Morning in New England

What a beautiful Morning!

The sun is shining here on the shore of lake Winnipesaukee, and the fall colours are amazing. It was a warm evening, and we didn't even have to use the furnace in the Rubicon.

Once we pack up camp here at lake shore park, we have decided to head a bit further south, toward Boston. Since the autumnal equinox has come and gone, we realized we've never been to Boston in the fall....

Whoop! Sorry, for a minute there I was daydreaming about how things would be if the house had sold according to MY schedule, and the plan had gone according to MY plan.

We are here in Edson. Trying to keep the house as clean as we can, and waiting for the inevitable offer that will be forthcoming soon.

The German Measles seem to have run the ranks of the kids, (and the Dad) and we seem to be pretty much on the mend. Only Tanya and Caleb have managed to dodge the fever, chills, and spots.

It has been good to be here in Alberta this summer. It has been a beautiful summer, and as a family we have been blessed with a trip out to Kola MB and back through Rouleau and Moose Jaw. We had some great "Beach time" in Cold Lake, Moose Lake, and Pyramid Lake. Tanya and Abram and Elowyn and I had the opportunity to drive the going to the sun road twice (there to Kalispell, and back again).

We were so blessed to be nearby during Jedediah's birth, to meet him, and keep the families spines in tune. To help with pouring concrete in the basement. To be here in Edson for the patients and friends who needed me so much they just had to come see me at home.

So many reasons that we were blessed by God not following MY plan. It has been a season of waiting, and watching God's wonders around us. Wherever we are.

We will enjoy this season, as we look forward to the next one.

Happy Birthday JO!

Sicker 'n a poisoned pup...

Yipes.

First Dagmar and Elowyn, then Abram, Liam, Palmer, Kennedy. The two girls seemed to follow the pattern of German Measles (Rubella), with the fever, and then spots a couple days later. Just a few spots though, on the face and arms for Dagmar, face and diaper area for Elowyn.

Certainly takes the wind out of the ol' sails. Today even I feel sort of tired, and achey all over, and cold. Sheesh. It's quite a roller coaster, but since it's up to God, I'm going to relax and let Him handle it.

Since the last blog, the bus went away again with another offer, and then came back with the offer being withdrawn.

We had a second showing on the house, but no offers yet... soon.

We have to renew our listing too, I can't believe it's been 3 months of waiting.

Ethan, Palmer and I attended a creation home schooling conference. Very interesting stuff. There sure is a lot that they don't tell you in school, and a lot that evolutionists don't want us to look at or study about the fossil record. Fascinating. It was fun and entertaining to have a look at all the evidence for creation, and a worldwide flood.

Well, that's all for now, back to the trenches! Talk to you sooner next time!

A day late and a present short (and slightly off key)

Happy Birthday Diana!

We miss you and Love you! Even Abram sang!

If you read down below, you'll find out why we didn't get to you yesterday. It was an 8 hour trip home from your house to our house.

Tired, and ReTired, and Tired of Tires.

Remember the tire blowout by Eckville?

So we still have the trashed tire on the trailer, hanging where the spare used to be. As we were heading back to Edson, it seemed logical to go to Rocky Mountain House to get a new tire, so off we went. When I stopped to dump the tanks in Rocky, I noticed the left front trailer tire was looking a bit low. We went to Sobey's to get some food for our hungry tummies and after eating, I looked and the tire was now completely flat. ugh.

I unhooked the trailer there in the parking lot, and drove over to Kal-Tire to get an airtank to put some air in it so we could go over and get it patched. After hooking up again, and getting everyone in and buckled up, I wrestled with the tire and air tank, and managed to get about 40 pounds in it. Enough to make it across town.

We drove over to Kal-Tire, and they had a look. The factory tires were pretty much shot. The right rear was in shards over the highway, the right front was replaced in June in Lloydminster, the left front was half bald and flat, and the left rear was bald and cupped but not flat.

The tire guy said it would be wisest to buy three new tires to match the new radial we had on the one wheel. Sounded like the best bet to me, since I had two tires go in the last 100km. They pulled all three tires off, put my spare on the wheel that was somewhat bent from the blowout, and went looking for 3 new radials.

They didn't find any. The tire size I needed were on backorder.

We called ahead to Drayton Valley, and they had 5 tires in stock, so we put 3 of them on hold. They patched the leaking tire, and sold me a used radial that was not the right size but would "work" to get me to Drayton. 2 hours and 50 bucks, and we were back on the road, off to Drayton.

When we pulled in to Kal-Tire in Rocky they had the order in the computer, and I pulled around back to get the tires put on. 40 minutes later, while I was in the front of the building, a young tire guy came up to Tanya with one of the caps from the wheels. He told her they forgot to put it on, but it would take half an hour to put it on... so (I guess he figured she'd just say okay, well forget it then) She said he should talk to me. He came to me in the tire "showroom" and told me they forgot to put a cap on, "Do you want it?"....

Duh. Of course not. Cuz nothing looks nicer than a trailer with 3 matching wheels and one ugly one. Kinda like wearing different coloured socks on each foot - a fashion statement. Actually, I said "that would be nice"... They even had Caleb saying, well Dad and I could put it on when we get home.

Nothing like paying 300 bucks for some new tires, and then having to jack up the trailer, and pull a wheel to put it back together when you get home.

They fixed it. It didn't even take half a hour.

It was quite the trek home, but we make it, and now we have 4 radials with tread and everything on the trailer. We're Stylin'!

Once home, we bathed Palmer, Liam, Dagmar and Elowyn (two separate tubs of water, that was missisipi muddy by the time they got out.) Nothing like a week at the farm to create dirty bath water.

We're home for a couple days, to do wash, and celebrate Mom's birthday on the 13th, and then back to central alberta. We still have Ethan and Kennedy at Whitesides that we'll have to get back some time.

Life in the fast lane... who needs it! It's too hard on the tires!

Baby, Batteries, Tires, and more terrific fun!

More showings on the house this week, and we're off in Spruce View again. The biggest news, is the new baby, Jedidiah James Branson, born on September 8! There are some pictures on our pictures page.

On the trip down, as we neared Eckville, there seemed to be a point where the road got very rough, so rough in fact, that I thought I should pull over and check the trailer. The right rear tire had shredded itself. Ethan, Palmer, Caleb and I got right to work changing it. As I was undoing the lug nuts, it seemed that the hub did not turn at all. I was worried that the bearings had been damaged, until we had the wheel off. The tread from the tire had gone in and wrapped itself around the hub, melting itself into place. It took all three of us pulling, and tugging, and yanking, but we managed to set the tread free, to see that the hub turned freely again. YAY! We put the spare on, got everything put away, and washed up (nice to have a trailer in tow).

I was amazed at how dark it had gotten in the time we changed the tire, and was glad to be climbing back in to the driver's seat to finish our journey. Then I tried to start the truck. Somehow it wound up turned off, but with the lights on, and the DVD player on, and the trailer lights on, and the hazards on, and ... so there was not enough juice to start it. I called Keith, and after a short 20 minute wait, we were boosted, and on our way.

It's been an eventful visit, and I managed to help Keith prep his basement for cement, and helped pour it too. Oh, and there was a baby born too. Jedidiah James is quite the handsome little fellow. Mom (Merryl) and baby are doing fine.

We had to get boosted in the parking lot at Costco. It seems the battery hasn't had enough time to recharge, and after playing the radio in the parking lot while I shopped with some of the kids, it wouldn't start. It was about a 40 minute wait for AMA to get there, but we're back on the road again.

We had some feedback on the home showings, and it seems we are in the top two homes, with two separate buyers, so we should be getting an offer pretty soon (please oh please)

God is sooo amazing. He has kept us safe and sound with blown tires, and dead batteries, and He is healing Palmer. Selling a house is a piece of cake for Him.....

Don't forget to see our new pictures.

Importing your chickens after they've been counted

It's Baaaaaaack.

First the bus was gone, and we began the search for a new bus. An entertaining one to be sure. One fellow, in response to my request for more information, responded with:

"What do you know about bus conversions and what are you looking for? This is a 102" MCI do you know what that is? I'm not trying to make you feel bad, a lot of people ask me about our conversion that don't know anything about them. Then they compare ours to a junk conversion and I'm not interested in getting into that.

I'm sorry if you don't like my attitude and I don't really mean to have one. I converted our MCI with subs working on it and I know what we have but that may not mean a thing to you? I have thousands in this conversion and if you did the conversion through a conversion company it would cost you around $150,000 today. If you did all the labor yourself besides taking years to complete it it would still cost you around $100,000.00.

So if you are still interested in seeing more pictures and more information, let me know. On the other hand if you think I'm arrogant or have an attitude then maybe I'm the wrong person for you to deal with?

So please tell me more about your being interested in a conversion?"

Obviously a very charismatic salesman.

Entertaining to say the least.

Anyway, this morning I received an email from Ms. Nash in Kalispell that the sale of her bus fell through, and it is now for sale again. The people who were buying it were supposed to put 3500 down, and included in the price was an inspection and oil change. They pulled out before

putting the money down, while the bus is in for the inspection and oil change, so she was left holding the bag for the bill and still has a bus. A pretty bad deal for her, but the kids were excited to hear that we may still be getting the "Jungle Bus".

As for me, I believe this is an answer to prayer, since after giving it to God, and relaxing about the bus not being available anymore, He brought it right back into view. Now he just has to sell our house. Perhaps the next post will be all about that!

Still riding the emotional roller coaster, I remain, yours incredibly amazingly,

Cameron (and troupe)

Counting your chickens before they are imported.

Next!

We recieved word yesterday that the jungle bus we had visited, and examined, and pondered over, is now sold. Argh!

You are not supposed to count your chickens before your house sells and you can afford to buy them,... er, that's not it... well anyway, we had plans for this bus. Now we will have to make plans to find a new bus.

Caleb said that God didn't want us to get that bus because it was not the right one for us, so now that it's sold, our house can sell and God can get us the right bus. He's a wise old man sometimes that dude.

The house was shown again yesterday, and another showing is scheduled for tomorrow evening. The offer is coming soon.

In other news, the iMac is up and running again, following some very adept surgery performed by yours truly to replace the internal hard drive. So you can expect our website to be off and rolling again soon, and hopefully some podcasts from myself and the dudes as we prepare for the launch of the Rubicon...

And Palmer tried to open up his cranium on a tree last night, but only put a 1cm split in his scalp. The blood was quite impressive though. Caleb said he looked like John McClean from Die Hard. Rather blood covered.

Well, it's my birthday, so I'm getting out of here, and on to other things!