Update: More readable? About my Dad and this blog...

To those of you who posted kind words regarding my Dad, and to those of you who read about it and thought kind thoughts without posting, THANK YOU straight from my heart!......I do that all the time (not post comments), even when I know I should say something but just can't bring myself to, because sometimes reading about the imminent or recent death or dire illness of someone else's loved one often brings thoughts of our own mortality and that of those we love and care for, too close to the surface for our own comfort...that's ok...I understand that all too well.  We all must deal with illness and death at various times during our lifetimes, and on top of that, more often than not, we are juggling all of the neccessary things and events of daily living at the same time.

Blogger's Block?

Hello again everyone,

If there IS such a thing as Blogger's Block, I must say that I think I've had it for a very long time...since Texas anyway. When I get down in the dumps, I have a very bad habit of just clamming up and shutting out the rest of the world, except for those closest to me (and sometimes even them). Not healthy, I know, but that's what I do.

I had these ideas about what I was going to write about and when I was going to write it....but...well, all that fell apart when some things didn't go as planned, and I just didn't pull it together again, so I hope that you will please forgive me for my neglect and bad manners. I have been reading your blogs sometimes, but just haven't commented. Sorry.

I'm going to try to get back to it....a little at a time. Things will probably be somewhat jumbled for a while, at least chronologically.

Just off the top of my head, some of the things I want to write about:

My parent's health is not good. Dad's health seems to be the worst. I'll post a note here that he wrote recently, and I'll update on both of them soon.

I have a fantastic new camera that William bought for me just before we left Texas, but I have not used it yet. In fact, it's sadly still in the box. Don't worry, I'll get to it one of these days when the inspiration hits me. It's a Nikon D3100. (new tripod too!) :-)

I took up beading just before we left Texas, and I've been on a slow roll with it ever since then. It's relaxing and I really enjoy the creative process.

I really do care about what happens to all of you in my blogger "circle". Thanks for hanging in there with me (us).

- Mary Ann

No lunar eclipse pics...doggonit! (but, here's a crescent moon)

These are from about two weeks ago:

We've had wonderful clear, starry nights since we arrived in Texas on December 2nd...until...the night of the lunar eclipse, when it became not only very cloudy, but very foggy too. I had hoped to photograph it, but...oh, well. I watched it live on the NASA website and I've enjoyed viewing the photos of our fellow bloggers...so, thank you fellow bloggers!
- Mary Ann :-)

Fellow blogger senselessly killed while walking...

Margie Mallin
~ R.I.P. ~

Bruce Mallin
~ R.I.P. ~

The following news article (and video) is sadly about Margie and Bruce Mallin.

I considered Margie my friend, even though we had never met in person (we had hoped to meet someday). We were fellow bloggers and fellow RV'ers and members of a blogging community that had inadvertently become a circle of friends...people with both similar and much varied interests who look forward to reading each others blogs, comments and sometimes emails, enjoying each other's photos of our travels, families and friends....getting to know and genuinely care about one another in this cyberworld...and sometimes, luckily get the chance to meet in person. This "circle" has grown considerably since I started blogging here a little over a year ago...and the circle continues to grow.

Margie
Reading others' blogs here is something that I look forward to doing as often as I can and Margie's blog was always one of the first that I aimed for when logging in. There are so many wonderful, interesting people from all walks of life and all different kinds of backgrounds...and I feel honored and happy that all of you share your lives with us and that you allow me to share our lives with you.

Many of you have already learned of the following tragedy, but I am posting this anyway for the benefit of my family, my friends and readers who may not know about it yet.

Margie and Bruce deserve to be remembered for a long time to come.


From: CalCoastNews.com
Two people struck and killed by jilted driver
October 16, 2010 6:36 pm

An Oceano man killed two people in Pismo Beach in an attempt to harm himself in front of a restaurant his former girlfriend was working in, at about 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, sources said.

Jerardo Iriarte, 19, of Oceano drove his car off Highway 101 in Pismo Beach and struck two pedestrians killing them. Iriarte survived and was transported to Arroyo Grande Hospital with moderate injuries.

Shortly before the accident, Iriarte had been in Marie Callender’s restaurant at 2131 Price Street arguing with a former girlfriend who refused to see him anymore. Sources report that Iriarte was clearly angry as he left the restaurant and took off in his car.

Moments later, Iriarte drove southbound on Highway 101 at a high rate of speed, steered the black Toyota Corolla towards the restaurant and drove through the chain link fence that separated the highway from Price Street. His car continued traveling south on Price Street where it struck 63-year-old Bruce Mallin and his 59-year-old wife Marjorie Mallin.

The Mallins left Tumwater Washington to become full time travelers in 2008. They posted regularly on their blog, Bruce and Margie’s Full Time Journey.

“This morning they were taking a typical walk in Pismo and someone driving a car struck them both down,” the couples daughter Stephanie said on their blog earlier today. “Unfortunately, neither of them survived this tragic accident.

“The individual was attempting to commit suicide and struck them where they walked. The police are treating this as a homicide at this time.”

Police arrested Iriarte on two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. He was booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail with bail set at $50,000.

SHOPPING: Sams Club or Costco?

OK, I've been thinking about this for some time, but Rick
gave me a nudge with his poll about which web browser people use most (it was Firefox, but I use IE, for now) ...... (thanks Rick), so, I thought I'd try a poll too.

William and I have a Sam's Club membership. Anyway, I've heard people say that they like Costco better and I've heard people say that they have memberships at both (that would cost about $80.00 per year for both)...is it worth it? Or is one better than the other for various reasons, in your opinion?

Please tell me why, if you feel like it...and please at least cast your (anonymous) vote in my poll. (Upper right corner of this page...see it? Yep, that's it!) It will be up for the next few days, then I'll let you all know the final outcome. Thank you! :-)

- Mary Ann

I screwed up our blog! ...aarrrggghh!

Well, it figures, heh? I finally get ready to post a new blog...actually something related to our travels for a change...I log in and see the message for the "new design features"....

oooooh, I think...I'll try it! Should be pretty easy, and then I can finally have the wider display that I've wanted...like some of my fellow bloggers have.
Cool, right? NOT!

I've been monkeying around with this thing for the past hour and a half and my blog is not only no where near visually what I wanted, but it's WORSE! YIKES!

I probably should have just ASKED my fellow bloggers (the ones with the wide columns) HOW to widen MY columns...I'll bet they would have helped?

Any simple, easy suggestions welcome! In the meantime, hang in there folks...I'll get this back to something I can live with soon, might take me a day or two.

- Mary Ann

UPDATE: July 25, 2010 - It seems to be ok now, I should have updated this post a day or two after I posted it. I'll most likely keep "tweaking" things, but everything seems to be working pretty well for now.
The color is a bit strange at times, but I kind of like it.

A blog everyone should check out: click link below...

"If these "pro troops" groups really wanted to help wounded warriors, they would come see them, ask what they need, and provide it. Instead, all they do is hold up signs outside Walter Reed on Friday nights. Silly. And a waste of time and effort."

Check out this blog and you'll know why I'm suggesting it to you:
http://www.CirclingTheMoon.blogspot.com

On our way back home tomorrow (just a quick note)...

The last part of our time in Port Aransas was mostly spent enjoying the MUCH better weather, the beach... and riding the motorcycle and saying "see ya later" to our friends. We packed up and left Port Aransas Thursday, March 25th and went to a motorcycle rally in Bandera, Texas (Thunder in the Hills)...had a good time, then Sunday morning, the 28th, on to Fredericksburg, Texas. This hill country is breath-takingly GORGEOUS!!! WOW!!!

Meanwhile, mostly no internet connection. :-(
I've taken a "kazillion" photos and will get busy sorting and editing them after we get home. I know...SO much updating to do!!! (I'm looking forward to it).

Hey, Al and Rick...now I know what you mean about getting that "itch" to return home...we have it. Lot's of things to take care of...then summer fun in Michigan...then winter in Texas again.

Will catch up with y'all soon folks, thanks for your patience...and a big friendly hello and thank you to our new "readers". :-)

Thank you, Jack Kerouac.

Simply, thank you, Jack Kerouc.
- Mary Ann









Jean-Louis Lebris de Kerouac
Jack Kerouac was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1922, the youngest of three children in a French-Canadian family. He attended local Catholic schools and won a football scholarship to Columbia University in New York City, where he met Neal Cassady, Allen Ginsburg, and William S. Burroughs. He quit school in his sophmore year and joined the Merchant Marine, beginning the restless wanderings that were to continue for the greater part of his life. His first novel The Town and the City, appeared in 1950, but it was On the Road, first published in 1957 and memorializing his adventures with Neal Cassidy, that epitomized to the world what became known as "the Beat generation" and made Kerouac one of the most controversial and best-known writers of his time. Publication of his many other books followed, among them The Dharma Bums, The Subterraneans, and Big Sur. Kerouac considered them all to be part of "one enormous comedy," which he called The Duluoz Legend. "In my old age," he wrote, "I intend to collect all my work and reinsert my pantheon of uniform names, leave the long shelf full of books there, and die happy." He died in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1969, at the age of forty-seven.

Town and the City, the (1950)
On the Road (1957)
Dharma Bums, the (1958)
Subterraneans, the (1958)
Maggie Cassidy: A Love Story (1959)
Doctor Sax (1959)
Tristessa (1960)
Lonesome Traveler (1960)
Big Sur (1962)
Visions of Gerard (1963)
Desolation Angels (1965)
Satori in Paris (1967)
Vanity of Duluoz (1968)
Pic (1971)
Visions of Cody (1972)
Orpheus Emerged (2000)
Mexico City Blues (1959)
Scripture of the Golden Eternity, the (1960)
Scattered Poems (1971)
Old Angel Midnight (1973)
Heaven & Other Poems (1977)
Book of Dreams - Definitive, Unabridged Edition, the (2001)

"you pay through the nose for short-lived shows. . . ."
- Jack Kerouac

I know...I have a LOT of blogging (catching up) to do!

I've been blaming my lack of blogging on the very slow Internet connection here, but it shouldn't actually have kept me from writing. The slow connection is due, I believe, to what appears to be an almost full RV park, lot's of wind and rain and cold, thus EVERYONE and their brother trying to use the Internet at the same doggone time! When it's warm and sunny, we try to get out and RIDE or hang out on the beach or do SOMETHING. I get on this computer almost every day and check my MySpace, Facebook, email, do maintenance on websites I've made for other people, read blogs I follow and by then HOURS have gone by and I'm too tired (or too lazy) to think clearly enough to write anything, SO, here I am telling you all that I'm going back about a month or so and will be posting LOTS of photos of our adventures here in Port Aransas as my slow Internet connection allows. Heck, I haven't even gone back yet to update my previous blogs...oh well, I hope that gives you all something to look forward to. By the way, I sure do enjoy reading other's blogs!
:-)

Next time you you visit...

...our blog... please scroll down towards the bottom of the page and sign our new guestbook before you leave? We see that people are visiting from all over the world and it would be fun for us to put faces to those visits...or at least a few words. And please don't be shy about commenting on the blogs too. Much appreciated! Thank you!

Thank you to our new readers!

A big thank you to our new "readers", Rob, Marilyn, Oz, Gary, Margie and Shirl. And a BIG belated thank you to Al and Kelly of the BayfieldBunch.com. Makes us feel pretty special, being such newbies here in the blogging world. We'll try not to disappoint...I just hope you like lots of photos, with a pinch of "this and that" every now and then.
- Mary Ann and William

P.S. - We seem to get a lot of folks from all over the U.S., Canada, U.K., and elsewhere visiting this page. Do we have some "anonymous" readers? If so, please feel welcome to make yourselves known to us. The more, the merrier!