The Postles Blog

Greetings to family and friends.  Mary Jo arrived Sunday evening and we have already enjoyed tacos and au ju.  Herman is in the fridge and will be baked next Friday!  The weather has been cloudy and rainy.  We are going to do some sight seeing as soon as the clouds break.  The good news is the rain in the valley means SNOW in the mountains!  Monday was one of those GREAT days, 15 inches+ of fresh powder, light, dry and awesome.  Needless to say I skied from first chair to last chair with hardly a break.  Meanwhile back in the valley….Rose is working everyday from 8 until 5, then going to H & R Block to prepare for the 180 questions that make up the California income tax test.  She takes the test this Saturday.  She plans to prepare taxes one or two nights a week to keep her h&r credintials current.  Meanwhile, I still pace the unemployment walkway, going through inerviews for both Sears and TSA.  I hope to start training soon.  In the meantime I am skiing as much as I can and helping Rose where I can.  As you may have read, the area in which we live is in a flood zone protected by levys.  Well, last week trying to avoid another Katrina disaster, the Federal Govt decertified the levies that protect this basin reducing the flood plain rating from a 100 year to a 30 year zone.  Everyone is required to purchase flood insurance and no additional building can commence unless they build on 20 foot stilts.   We are not sure what exactly it means for us.  The house we are in is for sale and many people have been here to look.  However we are not sure if the flood plain problem will effect the sale of the house.  Flood Insurance will add $700-$1400 per year.

Christina is doing better, coming to the end of her 30 day grounding.  She has learned alot during the 30 days, and we hope it has helped her mature.  Church is going well, Rose loves her job and works at it with full dedication.

Hope it finally warms up in Wisconsin.  I look forward to seeing many of you at the 20th anniversary of the Beast downhill the weekend of March 1 and 2 at Christie Mountain.  All for now

Don

What turned out to be our first day of skiing in the mountians, turned out to be quite an adventure!  We left about 7:15 am in hopes to be at the hill slightly after 9 am.  Just pass the Cisco exit at mile marker 172 elevation about 6500 feet, a squad car came from the center  and began to slow down traffic by weaving back and forth.  It had begun to snow just a few miles back.  As we approached the next exit, we where brought to a stop.  My first thought was that a decision to require chains was going to be enacted.  I got out of the car and went to the front (about 100 yards) and asked what was up.  They informed us an accident had occured involving a car over a cliff and that it could be several  hours before the highway reopened.  They also informed me that chains would be required to pass.  FLASHBACK…. It’s Monday and I am in NAPA getting some new windshield wipers for Rose’s car…SHOULD I buy some chains as well???? Nah, I won’t need them…… So I walk to the nearest exit, about a half a mile and purchase some chains at the going rate which does not really matter because I am buying them at any price.  I walk back to my car with my proud purchase in hand and begin the process of putting chains on my car for the first time in my life.  It actually went quite well.  After finishing that and help move traffic so a plow could get through, the traffic began to flow.  What do you know, our exit was only one mile down the road!  We exit I80 and get on to a narrow Historic Ca 40 that takes us to Donner and Sugar Bowl.  The snowbanks are 10 feet high on both sides of the road, houses are buried.  We arrive at Donner for a storm filled day of exploring the front of the mountain as only two runs are operating due to high winds(and few people)  It stormed all day, we skied non stop and packed it in about 3 pm.  I found my car in the lot and began the treck back to I80, hoping it was open.  It was, we had to go 30 mph for the first 20+ miles, down to about 4000 feet elevation.  Sure enough, the snow turned in to rain and by 2000 feet there was no left on the car to show that we had braved the winter storm!  Donner Ranch seems like a nice place, I am going back up Thursday and or Saturday to meet the patrol.  It is strange to experience a winter storm, then drive back to 50 degree weather and no snow.  Christina and I had a great time.  Blake called me and tol me I was crazy for sending him through Colorado.  Seems he thought the hills were to big!  Oh Well.  Be sure to check out the pictures at thepostles.com  All for now!

Don

As many of you have heard, CA was hit with some of the strongest storms they have seen in years.  Now lets set this straight, a strong storm here means wind, rain and oh yea wind and rain.  Sacramento did have winds that gusted to 50+ mph.  It did cause some fence to be pushed down, trees to uproot and signs to blow down..  Some power was out, but not for long and not wide spread.  I had the good fortune to travel to LA on Friday and was up against a strong head wind and a little rain.  When I picked blake and pete up from the airport it was raining pretty hard.  Our drive through the heart of LA did not give us the chance to see much.  By Saturday morning the rain had stopped and the skys cleared as the day went on.  The NCAA seminar was very good.  It was great to see umpires I have worked with in the past including John Wright, Malcolm Boyles, and Brandon Bloom.  Other more recent umps where Lisa Paul, Suni and ALex, and Tony.  Pete introduced me to many others he had the chance to work with as well.  I  had the opprotunity to meet several of the assigners and directors from the area.   I am excited about the chances I will have to improve my abilites with such a dedicated bunch.  Pete and I had a good time, I appriciated being able to spend time with him.  He is a very talented man with a strong love for his family and for the game of softball.  He is great with a story and remembers everyone!!
After I dropped Pete off at LAX, I drove back to Mary’s to spend the night with mary and blake before driving back to Sacramento.   Blake had to wake me up a couple of times to stop my snoring.  I left before they had a chance to get up, as it is easier for me to say so long then goodbye.  Blake and I have been good friends for each other for many years and not being able to see him on a regular basis will be hard.   I appriciate what God did through Blake.  I talked to him today and he is on his way home.  They hoped to make it to Grand Juction CO this evening.

it was great to talk with both David and Bobby, as both are excited about getting back to school.  David has started an intense schedule in massage theropy.  Bobby starts business classes on the 14th.  Both have secured jobs that wil stretch, but allow them to school and remain productive with income production!  DJ had a good week last week selling cars and has really done great caring for his son.  He is able to see Braydon everyother Sunday and every Monday as part of visitaton.  It is my hope that both him and mom see the advantage spending even more time with him will benifit all.

Christina and I are heading up to the mountains tommorrow to go skiing.  The mountains received upwards of 5-10 feet of snow as a result of the Friday-Sunday storms.  Hopefully there will be some left to ski on!

We miss all of our family and friends from Wisconsin.  Stay in touch

Don

After 4 months of back and forth with one foot in CA and one in WI, On Tuesday January 1, 2008 Don packed in to the red van along with memorbila, tools, cloths, toys and a life time of memories and began the 2068 mile treck to Sacramento California. After 800 miles I found rest in Ogailla Ne. After a Walleye dinner at the Spur Steakhouse and Salon and some soothing moments in the hot tub, I retired for some rest. I woke up at 5 am and was on the road by 5:30 am. My goal was to make the Utah/Nevada line, and I did at 3:30 in the afternoon. I was feeling pretty good, so I continued to drive. Finally at 11 pm I pulled in to Sacramento. I was greeted by the lovely Postle gals. I spent a few minutes in the hot tub to soak away the stress of driving then hit the pillow for some restful sleep. 2068 miles gives you a lot of time to think and reflect on the past and the future, upon family faith and friends. I had more then one emotional breakdown consisting of gut felt sobs and real tears. I was excited to be able to be with Rose and Christina.

Today I unpacked my belongings into the garage then took the uhaul to get a lite fixed. Then back home to sort a few things out. Tommorrow I will be going to LA to get the van to Blake and Mary and to attend the NCAA umpire clinic with midwest friend Pete Grebner who is flying in on the same plane as Blake! That will be a little over 3000 miles in less then a week. The Mountains are suppose to get about 5-10 feet of snow this weekend!!

Don

Dear Friends, we will attempt to use this format for updates and changes to our lives.  Please feel free to add comments and stories of your life as well. Thanks

Don