Arrived in Baltimore, MD.

April 11, 2017

Well, I am in the Portland, Oregon Airport and I already have had an eventful trip so I decided to blog so I won't forget.  It began by getting up at 5 AM and my brother-in-law took me to the bus station in Coos Bay, Or. (about 30 miles away) to meet the bus.  Last night I tried to eat something (A small salad and a 100% whole wheat English muffin) that didn't work, I it came back up and decided that I must not be able to eat yet.  I felt better today but only had 2 rice cakes and 2 crackers until about 3 PM and I had a half of Shaklee Energy bar.  I am in a restaurant in the AirPort in a booth in the back, hooked up to electricity and I will try to eat something here.  (Let's hope I don't do that again)  One of my adopted grandson's works here and I was hoping to see him but it is his day off.   Phooee!  Well maybe on my way back here.  Oh, No!, I just found out that he doesn't work here any more.  Bummer!  I called him to tell him I was here, any way.  I later got a text from him.

Let me tell you about my trip so far.  I left Coos Bay and enjoyed a wonderful scenic route to Eugene, Or., with lots of lush green trees, perfectly still lakes, with clear reflections of any snag, tree, and houses, that surrounded it, as if their were duplicates.. Moss engulfed trees hanging over the rivers and small rushing streams with white water.  Unique rustic houses and buildings of by-gone days, Crabby's Crab Shack near the ocean,  Lot's of places where artists had their art and woodworking on display in front of their dilapidated shacks.  It was cloudy but NOT RAINING in Oregon, for a change.  Wonderful ride!  I had a change of bus in Eugene and had to wait for 2 hours sitting in an old time Amtrak train station with the wooden benches, and out of the window I could see an old large Victorian house on a hill that looked like it was from the 19th century.  It was built by a Doctor and was open for tours.  While sitting on the hard benches, a passenger in front of me ask if I would watch his luggage,while he went to the restroom. When he returned he decided to stand in front of me and carry on a conversation all about the stuff that ticked him off.  He vented at some length, taking up most of the wait.  I decided not to complain about his complaining, or I would be in the same bucket.  He was from Baltimore originally.  I couldn't get a word in, to ask him any question.  My husband used to say that a person who talks a lot will always reveal themselves.  He went to the back of the bus when it came, and I sat in the front, in back of the driver, who was wonderful!

He was an older gentleman and I asked him what was on his "bucket" list, (A list of things you want to do before you, "kick the bucket").  He said he didn't really have one, that he was driving the bus, because he had lost a lot of money in the economic crash and really wanted to be full-time RVing with his wife in their 5th wheel RV and Photographing the Country.  He was a professional Photographer, and a very good one.  He showed me his website with some of his pictures, they were awesome!  He said all that before he even knew I was a "full-time RV'er.  Turned out he was a Member of the same Thousand Trails RV Resort System so we may see each other in the parks one day.  Anyway, the 3 hour trip flew by and he sounded like he was encouraged to consider it.  He ended up saying that he needed an income to pay off his bills.  I ask him, "If I could show you a way that you could reach that dream, with the income you needed, would you take a look at it?"  He said he would, we exchanged cards, we'll be in touch.  I found out his parents were in Shaklee.

Next was the Light Rail trip from the Amtrak station to the Airport.   I had to catch the train in front of the Greyhound Station.  Lot's of people hanging around who need Jesus.  I got on the train, had to change trains, then had to stand up because it was rush hour.  There was a young man, also standing, with his father reading a book and he had a paper bag from a book store.  He looked up and saw me looking at him and sort, of smiled.  I said, "I am impressed."  He looked surprised and said, "Why?"  I said because you are reading and you went to a book store, and evidently bought a book. He looked pleased and said, "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't expect it of this generation."  I made another positive, supportive comment, then I ask him, "Do you know Jesus? He looked baffeled, didn't know how to respond, finally mumbled something about not being religious.  I said, "You don't have to be religious to know Jesus, you should check Him out".  He got very uncomfortable, looking up at Dad.  I found out that he was 16 and I told him he was good looking, he grinned and I gave him my card with my blog on it, if he wanted to follow my travels.  He eagerly took it, I found out that he was from Las Vegas and we talked about where I stayed when I was there, anyway, it was a nice conversation.  There was something about him, I pray for all the people I meet. 

On to the Airport and the resturant.  My waitress was nice and pregnant, due next week, she ended up calling me Grandma Swann.  I left the restaurant and went to the counter to get ticket and pick up the wheel chair.  The "wheelchair guy" was had an accent and was very helpful and considerate and I ask him where he was from.  He said, "The Ukraine".  I started telling him about the family from the Ukraine that were Ministers at a Ukraine Church in Portland, that I had met in Palm Desert, and ask him if he went to Church.  He said yes and I said, then you know Jesus then.  He got so excited talking about Jesus and fascinated with our conversation that he took me in another direction so he could have more time with me in the wheelchair. 

He told me about how it was such a shame that so many people in America, where we are so blessed, won't acknowledge God in public, and be grateful for how he has blessed us.  He told me about how one time, on another job, there was an occasion where he asked if he could pray.  They told him that it wasn't allowed on the job.  He ask them, "You will not thank God,?  Do you not have a house, food, a car, nice things, and you do not thank God?"  They let him pray and he said that when he finished that grown men were crying.   We take so much for granted and others, like in the Communist countries, where it is forbidden to worship God, have to make great sacrifices to be a Christian.  He really appreciated Jesus. and the sacrifice He made to set us free.

We adopted each other, exchanged information and hugged, realizing, we were already related as Children of God.

I boarded the plane and was in a row by myself, had a nice fast (2hr) flight to San Diego, I should have stretched out and slept, which would have been the only sleep I would have gotten on the trip, but I was planning to sleep on the "red eye" out of San Diego.... NOT!

I changed planes and as we were boarding I noticed a lot of children and babies were boarding also.  Uh oh!  One baby sat right across from me and was a little fussy.  It was a 4 hour and 10 min. trip and about an hour into the trip my stomach didn't like my dinner, so, rejected it, I couldn't find the "special bags" they usually have available for such an occasion.  I prayed and realized I had a zip-lock gallon size, plastic bag with my crackers and rice cakes in it, I didn't have time before my dinner joined the crackers in the bag.  I was so blessed that everybody in the vicinity that could have observed me was asleep.  Then, my nose was running, face was messy and NO TISSUE!  I won't share now what I used, but God always provides and it worked perfectly.  After delivering my dinner and crackers in the bag to the Flight Attendant, I spent the next half of the flight in the bathroom, partly because it was so rough a flight that to get back to my seat would have caused some havoc, (the other part, you can imagine.) 

I Arrived in Baltimore, Maryland at 6:30 AM I got another wheelchair and a wonderful attendant.  She lived in Baltimore and this was her third day on the job.  She was a Christian and I gave her the FTHCM information so she could live stream, or now get it on youtube.com.

She gave me her information and she was adopted!

I called my Grandson, (who kept my car) after picking up the luggage, and found out that he was just leaving for the Airport (something didn't go as planned).  He was about an hour away. When he finally got there and we started to leave, he told me he hadn't gotten enough sleep and was falling asleep on the way up. SO I HAD TO DRIVE.  I hadn't slept, at that point, for 24 hours and although I had eaten very little in 4 days, I didn't feel too bad.  It was strange driving in morning rush hour traffic again and I had to drop my Grandson off at work and then drive to my friend who offered her, a nice basement apartment to me for the duration of my stay.  What a blessing!  We exchanged important information and she let me sleep.  After 28 hours with no sleep, I got 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep, then we visited for a while, I ate some chicken soup and crackers, IT STAYED DOWN!  I then went out to get keys made, shopped for stuff I needed, came back visited some more, put the stuff away, ate some more chicken soup and crackers and finished writing this blog. YIKES! I just looked at the time, it is 1:11AM.  GOOD NIGHT! oops. Good Morning!

April 11, 2017

Well, I am in the Portland, Oregon Airport and I already have had an eventful trip so I decided to blog so I won't forget.  It began by getting up at 5 AM and my brother-in-law took me to the bus station in Coos Bay, Or. (about 30 miles away) to meet the bus.  Last night I tried to eat something (A small salad and a 100% whole wheat English muffin) that didn't work, I it came back up and decided that I must not be able to eat yet.  I felt better today but only had 2 rice cakes and 2 crackers until about 3 PM and I had a half of Shaklee Energy bar.  I am in a restaurant in the AirPort in a booth in the back, hooked up to electricity and I will try to eat something here.  (Let's hope I don't do that again)  One of my adopted grandson's works here and I was hoping to see him but it is his day off.   Phooee!  Well maybe on my way back here.  Oh, No!, I just found out that he doesn't work here any more.  Bummer!  I called him to tell him I was here, any way.  I later got a text from him.

Let me tell you about my trip so far.  I left Coos Bay and enjoyed a wonderful scenic route to Eugene, Or., with lots of lush green trees, perfectly still lakes, with clear reflections of any snag, tree, and houses, that surrounded it, as if their were duplicates.. Moss engulfed trees hanging over the rivers and small rushing streams with white water.  Unique rustic houses and buildings of by-gone days, Crabby's Crab Shack near the ocean,  Lot's of places where artists had their art and woodworking on display in front of their dilapidated shacks.  It was cloudy but NOT RAINING in Oregon, for a change.  Wonderful ride!  I had a change of bus in Eugene and had to wait for 2 hours sitting in an old time Amtrak train station with the wooden benches, and out of the window I could see an old large Victorian house on a hill that looked like it was from the 19th century.  It was built by a Doctor and was open for tours.  While sitting on the hard benches, a passenger in front of me ask if I would watch his luggage,while he went to the restroom. When he returned he decided to stand in front of me and carry on a conversation all about the stuff that ticked him off.  He vented at some length, taking up most of the wait.  I decided not to complain about his complaining, or I would be in the same bucket.  He was from Baltimore originally.  I couldn't get a word in, to ask him any question.  My husband used to say that a person who talks a lot will always reveal themselves.  He went to the back of the bus when it came, and I sat in the front, in back of the driver, who was wonderful!

He was an older gentleman and I asked him what was on his "bucket" list, (A list of things you want to do before you, "kick the bucket").  He said he didn't really have one, that he was driving the bus, because he had lost a lot of money in the economic crash and really wanted to be full-time RVing with his wife in their 5th wheel RV and Photographing the Country.  He was a professional Photographer, and a very good one.  He showed me his website with some of his pictures, they were awesome!  He said all that before he even knew I was a "full-time RV'er.  Turned out he was a Member of the same Thousand Trails RV Resort System so we may see each other in the parks one day.  Anyway, the 3 hour trip flew by and he sounded like he was encouraged to consider it.  He ended up saying that he needed an income to pay off his bills.  I ask him, "If I could show you a way that you could reach that dream, with the income you needed, would you take a look at it?"  He said he would, we exchanged cards, we'll be in touch.  I found out his parents were in Shaklee.

Next was the Light Rail trip from the Amtrak station to the Airport.   I had to catch the train in front of the Greyhound Station.  Lot's of people hanging around who need Jesus.  I got on the train, had to change trains, then had to stand up because it was rush hour.  There was a young man, also standing, with his father reading a book and he had a paper bag from a book store.  He looked up and saw me looking at him and sort, of smiled.  I said, "I am impressed."  He looked surprised and said, "Why?"  I said because you are reading and you went to a book store, and evidently bought a book. He looked pleased and said, "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't expect it of this generation."  I made another positive, supportive comment, then I ask him, "Do you know Jesus? He looked baffeled, didn't know how to respond, finally mumbled something about not being religious.  I said, "You don't have to be religious to know Jesus, you should check Him out".  He got very uncomfortable, looking up at Dad.  I found out that he was 16 and I told him he was good looking, he grinned and I gave him my card with my blog on it, if he wanted to follow my travels.  He eagerly took it, I found out that he was from Las Vegas and we talked about where I stayed when I was there, anyway, it was a nice conversation.  There was something about him, I pray for all the people I meet. 

On to the Airport and the resturant.  My waitress was nice and pregnant, due next week, she ended up calling me Grandma Swann.  I left the restaurant and went to the counter to get ticket and pick up the wheel chair.  The "wheelchair guy" was had an accent and was very helpful and considerate and I ask him where he was from.  He said, "The Ukraine".  I started telling him about the family from the Ukraine that were Ministers at a Ukraine Church in Portland, that I had met in Palm Desert, and ask him if he went to Church.  He said yes and I said, then you know Jesus then.  He got so excited talking about Jesus and fascinated with our conversation that he took me in another direction so he could have more time with me in the wheelchair. 

He told me about how it was such a shame that so many people in America, where we are so blessed, won't acknowledge God in public, and be grateful for how he has blessed us.  He told me about how one time, on another job, there was an occasion where he asked if he could pray.  They told him that it wasn't allowed on the job.  He ask them, "You will not thank God,?  Do you not have a house, food, a car, nice things, and you do not thank God?"  They let him pray and he said that when he finished that grown men were crying.   We take so much for granted and others, like in the Communist countries, where it is forbidden to worship God, have to make great sacrifices to be a Christian.  He really appreciated Jesus. and the sacrifice He made to set us free.

We adopted each other, exchanged information and hugged, realizing, we were already related as Children of God.

I boarded the plane and was in a row by myself, had a nice fast (2hr) flight to San Diego, I should have stretched out and slept, which would have been the only sleep I would have gotten on the trip, but I was planning to sleep on the "red eye" out of San Diego.... NOT!

I changed planes and as we were boarding I noticed a lot of children and babies were boarding also.  Uh oh!  One baby sat right across from me and was a little fussy.  It was a 4 hour and 10 min. trip and about an hour into the trip my stomach didn't like my dinner, so, rejected it, I couldn't find the "special bags" they usually have available for such an occasion.  I prayed and realized I had a zip-lock gallon size, plastic bag with my crackers and rice cakes in it, I didn't have time before my dinner joined the crackers in the bag.  I was so blessed that everybody in the vicinity that could have observed me was asleep.  Then, my nose was running, face was messy and NO TISSUE!  I won't share now what I used, but God always provides and it worked perfectly.  After delivering my dinner and crackers in the bag to the Flight Attendant, I spent the next half of the flight in the bathroom, partly because it was so rough a flight that to get back to my seat would have caused some havoc, (the other part, you can imagine.) 

I Arrived in Baltimore, Maryland at 6:30 AM I got another wheelchair and a wonderful attendant.  She lived in Baltimore and this was her third day on the job.  She was a Christian and I gave her the FTHCM information so she could live stream, or now get it on youtube.com.

She gave me her information and she was adopted!

I called my Grandson, (who kept my car) after picking up the luggage, and found out that he was just leaving for the Airport (something didn't go as planned).  He was about an hour away. When he finally got there and we started to leave, he told me he hadn't gotten enough sleep and was falling asleep on the way up. SO I HAD TO DRIVE.  I hadn't slept, at that point, for 24 hours and although I had eaten very little in 4 days, I didn't feel too bad.  It was strange driving in morning rush hour traffic again and I had to drop my Grandson off at work and then drive to my friend who offered her, a nice basement apartment to me for the duration of my stay.  What a blessing!  We exchanged important information and she let me sleep.  After 28 hours with no sleep, I got 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep, then we visited for a while, I ate some chicken soup and crackers, IT STAYED DOWN!  I then went out to get keys made, shopped for stuff I needed, came back visited some more, put the stuff away, ate some more chicken soup and crackers and finished writing this blog. YIKES! I just looked at the time, it is 1:11AM.  GOOD NIGHT! oops. Good Morning!