It’s been a long year already (Post #287) 4/12/2012

My Classic in front of our domicile for the weekend

It has been a really long year. I know it is only April but I have had more than my share of being a grown-up this year. As many of you read last year, my adopted mother passed away in August of 2011. On March 30th of this year, my biological mother passed away. We have been burning up the highway between Houston and Norman the last few weeks.

Last week we made the last long hard drive down when we were called by the hospital and notified that she had passed. We were prepared for her passing. We knew for a few weeks that things were not good. We were expecting the bad news.

In addition to taking care of all her affairs, we needed to empty her condo out. I have long been blessed by great friends. A few weeks ago I talked to my friend and neighbor Larry Fisher and told him that I might need help with the move project. He agreed without reservations. When the time came it took me two hours of hard decision making to make the call to ask him to drive 16 hours in 3 days to help me. He was there the next day. I can’t say thanks enough.

In addition to all this we have been trying to get my childhood home ready for my daughter and her family to move in. The painting and repairs have been extensive. The costs have been extensive. My stress over this has also been pretty high.

My completely awesome wife has been by my side the entire time. She has even kept my spirits up with clever quips. My favorite this week, “I am sure you will be full on gray by summer from all this stress.” She also scored big points in her bid for “Wife of the Year” and insisted that I go on my history trip. “I hope you can find a happy place.” she texted to me as I drove down.

So I took off on Thursday evening to see my friends and participate in some living history. As usual it was a great time. We tried some different things this year. My friend Cody is perfecting his Surveyor impression and we, as natives, scouted for the survey team.

Cody, Tim, Stan and Dale
Dave and Correy

Correy did a great impression of a Scot living among the Cherokee. This was actually very common in the early 1800’s. Most Cherokees I know are some portion Scot. My wife’s family is this way. I got to see Leeann Gentry, she is one of my dear friends from high school. She came down and her son helped on the survey chain gang. I also saw a Norman North student and she turned out to be a friend of my youngest children. I had a nice chat with her as well.

That’s me on the right in the back

We didn’t take nearly as many pictures as we normally do. The crowd was pretty interested in the impression and took lots of pictures of us, as they always do.

We missed our friend Matt as he was in Los Angeles…doing something I was told, was work related. I’m sure he would have rather been with us.

Red Squirrel (Me) and Cut Finger (Dave)
My favorite part of these trips is when spontaneous history sneaks up on us. We took a stroll to help with the “Mountain Man Walk”. As we walked we strayed into one of those moments when what you are doing is what the people you are portraying would have been doing. It is very rewarding. It is hard to describe, but all living historians know the feeling and crave it deeply.
We had some pretty serious weather on the last night. Thunderstorms rolled through and soaked everything. As I pulled out to go home, I had occasion to recover a friend’s minivan which was not quite up to the muddy field we parked in.

Andre and his van

The rain continued on the way home sometimes very very heavy.

I heard on Monday they had to close Turner Falls State Park due to the flooding. When I passed through the mountain pass near there, it was really coming down hard. Just a few miles from this picture, a pickup in the south bound lanes of I-35 hydroplaned and came in to the meridian. He made several revolutions and was travelling WAY too fast. I expected him to come into the North bound lanes but he didn’t. He was fortunate to keep the rubber side down and not flip over, considering the speed he left the roadway. Sorry no picture, I was preparing evasive actions at the time.

I got home safely and had a lovely Easter lunch with my wife’s extended family. I got to watch the grand kids hunt Easter eggs and a good time was had by all.

I guess that is enough for now. I am very behind in my school work for this semester so I need to get back at it. I’ll have more next month after the semester is over.

Thanks for reading, thanks for all the prayers for me and my family, and Happy Rovering.