visit a congregation of Jewish believers!

The people were very friendly and greeted me with joy, just like the name of their church.

The songs and prayers were all in Hebrew with the English alongside, it was wonderful.

Today they had a quest speaker. He came with his 6 SHOFARS, all in different keys.

(side note, he did not have a SHOFAR in the key of C, because he hasn't found a 62" horn yet!)

He taught about the different sounds of the SHOFAR and when they are used. The fourth sound is the LOOONG blow, that we will hear when Jesus returns in the clouds. There are several members in this congregation who have and blow them during the worship service. They are very loud, penetrating, and beautiful.

Charlotte Truck Center

Charlotte Truck Center

My truck broke down on the entrance ramp to south I-77 30 miles north of Charlotte, NC.

I was on my way to Augusta, GA to pick up my load for the weekend. As I drove on the entrance ramp, my truck stopped moving forward. I kept pressure on the accelerator - nothing.

I called an "on the road" service truck. They came out, changed my fuel filters, which had just been changed at my recent oil change, but could have been bad if I picked up some dirty fuel.

Nothing. They attached their mobile diagnostic unit to my engine. Nothing. They said something was wrong that their mobile unit could not code.

So, I called Charlotte Truck center, the closest freightliner center. They called a tow truck for me. An hour later I was hooked up to the tow truck and on my way to the truck center... I keep up perfectly on all of the maintenance recommended for my truck and NEVER wanted to be part of this scenario.

We pulled into the center. It was very busy. When I signed in, I found out they were so busy they would not be able to get me in until Monday, it was Friday at noon. =(

They had a Red Roof Inn shuttle bus to pick up stranded truckers. I gathered my stuff, including laundry and emptying my frig, since I would be in the motel all weekend and the Red Roof rooms had refrigerators! I got into my room and "settled in". Put my stuff in their the frig in my room, went down the hall and put my laundry in and then sat on the bed and turned my computer on. Now...what to do until Monday!!??

On Saturday morning I decided to walk to the truck center, about 1/2 mile away. I got into my truck and grabbed a few things I thought I would need for the rest of the weekend. Then walked back and went the other direction a mile to buy some things at the Rite Aid Pharmacy up the road. As I was walking I saw the Saturn Rest and Rehabilitation Center. See my blog to find out what came out of that!! Very Fun! ( "Started as"just" an Idea)

So, after waiting out the weekend..Monday morning came.....

I walked back to the center. My truck was still in the lot. I got in and laid down on my comfy cozy bed to wait. I didn't wait long, about 10 minutes, and my driver door opened. They were here!! They reattached the drive shaft that needed to be disconnected to be towed, they hauled out the battery charger as the battery died over the weekend and drove it, slowly, with no acceleration, into the repair bay. The diagnostic tests began.

As much as I have enjoyed the power and ease of my 335 HP Caterpillar C-9 engine, (Cat C-9) it turns out it has a design defect. The HEUI pump (pronounced: Hewey) shaves off little metal flecks, like metal dust. They get into the fuel as it is pumped to my fuel ejectors, clogging up the ejectors and therefore taking away all of my acceleration. Not only did the HEUI pump have to be replaced, but so did all 6 ejectors, at a cost of $457 a piece. By the time I drove out of there Tuesday afternoon, with the Roadside service truck, tow truck, motel and repairs, it all came to over $6,000, as well as losing the weekend load, all-in-all it was very heavy hit for me.

Special note: I do want to say I am very thankful for James, the Service Dept Head and Don, the certified Cat Engine Mechanic. They were very informative, patient and kind in helping me with all of my questions and concerns. James patiently answered everything I asked and Don took out the little magnifying glass and light and showed me the little metal flecks he was telling me about. They made a very "painful" situation for me as easy to take as could be taken. And I appreciated, very much, the reduction they were able to take off of the retail cost of the parts.

This is the first time in my life I have owned my own "HOME". So, I know these are upkeep costs like all home owners deal with. It is all new to me, but I am still very very very very thankful I have this wonderful truck!! I have pictures on the sidebar of this blog.

I am now back On The Road. I had a load to Maryland and now am on my way from Richmond, VA to Chicago, IL.

God is so Good and takes care of me Mtt 6:25 -34

Life is Good.

Started as "just" an idea!

Today while I was walking to the store to buy a few things I needed, I passed a Rest Home and Rehabilitation Center. Several months ago I had an idea: walk into a Rest Home, see if any of the residents would want to play cards with me.

Decided to walk in...signed the guest book at the entrance and wrote I was visiting the Activities Director...talked to the supervisor, she thought it was a positive idea, so I proceeded to try to find a resident who would be interested!! I talked to one of the residents in a wheelchair and she said, I know a resident who likes to play cards....follow me! =) So I walked down the hall with her to Clarence's room.

She peeked in his room and announced to him he had a visitor. Then I walked in and we said Hi. He was very nice and friendly. We exchanged some pleasant conversation as I told him I was looking for someone to play cards with. It was now 2:15 PM. He said he and some others had a Pinochle game planned for 3PM.

So....my efforts were getting off to a slow start. But I knew, that a lot of times get off to a slow start, but then turn out really great, so I kept talking and relaxed. We talked some more, then he taught me how to play Black Jack, which, I found out is simply another name for 21!! We were enjoying our conversation and our time together.

As 3PM approached we started off down the hall to the activities room for the scheduled Pinochle game.

Clara was there waiting. We talked a little while we waited for Paul to arrive. I mentioned I had never played Pinochle before and really didn't have a clue how to play!! So, Clarence and Clara dealt us a hand from their Pinochle deck and we laid our cards on the table and they proceeded to explain the rules. Then I left my cards on the table and they picked up their hands and we started to play a practice game. As it turned out there are a lot of complicated strategy moves in Pinochle!! My mind was swimming with all they were telling me. BUT I was absorbing their ideas.... a little at a time.

About 10 minutes later Paul showed up. We gathered the cards, shuffled and dealt them to the four of us. Since Pinochle is best played with teams, I was now Paul's team player and Clara and Clarence were our challengers. Amazing timing!! They needed a fourth player and I arrived just in time!!!! =) There are so many variables and strategies I was still feeling quite lost. So for the next several hands I had to pass my hand to Paul to help me know what to bid. They were all so nice and patient and I was working as hard and fast as I could to catch on. We were having a great time!!

Clarence was 82 and had spent his career as a physicist for a company in NJ. He was very sophisticated and intelligent and had so many great insights on life....very interesting to talk to. Paul was in his late 50's (like me), a former cop and later worked for many years with the Federal Drug and adminstration Dept, but his health was very compromised by diabetes...he had had a quadruple by-pass surgery and also was going through physical therapy for a stroke. He was at the residence for rehabilitation and was hoping to be out eventually. Clara was in her late 70's and had health issues also...but what I remember is that she said she had been part of two Pinochle Clubs in her earlier years, she was a master player!!

We played for 2 hours, then they invited me to have dinner with them! Then we continued our game from 6:30 to 8, when visiting hours were over. We had soooo much fun!! By the end I was getting it and doing my own bidding and playing...I was still making some obvious mistakes, but they were just so glad I had come in they didn't care. I was very glad I had come in too.

At 8PM I had to go, visiting hours were over, we said good-bye and I was gone!

I probably will never be back to this place , as I move around so much....but I think I will probably definitely find another place to go. It was hard to carry out on the decision to walk into the Home, present myself and my idea, but I was well received and it was a very positive experience, so I'll see what happens from here!!

Afton Visit - Dan, Naomi, and Eddy!!!

On March 19th I was in Indiana. When I checked the load that came over my satellite system, it was a load to Fargo, ND! It was Thursday and I delivered on Monday AM, so I would drive through Eau Claire over the weekend! Naomi was gone the Saturday I arrived =(, but she was having a great time at a family women's retreat, (see her blog post http://naomiesther.blogspot.cocm/2010/03/womwns-retreat.html) I stopped at Hobb's to get my mail and visit Dan and Eddy. Eddy and I had a great time. We visited my truck, which he LOVES! and he wanted Grandpa to see my truck too. Grandpa Peter was babysitting for Naomi while she was at her retreat. Then I read Eddy a book, so fun, and Eddy got a little snack and he went down for his nap!
Then I was able to hop over to Schipper's and have a wonderful visit with Beth, Kevin, and Taylor. They are wonderful believers and, as usual, made me feel so comfortable and at home. It was hard to leave their home and drive off to Fargo.

After I dropped my load Monday AM, I waited for another dispatch, nothing came up. So I was "bonused" to the Minneapolis board.

Nomi and Eddy were driving to Afton, just east of St Paul. We actually arrived at their "summer home" about the same time. So I got a first visit the same time Naomi did!
Just like Naomi and I saw my new truck the first visit together when she drove me down to Ohio last March. A little advantage we have both living in the MidWest!

Dan picked a wonderful place for their summer stay in the cities, it is beautiful. A home that was built in the late 1880's and restored so cute. And the yard and grounds are beautiful. Nomi has pics up on her blog: http://naomiesther.blogspot.com/2010/03/our-house-in-afton.html

It was about 60 degrees the next two days I was waiting for a load. The house was very comfortable and "homey" and Naomi and I and Eddy had so much fun together!




Outside we went on a couple of adventure walks. ONE of the highlights for Eddy was the wheelbarrow rides! HaHa, I just remembered Nomi made a mention about that on FaceBook! When she was in Eau Claire and the snow had first melted!
Naomi Hobb's: "It's wheelbarrow weather out there!!" "What is wheelbarrow weather"? "The snow is melted! Eddy and I put away the firewood sled and and got out the wheelbarrow!"

Well, we found a wheelbarrow in Afton too and Eddy especially liked it!












On Wednesday morning I took Nomi and Eddy to a little cafe in Afton called, hmmmm, what is it called? "Wind Sailing"? I can't remember!? But anyway, it was a very nice little restaurant and we had a belated Birthday breakfast for Naomi! It was fun, we drove there in my truck. Then a couple of hours later I got a dispatch for a load out of MPLS to East Moline, IL and I was gone.

It was a WONDERFUL refreshing visit.