Meet Stan, Al, and Jack

Ben and I really enjoy drinking tea while out on the road. Each month we stock up on our loose-leaf flavored black teas from Townshend's Tea here in Bend. Their varieties range from Vanilla Peach Apricot to Creme de la Earl Grey, Mango Mist to Rose Petal, Ginger Peach to Assam Irish Breakfast. They have other varieties of green and white teas, but black tends to have more caffeine. Mate is another type of tea they have (a traditional Argentinian drink that is very, very planty/earthy) that we've come accustomed to. Every now and then we enjoy a good cup of coffee (Pilot Travel Centers have the best on the road), but it can be very expensive with a few refills a week. Enter, thus, Stan.

We met Stan at Target last week and are so pleased he joined us out on the road. With a lifetime warranty, 26 hours of heat, and suitable durability, we knew he was right for us! He is shown here with some friends, but he is the one in the back. It is really amazing that even after "just" 12 hours of holding our hot water from the truck-stop tap (hey, water is free, and they have it at the perfect temperature right next to all of the coffee varieties), he will still be steaming! This helps us out with the tea, coffee, and even oatmeal.




Al was a few rows over, and was necessary to join us as we mistakenly set down our other coffee mug and forgot about it. He is shiny just like Stan! We also purchased a truck-friendly french press for these loose-leaf teas and eventual coarse-ground coffee. But, he doesn't have a name yet.








Lastly, meet Jack. He often gets called other names, but 95% of the time, is one of the greatest assets we have on the road. He is a truck-specific GPS device, well worth the investment. He also switches to "four-wheeler" mode for when we drive our pick-up or Jetta. Jack is just one of the many "personalities", or voices used. His cousin Lee, from Australia, comes to the fore when my mother Eileen is around. His sister Samantha is not pleasant to listen to, and if we're feeling really adventurous, we'll communicate with his French relatives. All in all, the entire family is extremely helpful, but Jack is our favorite.

These three "guys" have really made our time in the truck more enjoyable, cheaper, and without significant headaches. If anyone out there is considering a career in this field, you won't be disappointed with these additions!

A few other quick things: we're on our hometime now, enjoying great Central Oregon weather and getting a lot of work/errands/studying done. Highlight of today: I picked up my two "new" vintage Bebo Norman cd's I had ordered last month. He is fantastic! Also, please kindly overlook my spelling errors; 99% of the time I am updating this blog through my cell phone and it does not have a friendly editing page.

Have a beautiful week, everyone! God bless you!

peace,
deb & Ben