Boy, that was a close one!
The 1st annual Stowers Family Camping Reunion
We will be at the KOA Onawa Campground the second week of July - approx. July 10th thru 18th.
RAGBRAI will be starting in Onawa July 25th. I prefer camping when it isn't 30 campers to a site.
The week after that - the Onawa community is having a big wingding celebrating the 200th anniversary of Lewis & Clark's little trip through that area. I, personally, was looking forward to possibly doing a little Lewis and Clark sight-seeing in the area. I prefer to do it without an extra several thousand people.
I have learned the campground is under new ownership. The opening season date is listed as April 15th. It previously was listed as April 1st. Rand and I are on vacation the 1st, and had hoped to do a road trip to pre-scout the place. I still can't find a way to do an early contact.
I had sent for a family reunion planning kit from KOA and I haven't received that yet either.
We have already got our KOA membership card. For those wanting to stay most of the week, it will pay to become a KOA member. For $12/year - you save 10% a night. For those considering the Kamping Kabins that is a $5/day saving. Tenters will save $2/day.

Will's story
Valentine's Day
We arrived at the DMV early. Will was sent to a computer at the far side of the room. I was able to get seated where I could observe him. This is an entire area filled with touch computer screens. Most computers were occupied, the people set almost zombie like. Their only movement to reach out and touch an answer. Emotionless. Except for Willie. He sighed. He leaned back. He turned occasionally toward me (I always offered an encouraging smile and a thumbs up). He would grab the computer screen with both hands. It appeared he was trying to "mind meld" with it. At times, he would lay face down on the table - in frustration and in prayer.
I was amused by this little show and I called Grandma Vi on my cell phone to share. While we were chatting Willie jumped up and began to whoop it up! He was pounding his fists in the air, jumping and dancing. He looked like he had just made the game winning touchdown. I told Grandma I wasn't sure, but I think he passed. His driving permit has the biggest, nicest smile. I don't think he could've done his "cool face" if he wanted to!
After so many years of frustration, we went from the DMV straight to a quiet area in the neighborhood for his first driving lesson. Will has been out driving almost every day and isn't doing too bad. He has even been on some of the busy city streets. He is signed up and will begin Drivers Ed the end of March. Get ready world. Here comes Willie!

Rand's new toy
After many disappointing attempts - he finally got a BIG truck. A 2000 Ford F350 XLT 4X4, 7.3 Turbo Diesel, with the Off Road package and tow package. And it has everything it needs to attach a snow blade. He took a personal day today and drove to Albert Lea, MN to get it. It's white with a gray cloth interior. Name an option - it has it. What it doesn't have - running boards. I need my step stool to get in. (We will fix that lack of running boards real soon.) It only has a regular cab, but let's face it. Nobody wants to ride with us anyway. This thing will pull anything we want it to. No trailer would be too big. We could pull our camper and Dad's - at once. The only way we could outgrow this is to really want a bigger cab. Other than that it has everything on Rand's wish list - and then some.

cabin fever
We bought little walkie talkies so I can aid Randy in backing the camper up and he doesn't have to interpret my hand signals. (Some are obvious - like the one I use after he hits me with the truck.)
We're reading campground maps again.
I bought a new travel alarm clock for the camper.
And those disposable dish cloths with the soap already in them.
You got to love winter clearance sales!

it's a boy
It's also Sunshine's boyfriend. He is a member of our household now. We put together his bedroom where Sandra's dressing area was. The sacrifices she must make for love. We have explained that married people get to share a room. Our old futon made it back home to serve as his bed still.

*scary music*
I have an appointment with a general surgeon this Friday. The cat scan didn't show anything - which means it is adhesions causing my pain. They're back.... I'm worried because it means I'm probably facing another surgery. More scary - I got to see another new doctor. God knows I hate doctors, let alone having to break in a new one. I'm not in too big of a hurry to do anything. But I also think that I ought to do something before I get as sick as I was before. It would probably help my recovery time. And I want to be well for our big family thing in July.

a serious lackof sleep
I was awoke 3am Monday morning with a hot flash.
Last night we were up most of the night with a sick dog. Poor Girlfriend.

a very bad day
Yesterday I got to work 11 hours! It was the day from hell. I had a very difficult set to do. I had three "chiefs" telling me how to do it - each one picking a different way.
I had the first eight feet (of forty feet) set in just over an hour. That was doing everything in what I saw as the most efficient way. The next four feet took over three hours - just because of everyone else directing me. Classic "too many chiefs, not enough Indians".
I was supposed to have three people helping me. One went home before she ever got to me due to a family emergency. The other two got sent home to cut payroll - before they ever got to me.
I was in a very bad mood, missed a pain pill, couldn't use my scooter (tight area), and my immediate supervisor was foul mood as well. Except different a different person had set him off. We were hell to be with individually, let alone working together. We did "make up" before going home. We both understood we weren't angry with each other - that's just who was in the way.

AAGHH!
I over-slept this morning! My alarm had been turned completely off! I did forget to check it - but if anything, that would have meant I'd been up an hour early today. I woke up before daylight, tried to read the clock from across the room. I could kind of make out the last two numbers, I thought I had about 15 minutes before the alarm went off. Relaxed a few more minutes, sat up, and rechecked the alarm clock. I had five minutes - to get to work. I can't explain my alarm completely shut off.
Our doors/alarms at work are only unarmed for 10 minute periods each hour before opening - for security reasons. I called the exec in charge this morning and promised to be there in three minutes. She held the doors for me. Otherwise I would have had to be over an hour late.

of course.......
I've been fighting with a stupid traffic light every morning. It is the only light I must deal with. It is a smart light - only turning for current traffic conditions. I have to make a left hand turn and it now fails to recognize cars in the left hand lane. Some mornings, if no one is present I have been known to turn left on red. Some days I stay in the right lane, and turn left from there. Today, of course, it wouldn't see me no matter what and there was too much traffic to turn left on the red. I called the city as soon as I got home.

speaking of payroll
I just found out before leaving I get a three day weekend. Cutting payroll again. The recent snowstorms have been hurting us bad. I still hurt so much from yesterday - I'm okay with it.

it's mom stuff people.....
Okay. We haven't heard from the Super Trooper and Megan for a few weeks. Our other adopted son was kind enough to at least update enough to show a life sign.
Sunshine has disappeared with only a mention of where she might be - for the next couple of weeks. Or she might be home tonight. Who knows?
Whathisface left without saying good-bye. *wiping tear*
I didn't get a picture of the blond Willie before he shaved his head. Winter formal was last night - but he refused to let us in on that as well. Quite good timing the swim team shaving their heads in time for winter formal. I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures.
Kara and Rich did make an appearance last week. Be sure to ask Kara why she had to wash her purse! :)

sunshine has the snail mail blues
One little piece of her paperwork didn't get back until the first day of her nursing school. As a result - now she can't start until March 8. No late starts are allowed.

almost a cure for cabin fever
We went to the RV and boat show at the fair grounds with the folks. Dad and I were having a competition to see who's hips would go out first. Mom's did.
Randy and I are still convinced we will retire in a Jayco Designer Legacy 5th Wheel. There was a new option added for 2004 to our favorite floor plan. It has a fireplace! We won't go into the Legacy next - but haven't yet agreed on what happens after the Kiwi and before the Legacy. BTW - the Kiwi line is now named Jay Feather. Seems some shoe polish people had a problem with the previous name.
Mom found a few trailers she liked even better than hers (don't tell Dad). Everybody picked out their dream boat! (Mine's a pontoon)
Randy and I enjoyed it so much we actually considered going back today. But sometimes you got to know when to fold them. You can walk too close to the flame!

pictures tooken
Hopefully, in the next day or two, I'm going to update my pictures again at my web site. I got some good snow shots.

Duh- take II
Lost my walkie at work the other day. Had it stuck on my back pocket. I retraced my steps all over the store trying to find it. Yeah, I found it on the back of my scooter - eventually. I'm going to have to learn to look there first.

HEY Y'ALL - UPDATE ALREADY!