Oh yeah........I, as ALWAYS, had my French Roast (freshly ground) coffee this morning....answered a few phone calls, and then by mid-morning I was off to Park Hills, MO to go pick up the serviced HowserHouse which has been up there at Griffon's Trailer Sales for about a week. WOW......what a huge surprise when I went to pay the service/repair bill......: Only $60!!!!!!!!!!! Now THAT is a fair price!! Wasn't even worth filing an extended warranty claim as I have a $50 deductible! And they are not even a Cedar Creek RV dealer......!
Returning to the stick and brick, I got theHowserHouse on wheels backed into our three car wide driveway.......a 90 degree backing turn which always requires me to go back and forth into the driveway of our neighbor across the street. Only took two times of jockying around and it was back in it's place! I always forget between towing times just how easy it really is to pull down/up the highway..........I almost forget it is behind me!
Checked out the work......the mis-aligned entertainment slide which was leaving a gap inside down by the floor of about 4-5 inches is now completely tight when extended. The new wood molding down one side of the dining room slide was installed after tearing the powder post beetle molding off and thrown away......and the hydraulic landing gear were checked for leaks and none was found. I recommend Griffon's very, VERY highly........if you are in this area, be sure and try them for outstanding service and repairs. (NOT a paid advertisement....haha)
This afternoon I once AGAIN....went to the Vision Center to pick up for the 3rd time my glasses....with once AGAIN different lenses in them. However......this time may be the winning combination.....they seem to be soooo much better. I need to drive down the highway before I make the final "OK" on them......tomorrow perhaps???
And....a few minutes ago we had probably around 1/4 of an inch of downpouring rain......WOW!!!!! Does that mean I will have to mow the weeds tomorrow????? Doubt if the grass will recover this summer unless we get tons more moisture.
Chapter 3, continued: Oh yeah........my first commercial flight to Amarillo, TX, for Basic Training in the USAF in 1966. FOUR weeks......and we were finished with it!!!! Get um in, get um trained, send them off to the Viet Nam War! Well......for me it wasn't quite like that!
After Basic....I was put "in holding awaiting orders" for almost another month.......oh yeah...just sitting around for the most part doing nothing! NOT my way of doing things, but then as I said.....I learned a lot in the Air Force about our military......: "Hurry up and Wait". Finally I was sent to another few weeks of Tech School.....right there in the hell hole of Amarillo!!!! DAMN.....was it every hot, dusty, dry there.
"learned a lot"???? Yep.......everything had to be measured...literally....with a ruler at 6"......including leaving the window open 6"......in the 100+ degrees day after day.......WITH THE A/C running full blast in the housing unit!!!!!!!!! DUST....DUST....DUST....and "DUST" was not allowed in the 2 man room that I shared. Constant cleaning for an "anytime" inspection of our room....... Other little inconveniences: Had to use a razor with a removable blade which had to be inspected to make sure there was no shaving cream scum on it, no shaven whiskers on it, not scum in the bristles of the toothbrush, a clean deodrant tube/can, no hair in the comb/brush, etc., etc. And.....our shoes/boots that were lined up at 6" distances from everything had to be TIED.......and then we also had to have them put on AND tied in the middle of the night and down stairs into the "yard" when a fire drill would be called......in 15 seconds! Oh yeah......it is the "little" stuff(shit)that counts!!!
From Texas I was sent to SAC Headquarters at Offutt AFB in Omaha, NB.....and remained there for 2.5 years working in the SAC Building......getting all kinds of security clearances, as time went on, to allow me to work in various areas of the highly secured building. After almost two years, a couple of USAF friends that I worked with and I moved off base and lived in an apartment close to downtown Omaha.......a REAL relief!!! It was here at Offutt that I made such incredible, life-long friends that I STILL talk with, visit, and write.
And.......with these friends, we began doing a lot of fishing.....not so much around Omaha, but running up to the Black Hills in South Dakota for long weekends. Trout fishing, of course. I also had time to enjoy establishing a relationship with two different young ladies over the time I was there....hmmmm......lots of stories here of which the specifics will not be injected into this general discussion of my Life's Chapters.
And....as I approached the last year of my enlistment (four years).......I received orders for transfer to Kunsan AFB in Kunsan, Korea!!! EXCITED, I WAS!!!!!!...........and so,.......this last part of this Chapter will be continued tomorrow, with luck.
Ahhhhh.......again, the memories of Basic Training, the great times in Omaha (minus the AF working experiences there), the fantastic lasting friendships, etc., etc.........they are still in my aging, cell-losing mind.......and they only help to re-enforce......
LIFE IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!! (Hope to dig up some pics)
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