3900 unplanned miles!

Well, as some already know, Jack and I lost a very Dear Friend Fri. the 23rd of March.  Ken Biery the owner of the KOA in Hardin, Mt. where we have gone for the last 4 summer seasons to work, had a massive heart attack at the campground.
  We had run up to Abilene to check on stuff when we received the call so turned right around, headed back to Junction where we had pulled in for a couple of days.  Jack and Joe decided we would split the fuel and driving and head that way. Joe and Elaine picked us up Sat.and arrived there on Mon.  Funeral was on Wed. and we headed back on Fri.  Up and back, now we are headed out again this time with our camper to help Sandra get the park open hopefully by the 10th. if not before.!  Looks like a busy summer but at least we can be there for our dear friends (like family, bosses)!

Hope everyone is doing good.  I know most are headed home. Well not be doing much traveling but we still plan to be off for Granddaughters graduation in May.  Would like for all to come see us up there this year.

Released from Dr. to go back to living again!

Oh boy, sorry to have been gone for so long.  I have been under the weather and had to even have surgery after a 13 day stay in hospital after leaving our gate guard job in Dec.  Went to Surgeon for final visit today and he says I'm ready to continue living again!  WOW, I am glad as this has been a crazy winter.
It is to late now for us to get on another gate as we have a Granddaughter in New Mexico that is graduating and we are going to be heading out that way.  Then on to Ft. Morgan, CO for a couple of days with some dear friends there and then onto our summer job at KOA Hardin, MO.  We are not sure after that but thinking about AZ. for next winter.
Today is St. Patrick's Day and  we had a good day!  Got started on packing up stuff and getting ready for our move to the North West.  We met a couple from Canada today that told us about the "belt sander races" and of course we had to go check it out.  It was really very cool.
Our friends, Judy and Peter and us had supper at China A in Rockport.

Fourth week on our Gate!

We are here now for the fourth week!.. It has been sorta slow up until today and seems the rig is down so everyone runs to town.  We don't know a whole lot about what is going on back there as the main man came out the other day and told us even he didn't know if we were drilling for gas or oil, horizental or vertical, the only thing he did say was they called it a "tight hole" which means no information gets out.  We are pretty sure though that they are ready to go horizental as they just brought in another big trailer.  I told PEAK "no more" they get to close to my house and there drivers are terrible!

Any way Jack has been enjoying himself!!  One salesman the other morning brought him these cinnamon rolls and then it seems after I go to bed one of the crew guys goes out and brings back "drumsticks".  And then last night he brought back "fried pies" from What-A-Burger!   Guess I may have to change shifts with Mr. Jack.                                       

Jack is really getting spoiled!



Beginning to look a little like Christmas!

Jack went to town the other day and brought back our first sign of Christmas!  It is a beautiful Poinsetta.  May be our Christmas tree as we don't want to drag out a whole bunch of stuff and then have to move in a hurry.

Friends found us down here all the way from Wisconsin!

This next picture is of our friends from Wisconsin, that are really staying at our park in Aransas Pass.  They came to see us and it was such a thrill.  I think Dennis was sorta interested in the Gate Guarding business but I am not to sure if they could stand all the dust!  We did have a good visit with them.  Not busy that morning so didn't have to do much.

I guess she got us as I got her!

Dennis and Jack have good visit!

Judy and Dennis, was so good to see them.

Time to go!  Rats!

Once again here are some of our ranch buddies that come up most everyday to check and see if the gate is closed or open



Our little ranch family coming for evening visit!

The next few pics are of some of the big trucks that do come through our gate>

One of our big trucks leaving!

Big truck coming out!

There he goes!

Well for the excitement for this week we had to let in another big trailer for some of the crew.  The equipment is rented out through PEAK oilfield services.  We have already had to move our house over so they could get one in and now I guess all we have to move is our pick-up.  The driver was new and he rocked it back and forth all the way.  You can tell by the pics he was real close to us again.  I told the PEAK Boss "No  More".  He said this was the last one.  I just hope when they get ready to leave they can get out or maybe we can leave first.

Another big trailer?

How close is he going to get?

Had to move pick-up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TOO CLOSE!!!!!!

More to come next Monday.

Third week on our first gate for this season!

Here we are starting another week at the Tanquecites Ranch here in Larado, Texas.  The well drilling seems to be going quite well.  Not real sure of there depth but we are looking at at least another couple of weeks here.
This last week has been very quiet, all the men had plenty of groceries for Turkey Day and then yesterday of course after the temperature dropped into the 30's everyone had to go get some warmer clothes.
Most of our traffic for this last week was ranch owners and hunters.  We have been promised a back strap from the deer that was gotten yesterday.  We may have to go get a freezer if they keep this up as they brought us a turkey breast the day before Thanksgiving and also a bottle of wine.




We were setting out this week watching a little blue and yellow smasher monster and decided it was an auto smasher, we watched until they pulled out and even pulled out a whole load of smuched vehicles.
  As they were doing there thing
 Jack had a real nice visit with two nice border patrol guys.  They stayed and talked for about thirty minutes and really made us feel pretty safe around here even if we are pretty close to the border!



We have also snapped a few pictures of others that visited this week, the game warden was called out to the ranch as a lock on another gate was found broken by the pumper.  He drove around with the owners and was supposed to be back but I bet he is to busy this time of the year.

There is also a beautiful sunrise picture (fire ball).

One the little females that runs around here had to get close enough for me to shoot her also.
Will try to find out some well details this next week.

Second Week on our Gate!

Big Part of Rig!

Another pretty sky!

Thank heavens we moved it!!

Had to fix lock after getting rig in!

It's up and running!!!

Looking from trackside!

Now where to park it!

Beautiful Texas Sky!

This has been a beautiful week here at our gate.

 I got in a hurry last Monday when I posted and missed letting everyone know of our excitement.  Jack stepped out the door to answer the gate bell and was told to get back in the house and lock the doors!  The Laredo city cops, sheriff's deputies and border patrol cars were everywhere. They even went to the well and told those guys to leave, which they did. They were looking for 4 armed and dangerous persons, which they did find and hauled off.  It's been quiet since then and I don't think they were illegals. Opps, forgot something else, the safety man came by just before all the cops and ask that we move our house back about a foot as it was in the way of getting through the gate with the big pieces of the rig, and also the living trailers for the crews.  They had already got pretty close to our home, so that will be the first order of business Tues. morn.

Ok, back on track, Tues. morning after a windy and rainy morning, Jack prepares to move our home over to keep it from getting clipped by the big pieces of the Pioneer drilling rig and the other trailers that the crews live in. Soon after getting  all settled in again the rest of the rig comes in.

By Wed. evening we had a big tall drilling rig up in the air.  They seem to be a very good organized bunch and have received many loads of supplies so when they get started they shouldn't have to stop for supplies.  Sometime Wed. night I think they started drilling and seemed everything went good for the first goal as Halliburton has already been in and cemented for the first faze.  They were here Sat. night and finally left out Sun. evening.

Jack finally got a break on Sat. morn and got to go to town.  We needed water and pop and a new microwave.  He brought us back Subway sandwiches which were very good.  He also ordered our Thanksgiving Dinner from HEB.

Today is crew change again so the new crew probably gets to start drilling again tonight.  Going pretty smooth so far.  The man in charge told Jack we would be here at least 30 days.

Sure close to home!

Drilling Rig coming in!

Some pics are out of order but I am still trying to learn how to get this done. 

Our First Gate this Season 2011

OK , Here goes my try at this blogger deal.  I have enjoyed following a couple of different ones this last year and finally decided I need to try it myself.
Sunday morning, 11-06-11, Roger our boss for Gate Guard Services came over and ask "how far south are you guys willing to go"  Jack and I both looked at each other with ??'s, and ask how far are you talking about?  He replied and said Laredo, Tx. which is a town we have always enjoyed in the past so after he gave us a brief idea as to where and how close to town we said ok.
Monday morning, 11-07-11 at 5am???? we are ready to travel from Carrizo Springs to Laredo.   Brandon, our feerless leader is to lead us down and get us set up and he does.  We arrived about 8:30-9:00 after making  4 and 1/2 miles into about 24, turning around and around.  Needless to say  though we did make it and we were finally set up by about 11:00.
We have now been here a week today so this blog may be short and have a few pics as the well drilling rig just started pulling in to day. 

                                                  Early! 5:30am  Moving out!

                                                  Froggy trying to sleep as we leave!

                                             Brandon with our fuel, generator and potty!

                                                           We have arrived at our gate!

                                                   Do you think the train is close enough?

                                             Water well being drilled for oil rig!

                                               Jack talking to one of theland owners

                                                              Checking feeders!

                                                           View from our house!

The water well rig people have been here all week and the owners and vistors to the ranch have been in and out. 

Visiting the Kids

Today we are in Tucumcari, New Mexico visiting with the kids.  Leaving out Monday on our way to Tulsa.