Paul Alton MBA

2024 was a good year for us. We hope it was for you as well.

January began with us in Texas, helping with Way of the Cross. We went to Nicaragua to help there a bit as well but ended up doing more tourist stuff than planned. In February we came back to Harlingen with a side trip to Houston for family visits before heading north in March. The first of April Paul started work at a short turnaround near Edmonton before returning home to clear some brush. In May we started sorting out stuff stored in our sea can for about twenty years now.

We were back in Edmonton for another short turnaround in June, then returned home to install BD Diesel’s solution to the killer grid heater bolt on our Cummins diesel. In July we were back to decluttering and started to build a roof on the sea can so the stuff we kept will stay dry.

We went to Powell River in August for a 58^th high school reunion before going to Edmonton for another turnaround which lasted well into September. Most weekends in October we went to Edmonton as well as for a Birthday visit at the end of November.

December was quietly spent around home with some preparations to head back to Texas after Christmas. We may go to Guatemala early in the New Year and it looks like there may be a turnaround in the spring. Perhaps I will retire after that if it materializes.

There might even be room for another big trip next year. That’s the thing about the future. We just never know. That fact is driven home with each news of the passing of a friend, co-worker or former classmate.

Not much to report so far this month. We’ve been shovelling snow and prepping to head south to snowless climes. We are looking forward to family from Edmonton coming to Meadow Lake for Christmas. Then we all disperse. I may write about that more.

The day I am writing this, messages appear in the email in-box with extensions of Black Friday offers. Plus, a new one for “Boxing Week Deals”. Will those extend until the Valentine Day deals show up?

I’ll daily blog for the rest of the month since things are picking up for these shy woodland dwellers.

We went to church for what we think may be the last time this year. Daughter Debroah, Ernie, Sonja and Kohen were there as well. Sasha went to another church to visit with friends back home for Christmas.

On the way home we picked up beaucoup sushi for 90 to 95% off using the Flashfood app. There was enough for lunch, supper and enough to drop off at Deborah’s for supper tonight for her clan plus the Edmonton clan arriving this evening.

After nearly a year of not missing a day of walking more than 10k steps a day, I saw an indication that the app allows a rest day after six days in a row. Not wanting to risk breaking the streak this feature was not tested until the year was completed. Indeed, it is a feature. I’m well into my second year but with the occasional day off. As long as rest days are six days apart the app keeps the streak going.

Sunday is the usual rest day I take. Not knowing which day we will sacrifice steps for mileage on our trip south, today was a walk day. Shovelling snow and walking through the grocery store accumulated enough steps to trigger the confetti showers when you exceed 10k steps.

We continued to putter at packing in the afternoon and went back to Debborah and Ernie’s to visit after Rebekah, Nick and kids arrived from Edmonton.

In the morning, we puttered packing and prepping for heading south. I installed an auxiliary solar panel for the security camera. I mounted it so the snow would not build up on the panel. The fixed angle panel built into the camera gets covered every time it snows. We’ll see if this is enough to keep the camera charged while we are away and not able to take the camera down to bring inside for charging.

We went to Deborah’s for lunch and a visit. I used the elliptical to get some steps in then walked away while Juanita continued to visit and she picked me on the way home.  Back at home I brought in a plastic garbage can to put in the bathtub and fill with water. Then filled the rest of the space in the bathtub with jugs of water. We carried on prepping for travel and went for a walk along the grid road before going to Deborah’s for supper and more visiting.

We were up early. After breakfast I started to winterize the plumbing. I depressurized the system, isolated the filters, and drained the pipes as much as possible. The incoming line from the well was sucked out for the last ten feet and back filled with RV antifreeze. The lines were pumped full with antifreeze leaving just the filter housings to be removed. While I was doing that, Juanita picked up grandson’s Kohen and Ezekiel from Deborah’s. When they arrived, they started taking off the filter housings, emptying them and discarding the old filters. A bit of water was spilled. The old guy snagged a valve while crawling around freeing some of the antifreeze from the system. The boys graciously mopped up the mess and the spilled water.

Thanks, boys.

The boys went away with Juanita. I puttered in the work shed and sea can, performed the last burning of the burn barrel for the year and cleared the snow off the truck. I drove the truck to town, got some steps in at the hardware store and topped up the fuel. I drove the truck and parked it for winter at Deborah and Ernie’s.

After lunch with the group, Juanita and I went to town for some errands and then home to carry on packing. We were back for an early Christmas dinner. Then the whole group including all eight grandchildren, daughters and husbands headed to church for a candlelight service. What a blessing to have the whole family together!

Up early, over to Deborah and Ernie’s. When we arrived, stockings were done. We all opened gifts then hung out together and apart. I texted some greetings during day, got some steps in when we went home to top up the woodstove, then finished off steps on the elliptical.

We all had an early supper together and had birthday cake. Deborah went off to work. Juanita and I were home around seven.

We finished packing. Everything is laid out for a relatively early departure tomorrow.

We were up early. We had breakfast and packed the car. I finished winterizing the plumbing by adding RV antifreeze to the drains. We emptied the fridge and turned it off until our return.

The gate was locked, and we were on road shortly after 8. In North Battleford we walked around Walmart for steps. I texted the Edmonton clan. They were on the road “just behind” us. By the time we finished at Walmart and running the car through the car wash next to Walmart they texted they were ahead of us at Langham.

In Saskatoon we visited Costco for steps and a Shell station for gas. By the time we were in Regina the steps’ goal for the day was under control and we could focus on visiting with our friends, Larry and Stephanie Carlson.

On the road around 6:10.

The road to Virden was sketchy but okay if you didn’t drive too fast. Some cars from last night were still in the ditch. One was a car pulling U-Haul trailer. Adventures in moving! After the skies brightened a bit, we noticed a VW bug and a pickup in the ditch. There probably were several others we passed in the dark and didn’t notice.

We stopped at Brandon for gas and coffee, Winnipeg for gas, and Morris for lunch. The border crossing was quick. Just one lane open with one car in front of us. Juanita asked, “Where is everybody?”

The reply, “An hour ago we had three lanes open and we were busy”

We arrived at our hotel a little after 2 pm and checked before heading to Costco for gas and steps. We finished steps in Walmart and bought salad for supper and water for the trip. Back at the room we settled in for an early night.

I woke at 2 am and showered. Juanita is a deep sleeper. My showering didn’t disturb her, but accidently dropping my dog tag and chain woke her up. We were on the road at 3. The drive-through across the street wouldn’t open until five so we hit the road unfed and uncoffeed. The clear, damp, non slippery road. WooHoo! It was foggy, mind you, so maintain speed, but try to keep a set of taillights visible ahead of you and hope the adaptive cruise control will hit the brakes if the taillights stop.

It was too early for breakfast at our favorite truck stop at Summit, SD so we used the washroom, bought coffee and gas and got back on the road.

The fog cleared somewhat at Sioux City. The fog had lifted before Little Sioux. We carried on through and past Council Bluff, to the exit for Nebraska City. At the exit we bought gas, pop and wedges. We crossed the Missouri River into Nebraska and shortly after crossing took the highway south to the Kansas turnpike, stopping briefly after entry to add a DriveKS toll payment app.

We arrived in Guthrie about 5:30 to have an evening of visiting with Indy and Jesse Stone.

A long day. The day held in reserve for the allowed “rest day” from 10k steps a day. Only 14-1/2 hours on the road for about 850 mile / 1,367 km.

We were on the road later than yesterday. About 6 am. Instead of our usual route south on the interstate and past the East side of Dallas – Ft. Worth we headed west out of Oklahoma City to take a combination of toll roads and two-lane highways through Oklahoma and Texas to the San Antonio area. This would avoid Dallas and Austin traffic.

Google maps chose the route. In Oklahoma City I doubted it due to conflicting information on the highway signs so we exited for breakfast at a McDonald’s to check the map more closely. This was certainly a more relaxed research event then racing through the dark with a bunch of commuters hurrying to work on a route they know well.

We had picked the Blue Bonnet Café in Marble Falls as a midday destination. Mid morning we pulled over in a small town and checked our progress more closely. The Blue Bonnet Café is closed today according to Google and in any case, we wouldn’t arrive until after one o’clock. We plugged in a BBQ restaurant recommended by Indy. That would be closer to noon. New co-ordinates entered and off we go.

At the BBQ restaurant we looked at the menu board outside and decided we weren’t hungry for that much food and lighter fare wasn’t on the menu. I opened up Google Maps to the San Antonio area and picked a likely looking Costco for steps and off we go with a new destination. Small screen, hurried choice. Bad combination. The Costco was on the east side of Austin. One exit from the toll road going around the south side of Austin. That mistake just made the driving day a lot longer. At least two hours longer! Pay closer attention, next time, Paul.

We walked at Costco, drove around Austin and then south to Mathis. We walked from our Mathis motel to the Taqueria Vallarta, one of our favorites, and waddled home to go to sleep on full stomachs.

Awake about 4:30. On the road about 6 in search of Kolaches in Corpus Christi eventually finding a place in Robstown that hadn’t shut down for the Christmas holidays. The kolaches were not up to S&J Bakery standards but we bought some and a couple of breakfast buns anyway.

We arrived at the WOTC training center in Harlingen at 10:30. It was very foggy on the road. As visibility was improving, a low visibility travel advisory popped up on the map screen. Thanks.

We unloaded the car into the fifth wheel trailer that Catherine and Danny have graciously loaned us for a few months then went to the WOTC warehouse. We had talked to Ben about the needs in Guatemala with the details to be discussed after we got to Harlingen. As Ben showed us pictures of the base camp they had purchased I booked the flights on my phone. We now plan to go to Guatemala for 19 days in January.

We loaded up our packages from Amazon, Scottie Vest, Otter Box and Living Waters and headed to Sam’s Club. Juanita shopped while I talked to customer service and got my Sam’s Club app working.

Our favorite dollar store is no longer a 99 Cent Only store. It is a Dollar Tree. It suffered in the transition, but we bought what we could there. Then we went to Walmart for a toaster and other Walmart stuff. They had sold out of bargain coffee pots. We went to HEB, picked up the last coffee maker they had in stock and bought the rest of the groceries on our list before going home. All the stores were super crowded and busy. Like people were shopping for the end of the world not the end of the year.

Back home we noticed lots of ants in the bathroom. I rushed to Home Depot for some spray before they closed.

We went to the New Year supper, helped judge the annual chili contest and then came back to the trailer for some before the end of the year financial transactions. We unpacked the Amazon boxes and crashed. We were asleep by ten.

Tomorrow is another year.

Happy New Year everyone.