First Week of Summer, 2014

Summer is already one week old and we still haven't had any really hot weather. Oh, there have been some days in the 90's, and with pretty sticky humidity, but it hasn't been all that bad. Lots of nice breezes to go along with the warm.

 

Our main air conditioner died a few weeks back and we did have to manage a few days with only the bedroom a/c working. House did get pretty warm. But that problem has been remedied - with a new a/c unit, of course. Same one we had to replace two years ago. All is well now. This will be our third summer in Texas, and we want you to know that life is possible and it does go on in spite of the heat of the season. The oil industry is going full blast and gate guard jobs such as we have are paying a premium. If the help wanted ads are any indication pretty much all the guard companies are hurting for workers. It's a good time to break into the opportunity. So, if any of our RVing friends are tired of being paid $7.25 and hour to clean bathrooms (or the like) check out the gate guard opportunities here in Texas right now. You can make over $5400 a month as a gate guard. Check out www.oilgates.com and look at the employment opportunities.

 

Our present location is near Westhoff, Texas, which is near Cuero. About 75 miles SE of San Antonio. It's hill country, which is a nice change from the brush county/desert we've been in the past two years. Now we can look out on green grass, trees and, of course, oil wells.

 

 

Naturally, our gnome came along for the ride and here he is on the entry sign.

This is the McCollum pad as it looked when we got here. The drill rig setup is coming momentarily.

Here is the drill rig set up and drilling. You can see how close we are to the action.

Gretel loves to sit on the back of the couch and look out the window. Nothing gets past her without some kind of acknowledgement. She's our brown driveway alarm.

Typical oak tree found in the Texas hill country. Reminds me of the Charter Oak of American history fame. When walking along the road it's always a pleasure to stop in the cool shadow for a rest.

Our land owner had a cowboy barbecue and cattle round up this week. Joe Adams and his chuckwagon crew put on the BBQ. "Good" does not begin to describe it.

Here's Joe prepping the steaks.

Except for the steaks, everything else was cooked in cast iron pots using wood coals.

Showing off the peach cobbler.

One of the horses used in the round up and some of the cattle.

Some of the cattle. Beef prices are way high and even the smallest steers are worth $400 or more.

Can't close out this entry without showing some of the wildlife we see. This is a caracara, a type of hawk that frequents the entire south of Texas.

Two caracaras in flight.

Caracaras are large, and yet graceful.

Believe it or don't, this puppy already knows how to eat people food from a fork. Annie is waiting her turn. She has known how for a long time.

 

OK. That's a wrap for this entry. Let us hear from you. 

Franklin Ranch Road, near Tilden TX

We continue to work as gate guards in the Texas Eagle Ford Shale in south Texas. Our assignments have been somewhat in proximity to Tilden, Texas for the past two years. We've had some breaks in service for rest and relaxation, but gate guarding has been fairly relaxing in and of itself. It's pretty easy work - and it pays well. Our side trips and diversions have been to Port Aransas and Mustang Island to enjoy the Gulf shore, and to San Antonio to visit the Alamo and the Riverwalk.

Currently we are at a site on Franklin Ranch Road, a gravel road running east and west between Highways 16 on the east, and Hwy 97 on the west. Our site is about 38 miles from Jourdanton/Pleasanton, where we get our mail and do our shopping. The area is rural and fairly remote. Nothing around us but ranches and oil wells. At night you can see the flare stacks at other wells looking in every direction. It's like having campers with fires surrounding you in every direction.

We could tell that Annie was in a period of deep funk since the loss of Molly. Recently, Pat had a stroke of luck by coming upon a lady at Wal-Mart (in the parking lot) with three mini-doxie puppies. Pure bred, but no paperwork. Bargain price, but you KNOW there is no such thing as a free dog, or even an inexpensive one. Anyway, Pat was smitten with the smallest of the three and brought her home. Annie has become a changed dog! Of course, there has been a positive effect on Pat and me as well.

We'd like you to meet Gretel.

This is Gretel. She's sleeping now, but when awake she's almost too fast to photograph. Seven weeks old at this time. Already able to climb stairs!

Gretel will not leave Annie alone when she's awake. Mostly, Annie tolerates it.

Pat and Annie trying to get Gretel's attention.

After playing, they both usually crash together.

 At the Alamo in San Antonio

 

Sunrise over the pipeline project.

Trenching machine at work digging the ditch for the pipeline.

Vacuum boom moving sections of pipe.

Every section has to be welded by hand, then x-rayed and approved before burial.

 

We've been present at most every phase of oil well production there is. This is a drill rig punching a hole into the shale. The drill goes down about 8000 feet and then bend horizontal for another 8000 feet. Once you learn what they are doing the process becomes mind-boggling.

Control cabin for the drill rig. We got guided tours of the drilling operation. Very interesting. Cost of the drilling operation can vary depending on a lot of factors, but 5 to 10 million dollars are the numbers that were thrown at us. Just one drill bit is about $50,000. Consider each tank truck of crude oil is worth about $18,000. Do your own math, but you can see that having an oil well is not a get rich quick scheme. It takes time.

That's it for today. Let us hear from you.

On our previous posting we made you all aware that our RV was in the shop for some repairs. It was a hassle, and and expensive one at that, but we're back in our home and (most of) the repairs have been accomplished. Could go on and on about that, but what's the use. We're comfortable once again.

When we picked the RV up from the dealership in Corpus Christi we opted to spend a few days on Mustang Island. Sort of a shake-down cruise to make sure everything was working before we headed back to the oilfields. Good thing we did because all was not well. Back to the dealer for one more day of "fixing". This, after they had had our fifth wheel for nearly eight (8) weeks.

Since getting back to work we've been on three gates, all in the Tilden area. Happy in our work.

Not happy in our loss of Molly. This little girl was with us for fifteen years. I think she never met anyone she didn't like. Wonderful companion and friend. RIP, Molly.

Some year, when we Really Retire, we want to be living very close to a beach, preferably this one.

We're a one dog family now. Pat and Annie on the beach at Port Aransas.

Great Blue Heron on the dunes at Mustang Island.

Same heron, closer.

Still finding (some) time for wood carving and other hobbies.

Dozer at work on pipeline right of way. Really close to our RV and I can tell you we're really not liking the dust all that well. Didn't last long, however.

There is beauty in nature. Some of it we never see until it is pointed out to us. These insect eggs (very tiny) were on the underside of a turnip leaf. I marvel at their structure and uniformity.

 



 

Life goes on, and we're doing our best to enjoy it. Winter in Texas has been very tolerable this year. So sorry our family and friends who still live in the northlands had a hard winter. Plenty of room in Texas.

Starting 2014 TODAY.

If you follow our blog with any regularity you will know that our postings have been sparse for a good part of 2013. Many reasons for the lack of posts, but really, the biggest single reason is that we have been in (remote) parts of the south Texas oilfields and cannot always get an internet connection. The other reason is that I am somewhat of a procrastinator and won't start a post until I have all the pictures processed, saved, and in some kind of order. Today is your lucky day. Got everything together, have a good internet connection and plenty of time to get this done.

Since our last post, September 12 I believe, we have experienced some fluctuation in the world of oil well gate guarding. Chesapeake, the company we have worked with for the past year and a half, sold a lot of their wells to another company, Exco. This resulted in a lot (perhaps hundreds) of gates being closed or transferred to other guard companies. Our gate at Tilden was one of those gates.

After tearing down and packing up our gate operation we sat idle for a short period of time and then got hired by a different guard company. Guard 1 Services took us on and sent us to a fairly new gate, and Exco gate, near Dilley. We liked it there but that too was destined to close after just a few months.

While at Dilley we decided we'd better get our Cedar Creek fifth wheel in to the dealer to have some work done on it. Some of the work is covered by warranty and our warranty is about to expire. We were able to borrow (rent) a motor home from another gate guard couple who got a new fifth wheel and had not yet been able to sell their motor home. Its now been one month and we still don't have our Cedar Creek back. Should be just a few more days, I hope.

We have worked a couple other gates on a temporary basis while waiting for a more longer-term assignment. Currently in the Triple R RV park near Crystal City TX. Our hope is that our fifth wheel will be ready about the same time we get our next assignment. Meanwhile, we are enjoying the time off.

 

Winter sunset in Texas. Something you rarely see in the northern climes.

 



 

Construction (destruction) at the Calvert Ranch gate. When we got there it was pretty much brush country. When this tree-chewer got done there were roads and paths and clearings all over the ranch. We watched this machine reduce a 30' tall mesquite tree to chips in about ten minutes.

 

Some of the new oil storage at Calvert Ranch. This was brush land when we got here.

Pipeline under construction on Calvert Ranch. All the oil from the several wells flows to a central point, the tanks above, for transfer to tankers.

We had a lot of walking sticks show up at our house. The most I've ever seen in my lifetime. This one hung around for weeks, had sex right in front of us (no shame whatever), got pregnant, and had her babies. Interesting experience.

 

Annie ignoring a walking stick on her pen.

The rented motor home at Dennis well near Crystal City TX.

Pump jacks at Dennis. These were installed while we were there.

Moonrise near Christmas, 2013.

Site we sat for three days so other guards could have some time off. Closest town is Catarina TX, but even that's not very close. Look at the map of texas - when you find Catarina (it's north of Laredo) just look at that large white area of Dimmit County with no roads, towns, or other landmarks identified on the map. It is the middle of nowhere, and that's where this site is.

When a drill rig moves in you will see lots of huge vehicles and machines. Most of the machines are a puzzlement. You see engines, gears, pipes, but you have no clue what it does or how it works. The oil industy is a distinct sub-culture that has a lot of its own secrets.

No secret here. This is one of the friendly roadrunners we see in Texas almost every day.

This is normally dry and dusty, but when it rains nothing moves, except the flowing water.

Porta potties at a well site in the center of a huge wheat field. Is this middle of nowhere? Not quite, but you can see it from here.

Our Molly with her Christmas present for 2013. Molly made it to age 15 on New Year's Eve. Her health is failing, however, and we are concerned for her future. She has definitely become a senior citizen.

Annie with her Christmas present for 2013. Annie is now six and doing well. No more back problems.

Molly fell asleep during the middle of her snack time.

How Molly gets most of her meals now. She can't chew and keep food in her mouth so Pat feeds her a semi-liquid diet. It's kind of like hospice care for dogs. We love her.

Pat thought she wanted Zoomies, so I got her a pair for Christmas. Don't believe the TV commercial!

 

 

Moving on to other things for the day. Happy New Year! Hope 2014 is your best year yet.