NoDak

when in Rome do as the Romans

2012-02-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I was going to try and write this blog in chronological order but that is just not going to happen. So I will now write When I have the thoughts Of the events that Have happened.

I think it is very important that when you set out on a new adventure or to see a new place that the saying "when in Rome, do as the Romans." I can't stress this enough. part of the reason it has taken me longer to get started than I had anticipated is because, unknowingly, I have been getting to know not only The lay of the land but also the heart of the people. it would be wrong for anyone to move to a new community and expect to do business as they have done in the past from whence they have come. I have to attribute this understanding to my upbringing, that is, being raised as a military brat in Germany. you cannot travel throughout Germany and be successful in life without understanding the different cultures, as so it is traveling throughout America. We are all different and it is so amazing to see that difference and to become part of it where ever one might be. I am still learning about this area and only my own arrogance will hinder a successful adventure. I pray to God that arrogance is dead! Can you imagine, during the Alaska Gold Rush, going into a town or city with your understandings from let's say the East Coast, and wanting to do business in the same way in Alaska. I don't think that worked out very well... it's imperative in life that we become chameleons, I can't see any other way of living and being happy. I don't mean I will give up my core beliefs or personality I just mean that we should all be a bit more flexible especially if we are visitors and/or newcomers to an area. So in closing, as I am getting closer and closer to understanding this area and becoming a part of this area business is growing and growing. I can only wait to look back a year to from now and see the great strides that are made.
Now mind you, North Dakota is going through their own changes and especially Dickinson. I have often thought that this would be a great place for a sociality study. The study of how a very small town rural area handles expansion with all the trials and tribulations coming. Many people here are upset with the Growth, many people embrace the Growth in some good care less either way. But as an outsider looking in I get the privilege to experience this in a unique way. Here you have a small town that is becoming a city very quickly, crime is any increase, which they have not really experienced in the past. People have left their cars running in the parking lots their doors unlocked, and all in all are very trusting. But that is changing, no one likes it, but that's what the future as for Dickinson. There is an infrastructure that is and has to be built to sustain this growth. one example would be the parking, it's free everywhere, Sides of the roads, parking lots, everywhere you look you can virtually park for free. I guarantee you that will change. What a great, I want to say experiment, but it is really not an experiment because Towns have Been becoming cities for millennium, so that is all this my great adventure. I feel so lucky to be alive at this time and In this place, experiencing this change.I hope I can do this adventure justice by documenting it correctly and adequately.

You know, before moving out here, while I was still back in Poulsbo Washington, I heard from people there and here how terrible the winters were, how cold they were, how windy they were and how much I would hate it. Well today's Super Bowl Sunday and It is close to 51°, we have had maybe 4 or 5 days at subzero weather, the wind has been tame with no blizzards to speak of, although if there were wood around I definitely would be knocking on it. Some of the old-timers just keep telling me how lucky I am, which I am, and I appreciate it,but they also say don't count your chickens before they hatch. I guess the weather is pretty unpredictable, for the long-term anyway and we still have the months of February, March and April to go through, so as crazy as the weather has been everywhere who knows what the future has for North Dakota. I don't wish for harsh weather but if it comes I'll be prepared and I will survived It! Yesterday morning was one of the most Beautiful mornings I have ever seen anywhere. The roads Were dry and Frost was over everything, here you have what is generally seen as ugly weeds Of straw covered with frost That just Made the most beautiful sight ever.

There is one bright spot in the nation V2-04

2012-01-20T08:34:00.000-08:00

Obama's Magic Kingdom of Joblessness

Yesterday in Walt Disney World, the land "where dreams come true," President Barack Obama appeared before Cinderella's Castle to announce his latest plan to boost jobs in America--an effort to increase tourism to the United States. His announcement came one day after he flat out said "NO" to another plan that would have directly created at least 20,000 truly shovel-ready jobs--and 179,000 American jobs by 2035--while bringing more than 700,000 barrels of oil to the United States each day. That plan was the Keystone XL pipeline.

Had the President approved Keystone, a 1,700-mile pipeline would have been extended from Alberta, Canada, to Texas refineries -- lifting up the U.S. economy with private-sector investment, putting people to work, and helping increase the supply of energy to lower prices when fuel costs are through the roof. Despite a finding by the State Department that the pipeline would pose minimal environmental risk, environmentalists were still up in arms and lobbied the President to say no to the plan.

The President's decision is so out of line with fact and reason that The Washington Post strongly condemned it in an op-ed yesterday, saying the "pipeline rejection is hard to accept" and "We almost hope this was a political call because, on the substance, there should be no question." As the Post explained, even without the pipeline, Canada will still export its oil--but across the ocean to China, instead. Meanwhile, the United States will continue importing crude oil from the Middle East. In other words, the environmental lobby might have stanched the flow of oil from Canada, but it's being diverted onto the seas, and fossil fuel consumption will necessarily continue.

The environmental left's "victory" is ultimately another loss for the American people -- especially the 13.1 million unemployed workers. It's a loss for small businesses, such as restaurants and hotels, in the towns along the proposed route. It's a loss for state budgets that would have seen billions in tax revenue as a result. And it's also a loss for those who are struggling with high energy costs.

Gas prices are at a record high for January and are 28.5 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. And that's expected to go even higher--some analysts predict that the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded could hit $4 to $4.25 per gallon by the spring.

One might think that given the high cost of energy, the President would be seeking to increase domestic production, especially given Iran's threats to block the Strait of Hormuz, thereby cutting off a quarter of the world's energy supply. Think again. Under President Obama, oil and natural gas production on federal lands is down by more than 40 percent compared to 10 years ago, 2010 had the lowest number of leases issued for oil and gas production on federal lands since 1984, and the Administration held only one offshore lease sale in 2011.

There is one bright spot in the nation for energy production: North Dakota. Overall energy production has increased thanks to the state's pro-energy policies, and North Dakota has reaped the benefits, as have other like-minded states, as Heritage's Rob Bluey reports:

North Dakota's unemployment rate is 3.4 percent, the lowest in the country. According to a recent report from IHS Global Insight, North Dakota already returned to pre-recession employment along with energy-rich Alaska. Texas is expected to do so in the first quarter of 2012, followed by Nebraska and South Dakota next year.

There's much more that could be done, though, to move America further toward safely developing energy resources here at home--and the Keystone XL pipeline would be one such step. The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing to review legislation that would restart the project, focusing on a bill introduced by Representative Lee Terry (R-NE), which would allow construction on the pipeline to begin a month after passage. Heritage's Nicolas Loris explains that "a simple, effective approach would be for Congress to authorize the pipeline application as submitted by TransCanada pursuant to its authority to regulate commerce with other nations."

Sadly, this action wouldn't have been necessary if President Obama put the interests of the American people before his own political interests. He could have green-lighted the Keystone XL pipeline this week and helped create real jobs and increase the supply of affordable, reliable energy, without spending public dollars or advocating tax hikes. But instead he headed for the Magic Kingdom and continued to spin the fantasy that he has the answers for job creation in America. In the meantime, Americans can only dream of a stronger economy and a brighter future.

First Catering Gig V2-03

2012-01-17T12:05:00.000-08:00

In this issue I will talk about weather and my 1st catering gig.

Let's get right into the weather, yesterday I think the high was around 12 and the low this morning was -9. Today we will reach a whopping 13 and the night low will only be 2.And tomorrow we're going to reach a very very high 01 and Wednesday night the low is due to be -11.but then from there on out it starts getting warmer and until the following Thursday it'll be in the mid-30s with lows in the upper teens. So all in all not too bad.
What have I learned about whether, a couple of things don't go out in desert boots, never forget your gloves, always have your ears covered, and if your going to stay out any length of time make sure you have a ski mask.... And never never pee into the wind!you learn pretty quickly how important it is to plan your moves, your day trip. You don't want to be outside any longer than you have to be, you don't want to be in the wind.and it became very apparent to me yesterday driving around that you have to understand if anything were to happen to you... IE break down you better have an emergency kit with you. Generally this kit will have warm blankets, snow shovel, some hotties, Chapstick (lots a Chapstick) and a candle.I can't imagine what it would've been like to come across these planes during the winter in a covered wagon it's mind bogglingto think how our ancestors did it, what a hardy bunch they were. I mean just imagine living in a tepee on the plains. Also reminds me of Shackleton and what he endured for a year and a half in the Arctic. Man's will to live, to explore, to prosper is a force to be reckoned with. That's what makes our human race Fantastic. All over the world this spirit exists. But it's sad to see this spirit declining, with all the technology to make life easier it has also made us lazier and not as in during. We tend to not want to explore if it will upset our cushy life. but then it's always been just a few that exploration is what drove them to greatness, and some to their death. And so it goes on today in NoDak!

For those of you who have been reading you know that I've been smoking in Smokey off and on for last few weeks, months actually. and this last weekend was no different in that I Put on a family smoke, that's where the family of my good friends with by a bunch of meat and file night smoke it. The nice thing about doing that is it affords me the opportunity to organize and figure out the procedure to smoke in the garage of Smokey. And it was no different last weekend. And it seems now that Smokey is set up about 90% in the smoking garage anyway. So yesterday, Monday, Brenda had me cater a birthday party luncheon for a mechanic at her work, there were about 15 of them. I put together a shoulder, half a dozen pieces of chicken, baked beans, Lexington red slaw, and a pickle... put on a 4 1/2 inch bun.I tried to do most of the kitchen work in Betsy so I can get used to serving out of her and also organizing her, a lot was learned in doing so. Took the food to her place of work setup lets people serve themselves And what is now become an common response... ever ready was pleasantly pleased and 4. Rave reviews Flowed all during lunch. the owner, Tom, after eating a 2nd pulled pork sandwich came up to me and tell me that he's got connections with the oil companies and would hook me up with one in particular that did safety meetings twice a month... the attendance ranges from 200 to 400 people each meeting. What a way to start the new year! Here and no back it's not really potential, it's opportunity, and you would really have to work hard to screw it up. There is so much work here that if you had the "adventurous spirit" you could live a prosperous life...

Town Meeting Place V1-12

2012-01-13T13:04:00.000-08:00

I met a lady at the rec center today, 12/24/11, her name is Tammy and found out that she is one of the lead bookkeepers of pretty prominent oil company around. I started talking to her about BBQ and she mentioned that she could get me all the work that I wanted. Of course I've heard that a lot and took it with a grain of salt. She gave me her number told me to call her today sometime and to bring some samples over to her. So I did, I went over to her house met her husband and son, found out her husband also works in ‘the patch". We talked BBQ for a while... go figure, huh... and it turns out this might be a very good lead-in contact, they're both so kind and nice and hopefully upon them liking my BBQ they will spread the word and in their words ”keep me as busy as I want to be”.

I remember Dale telling me, when I 1st got here, to join the rec center. He said that that is where you'll meet all the people. And you know he was right, joining the rec center has been the absolutely very best investment I have made thus far in NoDak.

Living in Dickinson V2-02

2012-01-13T11:57:00.000-08:00

This is why I came here!

Think it’s difficult to get a room in Dickinson? Well, it is.
Grand Forks, Fargo, Jamestown, Rapid City, S.D., Aberdeen, S.D., Pierre, S.D., and Billings, Mont., also submitted reports. An oil boom in western North Dakota has made it difficult and expensive when searching for a place to stay, Koeser said. Koeser said Williston opened three hotels last year and plans to open six more this year. He is doubtful it will help relieve the pressure. Kessel said there are plans to open three hotels in Dickinson. Martin said he has an occupancy rate of 98 percent. Though he is not booked solid, he said he has bookings through October. “There is no room in town worth $150 or $200,” he said. With hotels being built to meet the demand, Kessel had concerns when enough would be enough. People looking for a place to stay overnight have had a hard time finding one because Dickinson has the highest reported occupancy rate in North Dakota, officials said Friday. “I would suggest whoever is (making reservations), make them as soon as they know what’s going on,” said Nodak Motel manager and owner Scott Martin.
City Administrator Shawn Kessel said a star report, which is a voluntary survey for hotels, revealed that Dickinson had a 90 percent occupancy rate as of November. Minot was second at 89 percent and Bismarck stood at nearly 78 percent. Kessel said Williston did not report numbers in November. Mayor E. Ward Koeser said he thought occupancy rates in Williston were around 95 percent. “About the only time you can ever get in is once in a while on a weekend night,” Koeser said. “We have people who come here all the time, and even my wife and I end up taking people in because there is just no place to go.” “What happens here — and I assume the same thing will happen if it hasn’t already in Dickinson — is before the hotel has opened, oil companies come in and lease maybe 30 rooms for the next year.” Kessel said hotel rates in Dickinson run between $130 to $200 per night when rooms are available. He said it appears to be up $20 from last year at this time. The Nodak Motel has a starting rate of $55 per night plus tax. While Martin said companies and oil field workers have made offers to rent rooms at high prices, he said he wouldn’t take them. “The fear that you have in any of these construction projects is that how do you determine when we have hit capacity or have hit the upper limit?” he said. “Can you maintain 17 hotels in town maybe in 15 years or whenever this boom slows down?”
Koeser said when the oil boom is over, Williston will be a prime spot to accommodate tourists. Until that happens, visitors should make their plans well ahead of schedule.

A Bunch of Firsts V2-01

2012-01-08T15:29:00.000-08:00

Well it has been sometime since I last wrote, actually only about a couple of weeks. But a lot can happen within that time. There has been Christmas dinners and a solemn New Year's Eve, some hunting, smoking and some just all around get in my stuff together.

I think tonight I'm going to try and find a history movie about the Klondike Gold Rush. I feel there are similarities between what I am going through and what some of those prospectors went through and we all know history is the best teacher. I can only appreciate the fortitude of the spirits of those that pursued their desire for a better life. Knowing that the majority of people that sought out the gold rushes actually failed to prosper. I could Fail,but I won't because I have them to learn from. Imagine all the people that left the East Coast to move west for a new life of prosperity and how many of them actually succeeded? I face here not to believe a failure but more the openness toward change within. Not a change in my core belief of giving but a change in my being to do something. One cannot just believe in something and expect that to happen, you actually have to go out and do something to make it happen. One saying that I heard years ago and I try to live by is "you can't steer a parked car" sometimes that's easier said than done but as long as your feet are moving I believe he'll end up getting their at some point.

I found out today that my house sitting gig will end Thursday, January 12, so new challenges are arising... i.e. Where the hell am I going to live! But there are some options. What I need to implement is the "what if" scenarios for these options. I have a 5th wheel which I could live in an RV parkbut then I could not use the garage to smoke in. I have an RV that I could live in but then I would have no delivery service vehicle for the BBQ. There may be a house available with a detached garage that I could smoke in but that won't be ready until the end of January. I am meeting tomorrow with a gentleman to see if I could use a decent size space next to his pizza delivery service as a kitchen but I would need to have a place to smoke in which I could bring "Smokey" there to smoke and or perhaps put up a storage unit to smoke In.or I could leave the 5th wheel where in fact in the backyard of her friends, bring Betsy there, live in the 5th wheel smoke in the garage and use Betsy as the delivery vehicle. Now having said all that I need to throw in the other variable which is the health department and the business license and whether or I could get bolts in any scenario or only in certain scenarios that I need to find out. But anyway those are the challenges that I face can you imagine the challenges that faced the settlers and the prospectors and leaving everything to go to a completely new environment to take part in a great adventure.

8 degrees

So I went hunting last week, now the funny thing about that is that the very 1st time I went pheasant hunting was right before I got married 32 years ago and now the 2nd time that I go pheasant hunting is after I was divorced from that marriage... how ironic is that! Really happy before and really happy now. It was a very good time, walking through grassy fields flushing up birds shooting at them hitting 3 but only finding one getting a great workout enjoying the company of a friend in just feeling very fortunate for the place I'm at. Nice thing about when I hunt the birds don't have to worry about becoming extinct actually I think they clapped when they see me drive up. So many things to look forward to Here in this new life.

Dinner

First BBQ in Smokey! V1-11

2011-12-23T21:47:00.000-08:00

Family smoke:

I am as gitty as hell right now. I just finished the inaugural smoke in Smokey today. I wish everyone would find that one thing that makes them happier than anything else in life and that they would have the opportunity to do It.

Just as I have with smoking.

Everything went fairly smooth today, except when I went to shake my white BBQ sauce (used on fowl), the lid popped open and half the volume exploded all over the kitchen area, but it's not about how smooth things went, it's about how happy my spirit feels right now. Being able to smoke for friends, who have shown me so much kindness in the past six weeks, is something that makes me happier than anything else. The only thing in my life that has brought me greater happiness than smoking today, was seeing the birth of my son. I can't even put into words the joy and happiness I feel right now. I know I am in the right place at the right time. Today's joy brought me thoughts of all the people that have befriended me and helped me out in the last year and a half and all those who I have come to know and love over the past 20+ years. To all my friends in Poulsbo I miss them tremendously and they all have a special spot in my heart. I wish them the best of luck and happiest of times to come. Words just can't express the emotion I have right now. God bless America! I am so looking forward to what the future holds, to see how much I can give.
It's still up in the air as to how exactly I am going to open up for business, but because of dreams and the talk among local people that I have had I believe the route is set and now I'm just waiting to see it....WOW what ever that means! B{
I dropped off a couple of portions of pork with David (Expresso) to see if he would add the sandwiches to his menu. Find out Monday.

Life, in and around Dickinson V1-10

2011-12-20T14:40:00.000-08:00

This may be unusually longer than my other writings because I've waited actually about nine days since the last writing. Hopefully you won't get too bored. I'll try to make more frequent writings in the future.

The weather has been pretty good so far, actually it's been very abnormally warm and by warm I mean above freezing. It is a bit hairy, because there's this underlying fear that when it does get cold it will be very cold.

Dan, getting ready to make the trip home.

Smokey

Good old Smokey arrived last week thanks to Dan and his brother Aaron. I love young people that can drive straight through and it doesn't bother them. Although I must say that Dan had a few red streaks in his eyes. But thanks a lot Dan. I guess it was a white knuckle trip for Dan, because of weight distribution in Smokey he was not able to drive more than 55 maybe 60 miles an hour. But it's here now with everything I needed to start a kitchen, at least half of it is here and it's enough to get going , which I must do it soon as possible, need to get that cash flow going... I was hoping to already be up and running. But getting space to set up a kitchen is the challenge with all that's happening here. The growth in everything spaces at a premium. So it's taken a little bit longer but also I want to be precise in what avenue I open up with. Do I cater to businesses, do I supply box lunches to workers in the field, or do I look for a place to have sit down food? With so many options I want to make sure that they set up in the best option that allows for growth. It is coming together, though, and I'm excited to what the results may be.

Noodles

Molly

One thing I am very grateful for is that a house-sitting opportunity opened up for me through Brenda very good friend of mine that started December 16 and will go through till the middle or third week of January. It's a very nice home with two lovely dogs that I get to take care of them become friends with. This will afford me more time to decide where I'll stay during the winter and while I'm setting up TaTu BBQ in Dickinson or somewhere close around.

North Park RV

I looked at an RV park, North Park that I think will suit my needs just fine. Very clean, very nice and had the pleasure of talking with the owner during a workout at the rec center. The only drawback may be having to haul drinking water to the RV because the only spaces. They have available are those that are not winterize. That shouldn't be too much of a problem, because I've been hauling water to the shack for the last six years. Electricity and sewage is there as a hookup. If it works out that I do move there after this house-sitting then I would probably turn Betsy into a mobile delivery kitchen.

Allen's smoke house

Allen's Hobby

During one of my days working at the fifth wheel, Mark, and his cousin, Alan, while working on his man cave, told me about their smoking experience with sausage and jerky, Allen revealed that he had a walk-in smoker that I could utilize if I needed it. So later that evening we drove about 8 miles out to Alan's place to take a look at it, I was pleasantly surprised on how efficient he had set it up and looking at the inside I estimated I could feed 500 to 700 people out of that smokehouse alone. Still need to find a place for the kitchen though...

Expresso

The Brew

Many of you know me to like my coffee and my old office at Hot Shots Java in downtown Poulsbo. While, I've been looking for a coffee shops around Dickinson and found a very nice one called The Brew, which is inside an old historic church that is known to have been the worship place of Theodore Roosevelt... and they make a pretty good cuppa Joe. Then, Larry, another family friend, took me to Expresso coffee… now that was a pleasant surprise. The proprietor David knew his coffee, understood its virtues, and found a great roasting company in Montana. After having my traditional dark roast drip I was elated to have a cup of coffee that matched or you could say even rivaled Hot Shots Java. Expresso is a very small coffee shop, but by far the best I've found.

Oh, and now I have to tell you about the only, so far, bad experience I had and that was at Papa Murphy's, where the young gal taking our order was disrespectful, demeaning, arrogant, bitchy and should in no way in hell be in the service industry. I doubt I will ever go back there! Enough said, no use giving them any more press.

Oil Storage tanks

Pipe Storage

I wanted to take these pictures of the finished oil storage and rail lines that were being put in on my first trip here in October. It is now fully functional. It's just amazing to see what is going on here almost unbelievable. This is also a pipe storage yard, and it is only one of many many.

Dickinson Airport

Ah, now as I close I will show you pictures of the Dickinson airport. One nice thing is you don't have to worry about hitting any mountains or running off the runway into water. You may want to be leery of peace on the runway or even landing sideways because of the wind. But other than that. I think it's a pretty safe place. The only thing I wish I would have done is taken a picture of the small parking lot, which is full of oil rigs and by rigs I don't mean tractor-trailers anime automobiles and trucks that are owned by oil people that come and go out of this airport. Oh yeah, this airport has just gone through an upgrade... would hate to see it before the upgrade... ha ha.

Until next time..." happy trails"! Please share!

Winter Bonfire V1-09

2011-12-12T12:04:00.000-08:00

Winter Bonfire!

The weather was so nice (40 degrees) that it was decided a late fall bonfire should be held.

But first I prepared Anaheim and Jalapeno pull pork stuffed peppers wrapped in bacon. I must give credit to Dan H. of Kitsap CrossFit for the inspiration to make this dish. I saw what he did on FB and just twisted it a bit to come up with "Porked Peppers" - thanks Dan. This was followed up with a pineapple wedge topped with Tahiti cream and a stick of dark chocolate.

It was a good time for all. Anyone who has/does camp fires as a family gathering knows what I mean...a bit of Pendleton doesn't hurt either.

One thing about NoDak...if you can't find work, you don't want to work.

The plan was coming together rather smoothly until last night when I received a txt stating that the young man who was going to drive my Explorer out backed out at the last minute without any warning. Talk about a hick-up! After settling down and thinking about it I concluded that everything will work out just fine...just need to change the plan somewhat...but WHAT an inconvenience! I wish this man the best and hope he finds what he wants and learns not to do this to people who actually want to help him.

So this morning I get up, eat some breakfast, Call Dan (my Buddie) who is pulling the 5th wheel out here to find out that the guy I bought it from hasn't licensed it in years (it has plates, just no tabs). The plates where off it when I purchased it. I was told they were inside so they wouldn't be stolen. Had no reason to disbelieve him. He was active Navy & I'd known him for almost a year. When the 5th wheel was purchased I was told everything was in (and looked to be) in order. Oh well, another hick-up...this too will work out. This 5th wheel will eventually become my mobile kitchen.

My first Dream V1-08

2011-12-09T15:29:00.001-08:00

Today is "Make Asian Dinner Nite".

First thing firsts...Dickinson does NOT have the biggest selection for Asian foods but it is a good one. The thing I find most rewarding is that the family (my friends') all get together and the meal becomes a family gathering. Good food...Good friends...Good drink...what could be better?
On the menu (all homemade of course) we have - Orange Chicken, Egg Drop Soup, Yakisoba Noodle Stir Fry, Sesame Beef on Spinach with Peanut Butter Sauce. We'll be feeding approximately 10-12 persons, all for around $5.50 a person.

Yesterday I received news that a building owner wants to talk about putting BBQ in one of his spots. I went to look at the site and it does look promising. I've been telling as many people as I can to look out for a spot and with the help of friends ( and newspaper article) the word is spreading. I'm looking forward to getting in the saddle again and start smoking...legally! ha-ha.

I woke up this morning from a dream that was both humbling and real.

Don’t know how I got there but I was in the house of, and standing in front of, one of the richest men in the world. It could have been Bill Gates only it was more like Stephen Hawkins, in his earlier days.

I had been thinking of this dinner I had just prepared for my friends here in Dickinson (this is the true stuff), while sleeping.

While I was in this person’s home and standing with him in his living room he paid me a heartwarming compliment that I can’t really remember verbatim. But it brought tears and a humble heart to me. Then he made this offer to me “I want you to cook for me exclusively when I need you…I will compensate you $10,000 a month (that’s why it was a dream) and give you 1,000 shares of Microsoft stock” I was stunned and floored at the same time. My eyes started to leak, my heart leaped…I could now do what I loved to do. Cook and bring joy to someone. But as I stood there, and watched this person do some menial task, I began to really consider his offer. After a time of deliberation I politely declined his offer. My heart was telling me that if I accepted I would no longer be able to cook for anybody else for any reason and I couldn’t do that. No more barbecues, no more dinners for friends, no more helping at community events…nothing. I awoke!

I can’t do that, no amount of money, no matter how good it is could keep me from my life the way I know it now. Don’t get me wrong, I will be monetarily wealthy (since $'s are only a tool) but that will come only through giving. So here I sit in bed writing this dream with a big smile in my heart looking forward to this day.

God bless you all!

Sausage Making...a NoDak staple! V1-07

2011-12-07T19:42:00.000-08:00

Sausage making - day 2

After staying up somewhat late on Thursday we got up Friday morning about eight after breakfast started the stuffing process by nine. We started out with the jerky blaster, now this thing looks like a cocking gun on steroids. What you do, is you grind up your meats, spice it up and stuff it in this blaster. Then squish squish outcomes two rows of flat jerky meat spread upon the racks. Then we put the racks into the homemade refrigerator smoker powered by propane, with I believe hickory wood chips. Now while that was smoking we prepared the other meats to run through the stuffer. If you're into phallic symbols this stuffing will surely to set you off... ha ha. When the jerky was done smoking, we then rotated that out with the sausage. This whole process took about 11, 12 hours.

So let's see what else happened this past week. We went to the bowling alley, I think it was Thursday night to North Dakota State, one of those a football teams to play in the semi finals. I find all this for a football game to be interesting. Everybody was getting so but faced drunk that they started playing dice, and most bars won't allow you to play dice, so they're playing a dice game, 654 and before I noticed there was $120 bucks on the table. There are smoking bars and non-smoking bars, this one happened to be a smoking bar and not a smoking because of the beautiful women and there… ha ha.

The local paper wrote an article about my involvement with BBQ for wounded troops that was really good. And I appreciate them doing that since I had only been in the city for little over a week and from that article there's been one call to meet with a variety of veterans groups, which I did, am really looking forward to getting more involved with these groups and helping to expand their exposure to there service to the military community. Click here for BBQ4Wounded Article

Made a trip to Bismarck to drop off a couple of guys flying to Phoenix to see family. Bismarck has a really good spirit to it. It's classified as one of the largest cities in North Dakota, and by large...It has a Wally World, Best Buy and a Sam's Club among some other hardware stores and such.
Almost forgot...one reason I tagged along on this trip was to check into expediting the LLC licensing process. Which I did! I now run PeJuM Enterprizes, LLC a ND business! DBA - TaTu BBQ

A couple of guys...

Energy!

Freeway Art

My First Snow in NoDak V1-06

2011-12-05T19:15:00.001-08:00

The morning after the first snow showed signs that it did, despite the forecast of none, snow more during the night. Not a lot more but enough to make me want to wait till noon 'till I ventured out. Needed to go shopping for Besty's generator fix, it's not getting fed. Plus wanted to get some things to help keep the pipes from freezing and/or bursting. About the only place for me to shop right now is "Wally World" (much to my displeasure), until I can better familiarize myself with this town. But I must say that I do like going there to people watch and meet. Just gotta love Americans, good hard working Americans. I also got to practice shoveling snow...I guess this is what you do when your new to NoDak. Practice makes perfect.

Sausage Making:

I was fortunate enough to learn this from a good friend here who has been playing with his meat for about 13 years. We are making venison/pork products. All locally killed, skinned, gutted and hung.

Thursday evening we began grinding and combining the de-boned deer (learned how to do that the prior week) with pork. We must have ground 60-65pounds...apparently that is a small batch...kept hearing how bad the hunting was this year.

Although this may look bad, it's nothing like this...

After the grinding and mixing (GM) we added the spices for Summer, Breakfast, Italian, Chorizo and ground jerky. It got to late to stuff or jerk so off to bed we went putty off the fun stuff (haha) till morning. Tomorrow we'll blast, smoke and stuff till our hearts content!

End of travel update V1-05

2011-11-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

November 30, 2011

I've now been in North Dakota, Dickinson to be exact, the past week and I'll try and recap what's happened. Lots of good things happened, that's for sure.

The drive from just outside of Billings to Dickinson was pretty uneventful. The nice thing was that evening when I was Just outside billings in the rest area I Figured out the taillight problem And was able to fix It. It was basically two burned out fuses, so I was able to get up early and left about 530 in the morning and got a couple hours driving in the dark which put me on the other side of billings by time the sun came up.

Going & Going

From there the road was fairly flat not anything real steep, prairie land.

Badlands

Not to boring, as I got closer to North Dakota, went past the little big horn and went through the Badlands, that was pretty interesting.

NoDak!

As I approached the state line of North Dakota. There was a very visible indication that the state is doing very well. Highways were just recently Re-paved. and from there.
I went to the tourist center and took a picture.

Where'd this come from.

First Night

So, from the tourist center to Dickinson,it was a straight shot Took about 60 minutes.I actually got there, a little bit early so I waited for my good friend to get off work and meet me and went over to her sister's house, which is where I spent the first night. This is the same place that Rick and I stayed six or seven weeks prior. On our first visit there. The very first thing that struck me coming around the corner to her house. There was an oil wells being drilled literally across the street about 100 yards from her house, which was not there six weeks prior. This was November 23.

Now I Thought I had prepared sufficiently for this trip, but it was a far more emotional challenge than I had anticipated. After living in an area for over 25 years. It was hard to break away and just as hard now to make this transition. I'm sure I am going through the same emotions that are young troops to do when they join the service and leave home for the first time. And then after boot camp get deployed to foreign soil. I am glad I am going through this, although I do not like it but it gives me a reference point on how to relate to our troops and especially if I see them in the hospital.

Sausage Smoker

So Thanksgiving came and I was surrounded by this great family, whom I have met in years passed most of them, but not all, I was welcomed as a family member and made to feel at home. We had a feast. I thought it would be nice to repay their kindness by smoking for them on Sunday. I smoked turkey, pork shoulder ribs, chicken and turkey legs, and some sausage around here a number of people stuffed their own sausage with wild game, pretty good stuff I must say.
This is something I want to learn.


Great way to start a New Adventure

Now my challenge is to find a place similar to the shack I had in Kingston. One thing I learned smoking on Sunday, was that I cannot smoke outside in the cold. We have been having exceptionally warm weather, but as soon as the sun went down it was the next to impossible to keep temperature on the smoker. So the conclusion is I have to smoke in an enclosed area, which may not sound like a challenge. Except for I'm in Dickinson, where space and help are all but taken up. I also did not anticipate the amount of work and or time that it would take to get a new business up and going in a new town. That's my fault. Today, Wednesday, I've been making contact with veterans groups and real estate agents to help me find a space. Things are going pretty good.

random thought -- I love roller coasters and I would always try to Ride a roller coaster with Ian, this is kind of like riding a roller coaster right now. You get the exhilaration of going downhill, and then the exertion of going uphill. and of course, nothing happens fast enough for me.

There is a great rec center here that I will join and get back into working out. It has an indoor track, 2 full Size basketball Courts, a bunch of exercise equipment, lap pool, therapy pool, sauna, steam room, diving pool, and kiddie pool. Not bad for a small town.

Today is actually the first day of snow falling. Not that much and not a whole lot is sticking on the ground... yet.

First Snow

Day 2 V1-04

2011-11-28T21:05:00.000-08:00

November 21, 2011

day two -- quickly got dressed, to cold doddle. Started the generator and Got the oil heater working again. So I decide, as Betsy is warming up, to go outside and check out what she looks like. As I'm walking around low and behold I find a flat tire on my trailer. But yet it ran perfect all day, there were fresh tracks in the snow... could it have been a prank from a trucker? More than likely a prank from somebody, because the tire was not completely flat, I pumped it up to the prescribed PS I, went back into Betsy decided to wait a few minutes and check to see if there was a hole in the side... there was none. But I still didn't have a solution for the light problem. But since the sun was coming up I didn't think too much of it. After fueling up, off I went to tackle the mountains. Holy crap, Lookout Pass is steep, in both directions up and down. Going up wasn't too bad, coming down on icy sanded roads was an experience for me, but nonetheless, we made. And off into Montana, we had. Now from here to view. It was a roller coaster, of 200 mile-long roller coaster… Ian would appreciate that! I crossed the Continental divide, didn't realize it was over 6000 feet high… more roller coastering. One thing I do have to say, the scenery was gorgeous snow, trees, mountains, and plains everything was just gorgeous.

Trailer tire performed flawlessly all day long. As for the lights, that's another story… no workie. I got to experience side wins and 18 wheeler winds. Both are exciting in their own way. Nothing much to do in Montana but drive. So, as the sun sets at around 430, I'm thinking I should try to find a rest since I don't have lights. Well then this is Montana and rest stops are about 60 to 90 miles away. So I keep driving the best thing to do. There is more people blinking their brake lights at me and it's getting pretty dark soul. Finally I did find one just before getting the Billings. Actually, 50 miles west of Billings. So that's where I'm at now. Thank goodness for good friends, I call them up to brainstorm some fixes for the heater and lights and they came through... with flying colors. But in fixing those two problems with one bore arose. And that is, the generator now is not working. I think it's either a dirty air filter or dirty fuel filter, but I won't be able to check it out and tell unreached Dickinson. No worries though, propane is keeping me warm. I have brand-new batteries for the one light that I'm using, so all is good. Except for the two freaking 18 wheelers on either side that are running and running and running...! Breaking out the earplugs. Now, all’s I need to do is remember to take pictures to go along with these words. Maybe the next entry will be all pictures and no words... then I could write thousands.

So far, though, this trip is reminding me of what it must have been like to go west a hundred and 50 years ago. Funny how that works, everybody goes west to make their fortune, now we are going East, I think there's even a movie called “go east”, a comedy.

I am missing all my friends, but I'm learning it's not what I have done or lived that counts. It's what I'm going to do that is exciting. And I will never forget my past, the good the bad and the ugly. And to all the people that have helped to change my life -- Thank you.

Go East my friend Go East V1-03

2011-11-28T20:54:00.000-08:00

November 20, 2011

Leaving Poulsbo : {

I’m actually writing this on November 21 and second day of the trip to the hum of 18 wheelers sitting right next to me. This is one time, I'm glad that I own guns, because I have a spare set of earplugs.

Well yesterday was interesting got a late start, going over the passes at Snoqualmie was fine the grades weren't real steep. Roads were a little wet, but no snow and old Betsy did just fine. That's what I think I'm going to name the RV is Betsy and for those that really know me will understand why. But so here we are getting over Snoqualmie heading towards Spokane and the freeway was better going to Spokane this year than I remember it from a couple of years ago. One thing that was really surprising was the fact that going over the mountains I only got 5 miles to the gallon…yikes! That will crimp anyone's budget. Nothing like stopping every hundred and 50 miles for gas.

I really should take notes as I'm driving, as there's so many things that I think about writing. But then when I wait like I have now. I forget most of them. And I know there were some pretty incredible sights and images and thoughts that ran through this head of mine. Oh well, maybe they'll come back to me.

So I made it to just outside Coeur d’Alene, did not want to attempt going over the mountains at night. Oh yeah, this is something I forgot, while going through Spokane, and I didn't realize this until early this morning, that my tail lights were not working. My headlights work, flashers, turn signals break lights…all worked fine, everything worked except for the taillights. So, now I know why everybody was blinking their brake lights at me as they passed. So into a rest stop I pulled. Quickly check whatever I thought was wrong with the lights, but was too tired to really do anything. So I setup Betsy and off to bed I went. And of course, there was a semi truck two stalls down that ran and ran and ran some more... but fear not I had help, something the doctor gave me for my trips to Germany to help me sleep on airplanes. So I slept like a baby. But here's another thought, this baby was cold. For some reason, the propane heater wouldn't work. So I ran the generator and use the electric oil, but I had to turn the generator off When I went to sleep. So when I woke up It was 39°…

Trying to get out of Dodge days V1-02

2011-11-17T17:44:00.000-08:00

Well, poop...somebody doesn't want me to leave! Let's see, my xploder broke down 2 weeks ago, got fixed and then broke again today-- aag! No worries though, I'm not driving it to NoDak. It will get there via the garage in "Smokey" (that's the given name to the toy hauler...soon to be a kitchen) 5th wheel that "Snowman" will be bring around Dec 8-9th. It was suggested to name the RV "Bandit" but I'm not sure I like it wholeheartedly. I was thinking about "Love Shack (a name a good friend gave the Kingston shack) but then that's VERY suggestive and I'm not sure I want to go there...enough said. So, I'm in a conundrum, what to name the RV...any suggestions?
There is WAY more to moving than I thought, all the little lose ends to tie up seem never ending. None the less I'm outta here now Sunday. Have to go, it's the only good break in the weather and I fear if I miss this I may be here much longer than I want.
Did I mention that I have already gotten s catering job for 130 people on Dec 2nd for a sweet sixteen birthday that a proud father is giving his daughter. Nice to have work waiting when I get there. What the future holds, no one knows but what I DO know is this is the right thing to do for me at this time.
Also, just found out that I may be able to house sit around Christmas for a very good friend of a very good friend...now that's redundant!
My next post (hopefully right before I leave) will have pictures of Smokey and ?

Love you Mom!

The Early Days V1-01

2011-11-12T17:07:00.000-08:00

At the end of September I made a short 7 day trip to North Dakota to see what the hub bub was all about. Holy crap, it's the gold rush all over again, this time it's oil! It was on the train and on the way back I knew I would have to return. Just imagine what it must have felt like to be in Seattle at the turn-of-the-century, actually closer to the mid 1800s, when the gold rush was in Alaska. That's the feeling that I had upon my return. These opportunities only come once in a lifetime, if at all. So I'm now single and getting ready to make a move, I have nothing keeping me here really, my divorce is final! I have no bills and have a short term maintenance check coming in.

I'll be leaving November 19th, hope that is soon enough to miss any bad weather that may want to rear it's ugly head, have 3 passes to cross. Could be worse though...I could be traveling in a covered wagon. Oh, I AM...it just has a V8, LOL.