Friday

 Today started late. I left my wallet at home and had to turn around and drive back for it.  It was raining really hard too.  That part is pretty good, the ranch needs the rain.  Will check the gauge later and post amount tomorrow, but I will bet we got almost an inch this morning.  The only problem is that it rains hard and fast, this can cause floods.  It would be nice if it rained steady for a few hours and soaked everything deep, but it just seems to rain hard for a bit and not soak the ground and then it runs off.

I am again writing this in the Mills County Community Center.  I am still volunteering here and it is still fun.  In a month I hope that I can go back to work.  I miss driving a lot.  I did not realize how much I enjoyed it until I couldn't do it.  I have driven in all forty eight continuous states, and several (I think 5, but it could be more or less) provinces in Canada.  I haven't been to Canada since a little before the 9-11 attack, but I really do not miss going up there.  It is a little easier to do now, but I do not have a passport. Funny thing is you do not need one to get into Canada, but you do to get back into the states.  Driving is not difficult, but it can be hard on a person.  Being alone is sometimes okay, and sometimes not okay.  Since being on this short term disability I have talked more to many folks than I ever did in the truck.  I enjoy the company, but also look forward to getting back to the solitude of solo truck driving.   The work here is enjoyable and rewarding, but it doesn't pay the rent.  I will probably continue to volunteer here, just not all the time.   If I go back to truck driving I will be out for 9 or 10 weeks, then home for 5 to 7 days.  On the days that I am home I will volunteer here.   Billie, and Ann and Laura are fun to work with and talk too.  

Laura is a Nurse, and she checks peoples blood pressure and oxygen levels every day if they want her to do that.  She keeps a record of it and can tell you what it was and how consistent it is.  This is a good deal.

This is a picture of Laura today explaining about how she takes blood pressure readings and what they mean.  Laura is the one standing up.   She is pretty cool.  Today she told me about what she went through with Covid-19.  It almost killed her.  I for one am glad it didn't get her.   She is pretty smart and has worked as a nurse for a long time, she is good at it. She has invited me to come watch her get re-baptized this Sunday, I just may go.

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These are pictures of the early voting area set up in the Community Center.  I have been watching it all week, and I voted on Monday.  This area has been pretty busy all week.   It is great to see that so many folks are voting.  It is also fun to realize that Goldthwaite is a small town where everyone knows everyone.  They are all friendly with each other.     Neighbors help each other all the time.  

Well that is pretty much it for today.  I will be taking a few pictures and will add them before I post this today.  But it is time for lunch and I have work to do.

Final thought, now that I have a trailer I will be going to Wisconsin  to pick up Clyde and Big Red.  Not sure when, might be before I go back to work, or possibly in the Spring, weather will be the issue there.

Thanks again for reading and I will moderate but all comments get posted here.

Thursday Lunch crowd.

Lynn and Laura setting up deserts

and Clowning for the camera in the kitchen.

This picture and next picture were taken before they knew the camera was there.  They work really hard to make everything taste and look good for our diners.

Folks chatting and waiting for lunch.

 I am again at the Mills County Community Center.  I am a volunteer here, but I enjoy the folks here too.  This week is early voting week and that means no fun stuff happening.  Bingo has been postponed for a while and so has chair areobics.  But  lunch still happens every day.   Yesterday was a Thanksgiving meal with Sweet Potatoes and stuffing, and Chicken breasts instead of Turkey, but it was great food.   We fed 40  folks in the Community Center, and another 20 or so meals were delivered.   Pecan pie and Ice Cream for desert.

I was a little busy so I didn't get any pictures yesterday.  There will be pictures from the DID ranch in the second half of this post.   I will get some pictures of the folks that come to lunch today and tomorrow and will post those. I really enjoy this place, it makes my time off work bearable.  I do get to wash a lot of dishes, mostly pots and pans.  There is a dishwasher for plates, silverware, cups and glasses.  Everything gets pre washed though.  Preperation is a lot of work, setting up the Meals on Wheels meals is a lot of work, but there are about 4 or 5 of us volunteers so it goes pretty fast.  I am typing this part of the post during the break between packing cold stuff (desserts, milk and salads today) and boxing hot stuff.  That is almost ready to happen.  Time to go wash my hands.  

Well all the meals are prepared and I got some pictures too.  Lynn and Laura dishing out Ice Cream and clowning for the camera, and the others are of folks waiting for lunch to get ready.

We fed about 60 folks today counting the meals for wheels folks.  Lots of work and fun too.

This is the results of the work on the deserts for today. Apple Cobbler and Ice Cream

Now for a few pics from the Ranch this week.  Eyore the Donkey likes me, and so do Ziggy and Getta (pronounced like it is spelled)  and for the same reason.

Thanks to everyone that has read these posts this week.  More than a hundred views.  Comments are welcomed especially if you have suggestions for things I should talk about.