THANK GOODNESS FOR GREAT NEIGHBORS As you read from last week’s journal, we departed the RGV, January 30, driving 16 hours straight through to tend to ice storm impacts at our house near Mountain Home. Our wonderful neighbor and friend, Wayne, kept the home fires burning, or better yet, kept the generators running, so that we didn’t lose any food. Wayne loaned us a generator which we used to keep the food cool/frozen, and light and warm the upstairs to a very comfortable temperature. We supplemented his generator with a smaller one we bought in Marshall, TX, enroute home. After a couple of days, we were able to streamline our situation with no electricity, and even listened to the radio for news and music. Our air card worked great and the broadband router worked off of generator power, giving us internet capability. Finally, our electricity was restored Tuesday at 8:30 AM. We immediately turned on the well, heater, and hot water. While these were becoming operational, we began emptying water containers, rolling up extension cords, returning borrowed generators, getting our generator ready for storage, and Donald managed to get a much needed haircut. We were both able to take hot showers, and wash and dry several loads of clothes. Kay cleaned the house and made preparations for our return to the warm RGV. We continue to thank our good friend, Wayne, for all he did for us. As an aside, he kept his home “fires” burning, and assisted 4 other neighbors. Sometimes it doesn’t pay to be a jack of all trades!

RETURNING TO THE RGV We departed for the RGV Wednesday AM after Kay finished an internet-based course test which had been postponed because of the ice storm. She has to take the test on the day it is scheduled, within a 24-hour window. This particular test was on Microsoft PowerPoint, and the questions were a bit cheesy—like differentiating between “poly” and “multi”. We’re not sure what that has to do with PowerPoint, but…oh well. We had terrible traffic between Mountain View and Clinton, AR, getting behind a log truck the entire way. Then, we were stopped dead still south of Benton in I-30 for a full 45 minutes due to an accident between 2 semis. After the delays, we opted to stop for the night at Schulenburg, TX, and arrived there at 8:00 PM, leaving us a 4-hour drive Thursday AM. We arrived at Weslaco around noon, had a quick lunch, and hurried to the hot tub for some soothing water on our weary muscles. Donald hurt his back cranking a generator, and could hardly move Tuesday and Wednesday. The hot water worked miracles. After the hot tub, swimming pool, and some sun, we practiced with the “choir” for the park’s gospel jam in a few weeks. Friday morning saw us returning to normal, with Larry Wortham and Donald competing in a fun shuffleboard match. Though they lost, Donald made much better strategic decisions. After the match, Donald worked on a consulting project with a very tight deadline.

HAVING TO SAY GOODBYE, AGAIN After we thought our lives had returned to normal, Donald’s daughter called to report that her grandmother, Bernice Witt, had passed away in Arkansas (NLR). Donald flew out on Sunday morning and will return to the RGV Monday evening. This was the second consecutive Sunday we were supposed to sing at church, and the second consecutive Monday Donald was to have flipped pancakes at the weekly pancake supper. So when does life return to normal?