We're home, we're home, WE'RE HOME!

[Christyhicks]

Well, as you can tell by the title, we made it home this afternoon.  The roads weren't too bad until we pulled onto our street. . .it was 3" thick with frozen ice.  The guys had opened the gates for us and moved the vans, so we could make a run at the drive up to the shop.  We had 450' of solid snow/ice covered hill. . .no, not a gentle slope, we're saying HILL!  One of our guys couldn't even make it up it with his pickup! 

As we tooled up the street in front of  our house, we got a quick look at the dormer they put on our house while we were out of town.  Pretty wierd to come home and find your house looking that different, ha ha, but we liked it so well we decided to put some on the west and east sides of the roof too!  So, now it's on down to the gates and time to face the mountain! 

As we've always done, we discussed the situation as we approached, and then Larry just "drove like hell!"  That's always my advice. . . usually it's "stay to the left" or "stay to the right" followed by "and drive like hell!"   No, I'm kidding, he just kept a steady accellerator and prayed for the best.  Boy, the beauty that she is, TempBus just walked right on up that hill!  What's wierd is that she didn't leave a single track. . .it was so frozen that the ice didn't even break where we rolled on top of it!  One task left, get her in the shop. 

Now, normal people would look at the incline in front of the BRAND NEW SHOP and reconsider whether they wanted to make a run at it when everything is that iced over. . yep, NORMAL people would!   So, we lined up for the run. Only once did I really hold my breath and close my eyes. .. . that door post sure was getting close to the back end. . . .at one point no more than 12" stood between the rolling steel and the BRAND NEW METAL THAT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE PAINT OXIDIZED YET metal of the new building,  but the wheels only spun a little and then caught again!   Noooooo problems!

We left all the stuff in the bus, figuring we'd unload it tomorrow, and Larry brought the Jeep down to the house to unload his automotive signs and the coyote.   .  .um, did we tell you guys we bought a coyote?  You should have seen Annie, the office Kitty, burr up when she caught a view of that coyote in the back of the Jeep!

So, we're sitting here, with our feet up, and it's a bittersweet moment.  It's hard to believe that we spent the last three+ weeks living in a such a small space. I mean, seriously, our complete living area including bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, AND living room, sum total, was less that 1/2 the size of our master bedroom!  How come we enjoyed it so much?   Why do we miss it already?    Christy Hicks

[Dallas]

Welcome Home Christy and Larry!

we're glad you made it in mostly one piece.

A little known secret about getting traction on ice: you can get pretty good traction on ice if the tires aren't warm enough to melt it and make a layer of water between the ice and the tire.

We had heard that a few times but never believed it until one time I had to take my truck up a steep ice covered hill and couldn't get enough traction to even move forward.
An old driver came over and suggested I stop for a half hour or so and have a cup of coffee. By the time I was done with the coffee, the tires were as cold as the surrounding terrain and I walked right up the hill with no problem.

Another little trick that works good to get moving is to carry a bunch of kitty litter with you.
Since we have 3 fearsome felines, I always have plenty of the afore mentioned material, some new, and some with ummm, little traction logs.


Maybe when you come this way in May, you won't have to put up with any ice or snow.

Dallas

[NJT5047]

Welcome Home Christy and Larry!

Maybe when you come this way in May, you won't have to put up with any ice or snow.

Dallas

Yessir, we too are glad to see ya'll home all safe and sound!   3 weeks in a bus will proof a marriage eh? 
We spent one week exactly, and had a grand old time.   I coulda done 3 weeks....not in an ice storm, but maybe at Jacks or something you know?   If I could hang at Jacks and Fred Hobes a few weeks, I could have a smooth side Renassaunce (Mispelled that one!...) and all the other cool bus stuff I dream of....oh well.  That'll be a while.   Still waiting for Jacks Ozite seminar.  I know it's just on the horizon!   T'ville....that would be a good place to do my smooth sides too!   In two days....yeah, way cool.     
We thought about New Orleans, and Texas and ya'll being all mired up in the sorry weather.     Bummer.
Reckon you won't have snow at T'ville this spring?    Shoud be very nice SC weather.  Ya'll are coming of course?   Cat will attend the details.     I'm ready now.  John B's healing up nicely from a broken clavicle...so he'll be ready to pick a little...and Gary.  I know Gary will sing a little...Homegrowndie can do the karaoky thing!   Anita is pretty good with those things.     I just can't wait! 
Ya'll get Tempbus all put up and get back onto Bigbus!  Time to go!   Your luck will be better with an MCI...I promise! (I hope!)
Best, JR and Terri   

[Ace]

Christy it was nice meeting you and Larry and forgot to tell you that your bottle of water was left in the bathroom of our bus IF you were wondering! LOL Glad you made it home safe and sound! Florida doesn't usually bring that much bad luck on visiters. Just those that don't want to stay! Just kidding!

Anyway, glad your home and maybe we'll see you on the road again in the near future!

JR just do away with that ozite, buy you some good vinyl, plywood and some of those fasteners I used, and I'll be glad to help you (uh, get started) doing your ceiling! It's not that hard and it will look and last a lot longer than the ozite! It's a heck of lot easier to clean too!

If you want I can get the fasteners here locally! The vinyl and plywood is on your end though! Only tools you need are a jig saw, table saw, drill, 5/16 inch bit, contact cement, and a electric staple gun. If you have some weird cuts, than some cardboard for templates will work too. You can do designs or just plain flat!

Let me know!

Ace

[Ncbob]

Hooray, hooray!  And as JR said, 3 weeks in a bus under less than ideal conditions will make or break a relationship.
I had no doubts that you two would make lemonade out of lemons.

Glad you're home safely.  Please publish the book soon...I'm too old to wait for the movie.

NCbob

[FloridaCliff]

Christy and Larry,

Glad to hear your HOME!

Three weeks is a good test in the Ole bus.

We just did two weeks with the kids, and it really makes you think about what you want vs what you need. 

Many more fun miles for the two of you!

Cliff

[Christyhicks]

Glad you're home safely.  Please publish the book soon...I'm too old to wait for the movie.

hahahaha, so, you're thinking that the recent Robin Williams movie was NOT about us?

Ace, hang onto that bottle of water for me. . .I'll pick it up at the next rally!

Dallas, well, I talked to Annie, the office kitty, and she agreed to let me use as many, um, "chunks" as we needed.  Fortunately, this has not been an issue and I'm thinking that I hope I don't have to raid her area any time soon,  .

As for making or breaking our relationship, well, our only problems during the whole trip were that it was over too soon, ha ha.  When you're married to your best friend, well, life is just darned fun.  It's that simple, it's just fun!  Christy Hicks

[Brian Diehl]

As for making or breaking our relationship, well, our only problems during the whole trip were that it was over too soon, ha ha.  When you're married to your best friend, well, life is just darned fun.  It's that simple, it's just fun!  Christy Hicks

So true Christy!  Thanks for saying it so clearly!

[edvanland]

Christy:
Having been married to my best friend for 40 years I know what you mean.  God I miss her but we sure had one heck of a lot of fun in our 40 years together.
ED
MCI 7

[bubbaqgal]

If you think 2 weeks in a bus is tough. Try living for 9 weeks in the cab of a tractor trailer.  Dallas and I did that and actually survived.  To make it harder, we had his 14 year old son and our cat with us and spent a week in June sitting in Vegas waiting for a load out.  It was over 100 there and we had no AC in our truck.  Makes living in our bus a breeze in comparison.  Actually, with Dallas I could be with him 24/7 and never, well almost never, want to be away from him.  I don't know anyone else I could say that about.  Couild be because he doesn't talk much and I talk alot so I have a captive audience in the bus with him.  We have our moments but I love living in our bus full time and being in it with him just makes it all the more special.  Cat

[Dreamscape]

You Gals are great,

It is refreshing to hear from the other side.

My partner is THE BEST, would not trade her for anything, even a NEW EAGLE. 

Happy Trails,

Paul

Dreamscape

[JackConrad]

When you're married to your best friend, well, life is just darned fun.  It's that simple, it's just fun
I agree! In the 38 years that Paula and I have been married, we have always been best friends. Whatever hobbies or intrests we have had, we did together. whether it was water sking, scuba diving, clogging, converting the bus, or riding horses, we have always enjoyed spending time together.  Jack 

[Christyhicks]

My partner is THE BEST, would not trade her for anything, even a NEW EAGLE. 

Wow!    A NEW one???  Are you sure?

Hee hee hee, I told Larry what you said, but it's kind of funny, he didn't really say that he felt the same way  . .. I'm thinking that those new MCI's are awwwwwful tempting to him!   Christy

[captain ron]

I wanted to marry my best friend but dogs and same sex marriage is illegal in these parts 

[phunckie]

My partner is THE BEST, would not trade her for anything, even a NEW EAGLE. 

Now, don't go OVERBOARD.....