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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 18:45:37 GMT -6
The secretary ushered John into the office. Robert Hayes rose out of his chair and shook his hand. "John, what can I do for you?" "I want your firm to start divorce proceedings. Here's the P.I. report and my financials." Robert looked through the packet for a few minutes. "John, this is a no fault state. She'll try to take you to the cleaners. It could turn into a long fight. Think about it. You will be forced to pay support. You're lucky you already owned the house before you were married or she'd probably get that too. You will be saddled with all the bills that you have outstanding and the court will probably make you provide your wife with credit cards and a cell phone. Sell the house. Split the accounts, liquidate your investments, and disappear. Let HER file for a divorce. Do you have somewhere you could go for a long vacation?" "I'll think of something. I've been wanting to do some traveling anyway. I can live off the patents I have for a long time without working." "Are the fees paid into your personal account?" "Yes, but it's one Sally never knew about. I had it before we were married. She doesn't even know I own the building I use for my tinkering or where it's located." "That must have taken a lot of effort to keep that from her." "Not really, all she cared about is how much money is in the checking account. She sure changed from the girl I married. If you read the report, she and Earl are planning to steal as much as they can. They thought all the money I had was from an inheritance." "Okay, I'm here if you need any advice. One other thing, if you do this, spend only cash for a while." "Thanks Robert. I'll be in touch. John Smith begun his preparations. He had made a list of things he had to do. First, he had to arrange the bank accounts. No, wait, that would happen on his last day. Vehicle. He would need a vehicle. Maybe a Jeep. Would a Jeep pull a camping trailer? He went on the internet and looked at trailers to see if there was anything that fit his needs. Maybe an RV. He went on YouTube and looked at videos of different vehicles. Then he stumbled on the Global Expedition vehicles. He went to their website and browsed around. Their plant was only a couple of hundred miles from St. Louis. He took a day to go down there and look around. When the salesman showed him the vehicles they had on hand, John's eyes lock in on a 27' Patagonia on a Kenworth chassis.
"What's the deal on this?" "This one is pretty much decked out. A couple from Kansas City ordered it to travel to Alaska. Just before we finished it, the man died from a massive stroke. His wife didn't want to deal with it so we're getting ready to put it up for sale." John looked inside and was pleased. Alaska. John liked the idea. "Can this thing pull a toy hauler?" "It sure can, as a matter of fact, we also have the trailer the couple ordered." "I'll take it." "Well..uh..the price on this is $500,000." "Bank transfer okay?" "Yes Sir!. Come with me." Two hours later, John was merging onto Interstate 44, headed for St. Louis. When he got near Sunset Hills, he found a self-storage facility where he could store the Patagonia and trailer. He unloaded his car from the toy hauler and drove home. The next day, John went looking for a Jeep. He found a Jeep Moab with low mileage and traded up. The extra cash he had to pay came out of his and Sally's joint checking account. Grinning, John drove home. For the next few weeks, John stocked the Patagonia with kitchenware, freeze-dried food and powdered drinks. He bought all new clothing, intending to leave everything he had at home behind. The only things he would take from the house were his guns, ammo and fishing gear. For all intents and purposes, he could leave at any time. He just needed to wait for the right time. Two weeks later, the opportunity came. Sally notified him she and a couple of friends were leaving Friday morning for a long weekend shopping trip in Chicago. John fought to hide his grin. Friday morning, Sally left with her two friends, Jane and Deborah. John took his cellphone battery out and dropped the phone into a small drum of oil he had in his garage. Taking only his laptop and a box of software and hard drives, John locked the kitchen door and drove to the bank. He had been drawing out increments of $8,000 over the past few weeks. He now had $48,000 in cash in the Patagonia. All he did was transfer half of the checking and savings account to his personal account at another bank. John left the bank with a grin on his face. He was on his way. John stopped and picked up a couple of Tracfones. Activating one of them, he called Robert. "Robert, it's John. I'm out of here. You are the only person who has this number." "Okay, John, be safe." John drove to the storage facility, connected the trailer to the Patagonia, loaded the Jeep into the trailer and closed his account. Leaving the storage facility, he connected with I-270 and made his way to I-64. His destination, Kansas City. John watched his time. Around thirty minutes before he estimated Sally would reach Chicago, he pulled into a rest area and called and canceled their joint credit cards. John stopped at a truckstop in Missouri Valley, Iowa to spend the night. This was the first time he would sleep in the Patagonia. After he grabbed a sandwich in small deli there, he sat down with his computer to chart out his route. He hooked into the satellite modem and logged into the internet. His built-in GPS kept him on the straight and narrow, but he wanted to plan out his route. Maybe stop at some interesting sites. He quickly grew tired and shut down the computer. Grabbing a quick shower, he went to bed, falling quickly to sleep. Waking up refreshed the next morning, John fixed his coffee and took his vitamins and supplements. Purchasing a breakfast sandwich, John swore to himself he would stop for a decent lunch. He fueled up and went back inside and purchased a case of spring water to put in the refrigerator, then continued up I-29.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 18:48:31 GMT -6
John stopped early that day. Although Fargo was the most populous city in the state, that wasn't saying much. He did want to go to the air museum and try out Würst Bier Hall. He found an RV parking space at Lindenwood Campground and unloaded his jeep. To kill time until he went to the bier hall, he did laundry.
Later thar afternoon, his stomach was growling so he decided to head out. The bier hall wasn't hard to find and there were plenty of parking spaces. He went in and got a table next to the wall. The waitress came over and he ordered a München Original and a pretzel. While waiting for his order, John noticed the young woman at the next table and the large pack leaning against the wall. She was concentrating on a map laid out on the table. An almost empty glass of soda and a half-eaten pretzel on a plate on the right side of her table.
"Can I buy you another soda?" John asked.
The young woman looked up, glanced at her glass, then looked at John again.
"Sure."
The waitress brought John's order and he ordered another of whatever the young woman was having.
"I guess this is where I give you my name?"
John took a sip of his beer and shrugged. "If you want."
The woman hesitated for a second. "My name is Kayleigh Murphy."
John nodded. "I'm John Smith, pleased to meet you. Are traveling?"
"Yes, it's my graduation present to myself. I'm just wandering across the country stopping where I'm interested."
"That's nice." John looked at the pack. "You're not hitch-hiking are you?"
"Oh! Heaven's no! I've been taking buses and trains."
John groaned. "Rough way to travel."
"Not really, but it does take some time. Are you traveling?"
John chuckled. "Yeah, you could say that."
"Why did you laugh?"
"Well, It a sad story. You see, my wife is having an affair. She's planning to take me for as much as she can and dump me, so I did it to her before she did it to me."
"Devious. So what are you doing now?"
"Well, I bought an RV on the sly, disappeared, and thought I'd see what Western Canada and Alaska were all about."
"So, you're just roaming about seeing the sights also?"
"Yeah, I stop when I see something interesting, but I'm gradually working my way to Alaska. I'll stay for the summer and leave before the snow flies."
"May I sit with you? It's awkward sitting like this."
"You know…..why don't you come along with me? No strings attached. It's just much nicer when you can share the experience with someone."
Kayleigh looked at him thoughtfully. "No strings?"
"None. It would be nice to have someone to talk to."
Kayleigh was silent. The waitress brought her Coke and Kayleigh unwrapped the fresh straw and took a sip. "Let me see your driver's license."
John took out his driver's license and his CCW permit and handed them to her. She laid them on the table and took pictures of them, front and back, with her phone. She then sent them to God only knows where.
"If anything happens to me you'll be the first person they come after."
"That a great idea! That pretzel isn't enough. I've got to order something a little more substantial."
"I was here yesterday. Try the pork sandwich."
John order them both a sandwich and they sat there until late swapping information about each other.
"Oh, I hope you have a passport."
"Wouldn't leave home without it!"
Finally, Kayleigh yawned.
"Where are you staying?" John asked.
"Oh, I'll find a room at a motel."
"Well, there is an extra bed in the RV. I haven't slept in it so I can't vouch for how comfortable it is."
Kayleigh looked at him for a minute. "No strings?"
"Absolutely none."
"Okay."
John picked up her pack and they walked out to the Jeep. Setting his GPS, they drove out to the campground. John unlocked the door and waved Kayleigh in. Setting her pack at the end of one of the dining benches, he turned the dining area into a bed. John pulled out a mattress topper, sheets and pillow out and made the bed for her.
"The bathroom and shower are over here. I'll take my computer into the cab while you get ready for bed. Just yell when you are done."
"Okay, thanks."
John sat in the truck cab and checked the next leg of the trip. He decided they would stop in Portal, North Dakota, just before they crossed the border into Canada. Twenty minutes later, Kayleigh knocked on the wall and said she was finished. John went through the cab-to-cabin access door and looked at Kayleigh, sitting on her bed, wearing a pair of pajamas.
"If you have any clothes to wash, here is the washer/dryer." John said as he opened a cabinet door. He opened another and took out washing detergent.
"Thanks John, I do have some things."
John took his shower and put on running shorts and a t-shirt. When he came out Kayleigh was asleep. John turned off the lights, leaving a couple of accent lights on to provide a little illumination so she could see, then went to bed.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 18:50:16 GMT -6
Chip walked into the store and quickly spotted Logan talking to a customer. She walked over to the Coffee Corner and got a cup of coffee. She got a table and watched for Logan to finish. When the customer walked on down the aisle, Logan walked over to Chip. "Are you all right Logan?" "Sure, why?" "Well, I didn't see you last night. Because most of the kids had gone to bed, when they released us from the shelter most of the families stayed overnight. I looked, but couldn't find you." "We stayed on alert in case there were any late comers." "Oh…do you want to come to dinner tonight?" Logan grinned. "Sure." "Do you like lamb?" "Love it." "Okay…say 7:00?" "I'll be there!" "Good. I've got to get to work. I'll see you this evening." A few people had asked about a fitness center, so Cal checked into it. There was space next to the pool they could use, so he asked Billy to research it and come up with a design. Billy jumped right on it. A few days later Billy came to talk with him. "Dad, I've gone around and asked everyone what they'd like to have in a fitness center. After putting everything together, I looked at the size and spacing we would need and came up with this drawing." Cal looked at it and saw it had areas for weights, treadmills, yoga, exercise mats, bikes, rowers, Stair Steppers, and Jacob's Ladders." The building would have to be around 150 feet by 50 feet. Billy, is there room for this size building?" "Yes sir, I measured." Cal grinned. "Good job." Cal wrote a note on the equipment list and called Charlie. "Emily? I'm sending Billy with a list of gym equipment I want you to order. We're setting up a rec center." Cal hung up. "Take that list to Emily and I'll call Sam and arrange for the building." Cal called Sam and made an appoint to see him and Gary." John woke up and stretched, then looked at his watch. Eight o'clock. He needed coffee. Getting up, he prepared the coffee maker, waking Kayleigh.
"Did I oversleep?" "You can't. We aren't on a time schedule. We can leave when we want. You want coffee, or perhaps tea?" "Coffee is fine." She took some clothes out of her pack, went into the bathroom and closed the door. The coffee was done when she came back out.
John took the bed apart and folded the sheets and blanket and put them away. Replacing the dining table, he sat down. Kayleigh sat opposite him.
"So John, what is the plan today?" John took another sip of coffee. "We go and have a nice breakfast, pack up and head across North Dakota. We'll stop in Portal, the last town before we cross the Canadian border." John changed clothes while Kayleigh washed the cups and put them away. They found a nice little diner and had breakfast. Once they got back to the campground, John loaded the jeep up, refilled the water tank and dumped they greywater tank. They drove out of the campground a few minutes later.
Portal was not much more than a dot on the map. John found were several 18 wheelers were parked so he parked there with them. Kayleigh microwaved a lasagna and John opened a bottle of wine. After eating, they watched a movie and went to bed. "What is our destination today?" "We're headed to Moose Jaw. It's only three hours but the next major town, which is Saskatoon, is over 7 hours. I want to take it easy. So, if you see some place you want to stop, shout out. We've got plenty of time." When they got to the border control checkpoint, they handed over their passports and were asked where they were going. After a few minutes, they were asked to park and come inside. John was asked for his driver's license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. Then the officer asked if they could search the vehicle. John gave permission and they waited patiently until the officer returned. After 20 minutes, the officer returned and handed back their passports and other papers, wishing them a safe trip. After leaving Portal, it was a pretty boring trip to Moose Jaw.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 18:52:22 GMT -6
"Kayleigh…" Kayleigh jumped. "You scared the bejesus out of me!" John laughed. "Sorry. You know, I'm beginning to think there's more to you than there seems, and I think there's probably a little bejesus left in you."
"Why would you say that?" "Let's see, 'Kayleigh Murphy' is a pretty Irish name. Using the words 'Nan' and 'Bejesus.' Those words aren't commonly used in America. More like Great Britain or Ireland. Then there's that slight accent I pick up on. Galway or Parkmore I'm thinking. Kayleigh giggled. "And there seems to be more to you than meets the eye, Sir. Okay, so, my parents immigrated from Castlegar when I was six years old. I've tried to get rid of the accent. Sometimes it comes out though." "I wish you hadn't" John said. "You wish I hadn't what?" "Gotten rid of the accent. I love an Irish accent, especially on a lovely Irish lass." Kayleigh blushed and looked out the passenger window. "Maybe I can work on bringing it back" she muttered. John just grinned and drove on. Two hours later, they arrived in Moose Jaw. They checked in at the Buffalo Pound Campground. John found their spot and parked the RV. Kayleigh got up and stretched. Going to the refrigerator, she got out two bottles of spring water and handed one to John. John opened his computer. "Let's see what there is to do in beautiful downtown Moose Jaw, Canada!" Kayleigh sat beside him and viewed the screen as John clicked on different search areas. "Ah! Prairie Bee Meadery! I've got to go pick some up!" John exclaimed, as he wrote down the address. "Looks like there are a lot of Art Galleries. Who would have thought?" Kayleigh mused. John wrote down a couple of other things and picked up his phone. "Hello? Yes Can I get reservations for one this afternoon? Yes, for whatever you can fit in. Thank You. The name is Murphy. Thank you. Good bye." "What did you just do?" Kayleigh asked. "I made you reservations for 2:00 at the Sun Tree Spa. You wouldn't happen to have an LBD or something semi-dressy in that pack would you?" "No! Why?" "Because I'm taking you to dinner at Grant Hall Dining Room and Lounge." John tapped on the keyboard and wrote something else down. "Okay, first we're going shopping, get a light lunch and get you to the spa. While you are lounging around, I'll go to the meadery, do a little tasting and purchase a few bottles. You'll call me and I'll pick you up. We'll go back to the campground, get a little rest and get ready for our reservation. How's that sound?" Kayleigh's face turned red. "I'll have you know I WILL NOT BE a kept woman!" John deflated. "Kayleigh, I told you no strings attached. We're on a great adventure. I wanted this night to be memorable for you. Excuse me, I need to take a walk." Kayleigh slid off the bench, allowing John to get out. John closed the laptop and started for the door. "John wait! I'm sorry. You threw me off. You're practically a stranger and you're treating me like a woman wants a man to treat her. If we don't hurry, I won't have much time for shopping." John smiled. "Seriously?" Kayleigh smiled back at him and nodded. She followed him out the door. John locked the vehicle up and they drove back into Moose Jaw. They went to a ladies apparel shop and John went in with her. One of the ladies came over to greet them. John pulled out his American Express Centurion card and handed it to her.. "This lady needs a dress. She will be using it during our travels. Something simple, but elegant. If she needs jewelry add it. Also, she will need tasteful casual clothes, three sets…also shoes appropriate for the clothing. Ladies delicates also. I want her to feel like the beautiful lady she is." Kayleigh look at John, her eyes misting. "John you can't do this!" John put his finger over her lips. "Shish…that lady there is in charge." John turned to the lady salesclerk. "She has a reservation at the Sun Tree Spa at 2:00." The lady acknowledge and John turned to leave. Just as he was about to pass through the door, He heard the sales lady ask Kayleigh, "Where did you find that prince?" John drove to the spa to see how much time it took to get there from the apparel shop. Ten minutes in heavy traffic, he'd give it fifteen just in case. At 1:45 he was walking back through the door of the apparel shop. Kayleigh was just turning from the counter with bags in her hand. The sales lady handed John back his card with a smile. "Was she well taken care of?" John asked. "The lady smiled. "I'm sure you will be pleased." John took the bags from Kayleigh and they walked to the Jeep. John got her to the spa five minutes early. Kayleigh took one of the bags with her. John gave her his card and told her to have fun and relax. He watched until she entered the door before heading to the meadery. John had a great time spending the afternoon tasting the different meads. He wasn't in to those boutique flavors, so there were only three he picked to purchase, but he purchased three bottles of each. They bubble-wrapped each bottle when John told them he was traveling in an RV. He had just finished putting his purchases into the Jeep when his phone rang. "I'm ready." "I'll be there in 15 minutes." When they got back to the RV John rolled out the awning and they sat in the shade the rest of the afternoon, talking. It's about time to start getting ready. I'll stay out here and enjoy a glass of mead while you have free roam of the RV. I'll only need thirty minutes to get ready." Kayleigh blush. "Thank you." John went inside with her to get his mead he had cooling in the frig. When he went back outside, Kayleigh was laying her clothes out on the bed.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 18:53:34 GMT -6
John sat there thinking all that had transpired the last few weeks. Sally's actions had completely burned the love he had for her right out of his heart. It had been difficult to maintain his façade in the days before Sally took her trip to Chicago. He had left Robert with a full power of attorney before he left and had Robert put the house up for sale as soon as Sally left. He hoped the house would be sold soon. That would leave Sally with about thirty days to find somewhere else to leave after it closed.
John's phone rang.
"John? Robert. Sally is livid! When you shut off her credit card off, she had to curtail her trip. She was back in town late Saturday night. She came into see me Monday morning breathing fire, wanting to know where you were."
John grinned. "What did you tell her?"
"That you had found out about her affair and plans and had left. I didn't know where you were….and don't tell me."
"Does she know about the house?"
"She found out when the realtor put the for sale sign in the yard. By the way, there's already a little bidding war going on over it."
"Just get the best price as quick as possible."
Will do. I hope you are having a good time, because Sally isn't. I'll call if anything comes up."
"Okay Robert, thanks."
"You can get ready now." Kayleigh said out of the partially opened door.
John got up and went inside. Kayleigh stood there in her LBD and pumps with three inch heels. A string of pearls highlighted her neck. Her hair up in a French Twist."
John just stood there, amazed. "You are beautiful!"
"Go on now with you. You best be getting ready now."
John chuckled at her returned accent.
"I'll get a glass of wine and wait outside for you." Kayleigh said.
John showered and shaved and got dressed. When he put his Tilly blazer on, he wasn't sure of the dress code in the restaurant so he slipped a tie into his coat pocket. When he went outside, Kayleigh stood.
"And you sir, are quite the man tonight."
John took the time to store the chairs away in the storage compartment and closed the awning. He then escorted Kayleigh over to the Jeep and opened the door for her. After she was seated, he closed the door and hurried around and got in. After strapping on his seat belt he paused.
That perfume…what is it?"
"Givenchy"
John let out a deep breath and started the engine.
When they got to the restaurant, the attendants parked the Jeep. The couple approached the maître d' and were informed their table would be ready in a few minutes.
"Would you like to wait in the waiting area, or perhaps the bar. They have a fine selection of wines."
They selected the bar and had only taken a sip or two when maître d' announced their table was ready. John escorted her and the maître d' assisted her in seating.
"This place is wonderful! Whispered Kayleigh.
"It is very nice."
"Uh Oh! There are no prices on the menu!" Kayleigh said.
"Don't worry about it, let's just enjoy the evening."
They ordered stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer, the Rack of Lamb with asparagus, Caesar Salad and a wine the sommelier suggested. They ended up sharing a slice of fresh strawberry cheesecake for dessert.
The meal was delicious!
"Too bad they don't have dancing here." John said.
"I think I might be too full to dance right now." Kayleigh almost groaned.
"Want to take a walk?" John asked.
"Yes, please. But can we wait until we get back to the campground? I'd like to look at the stars."
John settled the check and left a hefty tip for the waiter and the maître d'. John helped her with her shawl and they walked out to the Jeep. Both were silent on the way back to the campground.
When they arrived, John unlocked the door.
"I want to change into some jeans" Kayleigh said.
"I'll wait out here."
"No. I can change in the bathroom."
John followed her in, took off his blazer and hung it up. Rolling up his sleeves, he waited for Kayleigh to come out. Kayleigh came out of the bathroom with her dress on a hangar. She had changed into jeans and a long-sleeve pullover shirt.
"Can you hang this in the closet in your bedroom?"
"Of course."
She slipped on her sneakers and was ready to go.
They went outside and started walking down the lane, away from the security lights.
Kayleigh wrapped her arm around John's left arm.
"Thank you John. I had a wonderful time today."
"Then I'm happy."
"What's our destination tomorrow?"
"Well, if we keep to our five to six hour driving plan, we'll end up around Lloydminster, Alberta…At least that's where I want to be. I want to fuel up there."
"I hope they have a mall. I need to resupply on some personal supplies."
"I'm sure they do."
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 18:54:39 GMT -6
"I'm sure they do."
They walked back to the RV and decided to sit out for a while. John went in and poured two glasses of mead while Kayleigh retrieved the folding chairs from the storage compartment.
"Thank you for inviting me along. This has been so relaxing not having to worry about train and bus schedules and sleazy guys following me around."
John grinned. "Do they have to be sleazy to enjoy looking at you? If so, you'll have to add me to the list."
"You Sir, are exempted. Want a water?"
"Sure."
Kayleigh got up and went inside, returning with the bottles.
"How's your bed working out? I can swap with you if you want."
"That bed would be too short for you. I'm fine. That mattress topper over the cushions works great."
"Okay then. Well, I'm ready to turn in. You?"
"Yeah. I'm ready."
John took his time putting the chairs away while Kayleigh got ready for bed. When he went I, Kayleigh was just finishing making her bed. John quickly changed into his running shorts and t-shirt and turned down the lights.
"Goodnight Kayleigh."
"Goodnight John." "Have you started dinner yet?" Stephanie asked.
Dale switched the phone to his other ear. "No, I just was about to wash up."
"Don't bother cooking. I made a lasagna. I'll be right over."
Dale called the kids in and told them Stephanie was bringing dinner. Wynter rushed out on the porch to watch for Stephanie while Finn helped his father set the table. When Stephanie arrived, Wynter carried a bag of fresh bread in for her.
"Hello!"
"Daddy! I have the bread."
Dale took the lasagna from Stephanie and placed it on a trivet on the table. Dale got a carving board and a bread knife and sat them on the table. Dale carved out slices and Wynter placed them on the bread dishes beside each plate.
"Well, let's eat!" Dale said.
"I need a spatula." Steph said.
Dale got her the spatula and she began cutting out servings and plating them. When everyone was served the kids joined hands with a their father and Steph and Dale said grace.
"This is delicious! Dale exclaimed.
"The salad! I left it in the car!" Steph cried.
"I'll get it!" Finn said and rushed out to Stephanie's car. Dale got up and retrieved salad bowls and forks and placed them on the table.
"What kind of dressing do you like Stephanie? The kids like Ranch."
"That's fine."
Dale grabbed the Ranch dressing out of the fridge and a pair of salad tongs. Once again, everyone began eating. When everyone finished eating, Dale gave the kids each a bowl of ice cream. Steph declined and had a cup of coffee. She started rinsing and placing the dishes into the dishwasher. They all sat down in the family room and watched a movie. It wasn't long before the kids were asleep. Dale picked Finn up and carried him to his room. Steph carried Wynter to hers. When they pulled the covers over them, they silently left the rooms and softly closed the doors. Dale took Stephanie's hand. "Is it too soon to ask you to stay the night?"
Stephanie smiled demurely and slowly shook her head. Dale led her into the bedroom and closed the door. As they were entering Lloydminster, Alberta, John pulled into a filling station and filled the Patagonia's fuel tanks. He hadn't been letting it get below a hundred gallons. They found a mall down the street so they pulled in. John parked and went in with Kayleigh. She walked around selecting things while John went to pick up a few personal hygiene items. John saw bubble bath on display and grabbed one. He watched for Kayleigh and when she headed to check out, he met her there, placing his items on the counter with hers.
"I got this."
"John, I…what are you doing with bubble bath?"
"I've got an idea."
John paid the bill and they walked out to the RV.
"What about getting rooms at the motel over there and chilling for the rest of the day?
I'll get separate rooms."
"Why?"
"Well, I thought you would appreciate a long soak in a tub."
"No, I mean why get separate rooms? We've been living in something smaller than a motel room for… how many days? Just get a single with twin queens."
"Fine then. Let's go."
John got the room and they moved some clothes and toilet articles into it. While Kayleigh prepared for her bath, John went out and puttered around in the Patagonia, checking supplies. There was a large supermarket next door so he went in and wandered around with a cart, adding things on a whim. He did add to his spring water supply. John stored the supplies in the pantry and filled the reservoir for the ice maker. He checked his watch. It had been almost two hours so he went back to the room. Kayleigh was stretched out on her bed, reading a book.
"How was it?"
She smiled. "Heavenly."
Want to go out to eat tonight?"
Kayleigh wrinkled her nose. "Why don't we just get a couple of deli sandwiches and stay in and rest. What is our goal tomorrow?"
"Little over five hours. A place called Fox Creek. Not much there."
"Why don't you go across the parking lot to the KFC and pick up a bucket and fixings and we can have a picnic sometime tomorrow."
"I love cold fried chicken. You want any special drinks?"
Kayleigh rolled her eyes. "Come on, I'll go with you. I'm feeling couped up."
They walked to the KFC and got their favorites. While Kayleigh was putting the food in the refrigerator, John made a gallon of iced tea.
Kayleigh turned and looked at John. "You know, the tub bath and room are nice, but let's keep that at a minimum. I'd rather be here in the RV and away from the urban sprawl."
Bowing, John said, "I will fulfill M' Lady's wish."
Giggling, Kayleigh said, "QUIT!"
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 18:55:57 GMT -6
Sam's crews were installing the log siding and finishing the wallboard inside the gym. All the equipment was being held in a warehouse in Grand Junction until the building was finished. Cal strolled around watching the workers. They had only a few more wall panels to install then the rubber floor could be installed over the concrete. Probably a couple of days until they could start installing the equipment. Saturday afternoon. He would get the men together and have an 'All Hands On Deck' party to put the equipment together. It would only take a few hours. He'd give Billy the plans Gary had given him of the final layout. Thankfully, the plan showed where each piece of equipment was to go. Cal's phone rang. "Cal, you better get up to the tower ASAP. We've got an incoming plane, his call sign is 'Air Force Two.'" Stunned, Cal answered. "I'll be right there." Cal hurried out to his Suburban and hurried to the airfield. As he got out of his truck, he hesitated, then took off his pistol and put it in the console. He continued to the tower, racing up the stairs. "They're 10 minutes out" Mike said. Cal watched the scope as the plane descended and came into view. Mike gave them their final instructions and the jet came in and landed. One of the mechanics guided them into the parking area with wands. Cal walked out and waited. Once the engines shut down, the airstairs came out and a man, probably Secret Service, walked over. "Sir, are you Cal Coleman?" "Yes I am" Cal answered, then pulled out his I.D." "Thank you Sir. The Vice President would like to speak with you." "We could go to my house. No one is home but my wife." "I'll confer with the Vice President. Please wait here." A couple of minutes the vice President and two agents walked over to Cal The Vice President held out his hand and said, "Mr. Coleman, I'm Vice President Hawley." "Cal shook his hand and chuckled, "Yes, Mr. Vice President. I recognize you from your wanted posters." The Vice President laughed. The two agents looked uneasy. "Mr. Vice President, I'd like to welcome you to High Top Ranch. I'd like to take you to my home where we can have refreshments." The VP looked at one of his agents who nodded. "Cal directed them over to the Suburban and the two agents got into the second row of seats, the VP rode shotgun. Cal picked up his radio and called Siobhan. "Honey, put on a fresh pot of coffee. We have guests." "Yes, I know. It will be ready when you get here." "How did she know we were here?" VP Hawley asked. "Tell-A-Woman net," Cal grinned.
They stopped at a rest stop between Whitecourt and Fox Creek and had their picnic. John rolled out the awning and got the chairs and a table in place. Kayleigh warmed the mashed potatoes up and brought out the plates of food. Kayleigh bunched up her shoulders and giggled. "This is what I like. Even with the highway, it is relatively quiet. We're in a comfortable setting, sitting here looking out over the forest. All that's missing is a lake." "I'll try to find us one along the way. Wait, I'm the driver. YOU find us a lake to camp by." Kayleigh grinned. "YES SIR!" Siobhan brought in a coffee service and served everyone. She then retired to the kitchen to plate up slices of apple pie. "Do you mind me calling you 'Cal?'" VP Hawley asked. "Not at all, Sir." I've been reading a lot about you lately. You've got quite a few people stirred up. "I guess I brought it on myself. I just say what I feel." "So, you're from North Carolina?" Cal stared at him. "So I had your military records pulled. Quite a career you had. What made you locate out here?" Cal took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He told the VP of his dissatisfaction with the military politics, his divorce and generally everything up to recent times. "My God! I am so sorry. It must have been a horrible time." Cal sat with his elbows braced on his knees, staring at the floor. "Yes Sir, I was in a fog for a while, but I had a daughter and son that needed care. Thankfully I have wonderful friends and family that stood by me." The VP got off the subject. "So, this ranch must make you a good profit. You've got quite the village going here." Cal sat there and looked at the VP for a few seconds. "I inherited this ranch from a buddy I served with in Afghanistan. At first, I looked at it as a vacation getaway for my first wife. I worked on it on the sly until things went to hell with her. My intentions when I got out of the service were to just hide away from my sorrows here. Things kind of snowballed after that. When I put up the first cabin, I found a cave into the mesa and I had thoughts to utilize it for storage or for a SHTF shelter. I concealed the entrance and made an entrance to the cave from the cabin. When I decided to expand the cave I found something. Would you like to see what we've accomplished?" "Of course. I'd be delighted. Cal took him and the agents to the library and pressed a hidden switch that opened one of the cases out, showing a blast door. Cal used the keypad to open the door. A blast of air came through the door and Cal went through, followed by the VP and the two agents. "I started excavating out the cavern and making corridors. We have living quarters to house every member of the Ranch and their families should the shelter be needed. We have ample supplies and power to handle an indefinite stay here. All our power comes from alternate energy sources. We are pretty much self-sustained with the exception of some things we keep stored for future use." "So, you are a survivalist?" "The name 'Survivalist' has taken on a bad name. I am a 'Prepper.' I am prepare to protect my family and employees from any threat…manmade or natural. We aren't a cult. We live normal lives, mind our own business and stay away from the left-wing sickness that has spread across this country." "You know, you could help us with that sickness if you would serve in Congress." "I think you have probably already heard my answer to that. A growing problem is that government already sticks it's nose under the tent too much as it is. Hell, just today, my accountants we complaining that the law demands that we act like we are blind to race, religion, and gender. Then they want us to count them every month. The government taxes everything a minimum of three to four times. They use those tax dollars to bribe other countries and ignore American citizens. Everything we do is under the threat of government threats. So, Mr. Vice President, we live our lives here and have minimum contact with those that could be a threat to us." "This place is very impressive. How did you get these walls so smooth?" "A friend built me an excavating machine that that does the majority of the work automatically. We have to come back and smooth it even more, if we want. A kind of stucco is applied then epoxy paint over that. One of benefits of the excavation has been the recovery of some gold. That has paid for most of the improvements here at the Ranch. We support some charities and the local communities with the money that's left over." Cal had them get into electric carts and he showed them most of the shelter complex, except for the armory and ammunition storage. They ended back at the entrance to the house. "Impressive Cal, impressive. I knew you were a unique person. I wish we had more men like you in government." "I try to stay away from government. Many say the government has become overbearing beyond need. I just don't want their interference. They are in every portion of lives as it is. Each one of us deserves freedom to handle our lives without input from someone thousands of miles away who thinks their ideas fits everyone's situations." Cal sighed. "There was a time in my life when I thought I was invincible. You know…I trained hard and overcame nearly every situation I came up against. Yeah, I had a few bullet wounds and cuts and abrasions, but I recovered fairly quickly. But there are times in life that you run into situations that can't be overcome with physical and tactical ability. In matters of the heart, you can be overcome just as if someone stuck a bayonet in your gut. If you're lucky, it isn't fatal to the psyche, but it takes a good while to recover. If there is someone who can help you recover, you can get through it much quicker. That is what my second wife Hope did for me. When she was killed, I fell into a dark abyss. My current wife, Siobhan, was there to pull me out. I'm tired. I'm trying to be proactive and save all my friends and family the pain I've gone through. Like I've done most of my life, in offering up my life for my country, I'm doing the same for my friends and family on this ranch. Government can't do that. What you need in government is take the special privileges away from our representatives and make them live like their constituents. Their avarice is despicable! They need to get rid of their class attitude and embrace term limits…get fresh blood in there more often. Sir, I went from a hermit's hideaway to building an oasis away from the wrongs in this world. Let me ask you a question. How is it that the evil people in this world, the liars and cheaters and con men, succeed so often?" "I'm not sure Cal." "I've concluded that the real reason is the rest of us. Most of us on this planet are basically honest, basically decent. We tend to tell the truth in most situations and treat one another with some degree of kindness. Not surprisingly, some also take for granted that those around us will behave the same way. But their assumption that most people, most of the time, are honest, leaves us terribly vulnerable to those bastards who lie and cheat without any conscience at all. Politicians have utterly fooled us for quite a long time without most people ever realizing it. Because they don't lie and cheat, they don't suspect quickly enough that others might be doing it to us." "What would you do about it?" Cal grinned. "Public hangings or guillotine comes to mind."
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 18:57:17 GMT -6
The VP smiled and shook his head. "I won't go there, but you are right. There are huge changes that need to be made, but it will be a difficult job to drain the swamp."
"Well, if something isn't done, the day will come when more and more people will realize what's going on and will get sick and tired of it. The government is beginning to read like a George Orwell novel. Blood will be spilled because of the policies and laws coming out of Washington."
"Yes, we are working on those things. It just takes time and money to implement. Well, I have taken up enough of your time. I just wanted to meet you and shake your hand. Try and keep the faith. There ARE some good men and women in Washington. The President is also impressed with you and wanted me to convey to you that he is proud to have men around that still hold the beliefs of a true patriot. He also would like to have a Huey helicopter like yours. He's willing to trade you an S-70 for it. If you wish, I'll have someone contact you with the details."
"Uh…why thank you Sir."
"No, thank you Cal for your continued service to this country.
"Thank you Sir for stopping by."
Cal drove them back up to the airfield and waited until the aircraft left. Dale was sitting on the log bench he'd built down by the lake. Stephanie pulled up in the yard and Wynter ran out to give her a hug.
"Where's your Dad?"
Wynter pointed toward the lake and said, "Down there."
Steph walked down and quietly stopped behind him. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she softly massaged them.
"Watcha doing?"
"Oh, I was just thinking, Steph. We can die at any moment. That means that we have to enjoy the now. On the other hand, we can also end up living for another eighty years. That means that I have to plan for the future of myself and my kids. I'm responsible for our happiness as far as it goes also. The kids love you….and so do I. I want you to be a part of our future and share our happiness."
"Nope. You're not getting away with that!"
Dale jumped up and turned around. "Wha…"
"No, I won't accept such a convoluted proposal. You need a ring and you need to get on one knee!"
Dale grinned and walked around the bench. Pulling a ring box out of his pocket, he got to one knee.
Dale cleared his throat and said, "Stephanie, I and the kids are crazy about you. Will you marry me?" Then slipped the ring on her finger.
"YES!"
Wynter and Finn came running down the slope screaming and almost knocked Stephanie over when they ran into her, wrapping their arms around her. "Are you going to be our Momma?"
Stephanie squatted down. "Do you want me to be?"
"Yes! Daddy talked to us and he said we could love you like a Momma because our first Momma is in heaven. Can we call you 'Momma?' We like it when you are around. Now, we could have you both in school and here at home!"
Tears were leaking out of Stephanie's eyes.
Stephanie wrapped her arms around both kids. "Yes, you can call me 'Momma'."
Stephanie arrived at school the next morning. She was carrying some file folders in her left arm, clutched to her chest. When she walked into the office Andrea looked up.
"Good morning!" The she got a surprised looked on her face.
"STEPHANIE!"
Kathy came hurrying into the room. "What's wrong?"
Andrea moved quickly to Stephanie. "When?"
"He asked me last evening." Stephanie replied.
"What…YOU'RE ENGAGED!" Kathy said, when she saw the ring.
"OH MY GOD!" Kathy quickly went to her office and called Siobhan. By noon, every woman on the Ranch knew of the news."
John gave her the lake view at Watson Lake. They stayed there for two days then went on to Whitehorse. As they neared Whitehorse, Kayleigh was all about her navigation duties.
"The RV park is just south of Whitehorse. We should be coming up on it soo…THERE IT IS!"
John rented a parking space and drove to it. Once they were settled in. They got out their chairs under the awning and had a glass of mead.
"John, this is the only large town in the Yukon. I want to pick up some breakfast items and such. Don't want to go to Anchorage…too big. Why don't we head to Fairbanks. It's large, but the outlying areas should be okay."
"Fine with me."
"Good, because on the way to Fairbanks is Kluane Lake. There's two or three campgrounds there. Maybe we could stay two or three days there?" She said, hopefully.
John chuckled at her. "Okay. So let's go find a grocery store. I'd like to cook some steaks by the lake."
They ended up staying at Kluane Lake for three days, then they continued their journey to stop half way to Fairbanks at Midway Lake. They stayed overnight at a pull-off and instead of going into Fairbanks, Kayleigh found an RV park in North Pole. Of course, she had to go visit the gaudy gift shops. John didn't know how many people she sent gifts to, he quit counting. It didn't really matter to him. She was happy. They stayed five days in North Pole.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 18:58:25 GMT -6
On their way through Fairbanks, they stopped at COSTCO to resupply and fuel up. Kayleigh checked the campgrounds available and called Cantwell RV Park and got reservations for four days. It was just a half hour south of Denali National Park. They walked a lot and drove some to view the scenery. Mostly they read and relaxed.
They were walking down by the river when Kayleigh stopped and sat on a log.
"John, what happened between you and your wife?"
John turned and looked across the river. "I guess she just got bored. You see, I'm an inventor. I've got several patents out there and have made a lot of money. You could say I'm 'comfortable.'"
Kayleigh grunted. "That's what anyone not a millionaire call being filthy rich."
John smirked. "Well, when we were first married, she was perfect for me, but during the next couple of years, she changed. I didn't notice at first, love blinded me. Then there were things that got me wondering. I hired a P.I. to check things out. It wasn't good. She had taken a lover and was planning to take me to the cleaners. I went to my friend's law firm and he advised me not to get a divorce. I was covered by a strong pre-nuptial agreement, owned the house before we were married, cars were paid for and had a sizeable bank account. He advised me to sell the house, split the checking and savings account, and disappear for a while. If she wanted a divorce, she could pay for it. What I finally left her, she would have gotten in a divorce. Everything I have coming in is going into a trust, so she couldn't touch it. I made my plans and waited. Finally, she told me she and her girlfriends were taking a three day weekend to go shopping in Chicago. The phone tap I had told me different. As soon as she left, I pulled out. A few hours later I canceled our joint credit cards. The rest of the story is pretty boring, then I met you. Kayleigh, some things can't be fixed when they are damaged, and our marriage was one of them.
Before I got to Fargo, it dawned on me that I needed to start enjoying my moments since it could easily be the last day of my life. I also wanted someone to enjoy those moments with me since it could be their last day of life. I have never tasted meals that were so good, nor had a better time traveling than with you. It was fortunate, running into a beautiful Irish maiden in a pub in Fargo, North Dakota."
Kayleigh removed her hat and sat there, twirling it slowly in her hands.
"So, legally, you are married, but for all intents and purposes, you're not?"
"Nothing left to be married to. After listening to those surveillance tapes, I have no love left for Sally."
John skipped a couple of stones in the river. Finally, Kayleigh got up.
"Come on. Let's head back; my stomach is rubbing my backbone."
John chuckled. "Are ever not hungry?" The men were wiping sweat while they lounged around.
"Man, it's a workout just to put all this stuff together." Bill said.
"This is a pretty nice layout Cal. As good or better than the national chains."
"Thank Billy for that." Cal said, slapping Billy on the shoulder.
Siobhan came in. "Cal! Burgers and Brats are ready!"
The women had put together food for the men while the equipment was being assembled and moved around.
Siobhan looked around. "This looks nice!"
The men got up and headed down to the Community Center to enjoy the food."
Cal was getting out of his truck at the Community Center when his phone rang.
"Mr. Coleman? My name is James Foster. I believe you talked to Vice President Hawley about the S-70 exchange?"
"Uh…Yes.
"There will be one available for you this week. It has FLIR and the extra things you installed on the Huey. Do you have a qualified pilot? If not, we can get him or her trained."
"Hold on a minute." Cal put the phone on mute and went inside. He spotted Ken and went over.
"Ken, are you qualified on a Blackhawk?"
Ken, surprised, said, "Yes."
"Hello? Mr. Foster? I have a qualified pilot."
"Excellent! If you will remove extra equipment from the Huey that you want to keep, we will do the exchange this week. Let me remind you, there will be gun mounts and external tanks with the S-70. I will call you when and where the exchange will take place."
"Thank you, Mr. Foster."
"You're welcome, Mr. Coleman. Good bye."
"What was that about?" Ken asked.
"We're getting an S-70, the civilian equivalent of the Blackhawk."
John cooked rib eye steaks on the outdoor kitchen grill that afternoon. After dinner, they sat drinking their wine and watched the sun go down. Finally, they got up and took the dishes inside to wash them.
"Well, that was nice." Kayleigh said.
John smiled. Yes it was. Wanna watch a movie?"
"Sure."
Kayleigh picked the movie and they settled down on the sofa to watch. A few minutes later, Kayleigh laid her head on John's shoulder and was softly snoring. John shifted and woke her up.
"I guess we should turn in." John said.
Kayleigh nodded and got out her sleepwear and went to the bathroom. John quickly changed into running shorts and T-shirt. He crawled into bed and watched as Kayleigh came out of the bathroom. He saw her moving around, turning down the lights, then came and stood by the foot of his bed.
"It's getting cold at night" Kayleigh said and crawled over the foot of the bed to lay beside John and got under the covers. She kissed him on the cheek and laid her head on his chest.
"Good night, John."
"Good night, Kayleigh."
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 19:00:25 GMT -6
Chip came into the store early and got a cup of coffee and a Bear Claw and sat down. Logan saw her and came over and sat down.
"You're out early." Logan said.
Chip smiled. "I wanted to pick up some pastries for the office. Besides, it's allowing me to spend a little time with you before I go to work."
Logan smiled. "That's a benefit for me also."
Logan's expression changed.
Chip took his hand in hers. "Logan, why are you looking at me like that?"
"I love you, Chipeta Burke. I want to grow old and gray with you by my side."
Tears welled up. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she said, "Look at what you made me do. I'm crying."
A paper napkin appeared in Logan's hand and he used it to wipe the tears from her face. Looking at her with a loving expression, he said, "You've never looked more beautiful to me."
"Maybe you could stop by after work?"
Logan smiled. "I'll be there." John woke and slowly opened his eyes. Kayleigh was still asleep, her left arm laying across his chest and her left leg crooked up over his thighs. He lay there thinking. They had slept, nothing else. He slowly moved his arm from around her and began to ease himself out of the bed. Kayleigh jerked and her arm tightened around his chest.
"Where do you think you are going?"
"Nature calls."
"Oh!" Kayleigh giggled. "Hurry back. I'm not ready to get up yet."
John finished his business and brushed his teeth. Returning to bed, Kayleigh immediately got up and went into the bathroom. When she returned, she immediately snuggle back up to him.
"I'm craving seafood." She mumbled.
"Well, we could move down to Wasilla. Probably find some seafood restaurants there."
"I'll get on the computer and find us an RV park and look for a restaurant."
They got up and got dressed. John went out and walked around the Patagonia and trailer, inspecting everything.
Kayleigh came out, bearing two mugs of coffee. "I've got breakfast sandwiches warming inside."
John took a sip of coffee then looked at his watch. "That will work. It's about a three hour drive to Wasilla."
"Kayleigh nodded. "It's beautiful out here this morning."
"Not too cool? You were worried about getting cold last night."
Kayleigh grinned and put her arm around him. "I slept very warm and comfortable last night, I'll thank you."
"I'm sure you did. And you didn't snore much either."
"I DON'T SNORE! Well, maybe, when I'm really tired. Come on, let's eat our sandwiches."
Siobhan called everyone to dinner. The meal wasn't complicated consisting of a spread of different fresh vegetables, sliced meats, potato salad, and dinner rolls. Cal helped Brigid into her high chair and gave her a stick of celery and a paper condiment cup with Thousand Island dressing. She would dip the celery stick into the dressing and suck it off.
"Casey and Gordon are finally getting married next month." Siobhan said.
"Oh yeah? Have you thought about a wedding present?"
Siobhan frowned. "I don't know. They're taking the RV to Las Vegas and travel around for a couple of weeks. I'd like to give them something practical. Let me think on it."
"Dad, the gym is great! Eric is helping me work up an exercise plan with weights and the machines."
"That's great buddy. Maybe I'll come and exercise with you."
"Andrea is going to start a Yoga class for the ladies. I think I'll join." Siobhan said.
"I'm going to be busy the rest of the week. We'll be laying the pond liner in the two tanks."
"Siobhan asked, "Do you want me to make you a lunch every day?"
"I'd appreciate it. I hate to stop work to come back in for it. If everything goes well, we'll finish on Friday."
The rest of the meal was fairly quiet. Cal, Amy, and Becky helped Siobhan with the dishes. Billy went in and put on a movie for the rest of the kids. They were installing the last of the pond liner when they ran out of adhesive.
"Can we lay it without gluing it down?" Dennis asked.
Cal shook his head. "The weight of the water can make it slip. The adhesive keeps it from moving until the water can hold it down. Let's quit right now and finish up in the morning. I'll go in and pick up another couple of buckets."
Cal went by the house to see if Siobhan needed anything and continued on in to Grand Junction.
Cal was walking out of the Home Depot when he almost ran over a reporter and camera man.
"Mr. Coleman, what do you think of the possible sentencing the protesters could receive?"
Cal looked calmly at the reporter and grinned. "You people are going to get me in trouble again. The bottom line is, they aren't worthy of me caring what happens to them."
"What do you mean Mr. Coleman?"
"These people believe that they and their beliefs are the center of the universe. The universe doesn't care. They think that the world and the stars revolve around them. Although they are a minuscule portion of the population, they think that the entire world should dance to their least little whims and desires. It doesn't. Anyone who includes that in their plans in life, is going to discover a very serious flaw in their planning. They bully everyone to twist their lives to fit their plans on how the world should be run. For myself, I won't allow my life to be subject to the interference of some juvenile Marxist ideological actors. In other words, I don't care about them. That might seem harsh, but life just isn't fair. If they want someone to blame for all the perceived ills they feel, they should look to those that taught them to think that way. You have a good day."
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Post by gipsy on Aug 9, 2021 19:46:13 GMT -6
Stirring it with a big stick again.
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Post by eyeseetwo on Aug 9, 2021 20:30:15 GMT -6
Thank you!
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 21:29:38 GMT -6
John pulled into the Big Bear RV Park and rented a space for a couple of days. Once he got the rig parked, he unloaded the Jeep.
"Where to?" John grinned.
"Let's get a light lunch here and go to dinner at 6:00. Big Bear Lodge has good ratings. Now, let's go take a nap."
John got a drink of water and sat down to take off his shoes. After taking off his shirt, he went and laid down. Kayleigh crawled on the bed beside him and laid her head on his chest.
"Where are we going next?"
"Lady, I'm the driver, you are the navigator."
"Well, I kinda would like to go to Homer. Have you seen that reality show 'The Last Frontier'?"
"Yes."
"Well they have a homestead museum there and other museums, a meadery, winery and the Heritage RV Park is right on the bay."
"Sounds like that's where we're headed next. We need to inventory and see if we need to pick up anything in Anchorage before we head down."
They lay quietly until he heard Kayleigh's breathing slow and then heard the soft buzzing of her snoring. John smiled and soon fell asleep."
John woke up and looked at his watch. It was 4:00 pm. Kayleigh stirred and groaned. She snuggled closer and lightly kissed John on the neck.
"Don't start anything or will never get to the restaurant." John muttered.
"Ooooo, that sounds nice, but I'll take a rain check. I need a shower."
"Okay, I'm going to fuel up the Jeep. Do you need anything?"
"No, I'm fine."
When John returned, Kayleigh was walking around in bra and panties.
"Oh! Excuse me! He said, and started to back out the door.
"GET IN HERE!"
John stuck his head back in the door. Kayleigh was pulling on a robe.
She walked up to him and kissed him softly on the lips. "Thank you, but you didn't offend my modesty, what little I have."
"If you keep kissing me, I can't be held accountable for what I'll do to you if it continues."
Kayleigh grinned. "I'll hold you to that. Now get your shower. We can leave a little early."
The dinner was delicious. They both ordered halibut. When they finished, they had a glass of wine on the deck of the restaurant. Finally, they left and went back to the RV park. John followed Kayleigh into the Patagonia and stopped and stared when she started unbuttoning her blouse.
"Get ready for bed John. I'm collecting on that rain check."
Cal drove out to the cornfield and walked around. It was looking good. Sylvio drove up.
"Good morning Cal."
"Good morning Sylvio. The crops are looking good."
"Sí, they are well. It will make a fine harvest."
"Have you talked to Ryan about how to handle the hemp?"
"Sí. He has told me what he needs to process it. There is little for me to do except water it, let it grow, and harvest it when the time comes….which will be well before the corn is ready."
"Excellent. Well, I'm headed over to the new tanks to see how they are filling."
They guys had finished the road to the tanks, so the drive was fairly easy. The first one he came to, which he called 'Crystal Lake,' because of the water clarity, was already a quarter full. It would be filled to capacity in another two weeks. The other tank, named 'Mesa Tank' wasn't filling quite as fast, but it was filling. Satisfied, he drove to the hanger to piddle around with the planes. Billy and Becky had been flying an hour each week. He wanted to plan a long flight for them soon to give them more experience. Maybe get all the SuperSTOL up in the air for the trip. There wasn't much for him to do. The mechanics kept everything in tip-top shape. He walked over to the S-70. It was one hell of a deal getting this thing. It had a removable pylons that carried external fuel tanks that would extend the S-70's range up to 1,150 nautical miles. Cal wanted to see about purchasing the 1,000 gallon under-belly water tank to fight fires. They could just drop the snorkel into a tank and fill the tank in less than a minute.
He drove on down to visit Jon. When he walked into the large garage area there was a vehicle running silently on a rollers. Ryan and Shannon were standing nearby at an instrument console.
"Hello, Cal. I'm glad you came by. We're just about finished testing our prototype electrical vehicle."
Cal looked at the non-descript truck. "What's special about it?"
"Electric vehicles currently manufactured have a range of no more than 375 miles. They are made of a lot of plastic. We took the truck, all steel body, and are getting an average of 850 miles. Our next protypes will be a mid-size car and a 35 passenger bus. I think we can still get over half again as much range as the plastic toys. If they were made of more plastic, then the range would increase. Our goal is to be able to retrofit fossil fuel vehicles with our electric package."
"Cal nodded. "That would be a lucrative business."
Ryan grinned. "I don't run businesses. You find someone to do it."
Cal thought a moment. "What do you think about the Becerra brothers
On nodded. They would be perfect."
"Let me talk to Miguel and I'll let you know. Are you through with this truck?"
"Yeah, sure." Drive it down there."
Cal drove the truck to one of the open bays of the Becerra Brothers. Miguel walked over.
"What is this?"
"Miguel, I want you to test drive this and tell me what you think."
Cal handed him the keys and Miguel got in and drove off. Fifteen minutes later Miguel drove back.
"Nice!. It's got some power. It would keep up with gasoline vehicles."
"How far do you think a Tesla will go before recharging?"
"Just read the article. Three hundred and seventy-five miles."
"This truck will go 850."
"You're kidding me!"
"Well, that's what Ryan and Shannon's tests tell them. How would you like to do the conversions? He's about to start testing mid-size cars and buses."
"That would definitely be a money maker. The customer brings their favorite car, we pull the engine, install the components and voilà!"
"Miguel, I want you to take this truck and fix it up as a display vehicle. Your company will do the conversions. Get with Ryan and Shannon and find the cost of the components. Work up the price you'll charge for the conversions for a truck like this. As Ryan finishes the tests for the other vehicles, do the same. You may not have enough space to do the conversions here so give me some idea of what you'll need. Give me a ride back up to Ryan's. I left my truck there."
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 21:30:46 GMT -6
John parked the rig at the Heritage RV Park, right on the Homer Spit. "This is beautiful!" Kayleigh said, her arms in the air, twirling around. John laughed. "Hey! I'm hungry. Where can we eat, navigator?" Kayleigh rushed back into the RV and searched for Homer restaurants. Selecting the top Tripadviser picks, she scrolled down the listing. "The Fresh Catch Café is just down the street. Let's go pig out on King Crab!" "Let me unload the Jeep."
Kayleigh moaned. "I don't think I've EVER eaten that many crab legs! I need to walk it off but this breeze is chilly." "Let's go back to the Patagonia and grab our jackets and walk the edge of the bay." John said. They walked the edge of the bay until the wind picked up, then returned to the RV. Kayleigh was shivering, so John turned the heat up. Kayleigh reached over and turned the heat back down. "We'll make our own heat." John and Kayleigh saw everything they wanted to in the Homer area. They also stocked up with some decent wines and meads. Meals were to dream for. They stayed a lot longer in Homer than they had anywhere else. John awoke with Kayleigh in her usual position, her head cradled I his armpit, one arm over his chest, and a leg thrown across his thighs.
John laid there thinking about the last few weeks. Robert called and told him that Sally actually pushed forward the divorce papers. He guessed she was really serious about Earl. The divorce would be final in three months. Right now, he was happy. Kayleigh had come out of nowhere to brighten his life. He was hesitant to tell her how he felt…he was still a little gun-shy. But she had actually quickly brought him from an abyss of sadness and loneliness during their time together. He was afraid of mentioning anything about maybe ending his travels. He didn't want to end the closeness they shared. Kayleigh stirred and moaned. She snuggled closer and started kissing his neck. "I love you." John turned on his side. Kayleigh opened her eyes and looked into John's. "I really do love you. I started falling in love with you even before we got to Portal. I feel so weak knowing our adventure will end sometime." "Kayleigh, our journey will end when you decide it has reached its limits. My greatest fear is you don't love me with the intensity as I love you." Tears rolled down her cheeks. She buried her face into the hollow of his neck. "I want to be with you forever." She said softly. John kissed her forehead and then her lips as she turned up to him. Kayleigh, when my divorce is final, will you marry me?" "Oh God YES!" She rolled on top of John. "I love you so much!" They didn't leave the RV until much later that day. Cal was making the first pot of coffee of the day when his phone rang. "Cal? It's Martha. Jonah passed away during the night." "Oh God!. I'll be right there!" Siobhan was just coming into the kitchen when she was almost knocked over by Cal hurrying to the door. "What's wrong?" Siobhan asked worriedly. "Jonah passed away last night." "No! I'll be right down as soon as I get someone to stay with the children." Cal hurried to his truck and drove to Jonah and Martha's cabin. Martha was sitting in the family room, holding a box of tissue. "Martha, Siobhan is on her way. I need to make a few calls. Have you and Jonah discussed what you wanted to do if something like this should happen?" "Yes. Jonah wanted to be buried here on the Ranch. He loved this place." Siobhan came in. "Siobhan, will you help Martha. I have a few calls to make." Cal's first call was to Sheriff Earl Gilmore. "Earl, Jonah Daley passed away last night. He wanted to be buried here on the Ranch." "Well, all you need is the coroner and a casket. Embalming isn't even required. I can bring the coroner out right now. You'll need to call to get a casket." Cal ended the call and went back talk to Martha. "Martha, Earl Gilmore is bringing the coroner out. All we need is a casket. Do you want him embalmed?" "No! Neither he nor I wanted to be embalmed or have an open casket funeral. I want a wooden casket so he can return to God's earth naturally." "I'll see to it." Cal called Dawn and had her start the cooler on one of the reefers and told her why. More women began to show up. Mary came in to relieve Siobhan so she could go back and get the kids ready for school. Reverend Lambry and Edna showed up and Edna took charge of the kitchen, organizing the food as it was brought in and ensuring there was coffee and iced tea available. Charlie showed up with cases of plates, plastic utensils, cups, and napkins." Cal and Dennis went to the little knoll where Hope had been buried and picked a spot where the grave was to be dug. Once it was marked, Dennis went back to get the backhoe and shovels. Joshua and Ben returned with him. Cal went back to Martha's cabin as the Sheriff and coroner arrived, soon followed by two men from the funeral home. Cal stayed outside and met the funeral home people. "Mr. Coleman, the Sheriff told us what is going on. We can dress the body and arrange it in the casket, or any other services required." "Thank you. Let me talk to Mrs. Daley to see what clothes she wants to use." Cal went in to talk to Mary. Once she understood the information needed, she talked to Martha. Martha went Cal. "Cal, He wanted to be buried with his boots on. I'll lay out his good coat, shirt and jeans. He would be satisfied…and his Colt. Make sure he's wearing his gun." Cal nodded. Mary went to help Martha get the clothes. The Sheriff and Coroner came back out. "Here's a copy of the death certificate. He died of a massive coronary. I'll make sure it's filed with the county." "Thank you Bill, can I offer you two a cup of coffee?" "No, we've got to get back. My condolences Cal." "Thank you both for your response." Mary and Martha came back. "Everything is laid out. I'm going to take Martha and Reverend Lambry back to my place for a bit." "Okay, Mary. We'll take care of things here." As soon as Marth and Mary left, Cal called the funeral home people in and gave them instructions." "We'll call you in when we are ready to close the casket, for your review." "Thank you." Nick hesitantly walked in with moist eyes. "Cal, what can I do?" "Let's get a cup of coffee." They took their coffee out on the porch. "Nick, you are the Foreman now. The first thing we need to do is move the casket to the reefer until the funeral. Get a couple of horses for the wagon ready. It shouldn't take the funeral people long to get things ready." Nick nodded and handed Cal his cup and hurried off. Andy, Glen, Dale, Jimmy and Joanna arrived. They all asked, "What can we do." When Joanna was told Martha was at Mary's cabin, she headed there. The men waited to help carry the casket out. About twenty minutes later, one of the funeral home personnel came out to get Cal. Cal went to where the body laid in the casket. Jonah laid there, his face relaxed. He was dressed in the clothes Martha had laid out, his gun belt buckled on, Colt at his hip, and his good Stetson laid on his stomach. Cal nodded his head and they began locking the lid on. Cal went out to get the men. Nick was backing the wagon up to the bottom of the steps. The men went in and picked up the casket, carefully carrying it out and placing it in the wagon. The men walked behind the wagon as it slowly moved to the reefer. Dawn was waiting and opened the doors as Nick backed wagon up to the reefer doors. The men divided up, some went into the reefer, some into the wagon. The casket was carefully lifted to the men in the reefer and sat the casket down on two 4x4 timbers that Dawn had laid out. When everyone was out, the doors were closed. "I'll announce when the funeral will be held." The men nodded and left. Cal stood there for a few minutes. He knew that no one was exempt from death, but knowing that didn't make it any easier to accept the death of a friend.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 21:31:29 GMT -6
John and Kayleigh had their morning coffee inside this morning. The winds were getting colder.
John took a sip of his coffee. "Well, In about three weeks, they'll start getting snow. I think it's time to say goodbye to Alaska."
"Where to next, Driver?"
"Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. I'd like to check out Lake Coeur d'Alene."
Kayleigh turned on the computer and opened Mapquest. "Well, we have Fox Run RV Park in Palmer. It's about five hours away, and there's an RV park in Tok, around five hours from Palmer. I'll call and book reservations."
"Perfect! You know, even though it will take us eight or nine days to get to Coeur d'Alene at this pace, it is restful and the scenery has been beautiful."
"I know, My phone is about at its memory limit with all the photo's I've taken."
"Here, I can download them into the computer and burn you a DVD."
John cleaned her phone of the photos and handed her phone back. He burned the DVD and after putting it in a case, handed that to her.
"We've got this backwards….having a honeymoon before the wedding." Kayleigh mused.
"Oh no! We're going to the Caribbean for our honeymoon!"
"John, you can't keep spending money like that!"
"Kayleigh, I have more money than I can spend in a lifetime. That's something we'll never have to worry about."
"I don't care about the money. I just don't want you stressed about money problems."
"Well, there is a slim-to-none chance of that happening. I'm going to load the Jeep and inspect everything. Can you do an inventory of the pantry and see what we need? Oh, and I want to pick up some elk steaks in Anchorage. I think I've had my fill of seafood for now."
After securing and inspecting their gear, John went back in.
"I found a place in Anchorage that sells elk caribou meat. I called and placed an order. It's near the airport so it's practically on our way." Kayleigh said.
"Great! Well, let's get these wheels rolling."
The funeral procession moved slowly from the church, following the wagon. Reaching the gravesite, the pall bearers carried the casket to the grave and sat it down on the timbers laying across the grave. Everything was done in accordance to Martha's wishes. When the Reverend's prayer was over, the pall bearers picked up the ropes and gently lowered the casket into the grave. Siobhan and Mary led Martha back to the Suburban, waiting for the grave to be filled. Cal stood aside with Earl, watching as the men filled the grave. Kengo and Joshua moved over to the two.
"Cal, Kengo and I have been doing some talking. We want to build a nice wrought iron fence here that can be expanded as needed."
"That would be nice Joshua. Thank you."
"That old man will be missed." Earl said.
Cal nodded "He sure will."
The grave was tamped and rounded and a temporary marker was placed. Cal would order a double headstone to be emplaced. Martha was led back over as the people moved away to the Community Center for the reception to give her some time alone. Cal and Siobhan stood back and waited for her. She turned slightly and motioned them over. Taking their hands she sighed.
"You two have been a lifeline for me. I don't know what I'm going to do. I cared for that man for 45 years and I find myself in a void. That house is going to be so lonely without him."
"Siobhan looked at Cal. "Martha…Martha, would you consider coming and living with us?"
"Siobhan, I couldn't impose on you. You have your own family to think about."
"I am. Those kids consider you to be one of their grandmothers. All of us love you. Just this morning, Amy asked me what would happen to Grandma Martha. You are as much family to Cal and me as those kids."
Tears misted Martha's eyes. I do love being around those kids. But, you would have to let me do some cleaning and cooking. I'm not going to sit around." Turning to Cal, she said, "In that case, I want Lilly and Nick to move into the Foreman's Cabin."
"Martha, there's no.."
"Hush! That's what I want. You bought most of the furniture. I have only a few things I want to keep. It's bigger than the cabin they have and they'll need the space when kids come along."
"Whatever you want Martha."
"Good! Now let's go down to the Center. I could use some iced tea."
"That's a lot of elk steaks!" John said when he picked them up.
"You don't have to eat them all at once." Kayleigh grinned. "
John grilled a couple of them that night and baked a couple of potatoes. They stayed the one night in Palmer and headed for Tok. It was a nice, scenic ride, stopping ever so often to take pictures. Kayleigh took more selfies of the two more than the scenery. Pulling into Tok, John refueled so they could leave right out the next day. Kayleigh fried some porkchops for dinner. The put on heavier coats and sat out for a while, drinking mead they had bought in Homer. "Where are we stopping tomorrow?" John asked.
"Destruction Bay in the Yukon. You were right. It's getting colder."
"Where would you like to settle down, Kayleigh?"
"I don't care." Kayleigh took his hand. "Where ever you are would be home to me."
John leaned over to Kayleigh and kissed her. "Ditto."
"What about your equipment and things?"
"Where ever we settle down, I can have them shipped to me. Robert can take care of them."
"You want to live in Coeur d'Alene?"
"Not especially. I think I'd like to live further south, but west of the Mississippi."
"That's fine. We'll find somewhere."
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 21:32:27 GMT -6
Cal, Siobhan, and Martha sat watching the late news coving one of the President's speeches earlier that day.
The President stated that countries needed to start taking better care of its citizens. There was no reason why so many should want to flee their country of origin. If people wanted to come to the United States because of the opportunities it provided, then why weren't the opportunities available where they originated? Too much of America's problem with immigration was actually a symptom of problems in other countries. He demanded that the other countries take care of their problems first before expecting the United States to open its arms to their citizens. The United States had poured millions and billions of dollars into these countries to help them with the problem, only for the money to go into the pockets of corrupt politicians.
In a very forceful manner, he said that the United States would not accept anything close to a world government. There was no way that America would accept being an equal partner with third world nations that couldn't handle their own problems. There was no way that the United States would accept dictators who stepped into power through force of arms as having any voice in what happened inside America. Too many countries in the United Nations had actively worked to destroy America as a superpower rather than try to improve their own countries to the same level.
He also accepted that not giving those countries a voice would return the world to a state of tension equal to, or worse than, what had triggered the latest upheaval. The model for international relations would have to give those countries choices with which they could live. The days of throwing money at problems had to come to an end.
Cal watched the speech with a smile on his face. The first point of the President's doctrine was long overdue. He felt that the inability of the United Nations to solve any real international problems had led directly to the war on terror. How many resolutions did it take before the United Nations would enforce one? How could they put a nation that had more human rights violations than any other country in charge of human rights? How many times had the United Nations stood by and watched a country kill off its own people in bloodbaths? As far as Cal was concerned, the United Nations was a useless organization. Like the old League of Nations, the United Nations didn't deserve to remain functioning.
The President mentioned there was one area where the United Nations had been effective and that was in the area of disease. The United Nations had stamped out smallpox. The President knew we needed to continue the World Health Organization, but it would have to be cleaned up also. It was also politically tainted. He said WHO is the one UN organization that the country would continue to support.
"I like what he has to say." Cal nodded.
"He does seem reasonable." Martha added.
"Yes, but he is lost on that island of corruption called 'Washington'."
Cal agreed. "But, he has pulled a few end runs around those cowards there that have made things better."
"I'm going to bed. You ready Cowboy?"
"Yeah. We'll see you in the morning Martha."
"Good night."
The next morning Martha had the coffee ready and was putting things together to make breakfast. Siobhan came in and they sat and had a cup of coffee and relaxed before the hoard of hungry children descended on them. There was a knock on the door and Shannon came in and grabbed a cup of coffee.
"We finished the tests on the Toyota Camry last evening. Eight hundred and twenty-five miles."
"Wow! That's great!"
"Ryan is taking it down to Miguel's this morning. There is a car show in Denver next month, Hopefully, we'll have the bus ready to show too. It's iffy, because of the motors."
"Well, you'll at least have the car and truck."
"You and Ryan have put in a lot of hours getting this done. You two need to take a break. Take a long weekend." Siobhan said.
Shannon looked at her. "Well, you two never take a break. If we go, you go."
"Cal smirked. "Why don't you two take some slips of paper, write down destinations, and pick one in the blind."
The two woman looked at each other. "Done!"
Two days later Ryan and Shannon were over for dinner. After eating, while sitting in the family room, Siobhan pulled out a large vase filled with paper strips.
"Shannon and I have been dropping strips of paper into this vase. It is now time to pick."
Siobhan tilted the vas to Shannon picked a slip of paper.
"Coeur d'Alene."
Ryan rolled his eyes. "What in the world is in Coeur d'Alene?"
Shannon slapped his arm. "There are plenty of things to do, or not do. We're going there to relax."
Shannon looked at Siobhan. "Next weekend?"
Siobhan looked at Cal, who gave her a slight nod. "Great! How long does it take to fly there, Cal?"
"I'd say…roughly three and a half hours."
"Good! We can leave early on Friday morning, get there for lunch, and relax for the next two and a half days."
Ryan looked at Cal. Cal shrugged. "They are in control."
"I made reservations for Lake Louise campground." Kayleigh said. Lot's going on in Coeur d'Alene this weekend, so if we stay a couple of days in the Banff National Park we can be in Coeur d'Alene Friday for lunch."
John, stretched out on the picnic blanket said, "Sounds good. Now come here."
Kayleigh giggled and crawled over and laid down beside him. John held his arm out and she moved closer and laid her head on his shoulder.
"That's better," John said. "I've got to pull out a couple of elk steaks to thaw."
"I already did, before we went on our hike. They should be thawed by now. If you'll start a fire in the pit, I can start cooking the potatoes."
"I can do that, but I'll cook the steaks on the gas grill. The pine wood will ruin the flavor."
Kayleigh sighed. "I love cooking outdoors. Where ever we settle down, I want an outdoor kitchen."
John grinned. "I'll make sure it's on my list."
John grunted and sat up. "I'll get the fire going."
Cal borrowed Mat's Socata to fly them to Coeur d'Alene because it was almost twice as fast as fast as the Otter. Cal went and got the rental car Siobhan had reserved and went to the hotel. Once they were settled in their rooms, they went out and had a light lunch. The rest of the afternoon was taken up looking at a few of the local sights, not rushing to anything. They finally got back to the hotel at 4:30 and the ladies looked at some brochures, searching for a good restaurant to eat dinner.
"Beverly's!" Siobhan squealed.
"Shannon agreed. "That looks really good!"
Siobhan called and manager to get reservations for 08:30. Cal and Ryan went down to the bar while the woman poured a glass of wine and chatted.
"So, when is Ryan going to pop the question?" Siobhan asked.
Shannon wrinkled her nose. "Maybe this trip will give him a nudge. We've been so busy with the test our minds haven't been on much romance."
"Well, if you two need to split off for the day, that's fine. We're here to relax. Make some time for yourselves."
"Not a bad idea. I know… Ryan and I can take a cruise on the lake."
"Good idea. I'll have Cal take me to a winery."
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 21:33:20 GMT -6
Down in the bar, Cal and Ryan were sampling some of the local beers.
"Jon, when are you going to pop the question to Shannon?"
Ryan blushed. "I'm hoping to ask her this weekend. I've carried the ring around in my pocket for three weeks but just haven't found the right time."
"Well, figure something out. She's gnawing at the bit. You two are perfect for one another."
An hour later, they finished their beers and headed back to their rooms. They found the women still in Cal and Siobhan's room.
"We've got reservations at Beverly's at 8:30, so we need to get a little rest and get ready."
"What's the dress?" Ryan asked.
"Business casual is fine." Shannon replied.
Shannon and Ryan went back to their room and Cal kicked off his shoes, sighed and lay back on the bed.
"Ryan is going to ask Shannon to marry him this weekend." Cal said.
"Good! Shannon and he are going on a boat tour tomorrow. You are taking me to a winery."
"Yes Ma'am!"
They took a taxi to the restaurant. The woman were astonishingly beautiful. The maître d' seated them immediately. As they were being guided to their table, Ryan stop and stared at a couple at a table.
"YOU!" Ryan said almost too loud, pointing to the man.
"YOU!" Said the man and pointed back.
The man got out of his chair and embraced Jon. "This is amazing! How long has it been?"
Ryan grinned. "Five or six years. I lost track of you!"
The maître d' asked if they would like to be seated together and they all agreed.
Cal, this is John Smith and…"
"Kayleigh Murphy" Kayleigh said.
Ryan introduced everyone.
"So, what are you doing in Coeur d'Alene?" John asked.
"Taking a break. We live outside of Grand Junction, Colorado. We just finished a project and needed a long weekend. What about you?"
John gave them a brief summary of his marriage problem. "My lawyer said I needed to get out of town for a while so I've been on an adventure. I met Kayleigh in Fargo and we've toured Alaska until it started getting cold and headed down here. What kind of project have you been on?"
Ryan explained what he and Shannon had been working on."
"Wow!" John said. "I might have a few things that will help you out!"
"Who are you working for now, John?"
"Myself. I hold the patents and lease them out. I've got updates to the patents that I'll file as the old patents run out. To be truthful, I could live more than comfortable the rest of my life without lifting a finger."
Ryan shot a look over at Cal.
"John, are you planning to go back home to settle down?"
"Heaven's NO! Kayleigh and I are looking to settle down west of the Mississippi."
"You should come down to Grand Junction and see the facility we have set up."
John looked at Kayleigh, who nodded her head. "Sure. We don't really have a final destination."
The wine steward and waiter came over and helped them select their wines. After their meals had been ordered, Cal spoke up.
"What kind of patents do you hold John?"
As John went through the list, Cal nodded thoughtfully. "Fascinating. You have your own facility you work out of?"
John explained his setup, which Ryan was paying particular attention to.
No more business was discussed, just the locations John and Kayleigh had visited and some information about Colorado.
They finished eating their meal and sat back, sipping wine.
"So, where to after Coeur d'Alene?" Ryan asked.
"Well, I do want to go down to Albany, Oregon."
"What's there?"
"Mountain House Foods. There are some meals that are hard to find and this will be a chance to get some. I wanted to stock up on my favorites."
Siobhan looked at Cal.
"After that, Kayleigh and I can head down to Provo and pick up a few more things. We could be in Grand Junction in another week, give or take a couple of days."
"Sounds good. Well, I was informed this evening I would be taking Kayleigh on a cruise of the lake tomorrow, so I guess we need to head back to the hotel. Here's my contact info, so give me a call when you get to Grand Junction."
"Will do buddy. It's great seeing you again. We'll definitely be seeing you in a week or so."
With that, everyone left the restaurant, John and Kayleigh to the RV Park, and The Colemans and Ryan and Shannon to the hotel.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 21:34:02 GMT -6
She stared out the window of the bus at the passing scenery. Although a bus is perhaps the most uncomfortable way to travel, it does have one thing in its favor. Buses are anonymous. Tickets can be purchased with cash and without identification. It isn't even necessary to go to a bus station since tickets can be purchased at certain gas stations and convenience stores. All that's required is to get on at a marked bus stop, thereby avoiding all cameras. It was the easiest way to disappear.
Karen Staples was running, or rather biding her time until her lawyers could get everything straightened out. She would have to get away from her stepmother or she would probably be the recipient of an "accident." Her father had passed away from a massive stroke and he had left the ranch to her. It was worth tens of millions and her stepmother wanted that money. Everything was in a trust, but with Karen out of the picture, Donna could possibly get control of it. So Karen hit the road, carefully covering her tracks, using cash she'd taken out of a safe Donna had no knowledge of. As soon as the lawyers had an iron-tight hold on the situation, she would go back.
Donna Singleton came into the picture three years ago, after her father had been widowed for five years. Her father said Donna made him feel young again. Karen wanted her father to be happy, so she stayed out of it. She was friendly to Donna, but something just didn't feel right. Mostly, Karen dealt with the ranch and ignored Donna, except to be polite. After the funeral, Donna changed. The will wasn't to be read for another thirty days and Karen felt uneasy around Donna. While Donna was out, Karen got the foreman to take her into town and drop her off with her pack. She told Charlie her concerns and said she'd call him occasionally. She'd already talked to the lawyers. A little vacation was in order, but she was going to stay in the shadows. She'd switch buses in Reno and head in another direction.
John and Kayleigh pulled out of Provo and headed toward Grand Junction, Colorado. John dialed Ryan's number off his contact list.
"Hey Ryan, we're about four hours out from Grand Junction."
"When you get here, take the 340 exit off of 70. Slow down and look for a black Suburban with i's emergency lights flashing. Follow us back to the Ranch." "Will do, buddy. See you in a while."
Four hours later, the GPS alerted they were coming up on the exit for 340. John got in the right-hand lane and began his exit, slowing down. Three hundred yards ahead, he saw the flashing lights of the Suburban. John flashed his lights and slowed down even more. The Suburban pulled out and John followed it. They went through a lot of hills and switchbacks and final came out in a valley. A couple of more turns and they exited off the state road onto a well maintained drive. A little later, they came to a gate that John had to key in a code and they passed through. There were several cabins and buildings around that they could see, with the hint of roofs of others. Ryan stopped the Suburban in front of a two-storied log home and got out.
"Welcome to High Top Ranch!" Ryan greeted them.
"Is this a ranch or a village?" John asked.
"It's a community. Come on in. This is Cal's home."
Siobhan and Cal greeted them and offered drinks. They all settled in the Family Room.
"This is a beautiful place!" Kayleigh said.
"Thank you. We're still settling in. We've only been in this house a few weeks." Siobhan replied.
Cal stood up. "Siobhan, we're going down to Ryan's building."
"Okay. Lunch will be ready in an hour."
The men loaded up in and drove down to the electronics shop.
Ryan led the way on the tour. "This is our electronics building and maintenance area. It's just Shannon and I that work here. We also build our battery packs here. In these bays, we put together our projects. We've built an electric light truck and a mid-size sedan. Both vehicles are down at an auto restoration business not far from here getting refurbished."
Ryan pulled out a set of plans. "This is what we have done. We took two vehicles, in fair shape, and pulled the engine and tanks. We installed the electric components and transmission, We ran tests and got 850 miles before recharging on the truck and 825 on the Camry."
Ryan led them over and showed them the power cells.
"This is where I might be able to help you." John said.
"How so?"
John grinned. "What about a 4 kilowatt natural gas fuel cell that is the size of a pack of playing cards that two can power an entire house and also charge an electric car every night using ten dollars' worth of natural gas a month? I estimate it only costs about two hundred dollars to make the 1 kilowatt version." I've been wanting to test using a hydrogen gas fuel cell.
"So, why isn't every house in America already powered using one of them?"
"Big oil and the government."
"The government says that it wants people to buy solar panels and windmills."
John shook his head. "Everyone says that they want every house to be energy independent, but they're lying out of their filthy mouths. If you can produce your own electricity, then all of the power companies go out of business. They don't want that, so the government says one thing and does another. They'll fund the company that made the natural gas fuel cell to scale it up to into the megawatt power range so that the power companies can use it to generate power they can sell to the guy at home over the current energy grid. The company that makes that fuel cell can sell their scaled up model to large Internet companies who would then claim that they are green. There would no intention to sell to the consumer market."
"Well, we need to start building a model." Ryan said. "We are already on alternative power; solar, wind, and generator. There are a couple of gas wells on the Ranch."
Ryan turned to Cal. " What if we turn this into a model community, powered by the power cells? Have everything in place and then announce what has been done. Public opinion would forestall any adverse reaction from Big Oil and the government. Until everything is converted, no one would know jack. We have a press conference and a tour and invite out every science reporter you can think of out."
"We can do the Ranch, but let's use the area across the road for a showplace."
John looked at Ryan. "We would have to build the cells here to maintain security."
Cal continued. "Put together what you need to do the three ranches. I have the funds to back you. You, John, and Shannon, work it up. Go at your own pace, but make it happen."
John grinned. "This is what I needed. One thing. The natural gas was used because it was available. My intentions are to go to hydrogen for a fuel source. I already have a hydrogen generator in storage, but haven't gotten around to starting the project because of my marriage problems. For safety, we'd need to locate the generator in another building."
"We can do that." Cal said. "So, I take it you want to work with Ryan on this?"
"Absolutely! I think Kayleigh and I could live round here, but I'll have to talk to her."
Cal nodded. "Yep, women rule our lives. After lunch, I'll show you and Kayleigh some of the amenities of living here. Ryan, why don't you take John with you in a EV34 back to the house. Explain how you converted them."
After lunch, Cal, Siobhan, and Ryan took them on a guided tour of the shelter.
"Ryan, if necessary, we can house the people and their families on our three ranches for a minimum of six months. We have ample food and essentials stored to make everyone comfortable. We too order food from Mountain House and other suppliers. This facility also houses an underground garage and maintenance shop, a gym used during isolation, arms and ammo, and a medical clinic. Let's go topside. We have more to see."
There next stop were the greenhouses and gardens, then the Community Center and swimming pool. "Outside of this ranch, we also own the ranch to the west of us, the Circle B, and a horse ranch down that road. There is also a security company located here, and a general store and restaurant across the road from the ranch. There is also a Veterinary Clinic down the road on the ranch property."
"This is quite the setup Cal. What do you think Kayleigh?"
"I think it's beautiful around here. We need to talk later."
"Well, our next stop is where you'll be living, if you want."
Cal took them to the cabin Lilly and Nick had been living in. It was fully furnished and only a few things were needed to replace what Lilly had taken with her. Siobhan took Kayleigh to the side.
"We can go shopping to fill in the holes on what you need."
"Thank you. I was going to talk with John about going back to Madison to clear my apartment and have my things shipped. John will have to go to St. Louis when it's clear to go to arrange for the shipment of his things."
John's phone rang. He looked at the caller I.D. and said, "Excuse me, I need to take this."
John walked out on the porch. "What's up Robert?"
Robert chuckled. "You are getting off easy. I guess Sally wanted Earl more than the money. She signed the papers and drained what was left in the bank accounts and took all the furniture."
"Well, she can have the furniture. I didn't like it anyway. What about the house? Have you had any bites on it?"
"Yes, there are two bids on it. When are you coming back?"
"Probably soon. I'll be relocating to Colorado. Can you line me up a couple of 40 foot shipping containers? I'll buy them, if they're new."
"I'll check it out John."
"Okay, I'll give you a call when I'm coming back."
"Okay John, I'll talk to you later."
John walked back into the cabin and immediately over to Kayleigh. "Sally signed the papers."
Kayleigh's eyes brightened. She squealed and hugged him.
"Cal, Ryan, I need to get back to St. Louis and get my things packed up."
"John, I'll need to get back to Madison and do the same."
Cal nodded and pulled out his phone. "Matt? What are you doing the next couple of days? Good. I need you to take the Socata tomorrow morning and fly to Madison, Wisconsin and from there to St. Louis to drop off passengers, then back here. 0900. Yeah, see Cheryl about a credit card. Thanks."
"Matt is flying you two to your destinations…I won't call them homes…your home is here now. Ryan, can you make sure they're at the airfield by 0845 in the morning?"
"Sure Cal."
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 21:35:47 GMT -6
Karen awoke from her fitful sleep. "I've got to get off this damn bus! My ass is sore" thought Karen. She was also getting hungry.
It had been simple. She'd had Charlie drop her off and had taken a mass transit bus across town. She got off the bus in front a convenience store where she purchased a ticket for a cross country bus headed for Reno. She got on the bus in front of a donut shop.
That level of misdirection may not have been necessary, but didn't trust Donna not to try to track her down. Maybe she was paranoid, but it wouldn't hurt. It was one thing to take the possibility into consideration, but something entirely different to have the possibly happen. She was plagued with that uneasy feeling. Looking at her watch, she noted it was almost 11:15. Her ticket was for Denver, but she could lose herself here just as well. When the bus pulled into the Greyhound station, she had the driver remove her pack from the luggage compartment. Shouldering the bag, she walked over to the taxi stand. A driver got out of his car a stowed it in the trunk. "Where to?"
"Right now, I'm starving like an Ethiopian. Where do you recommend?"
"You like barbecue?"
"Yeah sure."
"I was just about ready to take a break for lunch. Frank's has the best I've ever eaten."
"Let's go!"
When they reached Frank's, Karen had the driver remove her travel pack from the trunk.
"You sure there's nowhere I can take you after lunch?"
"To be truthful, I don't really know where I'm going." Karen frowned.
"Well, in that case there's no charge for the ride" the driver said. "I was coming here anyway."
"Well, in that case, I'll buy you lunch." Karen said, grinning.
He held the door as Karen took her bag inside and sat it next to the wall by a single table.
Earl was watching the girl as she came in. "Well, I'll be!"
"What's up Earl?"
"That girl over there. I think she might be the one on the FBI BOLO we got in this morning."
Earl got up and walked over to her. "Excuse me, are you Karen Staples?"
Karen looked up. "Yes Sir."
"Well, you are on a Be On The Lookout notification from the FBI. I don't think you're in any trouble, they just are concerned about your health and location."
"Yeah, my stepmother probably told the police I'd been kidnapped." Karen said.
"Were you headed somewhere?" Earl asked.
"Away from my stepmother. Look, I'd tell you all about it but I need something to eat. I've been on a Greyhound for hours."
"Of course. Would you care to join me and my friends?"
Karen chuckled. "Nervous Nelly, aren't you? You want me to join you to you can make sure I don't disappear. Sure, I'll even tell you my story."
Karen grabbed her travel pack and moved it over to the big round table where a man and a woman were seated.
"Cal, Siobhan meet Karen Staples."
"Hello, Karen" Siobhan said, echoed by Cal.
"Pleased to meet you." Karen said.
"Okay, Karen, what gives?"
"Well, it's a little long, but here goes. My family owns a ranch near Paicines, California. Around three years ago, my father met and eventually married my stepmother. Something didn't seem right about her, but she made my father happy, so I let it go. My Father recently passed away due to a massive heart attack, and she got really weird. She is money hungry and I decided to make some distance until the will is read, which will be in thirty days."
"So, you don't trust your stepmother?" Earl asked.
"Heck no!. That ranch is worth $25 or $30 Million. If something happened to me, she would be in the cat seat."
Earl studied Karen for a few seconds, then looked at Cal.
"Cal, could you handle a guest for a bit?"
Cal looked at Siobhan. "Of course we can Earl." Siobhan said.
Earl looked back at Karen. "I understand your concern, Karen. The Coleman's have their own ranch and you'd be a lot safer there than gallivanting around the country for the next month. Besides, Siobhan is an excellent cook!"
"You don't mind? I can help out on the ranch. I know cattle and horses."
"Earl's right. No one can get by our people in case your stepmother were to send someone after you."
Frank came over. "Aaah. A new visitor!"
"Frank, this is Karen. Can you get us your choice?"
"Absolutely! Angie! Bring a pitcher of iced tea!"
"So Karen, How is ranching in California?"
"I love it there, but the political climate is making things more difficult every day. Taxes are sky high and environmental activists make utilizing the potential of our land difficult. It won't be long before they'll be out counting horse and cow farts. Before he died, Dad talked about selling and moving out of state. How is it around here?"
Cal took a sip of tea. "We have our liberals and environmentalist here too. Mostly Californians who brought their asinine and stupid liberal attitudes with them. Having fouled their own state, they have to bring them here. They're mostly in the more metropolitan areas. People pretty much leave us alone here."
"This food is delicious!" Exclaimed Karen. "So, do you raise cattle…horses..?"
"We do a little of everything. You'll see once we get out there."
Angie came out and replaced the tea pitcher.
"Are you going to college, Karen?" Siobhan asked.
"I've got my BA in Business, intending to help my father out. Ohhh…That's the most I've eaten in a long time!" Karen moaned.
Earl wiped his mouth. "You got this, Cal?"
"Sure Earl. We'll keep an eye out."
"I won't report the BOLO."
"Thanks Earl."
Earl got up and left. Cal left a large tip on the table and looked at Karen.
"You ready?"
Karen got up and retrieved her travel pack and they walked out to the Suburban.
Karen looked at the logo on the side of the truck. "What's 'HTR'?"
"High Top Ranch. We're right next to a mesa."
When they crossed over and started getting into the high country, Karen enjoyed the scenery. When they came through the tunnel and started going lower into the valley, Karen asked. "How many cattle do you run?"
Cal glanced momentarily over his shoulder. "We could do around 1800 but we run a little under a thousand, but it's quality beef that brings us top dollar."
When they drove through the gate at the Ranch, Karen was wide-eyed.
"WOW! This place is something else!"
Cal parked in front of the garage. He grabbed Karen's pack and led them into the guest house.
"This is beautiful!" Karen said."
"Pick a bedroom." Siobhan said. "There are two, a sitting room, full bath, and a kitchenette. There are snacks and coffee is stored in the Summit All-In-One kitchenette. You can eat your meals with us in the main house."
"This is wonderful!"
"We'll leave and let you get freshened up. Come on up to the house when you are ready." Siobhan said.
Cal and Siobhan left and walked the short distance to the house, arriving just as the kids were getting home from school.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 21:36:32 GMT -6
The next morning Cal went down to the horse barn and found Nick going over the tack.
"Nick, you know of a good hand we can hire to replace your old position?"
Nick hung up the bridle he was inspecting. "Yeah, as a matter of fact I do. He and I worked on a ranch in Wyoming. He'll come in a heartbeat."
"Give Andy the info on him for a background check. If he works out, I'll let you give him the job offer."
"Will do, Cal."
Ryan called and told Cal he had a building design for the fuel cell production building, so Cal headed up there.
Cal was looking at the drawing when Ryan's phone rang. He talked for a couple of minutes and ended the call.
"That was John. He and Kayleigh are packed up and shippers have picked their things up."
Cal dialed Mat's number and told him to pick up the two.
"They should be here in a couple of days." Cal told Ryan. "I'm going to call Sam and get this building project going. When his survey team gets here, show them where you want the building."
Siobhan was showing Karen around the Ranch. She took her to the greenhouses, the production facility and her little garden first.
"This is a beautiful garden!" Karen said.
"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet. Get in."
Siobhan drove them over to Serenity Garden in a UV 34.
"I haven't seen a utility vehicle like this before." Karen said.
"It's a custom conversion Ryan did here on the Ranch. They're working on electric conversions for full sized vehicles also."
Siobhan pulled in front of the gate and they got out.
As they walked down the path, Karen was mesmerized. They walked to the pool and sat down on a bench.
"So peaceful…this is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. It's almost as if faeries will pop out from the foliage at any time." Karen said, in a wistful voice.
"This is a work of love from Kengo and his family. He has cart blanche to do anything he wants with the landscaping. He can pop up anywhere and make things even more beautiful."
Karen asked how they had come to find the property. Siobhan told her of Cal coming out from North Carolina and all the highs and lows he gone through. Karen looked at her with horror.
"I don't know anyone could survive the loss of TWO spouses! I would be devastated!"
"He was, but he had the love and support of everyone here. His only goal is to see everyone prosper and live happily."
Come on, let me show you the barns and such."
A few evenings later, after dinner, Karen sat with the family until the kids went to bed. When Siobhan and Cal came back, he opened a bottle of wine.
"If you want to go riding, check with Nick and he'll assign you a horse." Cal said.
"Thanks, I'd like to take a look at the range. This is a wonderful place. A lot of work has gone into it. I can't believe it is off-grid too!"
"So, when all the legal mess is cleared up for you, are you still going to run your ranch in California?"
Karen frowned. "I don't know. My dad was more tolerant than I am with the mess the state is in, and even he was getting ready to pull the tent pegs. I'd just as soon sell and get something somewhere else and just stick to horses."
"Interesting." Cal said. "You two come with me."
The two women followed Cal into the library. A map of the area was displayed on the wall. Cal pulled out an acetate overlay and taped it over the map.
"These plots here , here, and here are ranches owned by HTR LLC. The property here abutting HTR and the Greer property is for sale. It's 200 acres and you could only run a few cattle, but would be great for horses."
"That's great, but I wouldn't have the money for it until I sold the ranch."
Cal smiled. If you are serious about selling and leaving California, I'll make you a deal. I'll buy the land, improve it, build a house and buildings you need and sell it back to you for 10% more than what I paid for the land and improvements."
"How much is land go for around here?" Karen asked.
"A little under $10,000 an acre."
Karen was thinking. "So, that's two million for the land, a couple hundred thousand for a house. Six or seven hundred thousand for improvements? Let's say $3.5 million?"
"It will come under that. We could have most of it done by the time you get back."
Karen squinted. "I'll probably bring along a foreman and a couple of wranglers, so I'd have to figure in housing. No problem. I'll get a minimum of $25 million for the ranch and equipment. I'll just move the people and their possessions, my stuff and the horses. I'll go as high as $5 million. That's doable. Why would you do this?"
"Karen, I'm a pretty good judge of character. The people that work on our ranches are all good people and stand up for one another. People like you are what we need around here."
Karen looked at Siobhan. "What do you think?"
"Well, I don't think Cal has ever been wrong about a person's character. He reads them like a book. It would be great having you around here."
Cal pointed to the map again. "This road here to the Greer place….we built it so Dale or the school bus wouldn't have to go all around this way around to get to our school. We can build a road from there to your place so you wouldn't have to go the long way around to go to our ranch or Grand Junction."
"I'm in. I'll do it." Karen said.
Cal smiled. "Then I'll turn you over to Siobhan. She's our resident interior decorator. She can help with house designs and can help you draw up a rough draft of the building layout. I'm available if you need me."
Cal had a background check run on Karen and her stepmother and knew he was safe doing this. He knew who owned the land and he would get it at a cheaper price because he would offer gold. He would work on that tomorrow.
John and Kayleigh woke up. She turned over and snuggled closer, laying her head on his chest.
"One more month." John said. "How are the wedding plans going?"
"All I did was tell the women what I wanted and they took charge. It's like having ten mothers and grandmothers! But I love them all!"
"Yeah, this is an amazing place." John said.
"When will you start building the power cells?"
"Well, the building will be finished this week, then we can start installing the equipment. Once we get the first unit built, We'll install it in a vehicle and run the distance before charging test. It should be greater because the unit is lighter than Ryan's batteries."
They got up, showered, and made breakfast together, ready for another day.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 21:37:54 GMT -6
Well, what would you like as your dream home?" Siobhan asked Karen.
"We…I have a ranch style house in California, but I really like these log homes."
"Wait a second." Siobhan said, retrieving the catalog of log home plans.
"This is a catalog of home plans from a local dealer. How many bedrooms?"
"Hmmm…probably home. I hope someday to have a husband someday, and no more than two children."
"Look through this section and see if you like any of the floorplans."
Karen looked through them for several minutes, finally picking on she liked.
"I think this one."
"That's a good one." Siobhan said. "Now, let me tell you how we set up each of the homes here on the Ranch. Each home has a basement. That serves as a place for the heating and air, long term food storage, air filtration system, and battery bank storage for you off-grid system."
"Long term food?"
"Yes, We purchase food units for every occupant of the home to feed them for one year."
"Is that really necessary?"
Cal does it automatically. Sometimes it comes in handy. Occasionally, we get bad snow storms in the winter that can keep you shut in for days."
"What's with the air filtration system?"
"Actually it is an NBC filtration system. Nuclear, Biological and Chemical filtration system. It provides positive pressure on the inside of the house to keep contaminated air. Hopefully, we never have to need it, but it does keep the dust from the outside out. The only Con to it is that sometimes can be difficult to open."
"I like the idea of being off the grid."
"We've got people who are experts in alternative energy. Cal will have them design you up an efficient system."
They went to Cal's drafting table and drew up a layout of what Karen wanted the ranch to look like. Karen drew where she wanted barns, corrals, and a covered exercise rink. They had it ready for Cal when he came in that afternoon. Cal laid the sheet out on the table.
"I'll need you to indicate the size of the structures and the distances apart. Don't forget about hay storage."
Once the plan was finalized, Cal was ready to close on the property. The owner was intrigued about being paid in gold and accepted 425 gold eagles for the land. Ken flew them in the S-70 to look at the property. After selecting a possible site for the buildings, they landed and put in stakes to mark the location. Cal took the GPS location for future reference. When they arrived back at the airfield, Cal got with Dennis and told him to take a Rokon and a GPS and mark a road to the ranch from somewhere along the road to the Greer place. That least start on that. His next step was to have a couple of wells drilled. He'd arrange that tomorrow. Sam and Gary we already working on the building plans, and Sam said he knew someone who would contract to build the corrals and exercise rink.
"Kirk! Wake up! You sorry excuse for humanity!"
"What the hell are you doing calling me this early on a Sunday morning Nick? I feel like a dried cow flop."
"Kirk, how would you like to see some new range land?"
"Hmph…we've got a new foreman here. There's definitely nothing under his hat except hair. It's not going to be long before one of his asinine orders is going to be trouble. I'm in!"
"When can you leave.?"
"Got paid Friday. I owe him nothing. I can leave in an hour."
"Well, grab your saddle and head down to Grand Junction. Give me a call when you get near and I'll meet you."
"Thanks Nick. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Here, you carry this…"
"Jesus! Kayleigh, this is HOT!"
"Well, it's Shepherd's Pie!' It's better when hot."
"Did you have to make such a large Dutch Oven full of it?"
"You men like to eat, don't you?"
John sat the Dutch oven on the floorboard of the Jeep and they headed to the Community Center. Both were greeted warmly as they entered. John was directed by Siobhan on where to put the large pot on a warmer."
John looked around. "Shannon, where is Ryan?"
"He'll be back soon. He just ran up to the lab to check the test."
John walked over and poured a cup of tea and walked out onto the patio.
Cal was standing by the grill with a pair of tongs in his hand.
"Hey Cal. Need some help?"
"Nah, I'm good John. How are the tests going?"
"Great! So far. Ryan ran down to check on the final test." John looked at his watch. It should run another three hours and shut down. By my calculations, it should run for 1025 miles before automatically shutting down for charging."
"Wow! That's phenomenal! That's almost three times as far as a Tesla!"
John chuckled. "A lot of major companies are going to go nuts when they see we can convert a vehicle for less than a third of what the top of the line Tesla goes for."
Cal finished cooking and they carried the food inside. Everyone gathered for the blessing, then got down to socializing and eating.
Karen was sitting quietly when Charlie walked over.
"Hi! Mind if I sit?"
"No, please! Karen smiled.
"My name is Charlene. Everyone calls me Charlie."
"I'm Karen, temporary guest. I assume you are a resident of the Ranch?"
"Yep. Cal brought me, and eventually the man I married to handle supply functions. Best move we ever made. What do you do.?"
"Waiting for some legal things to come to completion, then back to California."
"You have someone special back there?"
Karen's face grew dark. "No, the guy I thought was special decided he need more than one woman, so I dropped him like a hot potato. That was a couple of years ago."
"Well, the past isn't prologued. There are a lot of good guys around, especially here on the Ranch. Problem is, most of them are taken. But this place is like a gravitational field for good people."
"Yeah, I beginning to see that. I'm looking to relocate to this area in the future."
"Hey, that would be great! We have a real community here. It is kind of surreal. I've never seen anything like it anywhere. Come on. Let's get some of that strawberry pie Dawn makes before it disappears."
Cal was on the patio talking to Jim when Nick found him.
"Cal, I hired the guy. He'll be here tomorrow."
"Good. Take him through the paces when he gets here. Can he shoot?"
"Well, with a .45 Colt, I know he can. I've seen him shoot the head off if a rattlesnake without aiming. Seen him do it to a few gophers too."
"Well, check him out on an AR-15 also. If he doesn't have a saddle gun we'll sign him out a Henry."
Nick nodded and went off to find Lilly.
Siobhan and Martha sat chatting and feeding Brigid.
"That Karen is a sweet girl." Martha commented.
"Yes, she is. But she's tough and fights her own battles on her terms. I hope everything goes well for her. She'll make a great neighbor."
Siobhan saw Cal signal to her and picked Brigid up.
"Martha, could you come out front and help me with something?"
"Yes, of course."
The whole building emptied out, following Siobhan and Martha. Cal, Ryan, John, Miguel, Carlos and Juan were standing in front of a Fiat 600 painted her favorite color…Bluebird egg blue.
Cal stepped up to Martha. "Martha, for years you have been a friend and Grandmother figure for most of the people on this ranch. I say most because some of them would make you feel ancient, thinking of them as their grandmother. Anyway, I…we want to present you with a token of our love and appreciation for you."
John and Ryan moved aside.
"With the help of Miguel and his brothers, Ryan and John, we are giving you your own electric car. We call it the 'Electric Bluebird."
"Oh Cal! You all shouldn't have done this!"
With tears in her eyes, she hugged each man as the rest of the people applauded. Martha turned toward the rest of the group.
"When Cal first came back here, he was a different man. Slowly over time he changed, for better. It seems like God shines on the Ranch and the people here. Yes, I feel like I have a multitude of grandchildren here and I appreciate putting up with an old woman."
Everyone came up and gave her a hug. Billy got Martha to take him for a spin. When they came back Martha went over to Ryan.
"Why does it have such a loud horn?"
"Martha, You can't hear that car coming. You'll need that horn frequently. Just make sure you keep a sharp eye. How do you like it?"
"It's wonderful! I was surprised it had power steering."
"We added that." Miguel said.
"Well thank you so much!"
They all went back into the Community Center. Martha went over to Reverend Lambry.
"Reverend, would you bless my car?"
"Why of course Martha."
Martha, the Reverend and Edna went back outside. Siobhan, Shannon and Karen watched through the windows.
"That is so sweet!" Karen said.
"We owe that woman a lot. Cal might be the backbone of the Ranch, but Martha has been the heart." Shannon said.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 21:38:59 GMT -6
"Nick, I'm two miles from the 340 exit." Kirk said.
"Okay, take that exit and go to the top of the ramp and turn right. Three blocks and you will see a sign for 'Frank's BBQ.' Pull in and I'll meet you there. I'll see you in thirty minutes."
"Okay, see you later."
When Nick arrived at Franks, Kirk was eating, Nick walked over to Kirk's table and Kirk stood shaking Nick's hand.
"Sorry, the food smelled so good, I had to get something."
"I don't blame you." Nick said, signaling for a waitress, but Frank came over instead.
"Hello Nick. What can we get for you?"
"Just a BBQ sandwich, fries and Cole slaw. Frank, this a new employee on the Ranch. Meet Kirk Austin."
"Kirk, it is a pleasure. We hold all employees of the HTR in high esteem."
Frank went to prepare Nick's order.
"So, tell me about the HTR." Kirk said.
"Kirk, you wouldn't believe this place. I don't ever want to leave there. The owner, well I guess you'd call him the 'primary' owner is a man I'd work with any day. He even recognized me from the 'Stan. Anyway, we raise beef, horses, they have greenhouses that sell crops, and a few other offshoot businesses. We all get a share of the profits of the Ranch. The people there are some of the best I've ever met. I won't tell you much more because you'll be pleasantly surprised at what you discover. It will only seal you loyalty to the Ranch."
"Kirk eyebrows raised asked, "So, what do I expect when I get there?"
"Well, we'll have to run you through an 'in-processing,' kind of like the Army, when you get there. That's to get you codes to get through the gates, check IN with HR and get you pay records established, check with supply and get you issued what you need, firing range so one of the instructors can get you qualified for concealed carry, and get you checked out on an AR-15."
"Why the weapons? What am I walking into?"
"Wait until you see the Ranch. You'll understand why they want to protect what they have, and there ARE people who want what they have. Also, as a Ranch employee, you'll be a Reserve Mesa County Deputy Sheriff."
"Sounds like things can get exciting."
"Yeah, at times. Hey, do you have a saddle gun?"
"Yeah, I've got a Winchester chambered in 45/70.'
"Good. If you didn't, they would have issued you a Henry."
Nick motioned for the check and Frank came over.
"Frank smiled. First meal is on the house. Nick, your meal is on the house because you brought us a new customer."
As they walked out, Kirk said, "Are the people like that everywhere?"
"That's just the way it is around here with Cal's friends." Nick smiled.
Cal winked at Siobhan. "Come on Karen, let's take a ride."
Karen got into the Command Car and Cal drove them to the airfield. Cal parked the car and they walked to a small plane parked in the parking area.
"What's going on?"
"We're flying over to your ranch."
Looking at Cal dubiously, she watch Cal do his preflight and Cal helped her get strapped in.
"EEEEEHHH! Karen screamed when Cal did a short takeoff. "What the hell was that!?!"
Cal laughed. "This is a SuperSTOL. It's made for short take offs and landings."
"It only took the a couple of minutes to reach her property. Cal circled it slowly, allowing her to get a bird's eye view.
"I don't see an airstrip. Where are you going to land?"
"Right there…." And Cal aligned on the road and landed short, pulling onto a semi-improved drive onto the property."
"How…."
"It's built for rough terrain also."
They got out and walked around.
Last year, I had an aerial survey done, looking for springs. I found a couple of good ones thar we dug ponds at. They provide plenty of water for our needs. Also, your land is sitting on a big aquifer that will provide you with plenty of water."
"I like the idea of a lake or a pond. Can you have a survey done and tack it on to the bill?"
"Sure. Not a problem."
"Are you going to register a brand?"
Karen thought for a minute. "What about the 'K bar S'? " "I'll check with the state and see if it is available."
They walked back to the plane and taxied back onto the county road and took off.
"I like this plane. Maybe I'll take flying lessons when I get back and get one."
"Well, I have a couple of IPs at the Ranch if you decide to, and all you'd need is a 250 foot strip."
"I'll keep that in mind. I've got a lot going on. I need to call my lawyers when I get back. Something should have happened by now."
"You need a burner phone? I've got a few. You just make the call and then I destroy it so it can't be traced."
Karen hesitated for a moment. "Probably a good idea."
When they got back to the house, Cal gave her a phone and she went back to the guest house. Chip didn't have to work weekends. The clinic was closed on Saturdays and Sundays except for emergencies so she was free when Logan asked her out for lunch on Saturday. Chip liked Chinese food so Logan took her to the Dragon Treasure Restaurant. Chipeta was in heaven. She ordered the Moo Shu chicken and several side dishes, which she shared with Logan. Logan ordered Moo Shu beef.
When they had finished their meal, Logan sat across from her, staring. Chipeta looked up at him.
"What?"
"You are beautiful."
Chipeta blushed.
"Do you want to walk this off?" Logan asked.
"I think we'd better." Smiled Chipeta.
They slowly walked down the street, holding hands, enjoying the afternoon.
"Chipeta, I need to pick something up and need your help."
"Sure." Logan guided her down the street and into a jewelry store. Chipeta looked at him.
"I need to pick out an engagement ring and want you to help me choose it."
Chipeta's eyes got big, then started to glisten.
"Help me pick out your ring."
Chipeta jumped into his arms and squealed.
Logan laughed and led her over to the display case with engagement rings. A sales person immediately came up. She pulled out ta tray of the less expensive rings. Logan motioned for the tray with one and two caret rings instead. The lady's smile broadened and she showed Chipeta the rings and explained their characteristics. She finally picked out a style she liked, but Logan made her get the style in a two caret. The lady said it would take only a few minutes to resize it. They weren't that busy. Chipeta and Logan started looking at the wedding rings. Chipeta picked out the style she liked in white gold so the lady pulled those out and got Logan's ring size and took the in the back. She told them it would be about an hour, so Logan told her they'd be back in that time. He paid for everything and they left and went to a small café down the street.
"Yes!" Chipeta said.
"Yes what"? Logan asked.
"Yes, I'll marry you!"
"I haven't asked you yet. All I asked was for you to help me pick out rings. Don't I have to give your family a couple of horses or burros for your hand in marriage?"
"BURROS!"
Logan laughed. "Sweetheart, I want to ask you, formally, in Serenity Garden."
Chipeta's eyes got moist again. "I love you!"
Logan drew her into his arms and claimed her lips."
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Post by cavsgt on Aug 9, 2021 21:45:10 GMT -6
Well check your cinches and make sure that they are tight. We are about to go for another wild ride. I can't wait so lets step up and go for the ride.
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Post by gipsy on Aug 9, 2021 22:25:41 GMT -6
I see the magic is still working.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Aug 9, 2021 22:47:18 GMT -6
I think I need to explain something. I didn't write "Falling Up" as a sit-down, write a book type of thing.
I spent 22 years, 6 months, and 7 days in the military. Then another 20 years training young soldiers to go out and come back alive. Sometimes I wasn't successful.
Growing up in a poor, isolated, area in North Carolina, I had no idea some people were so evil and hurtful in the world. Hell, at first, I didn't know there were people in the U.S. Military that couldn't speak English. (Puerto Rican National Guard.)
Further along in my career I found it hard to understand how people acted the way they did. I took some psychology related classes and began taking notes and recorded individual's stories of their joys and sorrows..
Those stories, along from recordings I made of my thoughts during my travels I'd made throughout my career, made up the fabric of "Falling Up."
Yes, some of these experiences were of mine, but the point is, all the people depicted in the story were from real life. They suffered pain, humiliation and shed a hell of a lot of tears working their way through life. I still feel the pains of those who told me their tales and hope they found their own gold mine….
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