Good morning All,

At least it is still morning here.  I am in Las Vegas, NV.  Got here yesterday.  Spent the day before with Margaret, had a good visit, then went on my way.

I drove through a lot of wind on my way west.  Started as I was leaving Tulsa, OK, and got worse from there.  Stopped early  a number of days because of the wind.

I had lousy weather while in KY and traveling back west, but here in Vegas it is ideal.  55 degrees last night going to 78 today with 45% humidity and nothing but blue skies.  I will stay here a few days
before heading to St. George, UT and then heading to The Rim for the summer.

I am planing to see a doctor while in St. George.  Seems my Blood Pressure has been higher than normal (for me) the last month or so, so I will have it checked and go on meds if necessary and then monitor it
from there.  Will also have my cholesterol checked.  I know it is high, so might start meds for that too.

I have had a bad ear infection for the last few days.  Whet to a Dr. Sunday morning and got a script for ear drops.  Have Swimmers Ear.  An external infection.  Had a lot years ago in FL.  Wet humid conditions is not conducive to the ear canal staying dry and an infection can set
up.  Ear and side of face get very tender and lots of pain.  Taking Advil and Tylenol for pain.   Hope it clears up in the next couple of days.  Ear cancel has been swollen closed for since Sunday.  Its my
good ear and hearing has been very difficult.

Gas prices jumped 20 cents yesterday.  Will cost a lot more to drive west than it did to drive east.  Am looking to head out after my ear had cleared up a couple of days.

I am really enjoying the visit with Earlene. Got to talking to here about Colorado and she was very familiar with the Quray, Silverton, Tin Cup area.  Her and Charles spent some time there years ago.

Since I sleep in the driveway we do not have to entertain each other all the time and only eat a few meals together.   I grilled a couple of NY Strips last that were very good.  She has Chili for lunch today. I have done a few of her HONEY DO things, but not a lot.

This morning I am sitting in Frankfort, KY visiting my family in this area.  Margaret and I are no longer together, but it was great while it lasted.

Just got back from Bloomington IN. where Arron is Law/Business school going for a JD/MBA, wants to work on Wall Street.

Lee is in Med School at U. of KY with another year to go before internship.

Since Mexico Margaret and I  spent most of the time in the west and southwest. Winter before this was spent in SE CA. / SW AZ.  Spent last summer in the high Rockies of Colorado.  Being a 10,000 feet is great but you just can't make a decent cup of coffee.

I just spent four months volunteering at the Salton Sea State Park in SE CA and am going to return to the N. Rim of the Grand Canyon for the summer.  I really enjoyed working there the summer of '01.  I will be a seasonal ranger, wear a badge, but they wont give me a gun!!

I got a recall notice for the cruse control on the RV, have not decided when/where/if to get it fixed.

Got just over a month to go on the job.  Starting to wonder about the
6,000 mile drive.  It's a long drive.

Got one more step with my tooth implant,  go Friday to get the crown
put in.  I also had the tooth next to it pulled and a bone graft put
to prevent the jaw bone from srinnking so I can have an implant put in
its place if i decide too later.

I am going to get a "real" cell phone.  The prepaid is costing me more
than one with a contract!

What? No SS card?

Went to TD Waterhouse yesterday,  they had was my SS card. it had fallen out of my wallet when I was there a week or so ago and had called Aaron.   And I needed it just two days before.  I am getting a real cell phone (trying to keep my current number) with a contract and with the block on my credit report I had to show my SS card and then realized that that was what TDW had.

 Palm Springs shared the high  temp for the country yesterday with another CA city.  80 degrees, forgot what the other city was.  We did have a lot of rain for a couple of week, but things are drying up now, not freezing over like I saw in IN on TV this morning!

Not much going on here.  Go tomorrow to get the post put on my tooth implant,  making ready for the crown over the next few days.

Working on my house batteries.  Having problem getting everything balanced.  The charger is too high AMP for four batteries so I added two more and now they have all gone bad.  Not supposed to add new batteries to old or bad ones and that caused all of the to fry. Looking at new ones at Costco, six at $50 per. (edit: Did not have to replace the batteries).

Happy new year.  

. 

 Went to the optometrist yesterday.  Gave him my eye history.  After the exam, he said I didn't have Glaucoma, and that I have Inter-ocular Hyper Tension.  But keep using the drops because the pressure could make it progress to Glaucoma.  Glasses were still good and so I order a pair of reading glasses for computer use.  Now to get to Mexico and get my tooth.

The Jamisons are due here today,  Nancy will be working with me in the
VC in a week or so.

West on Tax Day!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

I am working two days a week in the Visitor Center at the Salton Sea State Recreation Area located in the Southeast of California.  Also do other things around the park.  Have to change the doors on a refrigerator to open from the other side.  I got here Oct. 15 and plan to leave at the end of Feb.

I just sent in my finger prints for an FBI background check for the a job at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon next year.  May be two months before I hear from them again.  I am confident about getting the job.

If so, I would start around mid April and leave here at the end of Feb. giving me six weeks.  Current plans are to drive to Florida, then to KY, then to IN. and then to the Rim.

Would like to see as many as possible on the round trip.  I do not have my itinerary  together yet.. I want to do FL first before the weather starts to warm up. Drive will be 5,700 miles over the six weeks, glad to see gas prices going down!!. I will have to head west by the 15th of April.

The FBI wants my finger prints???

Got an email from Jim, the title work is done on the Suzuki, cost
about $100, not too bad,  he was able to "replace" the tag that was
used for my Yukon.  Saved me about $100.

Got a call for NPS,  Have to send in my finger prints for a background
check before I will be coincided further for the job next year.  Lot
to go through.  Still working on cleaning up my credit report.  Have a
lot of invalid address on it.

12/03/12

  Got an email from Earlene this AM offering her driveway.  May use that for
a few days too.  Also will spend some time in Lexington with Lee, and
Bloomington with Aaron.

Got a call for the park service,  asked if I still wanted the job, I
said yes so they are ready to do a background check.  Just one step
closer to the job.  I talked to one of the temps I worked with in '01
that must have gotten a job in personal.  He said he did not think
that RV spaces were available for next year so I may have to find a
place to  park in for a few months, hopefully in the park.