April 10th report

Greetings all:

I may not be able to head back home as soon as I planned since I have to do some repairs to Buford’s roof before I can leave. On my way out here I drove through some sixty mile per hour winds that blew out the left side of my roof. I didn’t know it until almost two weeks after I arrived here when I discovered water leaking in over the driver’s seat. When I got a ladder and took a look I discovered more than half of the curved section of the roof was missing–about eight inches wide by twenty feet long. I patched it up to keep the water out and ordered a repair kit ($600.00 worth) to fix it. When I finally found a Winnebago repair shop abut fifty miles north of us I took it in for an estimate. Would you believe $4,000.00 to repair the roof and clean up the water stains on the inside? My insurance will cover only a part of the damage repairs so I am doing the work myself. I have all the necessary tools with me. It’s not a difficult job, just a long tedious process climbing around on Buford’s roof. I figured about four full days and so far it has taken only two. I have been seriously delayed and will only be able to finish if it ever stops raining like it has been the last eight days in a row!

When I do head back, I’ll run I-80 all the way to Elkhart, just thirty miles from home. I made it out here in three days so should be able to do the reverse in the same time period. That is if it ever stops snowing on the pass to Reno. I-80 has been blocked with snow for several hours numerous times in the last few weeks and they won’t even let you drive it without chains most of the time. I might as well wait for an open day as it adds at least two days and more than 900 miles to go the southern route.

The repairs to Buford are almost finished. All I have yet to do is some caulking and cleanup on the inside. Of course, I can’t finish the caulking until we have some dry hours and we are supposed to have showers today and the next five days in a row. My only hope of getting away soon is enough dry hours (I need at least three) between showers so Buford’s roof can dry off and I can get the caulking complete. The caulking would have to set before the next rain. Then I will require at least a full day of packing, maybe more, before I can leave. The other problem is that mountain pass in the high Sierras on I-80. Even when it is open, chains are often required and chains for Buford are quite expensive and difficult to install. I was very lucky on my way here as all roads were clear and dry. It would be incredible luck if the same were true on my way home.

I had a really painful day yesterday–emotionally painful. In the church here I have been attending, we sang the cantata we have been practicing for many weeks and it went very well. As we started walking down the aisle with the opening section I suddenly remembered how much Barbara loved Palm Sunday. I thought of how she would have so enjoyed the cantata. I recalled so many special services she arranged for Palm Sunday. As a result, tears ran down my cheeks through most of the service. It wasn’t easy for me to sing, but I managed. I also remembered an incident of about a week ago that should be of interest.

It was a very unusual happening. I went to sleep on the couch while watching TV. Of course I’ve never done that before. Any way, I awoke about 1:00am and turned off the TV. As I leaned back on the couch and prepared to head to the bedroom I was suddenly aware of a very faint fragrance. At first it was familiar, but I couldn’t quite recognize it. Over the next few minutes it steadily grew stronger as I moved about sniffing many nearby items trying to find the source. All at once I recognized it, Windsong, the fragrance your mom always wore from when we first met. By this time I was making a serious effort to find the source; pillows, the couch, the floor, my clothes, nothing seemed to be the source. The fragrance was with me wherever I turned or moved. I checked the clock and realized I had been awake for at least fifteen minutes with that fragrance slowly intensifying until it was almost overpowering.

I sensed nothing but that fragrance, no tension, no person, no entity of any kind. I decided it had to be Barbara so I called out her name. Instantly the fragrance was gone. It didn’t fade away it went from powerful and intense to absolutely and totally gone in an instant. It never returned. I am completely baffled and can’t imagine where it came from and why it vanished so quickly. I refuse even to speculate. One thing I do know. I was not dreaming! That fragrance may have been completely in my head, but I was fully awake with it for at least fifteen minutes. That was an experience the likes of which I have never known. It was not frightening or worrisome, but it certainly did pique my curiosity. It also did make me think, but not speculate about a lot of things. Yesterday, I couldn’t get it out of my mind.

I can hardly believe it! As I look out the window I see blue sky and sunshine! It’s eight in the morning and if the weather holds I’ll finish Buford’s repairs today and be ready to pack.

Blessings to you all