Letters From The Boondocks

All the while I’m at the ranch, my wife, Sharon, keeps the home fires burning and maintains her job at Kaiser Permanente in Fontana. So each evening, with very few exceptions, I have written her a letter and enclosed a few pictures taken that day just to inform or entertain her.

She often shares the letters with her sister, Jan, and they both insist that I should be blogging them as well.
Fortunately Gmail saves all “sent mail” and I was able to recover over 150, “Letters From The Boondocks”, with attachments, that could be edited for posting. Many, of course, were personal, and would have been ruined by redaction.
That is to be my 2009/2010 winter project, posting them as chapters, five letters at a time (unless continuity requirements dictate otherwise) beginning with March of 2009, when the RV was placed .
I apologize in advance if they, and the numerous pictures attached, are sometimes redundant or downright boring.
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LETTERS FROM THE BOONDOCKS

David Doler
to the family, Mar 22, 2009 
Hi all, I made it at about 0500 this morning. Just a few  pictures of interest. It's too late to blog, and I am pooped.






Sharon Doler

to me March 22, 2009
Hi Honey,
Just got home from work - sent off your email to the rest of the family.
I Bcc'd you so you could see what I said - hope everything is accurate - haha.
Loved all the pictures.
The tire was a mess!
Thank God you're ok.
Let me know how your first breakfast with the gang goes.
Will wait to hear from you.
I Love You!!!!! 

David Doler

to Sharon, March 22, 2009

Dearest Wife,
At breakfast (Alpine Alley, Mountainair, NM) I got Mary to let me take her picture only because I told her you wanted to see what my good friend looked like. Everybody said, "welcome home, Dave" and, “Where the hell is Sharon?”.

Back at the ranch, I just stopped for a bite of lunch (Red Salmon and Wheat Crackers) and to try the internet connection. I wasn't able to get on this morning at all, (Good ol’ HUGHES NET) and it took ten minutes this time.
I gave the fence guy a check for $1000 partial payment this morning (just call me a “risk taker”). The total will be around $2500, plus $200 for two 16 foot gates which I will buy in Belen and install myself.
Back to work.
Love You, Wife 
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Sharon Doler
to me, Mar 23, 2009

Hi Honey,
What a great picture of Mary - she's so young - not sure why, but I thought she was about my age.
Can't wait to meet her and Scott - soon, I hope.
I miss you!!!!!

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David Doler
to Sharon and Laura, Mar 27, 2009
 
This isn't the picture I wanted. It makes the place look gray and drab, which it is not. You can't see it but the snow is coming down steadily now and pretty much eliminates working outside. Scott and Mary said they would save me a bowl of chili for lunch if I decided to come back into town, so I think I'll do that.
Back home around 1:30 or 2:00. My phone is charged and on.

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David Doler

to Sharon and Laura, Mar 27, 2009

Hi, I'm sending you a bunch of pictures that didn't appear in the blog so you can pick some to send to others.
It's sunny and beautifully clear at 4:30pm, but the wind is icily bitter. The temp is 35 degrees with a wind chill in the low 20's.
I was able to work outside two times for a total of less than an hour.
The trailer has been a steady 60 degrees with one heater going all day.
The picture labeled NORTH VIEW was taken through the trailer window. The rest were outside.
Check out the snow laying under the Juniper trees in the shade.
Love you





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David Doler
to Sharon, Mar 28, 2009

Nice Saturday gathering

Hi sweetheart,

About 8:00pm, after hotdogs and chicken, we were sitting around the fire. It was chilly, but the wind had died down almost completely and the smoke was going straight up, so we could sit close and warm our feet on the fire ring.
Russell, the red Pit Bull found an empty chair in the circle around the fire and settled in to listen to the conversation and stare into the fire. He would occasionally look at the person speaking and then back into the fire as if to think about what had been said. After awhile he fell asleep and began to quietly snore.
If you could capture that dogs total contentment and the tranquility that resulted for his human companions, you would be transported 25,000 years back in time to when people and dogs first sat by the fire, staring into it together.
I wished for some way to take a picture that would convey that moment, and we talked about it, but the only way was just to commit the picture to memory and enjoy it there. Such a picture in your own memory could help you defend against bad dreams.
I continue to be comfortable in the trailer (it was worth every penny). Everything works. I have light and heat and hot water and the refrigerator. (I saved you an icicle from yesterday morning in the freezer). Last night I went to bed at 9:45 (took my meds, and again this morning) and slept soundly until about 6:30.
I drank two diet cokes and a cup of coffee this evening, so I probably won't be sleepy for awhile.
Love you, Wife
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