Rain, rain and more rain. We're in California, near LA, and it seems like monsoon season. Fortunately, we think it will be clear for Christmas with Chuck's son and family. A very bright spot for me has been reconnecting with one of my college roommates, Sally. She's the one who imported Ripple from NY at $0.33 per bottle. It was so interesting to catch up with her. She's an artist and specializes in painting animals, including pets. A great idea for next Christmas. See Sally's website at http://www.natureartists.com/berners.htm
Merry, merry everyone. Vicki
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
December 14, 2010
I have very warm feelings for Moab,UT and our friends there - Ron, Dar, Renee and Craig - but true to Modlin tradition, our return was not without incident. I was driving as we entered our site, with Chuck in the passenger seat. "PLENTY OF ROOM ON THIS SIDE," he kept on repeating as I inched forward. But - it was dark. We didn't see the picnic table that made a long scrape mark and broke the molding over the back right wheel. My first collision. Fortunately, we've had so many that it didn't seem all that disastrous.
Like attracts like, I guess because Ron has numerous smart, interesting friends. This time around, we met Chris O'Brien. Chris is a co-host for paracast.com which covers paranormal events. We were fortunate to spend a day with Ron, Dar,Chris and Susan, including a visit to Sego canyon. The Indian writings here are up to 9,000 years old. The only thing that protects them is a fence and a sign. Even the oil from hands can be detrimental to these sacred works so we all got agitated when we saw two boys scrambling up the rocks. Ron yelled out to get down and the father of the boys yelled back "don't pay any attention to him, you're not doing anything wrong." We walked en masse towards the father to confront him and things definitely got heated. I just couldn't believe that a parent would encourage that kind of disrespect. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed - the women's - and the fact that Darlene is a National Park Ranger seemed to persuade them that they were in the wrong.
There are a number of other writings just across the road. Among them, there is a very satanic looking figure. We all stood in silence as Chris took an EVP reading (like they do on ghost hunters) before it. Haven't gotten any feedback on this so assume that nothing came through.
We decided to forge forward on an unpaved road; our Sebring had the lowest clearance so we went first. When it rains there, rivulets of water cause washes and it was these areas that caused the most concern. I got out and looked at a couple of them before we crossed; if too steep, the car could get hung up in the middle. One of these definitely looked dicey to me but Chuck decided to cross anyway. We hit hard on the front bumper but Chuck gunned it, plowing up dirt as he went. When we came to a rest on the other side, a piece of something hung down under the front bumper. A plastic mud guard - Chuck pulled it off and we continued on. We were heading towards a Ute reservation where many UFO incidents occur. Non-Utes are not welcome...very definitely not welcome. The end of the road we were on is the closest you can get by car. WE didn't see anything but Ron said something was probably seeing us - if only the mountain lions. There were two, very old hovels dug into the side of the hill, held up by huge center logs, as well as an ancient community oven. It was easy to imagine the presence of the departed walking alongside us.
We had to return the way we came - so all pitched in to pile small rocks across the wash to lessen the depth of the dip....making the way back far less eventful. Sort of sorry we didn't buy an old jeep for our tow car. A couple of days later, we departed Moab, knowing that we will return.
We stayed one night at Nellis AFB in Nevada, then on to California where we went our separate ways. Chuck traveled on to Chuck Fetterman's(our best man) near Brentwood and I took the tow car down to Charles and Bobbi's place near Burbank. Bobbi's mom has been very ill; Chuck's X-mas present to her was the flight home and my present was staying with the three kids for a couple of days in her absence. Thank heavens I remembered how to make salt dough cookie ornaments - kept the kids busy for hours. Also took them to my first 3-D movie, "Tangled." On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I drove back to join Chuck - through the Central Valley where so much of the produce we enjoy is grown. What should have been a 5-6 hour drive became 8 hours because of all the holiday traffic.
One of the interesting things I did while in that area was to meet with Eleanor Haspel Portner and a woman who claimed to have been abducted by ET's. Eleanor is a psychologist that I met 30 years ago during my Chicago days. The session wasn't particularly compelling but it was great to visit with Eleanor and I know we'll have future connections relating to sightings.
Currently we're trying to do some filming of investigative procedures. Chuck F. lit a huge pile of brush on his property which we used to portray a landing site. The two Chucks have tried to film the use of the: Google Earth maps, thermal sensing device, geiger counter, laser range finder, compass factoring in the magnetic deviation, tri-field meter and grid lay out. At one point, one of Chuck's horses started to wander into the site and we all broke out laughing. We haven't reviewed the film yet but the out-takes may take up more time than the leave-ins.
We'll head back to Charles' home for Christmas. We feel a bit like the Cranks but feel that RVing is the perfect excuse to avoid all the demands of the season - and we're loving it!
Happy holidays everyone! Vicki
Like attracts like, I guess because Ron has numerous smart, interesting friends. This time around, we met Chris O'Brien. Chris is a co-host for paracast.com which covers paranormal events. We were fortunate to spend a day with Ron, Dar,Chris and Susan, including a visit to Sego canyon. The Indian writings here are up to 9,000 years old. The only thing that protects them is a fence and a sign. Even the oil from hands can be detrimental to these sacred works so we all got agitated when we saw two boys scrambling up the rocks. Ron yelled out to get down and the father of the boys yelled back "don't pay any attention to him, you're not doing anything wrong." We walked en masse towards the father to confront him and things definitely got heated. I just couldn't believe that a parent would encourage that kind of disrespect. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed - the women's - and the fact that Darlene is a National Park Ranger seemed to persuade them that they were in the wrong.
There are a number of other writings just across the road. Among them, there is a very satanic looking figure. We all stood in silence as Chris took an EVP reading (like they do on ghost hunters) before it. Haven't gotten any feedback on this so assume that nothing came through.
We decided to forge forward on an unpaved road; our Sebring had the lowest clearance so we went first. When it rains there, rivulets of water cause washes and it was these areas that caused the most concern. I got out and looked at a couple of them before we crossed; if too steep, the car could get hung up in the middle. One of these definitely looked dicey to me but Chuck decided to cross anyway. We hit hard on the front bumper but Chuck gunned it, plowing up dirt as he went. When we came to a rest on the other side, a piece of something hung down under the front bumper. A plastic mud guard - Chuck pulled it off and we continued on. We were heading towards a Ute reservation where many UFO incidents occur. Non-Utes are not welcome...very definitely not welcome. The end of the road we were on is the closest you can get by car. WE didn't see anything but Ron said something was probably seeing us - if only the mountain lions. There were two, very old hovels dug into the side of the hill, held up by huge center logs, as well as an ancient community oven. It was easy to imagine the presence of the departed walking alongside us.
We had to return the way we came - so all pitched in to pile small rocks across the wash to lessen the depth of the dip....making the way back far less eventful. Sort of sorry we didn't buy an old jeep for our tow car. A couple of days later, we departed Moab, knowing that we will return.
We stayed one night at Nellis AFB in Nevada, then on to California where we went our separate ways. Chuck traveled on to Chuck Fetterman's(our best man) near Brentwood and I took the tow car down to Charles and Bobbi's place near Burbank. Bobbi's mom has been very ill; Chuck's X-mas present to her was the flight home and my present was staying with the three kids for a couple of days in her absence. Thank heavens I remembered how to make salt dough cookie ornaments - kept the kids busy for hours. Also took them to my first 3-D movie, "Tangled." On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I drove back to join Chuck - through the Central Valley where so much of the produce we enjoy is grown. What should have been a 5-6 hour drive became 8 hours because of all the holiday traffic.
One of the interesting things I did while in that area was to meet with Eleanor Haspel Portner and a woman who claimed to have been abducted by ET's. Eleanor is a psychologist that I met 30 years ago during my Chicago days. The session wasn't particularly compelling but it was great to visit with Eleanor and I know we'll have future connections relating to sightings.
Currently we're trying to do some filming of investigative procedures. Chuck F. lit a huge pile of brush on his property which we used to portray a landing site. The two Chucks have tried to film the use of the: Google Earth maps, thermal sensing device, geiger counter, laser range finder, compass factoring in the magnetic deviation, tri-field meter and grid lay out. At one point, one of Chuck's horses started to wander into the site and we all broke out laughing. We haven't reviewed the film yet but the out-takes may take up more time than the leave-ins.
We'll head back to Charles' home for Christmas. We feel a bit like the Cranks but feel that RVing is the perfect excuse to avoid all the demands of the season - and we're loving it!
Happy holidays everyone! Vicki
Sunday, October 31, 2010
October 31, 2010
Despite their horrific experience, Nicky and Nate are on the mend. I've been amazed at their positive attitudes and drive to get things done despite crutches and casts. The only complaint I heard was that they were bored to death at home....they had enough TV and Farmville for a lifetime. My sudden plummet back into work at the home seemed totally exhausting. Fortunately, Spencer, the daughter of one of our long time employees and my niece, Jaimie, both had their CNA certifications and came to my rescue; our regular staff also pitched in by picking up extra shifts. They were terrific.
Initially, we stayed at a nice RV park in Mukwonago; later we moved to State Fair Park RV in West Allis. Not as nice but closer to Chateau. We did have a late night visitor there once - begging for beer - but it was otherwise uneventful. A small, dimly-lit bar just 1/2 block from the RV park on 76th, called "Liquid Johnny's," triggered my curiosity. We decided to check it out. Over the next couple of weeks, it became our favorite Friday night hangout. Chuck enjoyed their fish fry and I loved the "Johnny Burger" served on a delicious pretzel roll. Yumm. Watching "Cash Cab" on TV with the rest of the locals completed the experience.
One of the highlights of our time at home was a get together of 6 grade school girlfriends. I hadn't seen a couple of them for 45 years.....yikes! We had so much fun that my face was stiff from laughing by the time we left. Dianne, Cheryl, Sandy, Carol and Bonnie - it was fantastic to see all of them again. Thanks to Barbara, who hosted a wonderful get-together,I also saw a lot of my 2-20's friends. Barb always says it's going to be "very simple" but it always ends up looking elegant - like it was a lot of work.
The one totally indulgent thing I did when I was home was to meet John Stahler in Chicago to continue my remote viewing training. In one of the sessions, I felt that there was land, water and structure....kind of unusual to have all three. Early analytical overlays were "buoy," "BGB," "ship masts," and "partially immersed." BGB was a term I heard from an Army guy at Mayport Naval Station who knew almost as little about the huge ships as I did; "I just call 'em BGB - Big Gray Boats", he explained. I described complicated gauges, a long center cylinder sitting on a hard flat surface, stairs, an acrid smell, clanging sound,and a warning label. I drew a diver under a large ship. When the session ended, John showed me the target - a picture of the Battleship Texas. Interestingly, on the upper right of the page was a label titled "Protection" with an explanation of the use of Camouflage - which I took to be the warning label.
I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with John; the rest of the day didn't go so well. While I was doing sessions, what I should have remote viewed was the low-life that was stealing our laptop and GPS from the car. The first thing I did after discovering the theft was to call my sister to see if I could stay at her house if need be. Then I called Chuck to give him the dire news. Even I didn't realize what a huge loss this was. The computer was the least of it. We had thousands of dollars of software on the computer - some of it essentially irreplaceable. Chuck handled it better than I thought he would although the next few days, as he recalled additional programs that we lost, were kind of dicey.
With Nicky back to work, we needed to head out again before the snow started flying. Currently we're back in Moab, UT - doing some fun things which will be the subject of the next blog.
Love, Vicki and Chuck
Initially, we stayed at a nice RV park in Mukwonago; later we moved to State Fair Park RV in West Allis. Not as nice but closer to Chateau. We did have a late night visitor there once - begging for beer - but it was otherwise uneventful. A small, dimly-lit bar just 1/2 block from the RV park on 76th, called "Liquid Johnny's," triggered my curiosity. We decided to check it out. Over the next couple of weeks, it became our favorite Friday night hangout. Chuck enjoyed their fish fry and I loved the "Johnny Burger" served on a delicious pretzel roll. Yumm. Watching "Cash Cab" on TV with the rest of the locals completed the experience.
One of the highlights of our time at home was a get together of 6 grade school girlfriends. I hadn't seen a couple of them for 45 years.....yikes! We had so much fun that my face was stiff from laughing by the time we left. Dianne, Cheryl, Sandy, Carol and Bonnie - it was fantastic to see all of them again. Thanks to Barbara, who hosted a wonderful get-together,I also saw a lot of my 2-20's friends. Barb always says it's going to be "very simple" but it always ends up looking elegant - like it was a lot of work.
The one totally indulgent thing I did when I was home was to meet John Stahler in Chicago to continue my remote viewing training. In one of the sessions, I felt that there was land, water and structure....kind of unusual to have all three. Early analytical overlays were "buoy," "BGB," "ship masts," and "partially immersed." BGB was a term I heard from an Army guy at Mayport Naval Station who knew almost as little about the huge ships as I did; "I just call 'em BGB - Big Gray Boats", he explained. I described complicated gauges, a long center cylinder sitting on a hard flat surface, stairs, an acrid smell, clanging sound,and a warning label. I drew a diver under a large ship. When the session ended, John showed me the target - a picture of the Battleship Texas. Interestingly, on the upper right of the page was a label titled "Protection" with an explanation of the use of Camouflage - which I took to be the warning label.
I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with John; the rest of the day didn't go so well. While I was doing sessions, what I should have remote viewed was the low-life that was stealing our laptop and GPS from the car. The first thing I did after discovering the theft was to call my sister to see if I could stay at her house if need be. Then I called Chuck to give him the dire news. Even I didn't realize what a huge loss this was. The computer was the least of it. We had thousands of dollars of software on the computer - some of it essentially irreplaceable. Chuck handled it better than I thought he would although the next few days, as he recalled additional programs that we lost, were kind of dicey.
With Nicky back to work, we needed to head out again before the snow started flying. Currently we're back in Moab, UT - doing some fun things which will be the subject of the next blog.
Love, Vicki and Chuck
Saturday, August 14, 2010
August 27, 2010
With our time in Moab dwindling, Ron and his daughter, Rene, offered to take us on one more outing. Chuck rode with Ron in his truck and I rode with Rene in hers. As if our CO mountain trip wasn't scary enough, they decided to drive down "Mineral Bottom" road - a steep,rocky, unpaved road that only 4-wheel drive vehicles or ATVs can handle. I held on tight - as if that would do any good if the truck lost its grip and went over the sheer drop. I tried to focus on the variations in the color of the rocks as we drove - the Moab reds, golds and the greens caused by iron oxide. Repeat after me, "Beautiful rocks, don't look down." We finally reached the bottom and drove over to a small area which serves as a landing strip. Hard to imagine what might be flown in here - other than perhaps a rescue mission. We drove on until Ron got concerned that we might get stuck on the sandy road. We turned back and had lunch along a river bank - so we'd have something to lose on the way up? Somehow the trip back up the switchbacks was more terrifying than the way down. Rene gave a sigh of relief when we reached the top. Ha ha, she had my life in her hands and was as scared as I was. (We recently learned that the road was affected by the flash floods in Utah and is closed indefinitely)
On the way back, Ron pointed out a granary where the native Americans hid their food from animals and other tribes. Rene and I decided that the short trek up was doable and set off with her part-Dingo dog, "Max." I haven't done much hiking on uneven ground since my knee surgery but my Teva sandals seemed to grip the ground pretty well. Still I was pretty pooped by the time we got to the site. Resting next to a granary that probably hasn't changed much since it was built at least 600 years ago seemed worth the work to get there. The trip down was a lot easier and faster but I had zero energy left by the time we reached the truck. Chuck poured some water over my head thinking that I could have heat exhaustion. Very possible - after we returned, we learned that the temperature was 109.4 degrees.
After a taco night with Ron, Rene and Craig, we prepared to leave for the MUFON Symposium in Denver.
MUFON has undergone radical change this year. We lost, at least temporarily, the significant funding we received from an aerospace company, and our International Director stepped down. Fortunately, our Board of Directors met the challenge and there was a palpable, new energy at the State Directors' meeting along with lots of creative ideas for the future. Chuck gave his presentation on EMP (Electro
Magnetic Pulse) highlighting our Port Jervis, NY case during the Field Investigator's portion of the program. The next two days, we enjoyed talks by the foremost experts in ufology and reconnecting with friends - especially Chuck Fetterman - our "best man." After the Symposium, we headed towards Greeley, CO to spend some time at the new International Head Quarters.
We also planned to visit beautiful Estes Park. Very unfortunately, however, I saw a entry on Facebook that indicated that my Administrator, Nicky, and her husband were in the hospital. Eventually I learned that they had been in a serious motorcycle accident. Luckily, I was able to get a straight flight home that afternoon. Chuck followed with the RV.
Nicky has a hairline fracture in her neck and a surgically placed screw in her ankle. She'll require at least a couple of months rehab and I'm back to work until then.
We had planned to be home on the 10th anyway to attend my nephew's wedding. We had a fantastic time celebrating with Ryan and Heather and catching up with family. We also attended Court - on a motion for summary judgment against the Lang Antique Jewelry Store in San Francisco - where we prevailed. Finally.
So, we're home for a bit, let's catch up.
On the way back, Ron pointed out a granary where the native Americans hid their food from animals and other tribes. Rene and I decided that the short trek up was doable and set off with her part-Dingo dog, "Max." I haven't done much hiking on uneven ground since my knee surgery but my Teva sandals seemed to grip the ground pretty well. Still I was pretty pooped by the time we got to the site. Resting next to a granary that probably hasn't changed much since it was built at least 600 years ago seemed worth the work to get there. The trip down was a lot easier and faster but I had zero energy left by the time we reached the truck. Chuck poured some water over my head thinking that I could have heat exhaustion. Very possible - after we returned, we learned that the temperature was 109.4 degrees.
After a taco night with Ron, Rene and Craig, we prepared to leave for the MUFON Symposium in Denver.
MUFON has undergone radical change this year. We lost, at least temporarily, the significant funding we received from an aerospace company, and our International Director stepped down. Fortunately, our Board of Directors met the challenge and there was a palpable, new energy at the State Directors' meeting along with lots of creative ideas for the future. Chuck gave his presentation on EMP (Electro
Magnetic Pulse) highlighting our Port Jervis, NY case during the Field Investigator's portion of the program. The next two days, we enjoyed talks by the foremost experts in ufology and reconnecting with friends - especially Chuck Fetterman - our "best man." After the Symposium, we headed towards Greeley, CO to spend some time at the new International Head Quarters.
We also planned to visit beautiful Estes Park. Very unfortunately, however, I saw a entry on Facebook that indicated that my Administrator, Nicky, and her husband were in the hospital. Eventually I learned that they had been in a serious motorcycle accident. Luckily, I was able to get a straight flight home that afternoon. Chuck followed with the RV.
Nicky has a hairline fracture in her neck and a surgically placed screw in her ankle. She'll require at least a couple of months rehab and I'm back to work until then.
We had planned to be home on the 10th anyway to attend my nephew's wedding. We had a fantastic time celebrating with Ryan and Heather and catching up with family. We also attended Court - on a motion for summary judgment against the Lang Antique Jewelry Store in San Francisco - where we prevailed. Finally.
So, we're home for a bit, let's catch up.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
July 10, 2010
Chuck drove the RV out of Moab and once we got to a fairly deserted area, I began my RV driving lessons. At first I was nervous and was constantly over-correcting. Eventually, however I became more comfortable and the roads to Roswell were great. I was still having a little problem with curbs - but hey, I do that in my car! I also refrained from driving into any gas stations for fear I'd take out a pump.
I was a little surprised that there weren't more people at Roswell but we heard that the numbers were down. The up-side was that it made it easier for us to meet and talk to some of the very top names in ufology. We were particularly interested in meeting Derrel Sims (the "Alien Hunter") and were honored when he and his co-author, Pat Gray, spent an evening with us and our friend Ron. Derrel and Pat's book is filled with all sorts of information on abductions and the science of documenting them. I had heard that mutilated cattle may have marks that fluoresce under a black light but had no idea that some human abductees have marks that show up under either infra red or ultraviolet light. The fluorescence is actually under the skin and doesn't wash off. Derrel is also the top investigator of implants, which is our area of greatest interest, so we're hoping we may be able to assist on his team sometime in the future.
I was also very moved to hear and meet Travis Walton. You may have seen the movie made about Travis' abduction, "Fire in the Sky." Travis is the individual who had been out working on a logging project and was returning home with his co-workers when they saw an unusual light in the forest. Travis got out of the truck and approached the light - when he was hit by a beam from a craft, lifted up and thrown. The incident was witnessed by all of those remaining in the truck - who were scared to death and took off. When they went back with the Sheriff to search for him, Travis was gone. He remained missing for about 4 days - until he came to on a rural road and made his way back to town. Travis is soft spoken and extremely credible. He said that there have been 16 lie detector tests given and passed re this event.
Our friend, Ron Regehr, gave a great presentation on the petroglyphs and pictographs that he has studied - some of which are believed to portray flying saucers. We were sorry to have missed Don Schmitt's talk but we did get to chat a bit with him and will see him later in the month in Denver. Don, who is from the greater Milwaukee area, is one of the most foremost Roswell investigators in the world.
We decided to head right to Grand Junction from Roswell as Chuck had an appointment with his orthopedic doctor and internist on July 9th. Little did we know that this change in itinerary would take us through mountain passes on the fabled MOST DANGEROUS HIGHWAY in America.
To add to the fun, Chuck had never instructed me in the use of the jake brake. I had no idea that I should turn it off when going down steep grades. We smelled a little rubber but didn't realize just how much smoke was billowing behind us until people started honking. We pulled over and Chuck immediately started hosing down the left rear tire and brake. When the smoke dissipated, we took the jake brake off and I resumed driving. He also told me to pump the brakes instead of holding the pedal down - some turns took 15 or more pumps on the pedal. The scenery was fantastic but I didn't dare look anywhere but the road while driving. We finally pulled into an RV park in Durango to rest. My nerves were frazzled and my right foot was exhausted!
The host at the RV park warned us about the remaining portion of our trip. It was worse!
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_550,
"Though the entire stretch has been called the Million Dollar Highway, it is really the twelve miles (19 km) south of Ouray through the Uncompahgre Gorge to the summit of Red Mountain Pass which gains the highway its name. This stretch through the gorge is challenging and potentially hazardous to drive; it is characterized by steep cliffs, narrow lanes, and a lack of guardrails; the ascent of Red Mountain Pass is marked with a number of hairpin "S" curves used to gain elevation, and again, narrow lanes for traffic—many cut directly into the sides of mountains. Travel north from Silverton to Ouray allows drivers to hug the inside of curves; travel south from Ouray to Silverton perches drivers on the vertiginous outside edge of the highway. Large RVs travel in both directions, which adds a degree of excitement (or danger) to people in cars."
On the way up to the first pass, I noticed the "trans temp" light going on so we stopped and let the engine cool down. Now we had a problem going up and going down - and I kept wondering about the state of the brakes after the first day. Keep in mind that this is only the fourth day that I've driven the RV. "Pee my pants" was a phrase that kept coming to mind. When you see 10 mph road signs, you know it's not good. But - we made it and Chuck says that I am now a certified RV driver. That may be.... but I will never, NEVER, drive a 39 foot and towing RV on Hwy. 550 again.
Chuck's appointment with the ortho doc in Grand Junction went well and she removed the pins. He just has a removable splint now and will have a recheck when we get back to Wisconsin. The trip to the internist confirmed Chuck's suspicions - he had fractured 3 ribs when he fell out of the RV. Nothing to be done about it but continue to take drugs. Poor guy - no wonder he was so uncomfortable.
We are now back in Moab, UT so that Chuck can work with Ron on MUFON projects. Will head up to Denver around the 20th for the MUFON Symposium.
Warm regards - Vicki
I was a little surprised that there weren't more people at Roswell but we heard that the numbers were down. The up-side was that it made it easier for us to meet and talk to some of the very top names in ufology. We were particularly interested in meeting Derrel Sims (the "Alien Hunter") and were honored when he and his co-author, Pat Gray, spent an evening with us and our friend Ron. Derrel and Pat's book is filled with all sorts of information on abductions and the science of documenting them. I had heard that mutilated cattle may have marks that fluoresce under a black light but had no idea that some human abductees have marks that show up under either infra red or ultraviolet light. The fluorescence is actually under the skin and doesn't wash off. Derrel is also the top investigator of implants, which is our area of greatest interest, so we're hoping we may be able to assist on his team sometime in the future.
I was also very moved to hear and meet Travis Walton. You may have seen the movie made about Travis' abduction, "Fire in the Sky." Travis is the individual who had been out working on a logging project and was returning home with his co-workers when they saw an unusual light in the forest. Travis got out of the truck and approached the light - when he was hit by a beam from a craft, lifted up and thrown. The incident was witnessed by all of those remaining in the truck - who were scared to death and took off. When they went back with the Sheriff to search for him, Travis was gone. He remained missing for about 4 days - until he came to on a rural road and made his way back to town. Travis is soft spoken and extremely credible. He said that there have been 16 lie detector tests given and passed re this event.
Our friend, Ron Regehr, gave a great presentation on the petroglyphs and pictographs that he has studied - some of which are believed to portray flying saucers. We were sorry to have missed Don Schmitt's talk but we did get to chat a bit with him and will see him later in the month in Denver. Don, who is from the greater Milwaukee area, is one of the most foremost Roswell investigators in the world.
We decided to head right to Grand Junction from Roswell as Chuck had an appointment with his orthopedic doctor and internist on July 9th. Little did we know that this change in itinerary would take us through mountain passes on the fabled MOST DANGEROUS HIGHWAY in America.
To add to the fun, Chuck had never instructed me in the use of the jake brake. I had no idea that I should turn it off when going down steep grades. We smelled a little rubber but didn't realize just how much smoke was billowing behind us until people started honking. We pulled over and Chuck immediately started hosing down the left rear tire and brake. When the smoke dissipated, we took the jake brake off and I resumed driving. He also told me to pump the brakes instead of holding the pedal down - some turns took 15 or more pumps on the pedal. The scenery was fantastic but I didn't dare look anywhere but the road while driving. We finally pulled into an RV park in Durango to rest. My nerves were frazzled and my right foot was exhausted!
The host at the RV park warned us about the remaining portion of our trip. It was worse!
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_550,
"Though the entire stretch has been called the Million Dollar Highway, it is really the twelve miles (19 km) south of Ouray through the Uncompahgre Gorge to the summit of Red Mountain Pass which gains the highway its name. This stretch through the gorge is challenging and potentially hazardous to drive; it is characterized by steep cliffs, narrow lanes, and a lack of guardrails; the ascent of Red Mountain Pass is marked with a number of hairpin "S" curves used to gain elevation, and again, narrow lanes for traffic—many cut directly into the sides of mountains. Travel north from Silverton to Ouray allows drivers to hug the inside of curves; travel south from Ouray to Silverton perches drivers on the vertiginous outside edge of the highway. Large RVs travel in both directions, which adds a degree of excitement (or danger) to people in cars."
On the way up to the first pass, I noticed the "trans temp" light going on so we stopped and let the engine cool down. Now we had a problem going up and going down - and I kept wondering about the state of the brakes after the first day. Keep in mind that this is only the fourth day that I've driven the RV. "Pee my pants" was a phrase that kept coming to mind. When you see 10 mph road signs, you know it's not good. But - we made it and Chuck says that I am now a certified RV driver. That may be.... but I will never, NEVER, drive a 39 foot and towing RV on Hwy. 550 again.
Chuck's appointment with the ortho doc in Grand Junction went well and she removed the pins. He just has a removable splint now and will have a recheck when we get back to Wisconsin. The trip to the internist confirmed Chuck's suspicions - he had fractured 3 ribs when he fell out of the RV. Nothing to be done about it but continue to take drugs. Poor guy - no wonder he was so uncomfortable.
We are now back in Moab, UT so that Chuck can work with Ron on MUFON projects. Will head up to Denver around the 20th for the MUFON Symposium.
Warm regards - Vicki
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
June 30, 2010
This just in from Sylvia LeBlanc:
Instead of an old rabbit's foot, I think you need to have an exorcism on your RV. Get some Holy Water and give it a sprinkle.
Instead of an old rabbit's foot, I think you need to have an exorcism on your RV. Get some Holy Water and give it a sprinkle.
Monday, June 28, 2010
June 23, 2010
Chuck just didn't seem to be himself after his fall so we'd arranged for an appointment with an internist in Grand Junction. It's approximately 110 miles to GJ with NO food or potty stops so we decided to pick up a quick snack at McDonalds. I guess I was taking too much time deciding what I wanted because when I looked up, a car had slipped in between our car and the one that had been in front of me. I yelled out "that's not very gentlemanly" and the discussion went downhill from there. Chuck got irate, got out of the car and yelled "would you say that to your mother?," when the young man jumped out of his car and rushed back to push Chuck on both shoulders saying, "I ought to break your other arm old man and give you a matched pair." At this point, I called 911. Chuck might have looked weak with his cast but I think it's a good thing that I got in between the two of them or Chuck might have clocked him with his deadly cast. The upshot was that we spent 1/2 hour talking to the police and filling out forms - and being asked if we could kindly go to Burger King so that we'd get away from the scene. I should have asked for a drug screen but I really wasn't thinking...it wasn't so much that he called me a bitch...it was the "OLD bitch" that got me going!
Good thing we had a long drive to cool down. Imagine an area so remote that they have a road sign warning "Eagles on Hwy."
The upshot of the doctor visit was that we learned that Chuck's thyroid was off and also that he probably has sleep apnea. Now, in addition to the wires that were already hanging, we've got tubing from a condenser running to the back so that Chuck can use oxygen at night. Hopefully that situation will improve when we return to a lower altitude - he'll follow up with our doctor when we're home in August. On 7/16, he'll have the pins removed from his forearm. Oh, happy day.
The second trip to the Moab emergency room took place 3 nights ago. Chuck started to exit the RV when he realized that the steps had mysteriously retracted. He had a terrible fall - imitating a flying Wollenda while trying to protect his cast as he went down. Fortunately, he appears to just be contused and abused with no additional breaks. If you still have one of those horrible old rabbit's feet, could you lend it to us?
In the meantime, we've had the opportunity to see some of the incredible beauty of this area: Arches, Canyonlands, and the Needles District National Parks and Dead Horse State Park. All breathtakingly beautiful. The RV park we're in is next to a creek and faces high red cliffs. A white Robin, considered sacred by Native Americans, inhabits our park. The dirt here is so red that they sell "Red Dirt T-shirts" - so they look cleaner longer. The smoky-purple LaSal Mountains are to our back. The mountain peaks have had snow with subsquent melting several times since we arrived. The huge cottonwoods in the park seem to drop their own snow...fluffy white seeds that are so profuse that they actually pile up in places. We've had very little rain and it does get pretty hot - so hot that McDonalds sells 10# ice bags!
We had no intention of returning to Roswell but we're not that far away and the schedule of speakers for the annual celebration is so phenomenal that we've decided to go back - leaving tomorrow. Chuck will drive in the cities and I'm going to try driving on the more deserted stretches. YIKES. The plan is to go 20 miles and if it seems like it's going to be too much we'll go back and just drive the car. In addition to the presentation given by Ron Regehr, we'll see Don Schmitt (from Wisconsin) Jesse Marcel, Jr., Derryl Sims (the "Alien Hunter"), Kathleen Marden (niece of Betty Hill), Ruben Uriarte (MUFON),Richard Dolan, Peter Robbins and Travis Walton among others.
Will report on all of that later. In the meantime, I think I'll have a sip of one of the local brews "Polygamy Porter." Here's to you!
Love,
Vicki and Chuck
Good thing we had a long drive to cool down. Imagine an area so remote that they have a road sign warning "Eagles on Hwy."
The upshot of the doctor visit was that we learned that Chuck's thyroid was off and also that he probably has sleep apnea. Now, in addition to the wires that were already hanging, we've got tubing from a condenser running to the back so that Chuck can use oxygen at night. Hopefully that situation will improve when we return to a lower altitude - he'll follow up with our doctor when we're home in August. On 7/16, he'll have the pins removed from his forearm. Oh, happy day.
The second trip to the Moab emergency room took place 3 nights ago. Chuck started to exit the RV when he realized that the steps had mysteriously retracted. He had a terrible fall - imitating a flying Wollenda while trying to protect his cast as he went down. Fortunately, he appears to just be contused and abused with no additional breaks. If you still have one of those horrible old rabbit's feet, could you lend it to us?
In the meantime, we've had the opportunity to see some of the incredible beauty of this area: Arches, Canyonlands, and the Needles District National Parks and Dead Horse State Park. All breathtakingly beautiful. The RV park we're in is next to a creek and faces high red cliffs. A white Robin, considered sacred by Native Americans, inhabits our park. The dirt here is so red that they sell "Red Dirt T-shirts" - so they look cleaner longer. The smoky-purple LaSal Mountains are to our back. The mountain peaks have had snow with subsquent melting several times since we arrived. The huge cottonwoods in the park seem to drop their own snow...fluffy white seeds that are so profuse that they actually pile up in places. We've had very little rain and it does get pretty hot - so hot that McDonalds sells 10# ice bags!
We had no intention of returning to Roswell but we're not that far away and the schedule of speakers for the annual celebration is so phenomenal that we've decided to go back - leaving tomorrow. Chuck will drive in the cities and I'm going to try driving on the more deserted stretches. YIKES. The plan is to go 20 miles and if it seems like it's going to be too much we'll go back and just drive the car. In addition to the presentation given by Ron Regehr, we'll see Don Schmitt (from Wisconsin) Jesse Marcel, Jr., Derryl Sims (the "Alien Hunter"), Kathleen Marden (niece of Betty Hill), Ruben Uriarte (MUFON),Richard Dolan, Peter Robbins and Travis Walton among others.
Will report on all of that later. In the meantime, I think I'll have a sip of one of the local brews "Polygamy Porter." Here's to you!
Love,
Vicki and Chuck
Sunday, June 13, 2010
June 13, 2010
Robert Bigelow is the billionaire who was funding MUFON research.....
In a recent article by the New York Times, Bigelow is quoted about the dangers of extraterrestrial contact.
"I´ve been a researcher and student of UFO´s for many, many years," Mr. Bigelow said. "Anybody that does research, if people bother to do quality research, come away absolutely convinced. You don´t have to have personal encounters...People have been killed. People have been hurt. It´s more than observational kind of data."
This is why I have told my doctor and family, if anything happens to us - insist on an independent autopsy and don't let the government take my body.
In a recent article by the New York Times, Bigelow is quoted about the dangers of extraterrestrial contact.
"I´ve been a researcher and student of UFO´s for many, many years," Mr. Bigelow said. "Anybody that does research, if people bother to do quality research, come away absolutely convinced. You don´t have to have personal encounters...People have been killed. People have been hurt. It´s more than observational kind of data."
This is why I have told my doctor and family, if anything happens to us - insist on an independent autopsy and don't let the government take my body.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
June 6, 2010
So much has happened since the last post..and things are starting to blend together but here are the highlights.
Gallup, NM blah, blah, blah... the lift transfer pump...blah, blah, blah... $1,100....directly attributed to the failure to change the main fuel filter...which we thought we had done previously in Florida - still have the receipt for parts and labor. Uh huh.
Then we heard about property back in Wisconsin that might be suitable for a group home. We decided to go on to the RV park owned by our friend, Ron Regehr, in Moab, Utah. We parked the RV there and the next day Chuck drove me to Salt Lake City so I could fly home and look at the property myself. Even before I left, I had talked to the town engineer who said he would arrange for an informal appearance before the town board so that I could determine whether there were any clear obstacles to building a group home on the parcel. The realtor, I and our architect met at the property which was a lot cut out of Western Lakes Golf Course. The property was heavily wooded and very pretty. Right before we left the property, however, the realtor advised me that the owner had taken the matter off of the town schedule. I flew all that way and he didn't have the courtesy to let me know.....GRRRR. So, Nicky and I checked out a couple of other spots but didn't find anything exciting. The trip wasn't a total waste though as it was great to plant spring flowers, see the ladies, meet new staff, visit with a few people and hug Champers.
Upon my return to Moab, Ron took us out on a petroglyph/pictograph tour of some of the local Native American works. I read a bit of Ron's writings on this subject and was impressed by the subtle signs that these works reveal. Aspects such as "relaxed ears" can be telling, for example:
Relaxed ears = figure is not afraid
Deer prints with dew claws showing = fleeing
Lack of hands = defenseless
Interlocking short spirals = friendship
Broad line above person = abode (when head partially protrudes it means he is unwilling to come out of his dwelling place)
This engaging man is also an icon in the UFO field. I have seen his name mentioned many times in various books on the subject - so there is a lot he can teach us in that area as well. Sometimes Ron is able to combine his interests - such as studying the petroglyph at Natural Bridges National Monument which is believed to depict an alien spacecraft which comes down to earth.
The next day Chuck and I drove through the fabulous Arches National Park. The immense red rock takes on a myriad of intriguing forms which people from all over the world come to see, hike and climb. I'm sure we'll go back before we leave.
Memorial day is a very busy time for the RV parks and we knew we needed to move the car dolly that we had left in a tent site. On Wednesday, Ron offered to hook it up to his ATV and they were in the process of that when Chuck tripped over the dolly and hit hard. He knew immediately (and I could see) that he had broken his arm. Off to the local ER room. They anesthetized Chuck, realigned his arm and applied a cast. He asked for green and he got it - day glo! I thought that the doctor was an orthopedic surgeon but learned later that there is only one ortho guy in town. We couldn't get in to see him for follow up so made an appointment for Friday in Grand Junction ("GJ"), CO.
The doctor in GJ tried to recast it but it didn't stay realigned. Next stop = surgery. So, on Thursday, June 3rd, Chuck underwent surgery and had 4 wires placed to stabilize the correct alignment of the arm. He could tell right away that it felt better. During that whole process, however, they also realized that his oxygen saturation level in his blood was pretty low. Since we'll need to stay in the area for about a month while Chuck heals, we'll be checking that out with a doc in GJ as well.
Stay tuned for the next blog which will cover the "McDonalds and the 911 call."
Gallup, NM blah, blah, blah... the lift transfer pump...blah, blah, blah... $1,100....directly attributed to the failure to change the main fuel filter...which we thought we had done previously in Florida - still have the receipt for parts and labor. Uh huh.
Then we heard about property back in Wisconsin that might be suitable for a group home. We decided to go on to the RV park owned by our friend, Ron Regehr, in Moab, Utah. We parked the RV there and the next day Chuck drove me to Salt Lake City so I could fly home and look at the property myself. Even before I left, I had talked to the town engineer who said he would arrange for an informal appearance before the town board so that I could determine whether there were any clear obstacles to building a group home on the parcel. The realtor, I and our architect met at the property which was a lot cut out of Western Lakes Golf Course. The property was heavily wooded and very pretty. Right before we left the property, however, the realtor advised me that the owner had taken the matter off of the town schedule. I flew all that way and he didn't have the courtesy to let me know.....GRRRR. So, Nicky and I checked out a couple of other spots but didn't find anything exciting. The trip wasn't a total waste though as it was great to plant spring flowers, see the ladies, meet new staff, visit with a few people and hug Champers.
Upon my return to Moab, Ron took us out on a petroglyph/pictograph tour of some of the local Native American works. I read a bit of Ron's writings on this subject and was impressed by the subtle signs that these works reveal. Aspects such as "relaxed ears" can be telling, for example:
Relaxed ears = figure is not afraid
Deer prints with dew claws showing = fleeing
Lack of hands = defenseless
Interlocking short spirals = friendship
Broad line above person = abode (when head partially protrudes it means he is unwilling to come out of his dwelling place)
This engaging man is also an icon in the UFO field. I have seen his name mentioned many times in various books on the subject - so there is a lot he can teach us in that area as well. Sometimes Ron is able to combine his interests - such as studying the petroglyph at Natural Bridges National Monument which is believed to depict an alien spacecraft which comes down to earth.
The next day Chuck and I drove through the fabulous Arches National Park. The immense red rock takes on a myriad of intriguing forms which people from all over the world come to see, hike and climb. I'm sure we'll go back before we leave.
Memorial day is a very busy time for the RV parks and we knew we needed to move the car dolly that we had left in a tent site. On Wednesday, Ron offered to hook it up to his ATV and they were in the process of that when Chuck tripped over the dolly and hit hard. He knew immediately (and I could see) that he had broken his arm. Off to the local ER room. They anesthetized Chuck, realigned his arm and applied a cast. He asked for green and he got it - day glo! I thought that the doctor was an orthopedic surgeon but learned later that there is only one ortho guy in town. We couldn't get in to see him for follow up so made an appointment for Friday in Grand Junction ("GJ"), CO.
The doctor in GJ tried to recast it but it didn't stay realigned. Next stop = surgery. So, on Thursday, June 3rd, Chuck underwent surgery and had 4 wires placed to stabilize the correct alignment of the arm. He could tell right away that it felt better. During that whole process, however, they also realized that his oxygen saturation level in his blood was pretty low. Since we'll need to stay in the area for about a month while Chuck heals, we'll be checking that out with a doc in GJ as well.
Stay tuned for the next blog which will cover the "McDonalds and the 911 call."
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
May 12, 2010
Well - now we can check the Roswell UFO Museum off of our list. It was nice but I've read so much about the 1947 event that not a lot was new to me - other than some affidavits that I hadn't seen before. The exhibits are primarily framed items on the wall and my back and neck started hurting after awhile. They'll be building a new museum in the future. I hope they get enough money to put in some nice benches and AV exhibits for geezers.
As we prepare to depart, Chuck has difficulty keeping our generator running. All of our electrical appliances run off of the generator when we're not hooked up. We don't really need it when we're on the move so we depart for Albuquerque. We've experienced high, dusty winds ever since we hit El Paso. We just saw a program on the "dust bowl" problems of the 30's and now get a small taste of how it must have been. Hellacious winds buffet the RV and hamper our progress. A police car flies past us, lights flashing - and we finally see it again down the road where a trailer has tipped over in the wind.
We've heard a whistling sound in the past; now all of a sudden, it seems much, much shriller. I attribute this solely to the high winds (as my Dad used to say, "you girls drive your cars until the wheels fall off.") Chuck, however, hones in on the problem. The right side of the windshield is starting to separate from the frame of the RV and there is an open slit at least 1/4" wide. WHAT! How could this possibly happen? We tape it up but I'm on pins and needles for the rest of the trip thinking it's going to pop out. Each side of the windshield costs about $1,000. We have insurance for glass but a question lingers in the back of my mind - can you get sucked out of a moving vehicle?
The drive into Albuqerque was beautiful and I have a much better appreciation for this area than I had when I flew in to see Bill and Laureen in the past. The "box" formed by the surrounding mountains offers a unique environment for ballonists and the famous Albuqerque Balloon Festival. We park for the night and make appointments for our needed repairs. According to the glass replacement specialist, it is quite common for RV windows to become unseated. Uh huh....okay, that makes me feel better, but how can the generator be presenting problems when we've had it inspected and maintained it? The expert's opinion? The wires were chewed by rodents. RODENTS! What in the world do we need to do to prevent that from happening again? Just call me Lucy!
As we prepare to depart, Chuck has difficulty keeping our generator running. All of our electrical appliances run off of the generator when we're not hooked up. We don't really need it when we're on the move so we depart for Albuquerque. We've experienced high, dusty winds ever since we hit El Paso. We just saw a program on the "dust bowl" problems of the 30's and now get a small taste of how it must have been. Hellacious winds buffet the RV and hamper our progress. A police car flies past us, lights flashing - and we finally see it again down the road where a trailer has tipped over in the wind.
We've heard a whistling sound in the past; now all of a sudden, it seems much, much shriller. I attribute this solely to the high winds (as my Dad used to say, "you girls drive your cars until the wheels fall off.") Chuck, however, hones in on the problem. The right side of the windshield is starting to separate from the frame of the RV and there is an open slit at least 1/4" wide. WHAT! How could this possibly happen? We tape it up but I'm on pins and needles for the rest of the trip thinking it's going to pop out. Each side of the windshield costs about $1,000. We have insurance for glass but a question lingers in the back of my mind - can you get sucked out of a moving vehicle?
The drive into Albuqerque was beautiful and I have a much better appreciation for this area than I had when I flew in to see Bill and Laureen in the past. The "box" formed by the surrounding mountains offers a unique environment for ballonists and the famous Albuqerque Balloon Festival. We park for the night and make appointments for our needed repairs. According to the glass replacement specialist, it is quite common for RV windows to become unseated. Uh huh....okay, that makes me feel better, but how can the generator be presenting problems when we've had it inspected and maintained it? The expert's opinion? The wires were chewed by rodents. RODENTS! What in the world do we need to do to prevent that from happening again? Just call me Lucy!
Friday, May 7, 2010
May 7, 2010
Per Ray and Hannelore Heizer, "don't know if you have ever watched Lucy and Desi's wonderful movie, "The Long, Long Trailer," from the early 1950's, but this latest tale of yours is a near-perfect reproduction of an early scene in that movie....rent and watch it ASAP! ...be sure to have kleenex handy as you will laugh tears...;-)" GREAT ....can't wait :-P
Actually, we might be able to go one better. Our next stop was Lackland AFB but that's a whole other story for another day...or maybe not.
After Lackland, we headed towards El Paso. As we drove, Chuck started getting sporadic "check engine" lights. The Cummings Diesel folks found that the stainless steel covering on the high pressure oil hose had ruptured, spraying oil onto two separate air coolers - one for the air conditioning and transmission and the other for the engine. How the heck? It's all a long story but the bottom line is that we left 9 days later and $4,800.00 poorer. I filled much of the down time with a great page turner, "The 19th Wife," by David Ebershoff. This modern-day murder mystery was interspersed with historical information about the Mormon Church and Ann Eliza (Mrs. Brigham) Young.who became famous for her eventual campaign against polygamy. Marilyn - this might be a good book for your book club.
I also did a little antiquing and loved the SaddleBlanket (http://www.saddleblanket.com/). The owner is a bit of a character and was onsite. There is a sign outside the store advising visitors that well-behaved dogs are welcome at all times. Outside is a large trailer and sodded dog runs which serve as a showcase for abandoned dogs. Pamphlets announce that each Saturday one can shop and adopt. You gotta love someone who runs their business this way. I told Nicky that we need to have a dog party at the house when I'm home.
We finally headed towards White Sands Missile Range - where Chuck served a couple of years in the late 60's. The surrounding mountains are impressive - and provide a beautiful view from the front of the RV. Absolutely no crises here and we enjoyed an evening stroll/tour on the white dunes of White Sands Monument. This is the world's largest gypsum deposit, easily seen from space. There is a road into the park which then turns to a plowed gypsum road. It looks like snow and the kids bring their saucers to slide on. Interestingly, they purposefully did not pave a large part of the road because of the shifting dunes. The road, picnic tables and portable toilets all have to be moved periodically to stay ahead of the dunes.
I drove over to Holloman Air Force Base to see if I could find any records about balloons which were sent up or retrieved in 1947. After looking in vain for the Freedom of Information office, I drive back to the "Welcome Center" where I ask the slug behind the desk whether there is a map of the base. "Absolutely not," she responds, "we don't want anyone to know where everything is." I do understand the need for security but we've obtained basic maps at many bases (and I really think they ought to change the name of the center.) The FOIA people, on the other hand, were very friendly but inform me that one must request records online or by mail. They don't even have a form I can fill out or a computer they can consult for me. Right.
Chuck's been following a case in the East where the individuals claim to have been picked up in their car by a UFO and subsequently dropped. Interestingly, there is no damage to the exterior of the car - except to the bottom - and a broken windshield caused by the deployment of the air bags. We're hoping that the individuals involved will choose to undergo hypno-regression.
We're finally in Roswell, NM and will tell you about that in the next post.
Vicki and Chuck
Actually, we might be able to go one better. Our next stop was Lackland AFB but that's a whole other story for another day...or maybe not.
After Lackland, we headed towards El Paso. As we drove, Chuck started getting sporadic "check engine" lights. The Cummings Diesel folks found that the stainless steel covering on the high pressure oil hose had ruptured, spraying oil onto two separate air coolers - one for the air conditioning and transmission and the other for the engine. How the heck? It's all a long story but the bottom line is that we left 9 days later and $4,800.00 poorer. I filled much of the down time with a great page turner, "The 19th Wife," by David Ebershoff. This modern-day murder mystery was interspersed with historical information about the Mormon Church and Ann Eliza (Mrs. Brigham) Young.who became famous for her eventual campaign against polygamy. Marilyn - this might be a good book for your book club.
I also did a little antiquing and loved the SaddleBlanket (http://www.saddleblanket.com/). The owner is a bit of a character and was onsite. There is a sign outside the store advising visitors that well-behaved dogs are welcome at all times. Outside is a large trailer and sodded dog runs which serve as a showcase for abandoned dogs. Pamphlets announce that each Saturday one can shop and adopt. You gotta love someone who runs their business this way. I told Nicky that we need to have a dog party at the house when I'm home.
We finally headed towards White Sands Missile Range - where Chuck served a couple of years in the late 60's. The surrounding mountains are impressive - and provide a beautiful view from the front of the RV. Absolutely no crises here and we enjoyed an evening stroll/tour on the white dunes of White Sands Monument. This is the world's largest gypsum deposit, easily seen from space. There is a road into the park which then turns to a plowed gypsum road. It looks like snow and the kids bring their saucers to slide on. Interestingly, they purposefully did not pave a large part of the road because of the shifting dunes. The road, picnic tables and portable toilets all have to be moved periodically to stay ahead of the dunes.
I drove over to Holloman Air Force Base to see if I could find any records about balloons which were sent up or retrieved in 1947. After looking in vain for the Freedom of Information office, I drive back to the "Welcome Center" where I ask the slug behind the desk whether there is a map of the base. "Absolutely not," she responds, "we don't want anyone to know where everything is." I do understand the need for security but we've obtained basic maps at many bases (and I really think they ought to change the name of the center.) The FOIA people, on the other hand, were very friendly but inform me that one must request records online or by mail. They don't even have a form I can fill out or a computer they can consult for me. Right.
Chuck's been following a case in the East where the individuals claim to have been picked up in their car by a UFO and subsequently dropped. Interestingly, there is no damage to the exterior of the car - except to the bottom - and a broken windshield caused by the deployment of the air bags. We're hoping that the individuals involved will choose to undergo hypno-regression.
We're finally in Roswell, NM and will tell you about that in the next post.
Vicki and Chuck
Saturday, April 17, 2010
April 17, 2010
This post is dedicated to Ray and Hannelore Heizer - who seem to identify with our challenges.
The weather forecast wasn't good but Ken decided we should go to Mexico anyway and we are so grateful that we went. It rained before we got to New Progreso and again after we left - but while we were there, it was pleasant and we had the whole place to ourselves. First we stopped at the duty-free shop where we purchased a new kind of Tequila to treat Chuck's palate. Then we parked our car and headed for the coffee/donut shop. The streets are filled with vendors of food, leather goods, baseball caps, DVDs, tons of jewelry, baskets, etc. Then there are the mobile vendors - mostly women and school children - trying to sell their wares. My favorite, however, was the white-coated professional greeting passersby.... "senor - a root canal today?" I have never seen such a heavy concentration of dentist offices in my life. Many Americans cross the border to receive dental care at a fraction of the cost - even though most of the dentists were trained in the states. Ken and Vera have visited this town often enough that they know some of the shop keepers. They also participate every Christmas in a special volunteer gift program at the local school. Hoards of children come from many, many miles away for the only Christmas gifts they will receive. What an admirable contribution to this poor community!
We had a wonderful lunch with $3 Margaritas and live music - then headed over to a reputable pharmacy. I purchased an antibiotic which my doctor has prescribed in the past for cheap, cheap..... but then they took it out of the bottle it was in and put it into an Omeprazole bottle. ???? That did give me pause. Once back to the RV, I immediately used a magic marker to put the correct name on.... but had forgotten what the dosage was ....hmmm. All in all, it was a great visit. Ken and Vera were heading home to Wisconsin in a couple of days and we hope to catch up with them when we're back in August.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of our day. When we got back to the RV, it seemed to be tilting a bit. Whereas we had been level before, it looked like we'd have to put the jacks down to straighten it out. I have to explain here that there had been an unpredented amount of rain in this area. We never expected, however, what happened next. The back left jack went down and down and down - into at least 18 inches of soggy mud. We determined that we better put down the premium wooden boards with handle (that Chuck and Karl made before we left) and after several attempts to lift the balky, muddy jack, I was able to slide two boards (criss-cross) in. Back down with the jacks - which snapped the two boards like teeny matchsticks...crack, crack, crack...all the while I'm screaming at Chuck, who can't hear a word over the engine. Now not only are we in the mud, the matchstick halves are solidly stuck and are pointed upward towards the bottom of our rig. Will they rip something out of the bottom if we move? We went to the office to enlist their help. The woman peers over her glasses and states that there wasn't a hole there before we arrived. What...we poured water under the RV to create a hole that we can't get out of? She calls the handymen. They don't have any winches but have a few helpful hand tools and after a bit of a struggle, they pull out the offending boards. Nonetheless, when we go to move the RV, it too is now stuck in the mud. We're dirty, the floor is muddy...arrgghh. We give up the struggle and have a drink. Time to call the professionals - which we did in the morning. It didn't take much to get us going but we'd had it. We had already paid through the next day but decided that it was way past time to move on. I finally understand the attraction of cement pads.
The weather forecast wasn't good but Ken decided we should go to Mexico anyway and we are so grateful that we went. It rained before we got to New Progreso and again after we left - but while we were there, it was pleasant and we had the whole place to ourselves. First we stopped at the duty-free shop where we purchased a new kind of Tequila to treat Chuck's palate. Then we parked our car and headed for the coffee/donut shop. The streets are filled with vendors of food, leather goods, baseball caps, DVDs, tons of jewelry, baskets, etc. Then there are the mobile vendors - mostly women and school children - trying to sell their wares. My favorite, however, was the white-coated professional greeting passersby.... "senor - a root canal today?" I have never seen such a heavy concentration of dentist offices in my life. Many Americans cross the border to receive dental care at a fraction of the cost - even though most of the dentists were trained in the states. Ken and Vera have visited this town often enough that they know some of the shop keepers. They also participate every Christmas in a special volunteer gift program at the local school. Hoards of children come from many, many miles away for the only Christmas gifts they will receive. What an admirable contribution to this poor community!
We had a wonderful lunch with $3 Margaritas and live music - then headed over to a reputable pharmacy. I purchased an antibiotic which my doctor has prescribed in the past for cheap, cheap..... but then they took it out of the bottle it was in and put it into an Omeprazole bottle. ???? That did give me pause. Once back to the RV, I immediately used a magic marker to put the correct name on.... but had forgotten what the dosage was ....hmmm. All in all, it was a great visit. Ken and Vera were heading home to Wisconsin in a couple of days and we hope to catch up with them when we're back in August.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of our day. When we got back to the RV, it seemed to be tilting a bit. Whereas we had been level before, it looked like we'd have to put the jacks down to straighten it out. I have to explain here that there had been an unpredented amount of rain in this area. We never expected, however, what happened next. The back left jack went down and down and down - into at least 18 inches of soggy mud. We determined that we better put down the premium wooden boards with handle (that Chuck and Karl made before we left) and after several attempts to lift the balky, muddy jack, I was able to slide two boards (criss-cross) in. Back down with the jacks - which snapped the two boards like teeny matchsticks...crack, crack, crack...all the while I'm screaming at Chuck, who can't hear a word over the engine. Now not only are we in the mud, the matchstick halves are solidly stuck and are pointed upward towards the bottom of our rig. Will they rip something out of the bottom if we move? We went to the office to enlist their help. The woman peers over her glasses and states that there wasn't a hole there before we arrived. What...we poured water under the RV to create a hole that we can't get out of? She calls the handymen. They don't have any winches but have a few helpful hand tools and after a bit of a struggle, they pull out the offending boards. Nonetheless, when we go to move the RV, it too is now stuck in the mud. We're dirty, the floor is muddy...arrgghh. We give up the struggle and have a drink. Time to call the professionals - which we did in the morning. It didn't take much to get us going but we'd had it. We had already paid through the next day but decided that it was way past time to move on. I finally understand the attraction of cement pads.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
April 13, 2010
I attended Paul Smith's Intermediate Controlled Remote Viewing class in Austin. Unlike the first class I took, there were 6 people - including a physician, nurse practitioner, physics teacher, myself and two guys from France. One of the guys was someone who earned his living as a psychic and the other one was the owner of a company that teaches paranormal processes and offers advice to businesses of various types. The latter had his cameraman there to film the beginning of the class - so we were off to an interesting start!
The intermediate class covers Stage IV. Paul said that we would find it empowering and we did. In addition to using words describing what we could pick up with our senses, we were now able to add how any people at the target site might feel, tangible objects and intangible concepts. We could now comment on impressions such as political, religious, and historical that had been popping into our heads. You're also encouraged to "air model" (using your hands in the air) to try and determine the target's shape.
Next they took us through movement exercises which are designed to let you "view"the target from any angle. Your monitor gives you an instruction such as "Prepare to move. At a distance of 200 feet above the target, something should be perceiveable." We did one session where we were "moved" to three different places...as if one wasn't enough!
I had a couple of good sessions, the rest so-so. Paul says that I get a good signal but that I'm in a huge battle with my left brain, which is trying to name what I'm describing. An example of this was a sketch of a triangular form on top of a couple of parallel lines - which immediately brought the Parthenon to mind. Similarly, our senses take in information on an unconscious level and the left brain tries to name it. The strict format of Paul's CRV approach is aimed at opening up the aperture beween the unconscious and conscious and allowing you to describe the elements of the target as opposed to naming it.
My favorite and best target reminded me of my trip to Nepal. Once into stage IV, I wrote down the words door, decorated and foreign. Paul told me to go on through the door but naughty me - I'd already snuck in. Darker complected people here seemed centered, pleasant and studious. I sensed that there was a distinct class structure. I felt compelled to get up and illustrate how they walked in an unhurried, quiet way. I heard a faint tinkling and said that there was a scent like heated oils. The colors of gold and crimson, velvety textures and objects like gold chalices produced a pronounced feel of opulence. The structure itself was perched, had a panoramic view and there was a higher purpose associated with it. The target was the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. This experience made the effort of taking the class worthwhile.
I learned that the shorter Associative Remote Viewing Class was going to be offered one day after we finished the Intermediate course. This class hadn't been offered for a year and a half so it seemed to make sense to stay and take it as well. Associative Remote Viewing is used to predict select future events such as the outcome of sports events and performance in the stock market. The problem with this process is that you need a lot of people to participate and even then the results didn't seem to be that much greater than chance. Each of us did place a $2 bet on the Texas lottery and were tasked with trying to pick a certain number in a certain position. My partner and I were the only ones who got our number and position correct but I certainly wouldn't risk any serious money using this procedure.
Chuck and I spent our last afternoon in Austin at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. There were a lot of interesting plants and art work but the huge crowd and my aching back made the experience a lot less enjoyable than it should have been. But no matter - as we drove south from Austin we were treated to the most amazing display of wildflowers I have ever seen along a roadside. Blue bonnets were joined by other wildflowers in colors of tangerine, pale pink, brassy gold, yellow and magenta. We were there at just the right time and the wildflowers were phenomenal. Never expected to see that in Texas. I kept wishing that it was a sunny day and that PJ was onboard with her camera.
We're now in Mission, Texas - winter home to my sister Joannie's dearest friend, Vera and her husband, Ken. More on that part of our trip later.
Vicki and Chuck
The intermediate class covers Stage IV. Paul said that we would find it empowering and we did. In addition to using words describing what we could pick up with our senses, we were now able to add how any people at the target site might feel, tangible objects and intangible concepts. We could now comment on impressions such as political, religious, and historical that had been popping into our heads. You're also encouraged to "air model" (using your hands in the air) to try and determine the target's shape.
Next they took us through movement exercises which are designed to let you "view"the target from any angle. Your monitor gives you an instruction such as "Prepare to move. At a distance of 200 feet above the target, something should be perceiveable." We did one session where we were "moved" to three different places...as if one wasn't enough!
I had a couple of good sessions, the rest so-so. Paul says that I get a good signal but that I'm in a huge battle with my left brain, which is trying to name what I'm describing. An example of this was a sketch of a triangular form on top of a couple of parallel lines - which immediately brought the Parthenon to mind. Similarly, our senses take in information on an unconscious level and the left brain tries to name it. The strict format of Paul's CRV approach is aimed at opening up the aperture beween the unconscious and conscious and allowing you to describe the elements of the target as opposed to naming it.
My favorite and best target reminded me of my trip to Nepal. Once into stage IV, I wrote down the words door, decorated and foreign. Paul told me to go on through the door but naughty me - I'd already snuck in. Darker complected people here seemed centered, pleasant and studious. I sensed that there was a distinct class structure. I felt compelled to get up and illustrate how they walked in an unhurried, quiet way. I heard a faint tinkling and said that there was a scent like heated oils. The colors of gold and crimson, velvety textures and objects like gold chalices produced a pronounced feel of opulence. The structure itself was perched, had a panoramic view and there was a higher purpose associated with it. The target was the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. This experience made the effort of taking the class worthwhile.
I learned that the shorter Associative Remote Viewing Class was going to be offered one day after we finished the Intermediate course. This class hadn't been offered for a year and a half so it seemed to make sense to stay and take it as well. Associative Remote Viewing is used to predict select future events such as the outcome of sports events and performance in the stock market. The problem with this process is that you need a lot of people to participate and even then the results didn't seem to be that much greater than chance. Each of us did place a $2 bet on the Texas lottery and were tasked with trying to pick a certain number in a certain position. My partner and I were the only ones who got our number and position correct but I certainly wouldn't risk any serious money using this procedure.
Chuck and I spent our last afternoon in Austin at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. There were a lot of interesting plants and art work but the huge crowd and my aching back made the experience a lot less enjoyable than it should have been. But no matter - as we drove south from Austin we were treated to the most amazing display of wildflowers I have ever seen along a roadside. Blue bonnets were joined by other wildflowers in colors of tangerine, pale pink, brassy gold, yellow and magenta. We were there at just the right time and the wildflowers were phenomenal. Never expected to see that in Texas. I kept wishing that it was a sunny day and that PJ was onboard with her camera.
We're now in Mission, Texas - winter home to my sister Joannie's dearest friend, Vera and her husband, Ken. More on that part of our trip later.
Vicki and Chuck
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
March 31, 2010
We were in Louisiana rolling along when the "check engine" light came on and the engine died. Chuck was able to get the RV off the road, where we placed a call to our Good Sam roadside assistance. Eventually..... the tow truck appeared. It's quite a process to get the RV set up to tow and that poor guy was on the ground with traffic whizzing by...not the safest job in the world. Once he was done, we climbed up into his truck; it had so many instrument dials that it looked like a cockpit to me. Apparently there aren't that many shops here that work on Cummings Diesel engines so we're off to Lake Charles.
We arrived in the late afternoon and they can't get us in. The only thing left to do was to crack open a bottle of White Zin. Fortunately, we were able to hook up to electric but we'll have to use as little water as possible - no showers. If the black water tank fills up, we'll either have to pee in the sink or the parking lot. The first indication we have of the type of neighborhood we're in was the sound of several gun shots. Have another sip of WZ. The rest of the night passed without incident.
They're closed on Saturday but we're able to locate a nice mechanic who came in to do some extra work. Unfortunately, his buddy had taken the diagnostic equipment on a job and then home. At a minimum, we're stuck until Monday. At least Chuck and I can take the tow car off and go out for a nice dinner...except that when we try to leave, every single gate is closed and locked. Back to the RV where pickings are slim.
By Sunday, I'm ready to take action and take the bike out in search of groceries. The GPS says there is a grocery store a mile away. Fortunately, Chuck decides this is not an adventure he should let me take on my own. Down comes his bike - which hasn't seen any action since it went up. We're off.
The first thing we pass is a burned out area of grass across the street - guess that's what the fire truck was doing here yesterday. Then there is the street guy pushing his belongings in a grocery cart. The path we travel is uneven. Sometimes there is a bit of sidewalk, sometimes not. We pass a police officer and check our directions. I can see the question in his eyes - what the heck are you two old geezers doing out here?
On the way, we pass a lovely old cemetery. They elevate the graves and cover the full length of the body with stone here. Interesting. Reminds me of the trip I made with my folks to Louisiana as a kid. I believe that something good comes out of almost every adversity. The best part of our little adventure is that I got Chuck on the bicycle.....the exercise felt great.
Monday morning FINALLY arrived. Greasy hair is driving both of us nuts. The diagnostic equipment has been returned but it isn't working right. Chuck is on the computer and the phone trying to buy the Cummings Diesel program himself so that we can get the heck out of here. In the meantime, we notice a flat tire on the tow car...which they don't fix here. Right. They make a call for us - tire repair is on its way. Not soon but hey....
Late Monday, they have finally diagnosed our problem. The serpentine belt is off and hanging. I don't know what this means but its an easy fix so that's good. The thing is that we had total maintenance 200 miles away, including air con....during which, they either put the belt back on wrong or should have seen the problem with this stupid belt. ARRRGGGHH.
We're operational again. On the way, we passed over "Crawfish Bayou" and a Crawfish Farm. Who knew they had such things? Once in Texas, we start singing "Deep in the Heart of Texas" but we only know one verse so it doesn't last long. I look up the lyrics on the computer and we start making up our own...we're so hard up for entertainment. I'm on the lookout for "little doggies" and we finally see some. Even saw some little "little doggies." Chuck expounds on animal husbandry...he's a font of informaion.
Finally we start to see swathes of the beautiful blue bonnets - the Texas state flower. Interspersed are other, unknown flowers - in tangerine, a few pink and crimson. Texas is alive and beautiful at this time of year - highlighted by frequent US and Lone Star Flags along the way. Even the Lone Star RV park is one of the nicest we've encountered and Chuck will stay here for a week while I'm at Paul Smith's CRV class. Mufon's Research and Development guy, Robert, lives in Austin so it will be great for them to spend some time together.
All our best -
Vicki and Chuck
We arrived in the late afternoon and they can't get us in. The only thing left to do was to crack open a bottle of White Zin. Fortunately, we were able to hook up to electric but we'll have to use as little water as possible - no showers. If the black water tank fills up, we'll either have to pee in the sink or the parking lot. The first indication we have of the type of neighborhood we're in was the sound of several gun shots. Have another sip of WZ. The rest of the night passed without incident.
They're closed on Saturday but we're able to locate a nice mechanic who came in to do some extra work. Unfortunately, his buddy had taken the diagnostic equipment on a job and then home. At a minimum, we're stuck until Monday. At least Chuck and I can take the tow car off and go out for a nice dinner...except that when we try to leave, every single gate is closed and locked. Back to the RV where pickings are slim.
By Sunday, I'm ready to take action and take the bike out in search of groceries. The GPS says there is a grocery store a mile away. Fortunately, Chuck decides this is not an adventure he should let me take on my own. Down comes his bike - which hasn't seen any action since it went up. We're off.
The first thing we pass is a burned out area of grass across the street - guess that's what the fire truck was doing here yesterday. Then there is the street guy pushing his belongings in a grocery cart. The path we travel is uneven. Sometimes there is a bit of sidewalk, sometimes not. We pass a police officer and check our directions. I can see the question in his eyes - what the heck are you two old geezers doing out here?
On the way, we pass a lovely old cemetery. They elevate the graves and cover the full length of the body with stone here. Interesting. Reminds me of the trip I made with my folks to Louisiana as a kid. I believe that something good comes out of almost every adversity. The best part of our little adventure is that I got Chuck on the bicycle.....the exercise felt great.
Monday morning FINALLY arrived. Greasy hair is driving both of us nuts. The diagnostic equipment has been returned but it isn't working right. Chuck is on the computer and the phone trying to buy the Cummings Diesel program himself so that we can get the heck out of here. In the meantime, we notice a flat tire on the tow car...which they don't fix here. Right. They make a call for us - tire repair is on its way. Not soon but hey....
Late Monday, they have finally diagnosed our problem. The serpentine belt is off and hanging. I don't know what this means but its an easy fix so that's good. The thing is that we had total maintenance 200 miles away, including air con....during which, they either put the belt back on wrong or should have seen the problem with this stupid belt. ARRRGGGHH.
We're operational again. On the way, we passed over "Crawfish Bayou" and a Crawfish Farm. Who knew they had such things? Once in Texas, we start singing "Deep in the Heart of Texas" but we only know one verse so it doesn't last long. I look up the lyrics on the computer and we start making up our own...we're so hard up for entertainment. I'm on the lookout for "little doggies" and we finally see some. Even saw some little "little doggies." Chuck expounds on animal husbandry...he's a font of informaion.
Finally we start to see swathes of the beautiful blue bonnets - the Texas state flower. Interspersed are other, unknown flowers - in tangerine, a few pink and crimson. Texas is alive and beautiful at this time of year - highlighted by frequent US and Lone Star Flags along the way. Even the Lone Star RV park is one of the nicest we've encountered and Chuck will stay here for a week while I'm at Paul Smith's CRV class. Mufon's Research and Development guy, Robert, lives in Austin so it will be great for them to spend some time together.
All our best -
Vicki and Chuck
Thursday, March 25, 2010
March 25, 2010
We've driven home and then back again to Florida. Plagued by anxiety and angst over our upcoming depositions, I didn't pay much attention to the road on the way home. On the way South again, however, I became engrossed in the passing countryside. Once we hit Kentucky, I started oohing and aahing. Kentucky is such a beautiful state - I would have loved to spent some time adventuring here. The terrain became more contoured and interesting. "Isn't this beautiful?" I exclaim. The engineer beside me responds - "typical-limestone-formation." My romantic...we did just see the same thing, didn't we?
Then - just as we were discussing it on the phone - we passed the Louisville Airport on our right. This is the site of an important UFO incident last year - witnessed by multiple, highly credible witnesses....an event that the FAA apparently doesn't want anyone to talk about.
Moving away from the city, the white-petaled crabtree seems showy and special among the greenery. Then on to Tennessee - birthplace of my dear sister, Joannie. We have Joannie's ashes with us and I can't help but think of her.
In Tennessee, we picked up a new element. Slender fingers of lacy plum/orchid branches poke out here and there. Not sure what this tree is but the color is almost indescribable and definitely wasn't blooming two weeks ago.
My childhood memories of trips to the South include signs for Burma Shave and Rock City, back-road stands highlighting chenille bedspreads, old barns with pictures of tobacco products, firebrand preachers on the radio and a slight concern about having a "Northern" license plate. Why am I surprised that they're all gone? Unlike Wisconsin with a bar on every city corner, churches seem to be the thing here. Were also hearing a bit more country twang on the radio and have seen a few confederate flags. A trip to the grocery store reveals gizzards and cans of every kind of bean, pea and greens.
We're surprised at how much we both missed our RV. Our Tempur~pedic mattress is at the top of both of our lists and the Cusinart coffee-maker is high on mine but really, we just missed the whole thing. All signs of "road incidents" have been repaired and we're good to go. I don't like the short distance between campers at the typical RV parks but then again, once we're on the road, the whole country is our back yard.
Once in Florida, we saw rusty-red buds popping out on the trees. At first I hoped it might be the Golmahar tree of Farmville fame but the shape of the tree was wrong. Now in Louisiana, yellow plants - wild mustard? - dot the roadside. Our MUFON friend, Robert, has promised us "beaucoups bluebonnets" - the state flower of Texas - once we arrive.
I'm working on finishing up my controlled remote viewing practice sessions in anticipation of my class. Paul sends me a picture of the actual "target" after I e-mail him the session...and I always hold my breath to see how close I came. The last one I did was interesting. After you write down the co-ordinate number, ideogram and structure, you start describing the colors, shapes, textures, tastes, smells and sounds of the place. Then you start sketching. As you go along, ideas will pop into your head as to what the target might be. This is called Analytical Overlay (AOL) and you need to write down what you thought of - in order to validate it and put it aside. Typically, the farther along you get in the session, the Analytical Overlay becomes more like the actual target. In my last session, I drew a tower type structure with one line coming into it and several lines glancing off. My last AOL was a cell phone repeater tower. In my summary, I said "it feels as though there is something glancing off of the building - perhaps light." The target was a windmill in Spain. It's hard to know what you might be sensing...for one thing, you can be seeing something from any angle whatsoever or picking up on one particular feature. In one of my sessions I said that I couldn't see whether there was a dip or chasm ahead. Paul responded that then I should have moved to a different vantage point. I suppose this all comes with practice. It's a very eerie feeling when you're "on." Everyone can do this....if you can overcome the dominating, logical left side of the brain. I know my left brain will be compressed into mush soon in the intense experience ahead.
I'll let you know how the classes went after 4/6.
Vicki
Then - just as we were discussing it on the phone - we passed the Louisville Airport on our right. This is the site of an important UFO incident last year - witnessed by multiple, highly credible witnesses....an event that the FAA apparently doesn't want anyone to talk about.
Moving away from the city, the white-petaled crabtree seems showy and special among the greenery. Then on to Tennessee - birthplace of my dear sister, Joannie. We have Joannie's ashes with us and I can't help but think of her.
In Tennessee, we picked up a new element. Slender fingers of lacy plum/orchid branches poke out here and there. Not sure what this tree is but the color is almost indescribable and definitely wasn't blooming two weeks ago.
My childhood memories of trips to the South include signs for Burma Shave and Rock City, back-road stands highlighting chenille bedspreads, old barns with pictures of tobacco products, firebrand preachers on the radio and a slight concern about having a "Northern" license plate. Why am I surprised that they're all gone? Unlike Wisconsin with a bar on every city corner, churches seem to be the thing here. Were also hearing a bit more country twang on the radio and have seen a few confederate flags. A trip to the grocery store reveals gizzards and cans of every kind of bean, pea and greens.
We're surprised at how much we both missed our RV. Our Tempur~pedic mattress is at the top of both of our lists and the Cusinart coffee-maker is high on mine but really, we just missed the whole thing. All signs of "road incidents" have been repaired and we're good to go. I don't like the short distance between campers at the typical RV parks but then again, once we're on the road, the whole country is our back yard.
Once in Florida, we saw rusty-red buds popping out on the trees. At first I hoped it might be the Golmahar tree of Farmville fame but the shape of the tree was wrong. Now in Louisiana, yellow plants - wild mustard? - dot the roadside. Our MUFON friend, Robert, has promised us "beaucoups bluebonnets" - the state flower of Texas - once we arrive.
I'm working on finishing up my controlled remote viewing practice sessions in anticipation of my class. Paul sends me a picture of the actual "target" after I e-mail him the session...and I always hold my breath to see how close I came. The last one I did was interesting. After you write down the co-ordinate number, ideogram and structure, you start describing the colors, shapes, textures, tastes, smells and sounds of the place. Then you start sketching. As you go along, ideas will pop into your head as to what the target might be. This is called Analytical Overlay (AOL) and you need to write down what you thought of - in order to validate it and put it aside. Typically, the farther along you get in the session, the Analytical Overlay becomes more like the actual target. In my last session, I drew a tower type structure with one line coming into it and several lines glancing off. My last AOL was a cell phone repeater tower. In my summary, I said "it feels as though there is something glancing off of the building - perhaps light." The target was a windmill in Spain. It's hard to know what you might be sensing...for one thing, you can be seeing something from any angle whatsoever or picking up on one particular feature. In one of my sessions I said that I couldn't see whether there was a dip or chasm ahead. Paul responded that then I should have moved to a different vantage point. I suppose this all comes with practice. It's a very eerie feeling when you're "on." Everyone can do this....if you can overcome the dominating, logical left side of the brain. I know my left brain will be compressed into mush soon in the intense experience ahead.
I'll let you know how the classes went after 4/6.
Vicki
Saturday, March 6, 2010
March 6, 2010
We stayed at a great place in Tampa - waiting out the cold. The RV park was filled with Canadians who bought camp sites up when their dollar started gaining strength; most of them were bilingual and very friendly. The thing that I enjoyed most about this place was the line-dancing class. My mother line-danced at her senior center until she was 83. For awhile, I would join her for Thursday class. Taking the time out of my schedule seemed to be a bit annoying as I always had so many other things to do (I also resented the fact that they thought I was a senior too!) Now, that time spent together is a very happy memory. Line dancing is great exercise and it really felt good to be moving. I'm still bicycling too but a little more carefully now as I fell down making too sharp a turn. Note to self: that's why bicylists wear gloves - get some. I do always wear a helmet.
While in Tampa we caught up with the DaVinci exhibit (at MOSI, Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry) that we missed in California. It was a whole lot more about his inventions than about his art. Most interesting to me was the forerunner of the dive suit but there were lots of military and civilian machines using gears, levers, pulleys and screws in ways that were entirely new for his era. None of the works were originals - considered far too fragile and valuable to place on tour. This exposure to DaVinci me want to learn much more about him as a man. We also saw an IMAX film on fighter pilots and visited the Butterly Garden there. Compared to Milwaukee Museum's Butterfly exhibit, MOSI's exhibit was pit i ful....PITIFUL.
We also bombed out at Busch Gardens where we froze our bums off. I've been in ski villages that were warmer. The monorail wasn't working because of the wind. I didn't want to take the terrifying rides and it was way too cold to take the water ride. Being cool, it was another bad alligator day but I finally did see the encaged alligator up close and personal......well, on the other side of the barrier. Evil looking things even when smiling - but definitely not as exciting as the ones we saw on the Lamanai River trip in Belize.
We've been working on a couple of cases where retired military folk - baby boomers like ourselves - have decided to give MUFON their account of UFO encounters. One individual is very ill but he is still willing to take the time to discuss his work experience. His story provides additional detail and credence to concerns about U.S. defense systems.
We also had a fascinating visit with a forensic scientist who will act as an anonymous consultant to our program. He gave us several tips on gathering trace evidence. The one I appreciated most was the use of a material called dental stone which he uses to take castings (such as footprints.) For our purposes, this material is excellent for preserving the impressions made by landing gear. It comes in two formulas - one for warm weather and one that is used in cold weather and actually enables the investigator to take impressions of indentations in the snow!
We're headed for Pensacola where we will leave the RV and depart for home. We had no choice in the matter as we have to give our depositions in the case we filed against San Francisco's Lang Jewelry store. We've set up all of our medical and beauty appointments and are looking forward to spending a week with family and friends. If you're available on Sunday the 21st, we're meeting up with a few folks at Saxe's Restaurant on Hwy. 18 at 4:00 p.m. where we'll provide appetizers and you can order a drink or two.
Best regards - Vicki and Chuck
While in Tampa we caught up with the DaVinci exhibit (at MOSI, Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry) that we missed in California. It was a whole lot more about his inventions than about his art. Most interesting to me was the forerunner of the dive suit but there were lots of military and civilian machines using gears, levers, pulleys and screws in ways that were entirely new for his era. None of the works were originals - considered far too fragile and valuable to place on tour. This exposure to DaVinci me want to learn much more about him as a man. We also saw an IMAX film on fighter pilots and visited the Butterly Garden there. Compared to Milwaukee Museum's Butterfly exhibit, MOSI's exhibit was pit i ful....PITIFUL.
We also bombed out at Busch Gardens where we froze our bums off. I've been in ski villages that were warmer. The monorail wasn't working because of the wind. I didn't want to take the terrifying rides and it was way too cold to take the water ride. Being cool, it was another bad alligator day but I finally did see the encaged alligator up close and personal......well, on the other side of the barrier. Evil looking things even when smiling - but definitely not as exciting as the ones we saw on the Lamanai River trip in Belize.
We've been working on a couple of cases where retired military folk - baby boomers like ourselves - have decided to give MUFON their account of UFO encounters. One individual is very ill but he is still willing to take the time to discuss his work experience. His story provides additional detail and credence to concerns about U.S. defense systems.
We also had a fascinating visit with a forensic scientist who will act as an anonymous consultant to our program. He gave us several tips on gathering trace evidence. The one I appreciated most was the use of a material called dental stone which he uses to take castings (such as footprints.) For our purposes, this material is excellent for preserving the impressions made by landing gear. It comes in two formulas - one for warm weather and one that is used in cold weather and actually enables the investigator to take impressions of indentations in the snow!
We're headed for Pensacola where we will leave the RV and depart for home. We had no choice in the matter as we have to give our depositions in the case we filed against San Francisco's Lang Jewelry store. We've set up all of our medical and beauty appointments and are looking forward to spending a week with family and friends. If you're available on Sunday the 21st, we're meeting up with a few folks at Saxe's Restaurant on Hwy. 18 at 4:00 p.m. where we'll provide appetizers and you can order a drink or two.
Best regards - Vicki and Chuck
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
February 15, 2010
Key West medical advisory......Prevent Scurvy - Eat Key Lime Pie!
The temperatures were subnormal for Key West but we basked in the thought that there was snow across the rest of the country. Our stay included tours of the Mel Fisher Museum and Ernest Hemingway's Home. The museum (www.melfisher.org) contained a sampling of the treasure which took 16 years to find on the bottom of the ocean off of Key West - including many eating utensils, coins, cannon, gold jewelry and a 37-karat emerald.
Hemingway's home is the only one on the island with a full basement and has the largest outdoor pool. It was built over a stone quarry which he converted to a huge wine cellar. His study, where he wrote approximately 3/4 of his works, remains intact. Perhaps the most well-known aspect of the home, however, are the polydactyl cats which still roam at will
(www.hemingwayhome.com/HTML/our_cats.htm).
We also drove to Big Pine Key to have lunch at the famous "No Name" bar. This unusual setting featured dollar bills which completely covered the walls and hung down from every inch of the ceiling - easily 40,000 more or so. The food was good and plentiful but as I looked around, I couldn't help but wonder - do they dust?
Now we're in Fort Myers - visiting Jack and Cindy Weigel. They have a great home in the beautiful Pelican Preserve community - which offers activities for everyone. They seem to be constantly on the go - walking every day, taking dance lessons, working on mosaic projects, and helping out at church. They have trotted us out to a movie, the local flea market, shops and the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. This free park is best visited in the late afternoon when birds fly in from all over to roost for the evening. Sitting areas along the boardwalk offered us a good view of hundreds of birds - including egrets, herons and anhingas. Alligators are often present but of course, I didn't see any. I'd love to go back and hope we'll have time to do that.
I also conned Chuck into going to the Shell Factory on Hwy. 41 - that I'm sure I visited with my Aunt Florence and Uncle Mac when I was a teen. I didn't buy anything but it was fun to think about have been there so many years ago. Chuck's favorite thing was the cherry fudge he bought to celebrate Valentine's Day.
HV from C and V!
The temperatures were subnormal for Key West but we basked in the thought that there was snow across the rest of the country. Our stay included tours of the Mel Fisher Museum and Ernest Hemingway's Home. The museum (www.melfisher.org) contained a sampling of the treasure which took 16 years to find on the bottom of the ocean off of Key West - including many eating utensils, coins, cannon, gold jewelry and a 37-karat emerald.
Hemingway's home is the only one on the island with a full basement and has the largest outdoor pool. It was built over a stone quarry which he converted to a huge wine cellar. His study, where he wrote approximately 3/4 of his works, remains intact. Perhaps the most well-known aspect of the home, however, are the polydactyl cats which still roam at will
(www.hemingwayhome.com/HTML/our_cats.htm).
We also drove to Big Pine Key to have lunch at the famous "No Name" bar. This unusual setting featured dollar bills which completely covered the walls and hung down from every inch of the ceiling - easily 40,000 more or so. The food was good and plentiful but as I looked around, I couldn't help but wonder - do they dust?
Now we're in Fort Myers - visiting Jack and Cindy Weigel. They have a great home in the beautiful Pelican Preserve community - which offers activities for everyone. They seem to be constantly on the go - walking every day, taking dance lessons, working on mosaic projects, and helping out at church. They have trotted us out to a movie, the local flea market, shops and the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. This free park is best visited in the late afternoon when birds fly in from all over to roost for the evening. Sitting areas along the boardwalk offered us a good view of hundreds of birds - including egrets, herons and anhingas. Alligators are often present but of course, I didn't see any. I'd love to go back and hope we'll have time to do that.
I also conned Chuck into going to the Shell Factory on Hwy. 41 - that I'm sure I visited with my Aunt Florence and Uncle Mac when I was a teen. I didn't buy anything but it was fun to think about have been there so many years ago. Chuck's favorite thing was the cherry fudge he bought to celebrate Valentine's Day.
HV from C and V!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
February 2, 2010
I didn't want to miss going for an airboat ride through the Everglades so we searched the internet when we hit Ft. Lauderdale. I found an outfitter that would take two people out on a private tour for two hours - to the less traveled areas. $350. Gulp. Chuck said we could do it but I just couldn't see it, so we opted for the $20 each trip at Sawmill park. After we were seated in the boat, they told us that it was a "bad alligator day," as it was too cool. Of course the $350 folks never mentioned that. Chuck caught a quick glimpse of one; as per usual, I saw nothing. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy skimming over the water - thinking land lay ahead - and then seeing the sawmill grass part as we forged forward. The noon day sun glinted on the water, and an occasional Osprey would wing past. A little hard on the ears but overall a very pleasant experience. When I was doing laundry yesterday, a woman who arrived in Key West when we did said that they saw 100 alligators off of Highway 41 - just along the roadside. Well - there you go!
I love Key West. To me, there is a bit of a foreign feeling here except that it's clean. Small white houses and buildings are crowded together....and you hear the crow of an occasional rooster. We are parked at the Naval Air Station which accommodates hundreds of RVs. The only problem is that there is a 4-5 week wait for sites with electrical and dump hook ups, so we are "dry camping." $12 a day but every two days we have to bring in the slide and drive over to the dump site. Showers are short but the worst part is that the rules require that all generators be turned off between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. What that means is no air con at night.
We have had good cell phone coverage with our cellular booster. I was a little concerned about how they would work because we had a court appearance by phone in our case against Lang Jewelry store of San Francisco. We were very pleased that the judge ruled in our favor and will retain jurisdiction of the case in Wisconsin. During the call, I started hearing a rooster crowing. At first I thought it was coming from our farm in Farmville but it turned out to be one of the five roosters (and one hen) that wander the RV park. They are actually protected here and we were told that you can get in big trouble if you endanger them in any way.
We plan on being here until the 10th, when we will head for Ft. Meyers to visit Jack and Cindy Weigel.
Our best to all - Vicki and Chuck
I love Key West. To me, there is a bit of a foreign feeling here except that it's clean. Small white houses and buildings are crowded together....and you hear the crow of an occasional rooster. We are parked at the Naval Air Station which accommodates hundreds of RVs. The only problem is that there is a 4-5 week wait for sites with electrical and dump hook ups, so we are "dry camping." $12 a day but every two days we have to bring in the slide and drive over to the dump site. Showers are short but the worst part is that the rules require that all generators be turned off between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. What that means is no air con at night.
We have had good cell phone coverage with our cellular booster. I was a little concerned about how they would work because we had a court appearance by phone in our case against Lang Jewelry store of San Francisco. We were very pleased that the judge ruled in our favor and will retain jurisdiction of the case in Wisconsin. During the call, I started hearing a rooster crowing. At first I thought it was coming from our farm in Farmville but it turned out to be one of the five roosters (and one hen) that wander the RV park. They are actually protected here and we were told that you can get in big trouble if you endanger them in any way.
We plan on being here until the 10th, when we will head for Ft. Meyers to visit Jack and Cindy Weigel.
Our best to all - Vicki and Chuck
Saturday, January 23, 2010
January 23, 2010
We're outside Orlando now and have finally made the switch from heat to air con. We had an absolutely wonderful visit with Jack and Redenta Kern. Redenta and I really connected...maybe because we share the same birthday? She's a fabulous artist specializing in botanical drawings. Their home was so warm and interesting - I hated to leave.
My bike finally came off the rack while we were in Sanford; I biked a little every day. It was great to get in some exercise that doesn't bother my back. We've also found that we can just put it in the RV when we're ready to roll which makes it a lot easier to use.
We had enjoyed dry weather for a couple of days and then in the middle of the day, our slide started dripping right over the dining table. What the heck? Mouse pee? Still haven't figured that one out.
Our next stop was in Malabar, FL - right off the ocean. I took a hike on the boardwalk at Turkey Creek park, hoping to see some Manatees in the creek. Instead, I saw lots of little turtles swimming around, necks stretched up out of the water. The boardwalk itself was pretty interesting. Apparently the park takes donations for the boards in exchange for engraving the donor's message. There were lots of "In Memoriam" and "Happy Birthday" boards, one "Carole Hollowell and Derek" board, a Captain Kirk board and my personal favorite, near a little gazebo, "Will you marry me Julie, 2006."
The next day, we put the top down on the convertible (wahoo!!!) and took a day trip to the Kennedy Space Center. This is a museum dedicated to our flights in space and the men and women who flew in them. We entered the shell of an Endeavor craft and enjoyed a 3-D Imax movie on NASA's trips to the moon. I hadn't really been too excited about 3-D television until now. Very moving. It seemed as if things were flying right in front of your face. We also took the new shuttle launch experience. This was great until I started to feel my jowls flapping. No, no no. I'm not kidding you. This was more distressing than when you first discover that flap of skin hanging under the upper arm. Kind of hard on the bladder too....guess space isn't in my future but it certainly was an inspiring exhibit.
There's been a shake up at MUFON and the installation of a new International Director, so everything seems to be on hold re deployments. Although we don't know the new Director well, we like him and are anxious for things to get back to normal.
The Geezerville game project is still on my mind. See Mareta's suggestions in her last comment. We should now add golf carts and three-wheeled bikes to the list.....I know I'm going to get those before it's all over. We're going to be buying a Kindle and I realized that is also a great device for seniors as you can increase the size of the font on any book.
Time for this geezer to sign off. Keep those comments and e-mails coming.
Love, Vicki
My bike finally came off the rack while we were in Sanford; I biked a little every day. It was great to get in some exercise that doesn't bother my back. We've also found that we can just put it in the RV when we're ready to roll which makes it a lot easier to use.
We had enjoyed dry weather for a couple of days and then in the middle of the day, our slide started dripping right over the dining table. What the heck? Mouse pee? Still haven't figured that one out.
Our next stop was in Malabar, FL - right off the ocean. I took a hike on the boardwalk at Turkey Creek park, hoping to see some Manatees in the creek. Instead, I saw lots of little turtles swimming around, necks stretched up out of the water. The boardwalk itself was pretty interesting. Apparently the park takes donations for the boards in exchange for engraving the donor's message. There were lots of "In Memoriam" and "Happy Birthday" boards, one "Carole Hollowell and Derek" board, a Captain Kirk board and my personal favorite, near a little gazebo, "Will you marry me Julie, 2006."
The next day, we put the top down on the convertible (wahoo!!!) and took a day trip to the Kennedy Space Center. This is a museum dedicated to our flights in space and the men and women who flew in them. We entered the shell of an Endeavor craft and enjoyed a 3-D Imax movie on NASA's trips to the moon. I hadn't really been too excited about 3-D television until now. Very moving. It seemed as if things were flying right in front of your face. We also took the new shuttle launch experience. This was great until I started to feel my jowls flapping. No, no no. I'm not kidding you. This was more distressing than when you first discover that flap of skin hanging under the upper arm. Kind of hard on the bladder too....guess space isn't in my future but it certainly was an inspiring exhibit.
There's been a shake up at MUFON and the installation of a new International Director, so everything seems to be on hold re deployments. Although we don't know the new Director well, we like him and are anxious for things to get back to normal.
The Geezerville game project is still on my mind. See Mareta's suggestions in her last comment. We should now add golf carts and three-wheeled bikes to the list.....I know I'm going to get those before it's all over. We're going to be buying a Kindle and I realized that is also a great device for seniors as you can increase the size of the font on any book.
Time for this geezer to sign off. Keep those comments and e-mails coming.
Love, Vicki
Monday, January 11, 2010
January 11, 2010
Our last "home" was outside Jacksonville, FL on Mayport Naval Base. It was unlike any others I'd been to....I actually saw ships. Chuck rattles their names off...destroyer, cruiser, destroyer escort. The host at the RV Park was in the army. He calls them the BGB....big, grey boats. Chuck says these are small ships but even if you aren't into things military - they're impressive with their multiple electronic systems. They also had mock ship decks for fire fighting practice.
The RV park was great with a clubhouse and free laundry facilities. Everyone was extremely friendly and helpful. While we were there, I got on to the "Farmville" internet site (through Facebook) that my sister Jessie had been talking about. I signed up and I'm actually having fun working my farm. I need neighbors though so please let me know if you're on it too. Chuck meddles with my farm but refuses to get his own. We almost came to blows yesterday when he threatened to spend half of my proceeds on a tractor. I've been giving thought to starting a game named "Geezerville" with points for wearing the kind of sunglasses you get at the eye doctor, owning an RV, playing Bingo (oh yes, I did), etc.
We took a day trip to the Kingsley Plantation on Fort George Island. At one time, the plantation consisted of 32,000 acres and was worked by over 200 slaves. We saw the remains of 25 small slave cabins, which were built with "tabby" - a building substance made primarily from shells. This was a sobering experience although not as depressing as entering the holding spaces that Norma and I saw in Zanzibar.
We're now above Orlando and although it's cool, it is the prettiest day we've had since we left. The sun is shining and there isn't a cloud in the sky. The record breaking cold has been devastating to the local farmers and some animals. We heard that people were putting heaters into the water to try to save the Manatees. Fortunately, most of them migrated. The sea turtles are also at great risk.
We're looking forward to seeing Jack and Redenta Kern in a couple of days. Jack was one of Chuck's partners in crime in high school.
Hope you guys are staying warm.....we miss you but not the weather.
The RV park was great with a clubhouse and free laundry facilities. Everyone was extremely friendly and helpful. While we were there, I got on to the "Farmville" internet site (through Facebook) that my sister Jessie had been talking about. I signed up and I'm actually having fun working my farm. I need neighbors though so please let me know if you're on it too. Chuck meddles with my farm but refuses to get his own. We almost came to blows yesterday when he threatened to spend half of my proceeds on a tractor. I've been giving thought to starting a game named "Geezerville" with points for wearing the kind of sunglasses you get at the eye doctor, owning an RV, playing Bingo (oh yes, I did), etc.
We took a day trip to the Kingsley Plantation on Fort George Island. At one time, the plantation consisted of 32,000 acres and was worked by over 200 slaves. We saw the remains of 25 small slave cabins, which were built with "tabby" - a building substance made primarily from shells. This was a sobering experience although not as depressing as entering the holding spaces that Norma and I saw in Zanzibar.
We're now above Orlando and although it's cool, it is the prettiest day we've had since we left. The sun is shining and there isn't a cloud in the sky. The record breaking cold has been devastating to the local farmers and some animals. We heard that people were putting heaters into the water to try to save the Manatees. Fortunately, most of them migrated. The sea turtles are also at great risk.
We're looking forward to seeing Jack and Redenta Kern in a couple of days. Jack was one of Chuck's partners in crime in high school.
Hope you guys are staying warm.....we miss you but not the weather.
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