Day One and Two are done and here I sit outside at 7 am. outside. Its 72 degrees and almost feels chilly after having 101 degrees in the late afternoon.  The temp here is at its coolest around 6 and 7 am.  Its the warmest around 5 and 6 in the evening.  The heat stays longer as the sandy ground is so heated up during the day, it takes time to cool.  The landscape here is pure desert….lol….Huge cactus, taller than me.  Course that’s not saying much…lol

Tumbleweed grass and lots and lots of sand.  The cactus is very dense.  Chris our field manager told us to beware of the grass areas.  If you need to venture toward them, look for snakes….and I mean RATTLERS……OH No….Hope I never see one.  Don’t worry about the other bugs….Scorpions, Tarantulas, they stay away from activity and people…..Thank Goodness.  I made Rich buy steel wool to plug up all the holes going from our hookups.  That would be horrible to find a critter when you opened up a bay door.

On day one, Chris showed up before 6 am. at the Pilot Truck stop just as he said.  He gave us instructions on what would happen and were we were going.  Rich unhooked the pickup as it would be easier to drive separate.  He would have to park in a small area when we got their.  So we took off in the dark, for the 16 mile jaunt to our gate site. We are in a good area.  First we had to go through someone else’s gate to get to ours.

Then on down the horrible road to ours.  We are parked about 50 ft. from another couple.  The gates are side by side, but the oil fields are 2 different property owners.

There was no traffic yet, so Rich started setting up as Chris gave me all the details and went over the log sheets with us.   So easy.  Then Chris moved our generator with the light pole attached over to our rig.  The gasoline tank is behind it as we have to make sure the generator is filled.  Then Rich hooked up the RV and got our electric and AC running.  Later that day the guy came a delivered our 200 gallon septic tank…..So we are all Good…

We also have a water tank hooked up.  He also gave us all the info for getting our license.  We will be getting a Level 2 security license, good for anywhere in the state of Texas……Cool…..It is a manual with an open book test of 50 questions.   Well we got that done yesterday.  Then I registered online for the fingerprinting.  Thank goodness I have internet and my printer.  All necessary items for doing this. Rich will drive 50 miles to Uvalde this Friday for fingerprinting.  I will have to go next week as someone has to stay at the gate.  When all is done Chris will be back and collect everything and we will get our license and a……. PAY RAISE……Yessssss…..Its all about money ya know……

So finally Chris left and some traffic began.  Not much.   We are at a site which is called a rework site.  The well is already functioning but they are going in and drill deeper into the rock and stone level and then decide if they are going to frack.  From what I understand, their can be more oil trapped with in that level or below.  By fracking, they are forcing sand and water into the area to brake it apart and extrude the rest of the oil.  They said this gate could be 4 to 6 weeks but could be longer.  Just a wait and see…….We like the UNKOWN….

This is our well site at a distance.  Its a long lane and then the well which is pumping.  There are storage tanks and a gas burn off stack…But hardly any activity.  Maybe 8 trucks today.  They came with 2 semis with flatbeds and took out a crane and boom.  Also several company trucks came and went.  Day 2 was the same.   At nite nothing.  So I sleep at nite, in bed, and Rich sleeps in his recliner, ready to bolt out the door if a truck comes.  Chris brought sensors that go off.   But nothing…..What a way to make easy money.

So first day we noticed a helicopter in the distance.  It was circling low and I mean really low.  It almost looked like it landed several times.  But it kept making different passes.  It came closer and closer.

Finally it was over us.  Then the Border Patrol trucks started coming.  several went down the other roads.  Some were just SUVS and some had enclosed boxes in the back.

Then came Border Patrol Truck pulling a horse trailor.  They went down several roads and then the neighbors road and then finally our road.  Chris said, when they come, just let them do what they want.   So sure, we just watched the show.  I guess they seen some illegals but they didn’t catch them.  They ended up on some other property.  So that went on for over 4 hours.  ….. First day fun……lol…

After that we just watched the birds.  They are cute little things.  They sit on the fence across from us and look for bugs to eat. When they fly, their tail feathers separate into a V.

Here they are just starring at us…..lol…..You can just imagine what they are thinking……lol….Finally Rich put up our sunscreen on day 2…..Now the crickets climb up the screen.  They birds fly and catch them to eat.

The funny part is when the cricket is on the inside and the bird is on the outside…..haha…they are confused…..You can see the forked tail.   lol.

So far this is our entertainment.  Here is our guardsite all set up.

A view from down the road toward our gate and the neighbors.

This is our sign at the gate…..We are employed by Capital Wells Service

…….So my birthday has come………and gone……….I’m now a legal RETIRED person…..living off all your taxes….lol…and thanks for providing me with health care too…..Obama Care Sucks…..Tina usually buys and delivers flowers to work……lol….Not This Year???……Why Not…….FTD By Air Drop??…..Oh Well, I quess Ill just enjoy the Cactus….lol… Who would have ever thought I’d have my 65th birthday in the desert oil fields of Texas……lol…

The nites have already shown us some beautiful sunsets,

But my favorite is this site……..Our Neighbors Flag Pole next to their tower light

….”.WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SITE”……

Yesterday we had done all our shopping to get prepared, but I still needed to get a haircut.  It was driving me crazy.  We left the motor home in the truck stop and went to Campers World and did some shopping.  Then on to Walmart.  Rich dropped me off and he continued to Lowes.  They don’t have just a trim at Walmart, you must pay for shampoo, conditioner and massage of the head whether you get it or not.  The girl was pretty good and it cost $15.50 plus tip.  Rich picked me up and back to the RV we went.  We left New Braunfels and headed south for Carrizo Springs.  It was a 3 hour ride.  We filled up with diesel before we left @ $2.11 a gallon.  What a steal.  Last year when we left, we filled in Illinois, @ 3.69 a gallon.  Such a difference.  The farther south we went, the more desolate it got.  We arrived and drove through town and parked at the Pilot Truck Stop…..Its really a nice size town.  The temperature was 98 degrees when we arrived.

Finally Chris the field manager called.  He said change of plans………..we were being delayed by 24 hours, so not till Wed…………grrrrrrr….that means we sit here using our own diesel to run the generator.   But what can you do…….Then the phone rings again……….Chris again…..He apologized but they changed their mind again….lol…We were back on for tomorrow morning…..So we decided to prepare……

When Rich was at Lowes, he bought Reflective Insulated Foil…..48″ x 25’…..He cut it to fit the windows.  By putting this on all the windows, it really helps with keeping the interior cool.  We have found many of the gate guarders do this.  Sitting in the dessert like we are going to do with 100 degree heat, you need a nice cool dark home to crawl into at the end of your shift…..lol….So now here we sit, so far I have a decent phone signal, and internet.  Hopefully I will still have it at the gate.  Rich tried the tv antenna, and NO TV CHANNELS came in…..We have On the Go Dish, but never had it hooked up.  We tried one time but we were to illiterate to figure it out.  So I don’t know what Rich will do?  I guess watch the same DVDS for the next month or so…..lol…..I can read or do lots of things for entertainment.  Tomorrow morning Chris will come and take us 16 miles to our gate…….Hopefully its not all gravel roads driving their, and hopefully its not at the ends of the earth…lol….

It has been about a year since I started this blog.  I have been very happy with the response I have gotten from family friends and even strangers.  I have quite a following now on my site.  It has accomplished everything I had hoped.  It has been informative to everyone of what we were doing.  I have also included some family facts and history.  It has just been full of fun stories.   So last spring, I started to think.  I have written all of this, but what happens when I quite paying for my domain address.  Everything would go away.  I started researching and found a company that prints blogs.  The name is Blog2Print.  You sign your blog account on to their website.  You have a choice of covers, and setting the format and a few other things.  You set your range of dates for your book and “Magic”………..In a half hour, you can format your book and check it out on line.  Then order and it is sent to you in less that 2 weeks.

I have now printed 2 books……….This is the first Vol 1     Aug 2015 – Dec 2014………..144 pages

This is the second I just received………Vol 2      Jan 1 – June 2015………..194 pages

This is what the interior looks like.  It is printed just as the blogs are written.  I was so thrilled to have this done, cause now all these stories will live on.  I intend to print these books every 6 months.  Someday the kids or grandkids will sit back and read them again and I think they will enjoy them more and more with time.

So at the end of the day, Kitty is still sleeping on the floor.  He has really adapted to this style of living.  He is so comfortable.  I think the motor rocks him to sleep like a baby.  What more could a cat want.   Food and Fresh water all the time, treats everytime he asks, nice cool air to sleep in.  Potty close by, and he sleeps in a nice soft King size bed by his Dad at nite…………….

Why is that……I’m the one that feeds Him……..

Now I bet you are wondering what I mean….For the SECOND TIME….lol….Last Tue. was Aug. 18 and the date we had decided to leave.  I will tell you later and leave you in suspense for now….

This summer has been a very strange one.  We didn’t sell the house after all, so we started living in it when we returned last May.  The kitchen filled up with dishes and things.  Clothes came back in, and then …………Tammy decided to move in and leave Spring Valley.  Of course we all thought that would be a good idea.  The kids would change schools and go to Putnam County School system.  Cassidy was really happy, which surprised me.  Even Cameron decided to go to Putnam Co. High.  Tammy immediately looked for a new job closer and with in days she found a new job at Lacon Nursing Home.  She also found a wonderful sitter for Carly. It all happened really fast.  So that meant we had to move our stuff back out.  So as Tammy moved in…………we moved out………but the one good thing, we didn’t have to move all of it.  So now she is the KEEPER OF THE LEFT OVERS…..lol….ITS CALLED COLLECTIBLES…….STUFF…..So finally about 3 weeks ago, we were back to living in the MH.  It was really so nice to move back in……”Cozy”…..  Kitty even is happy.  Look, he was watching Batman on the dash…..lol….

The last days Rich had lots to do.  He has motorcycles that he wanted to take out to Scotts.  His custom chopper that he built in 2011,which is his Pride and Joy and a 1979 FLH Harley.

His other Harley, 1970 Sporster,  would be staying in the basement for now.  You just don’t want a Harley in the house with a 3 year old.   Not a good combination.  Rich and Cameron took the bikes to Scotts.   Cameron had never ridden them before, but grandpa asked and he was sure HAPPY to help out…..Of Course…What Teenage boy wouldn’t want to ride a Harley.

So the 2 of them, rode out of the driveway and out to Scotts which is about 4 or 5 miles.  So now they are safe and sound.  School also started last week.  Miley is in 1st grade and Austin is in 4 year old preschool.

They were all excited to go.  And of course Dexter has to be in all pictures…..I swear he poses for them.  Cassidy started 6 th grade and Cameron is a Junior.  Both came home with Chrome books.  We were all rather impressed.  Its a nice small computer with a super bag.  The computer is installed in the case, and you don’t take it out to use it.  Just unzip.  Very nice set up.  How things have changed.  All homework and assignments are now done on computer.  Homework is Emailed.  Finally the day came,……. Last Tue. …

.Rich had worked on the back brakes during the summer.  Had the wheels of and did all the repairs.  So in getting ready to leave, he did his pretrip on the MH.  Filled all the fluids………That morning we did our final packing.  Said our good byes……Tammy and the kids waited while we drove out the drive and around the block past the house.  She was heading to town after we left.

We stopped in front and the kids ran up and came inside to give grandpa one last hug.  Then we all waved and drove up the street.

We were traveling along about half an hour and started to smell something burning.  Of course we were in construction so had to drive several miles to an off ramp.  I really thought the truck brakes had locked up because we hadn’t put it in neutral.  But here the front brake on the MH on the drivers side wasn’t releasing and had actually started on fire.  Wow.  Rich turned around and went back towards home. …….  What did I do?…….   I got the fire extinguisher out, and held it all the way home.   lol…

Now in the meantime…..Tammy had posted all those pictures she took of us leaving on Facebook.   All you wonderful people were liking the post and wishing us well, and here we are back in the drive way, looking like this…..

Now even Tammy was gone as she had went to town.   Rich took off the tires and the brakes after it cooled down.  He knew he had to buy new brakes as they were fried and calipers.  Next it was figuring out why they wouldn’t release……His good buddy Bob went trough everything and checked…..Nothing wrong…..Next day….More thinking overnite….Our good neighbor Ryan comes over and helps….still nothing really….a trip to Princeton is now in order to talk to a mechanic shop that works on this type of equipment….ideas, but still nothing concrete…..well after some more thinking over nite….another coffee shop discussion uptown, it was figured out.   Rich did his pretrip and filled all liquids…..EVEN BRAKE FLUID…..Your NOT suppose to do that.   It needs room inside for when you push the brake, the pistons move.  His brakes had locked up and couldn’t release.   DUHHHHHHH……….So last Thur……WE LEFT AGAIN……..lol…..

But the blessing in disguise was we really needed 2 new tires on the front.  Tina says that things always happen for a reason.  I’m sure the reason was,….we needed new tires…..So a new set of brakes and calipers and 2 new tires later, we were good to go…..

Our first stop was Branson.

Checked in to a really nice campground.  They take many discounts.  Passport America is great.  Our cost $23 a nite for full hookups…..48 channels on cable and free wifi…..Great Deal….

Extremely clean, with large modern restrooms, showers and Laundromat.  Great Pool and shaded lots…..Not far from the strip…..I highly recommend it.

Right after we got all settled we received a call.  Our plans have been, for the last year, to try gate guarding in the oil fields.  I had contacted a company this summer and we filled out the paper work.  We were expecting to arrive south of San Antonio later next week.  So now they have a gate for us already for Monday………OHHHH NO….Its Friday afternoon and they want us over a thousand miles away by Monday?…..I just payed for 2 nites……What to do……lol…..We told them we would be their early Tue morning….So we packed up the next morning and left for Texas.   Now when anyone asks……Who did you see in Branson…..I will say ……………..NOBODY…………Silly isn’t it….lol..

So here we are on Sunday in New Braunfels Texas……We are about 3 hours away.  We visited our niece Misty, and husband Mark and kids today.   We spent Thanksgiving with them last year here at Golden Corral….lol…Today we went to Walmart and stocked up all the things we will need.

For those of you who don’t know what this is I will explain it.  In the oil fields, the companys want a guard at the gates entering the wells they are drilling in or fracking.  The guard is responsible to log  the liscence plate and names of all who enter or exit the gate.  You are required to have an RV to live in.  They supply a generator for power, a water tank for water, and a tank to dump waste from your RV tanks.  Everything you need to live except food.  In return you and your spouse are covering this gate 24 hours a day.  So we have to work out sifts.  One needs to sleep too……lol…….And the best part is…………You get paid a fabulous wage for this service…….Gotta give this a try……

Now the kinda scary part is where this gate is……….Carrizo Springs Texas…..In looking at the map….It is just north of Larado…..a very desolate area, not that far from the border…..So are we the Guniea Pigs?…..lol….Does nobody else want it?……Maybe this is initiation…..Along with maybe………. rattlers,…… tarantellas, ……and maybe even some illegals ……Hahaha…..Time will Tell…….

STAY TUNED……….Tomorrow we head to our new Job………”GATE GUARDING IN SOUTHERN TEXAS”..………..Its only going to be 100 degrees all week……lol…..