There will never be another dog like Sam!

What a wonderful week I just had with my son John visiting! He has turned out to be a fine young man! In addition to seeing some of the sights of Texas and see whats happening around Dallas, he got to visit with my friends, CJ, Denise, Barb, Mark, and Buck. All these fine folks were glad to welcome him and share their insights and show him their worlds! We did lots of things and had great fun in just one week. Spanky and I sure do miss him already.

Last week, John, Spanky, and I were walking in a park when a man stepped out of his truck and headed our way. I knew the deal from the look on his face that I had seen before on others. He wasn't coming over to see us, he was drawn to Spanky.

After he warmly greeted Spanky, he shared his story with us. A show dog breeder had given him a dachshund puppy which the breeder felt had too short a nose to become a prize show dog. The breeder gave him the dog as it had no value to him (shame on him). Anyway this guy took the pup home, named him Sam and he lived to be the family's best buddy for 21 years.

When I asked the man how long ago Sam died, he said 3 years, which prompted me to reply that maybe it was time for him to get another. With no hesitation, and a sad look in his eye he said; "There will never be another dog like Sam".

Only one who has owned or loved a wiener dog can fully appreciate his feelings. I know what he means, I feel the same way about Spanky!!!

And thats today's make you feel warm & fuzzy dog story!! Be well!

My sons John & Mark

John has arrived in Texas for a one week visit and we got to do a one hour Lalewicz men video chat today with my other son Mark. Thanks to skype technology we got to see Mark and vice versa as he told us stories about his ongoing adventures in Canoa, Ecuador! He is definitely having a great time there and while I wish he was here with us, I am happy that he is getting this adventure on his own!

Texas is proving to be a good host for John's visit, this week temps will be in the 70's and sunny, much better than was here two weeks ago. We plan to do lots of fun stuff!

In addition to using skype technology today, I also joined the space age by putting a gps in the Starship ! I can't believe I have waited this long to finally use this cool way to find your way around this planet!

John and I just came back from the movies with Denise. We saw Avatar in 3d, Wow, that is a hot movie! Go see it if you haven't yet had the chance. Take Care!

Costa Rica

I recieved this email and pictures from my friends Margitta & Bernd and wanted to share it with you! I have told Margitta that her english is very fine and I have told Bernd that his photography is also very fine! And after being advised of the "dangers", I still want to go there! LOL

Hello Paul,

auweia – all my bad English on your website – I am ashamed.

Now I send you some pictures of animals in Costa Rica – Bernd loves to make pictures from animals and Costa Rica was a paradise for this

We had nice monkeys and a lot of other animals. On the beautiful beach of Manuel Antonio NP – the pictures of my last e-mail – we had each day for breakfast the visit of a little IGUANA and – sorry – we called him PAUL (that is even a very popular name in Germany). He was our pet and we loved to see him each morning.

We had also a lot of crocodiles there – and in Germany we don’t’ have crocodiles in the nature – so it was very exiting for us to see them so near.

If you want to go to Costa Rica – be carefully. Costa Rica is a very dangerous place for American man – all the girls of Costa Rica want to have an American boyfriend. In Costa Rica they have a lot of girls more than boys or man. So all girls dreamed from an American boyfriend, because their life is often very poor and they begin to have baby’s very often at the age of 14 or 15 !!!! In Germany (and I think in the USA also) that is not normal. This young mothers are not married and the fathers of the kids doesn’t pay nothing for their children. So it is a very hard live for the girls and they always want to have an American or European boyfriend, to pay for their live and the children.

We have met a lot of such people, a man of more than 60 years with a Costa Rica girlfriend of 18 years. The first time, it was funny for him to have such a young girl-friend. But after some time, it was very expansive – because it was not only the girl-friend and their children from others mans – it was the whole family, who lives from his money. That makes Costa Rica for a dangerous place for American and European Man – like Thailland in Asia.

But – I must say it – the girls of Costa Rica are very often very beautiful. I had to take care of my Bernd – he was on a leash all the time in Costa Rica!!! I send you one photo of such a girl – only to show you the “danger”.

We are now in Florida, our place is Chokoloskee Island near Everglades City and her we have nice wether and can spend the day outside of our Motorhome in the sun.

I hope, you will have a very good time travelling with your son and a lot of big fishes, if you are fishing.

Many greetings for you and a hug for Spanky.
Margitta and Bernd

A great American story from UP Michigan!

Thanks to my sis Carol, for sending this inspiring message. I wanted to save it here for me and also share it with you!

Emergency Weather Bulletin

This text is from a county emergency manager out in the western part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan after a severe snow storm ...

The Mining Journal, Marquette, MI WEATHER BULLETIN

Up here in the Northern part of Michigan we just recovered from a Historic event --- may I even say a "Weather Event" of "Biblical Proportions" --- with a historic blizzard of up to 44" inches of snow and winds to 90 MPH that broke trees in half, knocked down utility poles, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed ALL roads, isolated scores of communities and cut power to 10's of thousands.

FYI: Obama did not come. FEMA did nothing. No one howled for the government. No one blamed the government. No one even uttered an expletive on TV.. Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton did not visit. Our Mayor's did not blame Obama or anyone else. Our Governor did not blame Obama or anyone else either. CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX, or NBC did not visit - or even report on this category 5 snow storm.

Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards. No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House. No one looted. Nobody - I mean Nobody demanded the government do something. Nobody expected the government to do anything either. No Larry King, No Bill O'Rielly, No Oprah, No Chris Mathews and No Geraldo Rivera. No Shaun Penn, No Barbara Striesand, No Brad Pitt, No Hollywood types to be found.

Nope, we just melted the snow for water.Sent out caravans of SUV's to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars. The truck drivers pulled people out of snow banks and didn't ask for a penny. Local restaurants made food, and the police and fire departments delivered it to the snow bound families.. Families took in the stranded people - total strangers.

We fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Coleman lanterns. We put on an extra layers of clothes because up here it is "Work or Die". We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trades votes for 'sittin at home' checks.

Even though a Category 5 blizzard of this scale is not usual, we know it can happen and how to deal with it ourselves.

I hope this gets passed on. Maybe ..... SOME people will get the message ...... The world does Not owe you a living.

My new friends from Germany

We met these nice folks from Germany on the adventure of a life time. I just had to send you their email and pictures. I wanna go to Costa Rica!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Paul,

that was nice to hear from you so soon.

We traveled from Goose Island first to Galveston Island. But that was not my favorite place. Goose Island was nicer for us.

Than after some other places to New Orleans. There it was 4 days (new year) very funny for us. Wether was good - nice sunshine. We hat a jazz-brunch in the court of two sisters, more jazz in the preservation Hall and at last always jazz and music in the streets. We loved it. New year we made a tour with the Natchez on the Mississippi with a good meal (Cajun-food) and also jazz-music. That time was a sugar bowl football play in New Orleans - the campground was full.

After New Orleans we traveld to Mississippi and Alabama. The wether was not very warm, but sunshine, no rain. We had nice places in the stateparks.

On the coast of Florida we found 2 very beautiful Stateparks with a lot of sunshine. Henderson Statepark near Destin. The second was my favorite on this trip - St. Joseph Peninsula Statepark. Such a beautiful place - a long and clean white sand beach, a nice forest and nice ways for bycicles on the lagoon side. And sunshine the day over. We can sit outside in the sun. For fishing - I don's know, if it is a good place, but for relaxing that is sure.

Now we were in Manatee Springs Statepark and were very happy to see the manatees there in the spring. Today we are near Tampa - but it is cold hera also. We have frozen windows during the night and our little chinese heater works the whole night in our sleeping-room. All snowbirds herewere very disappointed by the bad whether and the Florida-people tell us, it was never such a long period so cold than this year!!!!

Monday it will be better and warmer they tell us. I hope so!!!!

That are the news from our part. We hope, you have found a nice place to spend the next weeks or month. Give a little hello to Spanky - he is really a sweet little dog. And if you mail with Gayle, say also hello from our part.

And please - sorry for all my mistakes in your language!!!!!!

I send you some pictures of our trip. I hope, you will enjoy them. And think about a little trip to G E R M A N Y the next years! We will be back in May or June - and then you are welcome the next years!!!

Have a nive time and save travel.
Many greetings from Margitta and Bernd


You find 2 pictures from our truck in Columbien at the crane, the others were from beaches in Costa Rica.

A bit of a cold snap in Texas !

I love Texas, but what a bunch of wimps! A couple of cold days make a huge deal, they don't seem to know other parts of the country would hope for a daytime high right now as good as these lows!

But, I will admit it is cold. Starship has slides in, drapes down, cabinets open, and burnin a lot of propane! But, we didn't freeze and this is Texas, will be back in the 50's by Tuesday! Plus, my son John arrives next weekend, sure want a warm up here to give him a break from the icebox called Michigan he is currently living in!

Guess the only good spot in the country right now is southern California. Temps in the 80's. Of course, if your 19.8 billion in debt and 2.5 million unemployed, you should have good weather!!
( If Leno borrows that line, I wanna 500 bucks!) ( Jay, times are tough, I will negotiate!)

I am using this arctic blast to work on Amphi. Spanky and I are in a wonderful hot barn reassembling all new suspension and drive line parts. We got seven great years out of the old stuff, not bad for all the fun on the road & water that was had! I hope all is well with you, I miss you!!!!!!!!!!

Interesting Motor Homes on the road

My current RV, the Starship, came to me as a trade for real estate. I had given up on having a Prevost after the financial disaster of 04, (my divorce), but I had been looking for a diesel pusher bus. Now after it has been my home for over a year and many miles traveled, I must admit that the gas fired Starship is fine. Slide outs, washer & dryer, and ability to tow your garage with car, makes up for a lot. I always keep looking at other choices I see on the road, and here are a few:

Red Dodge Motorhome - Since the Dodge brothers began building trucks in the 20's, Dodge built some really cool motor homes. Many of these from the 60's and 70's used 440 big block engines with a rv grind cam for greater torque. I have been a Mopar fan for a long time and really like look of these vintage traveling homes.

Military Dry Camper - I spotted this rig out on the sand on Padre Island, a perfect vehicle to go on the barrier islands with miles and miles of sand and surf. These surplus multi fuel military

rigs in either 4 or 6 wheel drive will get out of anywhere! In this application, tarps help provide some protection from the wind blown sand that gets in every crevice that you or your stuff may have.

Alemania - (which means Germany in Spanish). This 64 Mercedes truck is like a Unimog but is a rare model from Germany. Custom fitted by its owner, this rig has been around the world, including travel on a banana freighter between foreign ports. Other than is propensity to occasionally throw up its 6 cylinder diesel engine, what a wonderful 46 year old traveling machine!

In review, guess I will stay with the Starship for a while yet, just wanted to share these other interesting places to live with you! Stay Warm!!!!!

2010 Back in Dallas

Wow, what a wonderful two week trip we had traveling about south Texas! We loved Goose Island a lot, got a chance to catch a black drum fish, and only left when rain was headed our way. We took two laners back going through the hill country, passing thru Wimberly, and spending a night at Inks lake to check out the Devils Waterhole. I now know Texas well enough to be a pretty good tour guide!

I am glad to report the eagle is still on its nest on the road to Llano, and the barbecue at Cooper's in Llano is still world class! Spanky and I will sure miss Gayla, we all had a super time! My next visitor is my son John, who I am really looking forward to seeing. My son Mark will not be joining us this trip as he is on his own adventure in Ecuador.

There is no sign of global warming here in Texas this winter. Dallas had a record snow on Christmas while were in the islands and a arctic blast is again headed this way this week. But elsewhere in the world, the fabled Northeast Passage in now ice free providing a shortcut from the Atlantic to the Pacific along Russia's arctic coast - Bad News Indeed! Hope you are all well!