Lost and Found

Well we ate the pineapple but not the picture. So here it is. Of course this isn't the pineapple post, is it. But this was such a fine pineapple I didn't want to lose the opportunity to show it off. Many thanks to the one who brought it to the Homely Holiday.
As to why I couldn't find this pineapple picture the other day.... I guess I'm just kinda dumb like that. But it is a truly impressive fruit.
Now the new year is hard upon us, Saddam is hung, and who knows what is next. I guess we'll start with a long weekend. That's a good start.

Aftermath & Pineapple

Now comes the payback. This is it. For those of us in the garbage business, lots of job security, at least for a couple of weeks. I used to think about it all Christmas, what it would be like when we went back to work. But then I realized all this did was take a lot of the fun out of the holidays. So, now I just forget about it all till it's time has come. It's more fun this way. I can even convince myself that it's someone else's problem. Well, one more day and it's the end of the first round.
I wanted to talk about pineapples. I even had a picture of one we had. But I seem to have deleted the picture some how, and we ate the model. It was tasty though. We have a recording of the Beach Boys singing "Christmas in Hawaii". That was supposed to be part of it all, the Christmas connection. But there is no picture now, and no pineapple. I don't think a can of crushed pineapple would be the same. If you want to call some kind of food "Hawaiian", you just add pineapple. Sometimes we eat "Hawaiian Hotdogs". They are made with wieners, peanut butter and, of course, pineapple. I'm not sure how the peanut butter works in, but they're not bad, really.
Sorry about the picture though.

Boxing Day

Today is Boxing Day. When I was a kid I used to wonder what this was about. It didn't make a lot of sense. All I could think of was people putting on the old gloves and having at it. But it seemed to have something to do with Christmas. According to the calendar, if I had been a Canadian, this wouldn't be a big mystery. But I'm not and it was. I guess I'm just one of those people that can go on in ignorance, figuring that if it's important enough, I'll find out sooner or latter. Many years later the mystery was revealed to me. It has nothing to do with a fight ! Back in those days when folks celebrated a Christmas season rather than a prechristmas frenzy, this second day was for giving a small gift to the people who served you. This was sometimes referred to as a "box" weather it was an actual container or not. Anyhow, it seemed cool to me.
So what does this have to do with a dog ? Nothing. But about the dog, This is a half Chihuahua dog, (not a boxer) and would not normally be laying still unless she had exhausted herself running in circles. But this time she is lucky to be still living. Christmas Eve, we were waiting into the night for our last bits of family to arrive. Sitting out there on the porch under a blanket in our car seat it was getting cold. My sweetie had hot tea, my daughter and I were working on a bottle of Southern Comfort. The doggie was on a chain (a small one). She wanted to get over on the porch with the cats and the rest of us. This is when being soft hearted doesn't pay off. This pooch is not what one would call well-behaved. After a brief pause on the porch with us, she decided to explore the night. The one place she had no business to go was the road. Of course that is the one place she went. There is not a lot of traffic out here that time of night, but what there is is deadly. The youngest heard the thump and the yelp from inside the house and started to scream. The dog took off running and hid in the dark. We figured she was a goner, but when we found her hiding in the neighbor's yard, she was still living. It appears that she is very sore but with no permanent damage, and very subdued. Well as of today she is limping around a bit and it appears she'll be around to annoy us a while longer.
Well, it's back to work in the morning. Happy Boxing Day. Maybe you got a nice box, maybe not. Maybe you gave one, maybe not. Soon we'll be putting a wrap on this year and getting a shot at a new on. I still say, Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve

Twas the night before Christmas. They are calling for cold and wet, but we are warm and snug inside. Some family here, some still on the way. Planning on Christmas Eve burritos, and our traditional candle light eggnog blow out later tonight. I suppose this could lead to another sort of blowout later, but it's all good, as they say. The best thing is being together by God's grace and remembering those who can't make it this time.
For those who believe, a chance to remember and wonder at what He has done. How He chooses the little ones, the ones that count for little in the eyes of the world, and not only uses them, but joins Himself to them. And becomes one of us. I think this is what is so hard for so many to grasp, a real mystery.
But regardless of who you are, or what you believe, I wish you a Merry Christmas.

Co-op Day

Here you can see part of the 1800+lbs of co-op occupying our home. This was another complication of the holiday season. We were lucky to get it into the truck (referred to as the "tow vehicle" in past episodes). Some years ago, the motivating force behind this informal operation left the area. My Sweetie, (bless her heart) took it on. This is strictly a no profit, much work deal. Sometimes I get to help out with the muscle. If I try to help out with the bookkeeping.... let's just say it's best for me to stay out of the way. It's not that I'm real dumb, but that is not my thing. My Sweetie gave strict orders that this stuff would have to be gone the next day since we need our house for family festivities rather than warehousing. What's in all the bags and boxes ? Healthy stuff ! It's good for you, and tastes good too ! (mostly).
Is last night of Hanukkah. Birthday, anniversary, and co-op have passed. Now is Christmas.

34 Years

34 years ago on this date in history our lives were forever changed. You see this young, innocent, (well maybe not all that innocent) couple looking to the future with smiling faces. Of course, they didn't know what they were getting into at the time, but looking back it was well worth it. Does anyone really know what they are getting into at a time like this ? You may think you do, but you just can't know. Lots of stuff is going to happen, and you won't be ready for it. Bad stuff, but good stuff too. But when you are together, by the grace of God, it gets better and better. I love her more than ever. Back then I thought I loved her, and I did, as much as I understood. But now, what can I say ? I don't think I could live without her. Maybe this is that codependent stuff, but I think I'm just in love, more than ever.

More Holiday Prep.

I was driving past Walgreens on the way to the dump, (I drive to the dump a lot) and couldn't help noticing on their flashing sign something about cheap Christmas Lights. We use a lot of these things this time of year in our house. We are into tacky. At least when it comes to lights. Of course we wind several strands around our Christmas tree, but we also hang them all over the rooms, even the kitchen. We don't even need the "real" lights unless we need them for these old eyes to read or something. Some we leave up all year and refer to as "Party Lights". We use them all year for our porch lights. This makes it easy to tell people where our house is, although some folks do think we are a bit weird. So I stopped by and did buy.
But why are all the Christmas Lights made in China ? Do they even celebrate Christmas there ? Are there any Christmas Lights that are made in America for rich folks to buy ? We saw a documentary at the local film festival about making mardi gras beads in China. It was interesting. The workers there couldn't understand why women in New Orleans would take off their clothing for this junk. I'm not sure I understand. But I digress.
We did Put up our Christmas Lights all over the house. Now the younguns insist on lighting them first thing on these cold dark December mornings. They're lit 'till bedtime too. But that's OK, it's fun. I like it.

More Holiday Preparations

Christmas Cards. Lots of them. This year my Sweetie made a bunch of original ones. It was a big project. She went to visit our daughter in the big city and was joined by a few more. There they had what I suppose one could call a "card party". Me, I stayed home with the younguns and ate unhealthy food. Of course these cards still needed to be readied for that postal thing. This is what was going on here. Lest you accuse me of deserting my sweetie in her labors, know that the empty chair had recently held my own butt. I had been forced to leave momentarily to record this event for posterity. I had expected to wear my poor tongue out licking all those envelopes shut, but it seems that in this age of wonders, one can obtain envelopes with self sticky stuff. All you have to do is peal off this little strip, and close it. I wonder if you can still steam them open. I suppose the FBI has their ways, though I can't see why they would bother. The leftover strips look like those things that come off of pantyliners.
I must confess that some years we don't even send out any Christmas Cards. But this year we did. But if you don't get one, Merry Christmas !

Happy Hanukkah

Holiday Preparations

Today is visit the Christmas Treelot day. We gotta have a real Christmas Tree, even if it is a pitiful thing. But this is not a pitiful thing, it is a very nice little Christmas Tree. Maybe it's not a Christmas Tree yet. Does it have to be decorated to be a bona-fide Christmas Tree ? Well, that will come later.
We used to put up our Christmas Tree much closer to Christmas. But it got real hard to find one then. I guess so many folks put them up on Thanksgiving now that the Christmas Tree Seller People get tired of it all and close up the Christmas Tree Lot a week before Christmas. Some years ago on a dark and stormy night, several days before Christmas, we went to get one. When we got there, all the lights were out and the people were gone. But a lot of trees were still there, piled up and ready to take that last ride. I must confess, we took one, but we did leave the money in their truck. But that broke us from waiting 'till the last day.
In recent years, they've got me broken down. Now we put the thing up a week early. I guess it's OK. We do still keep it up into January. What gets to me though, is the day after Christmas when I see them taken down and thrown on the curb for the trash. (Being in the trash business I notice these things.) I think people start so soon that by the time Christmas finally gets here, they are already tired of it. Seems like a shame to me.

Holidays

We went to see it. I liked it, but I think a lot would depend on where you're at. It was accused of being a Christmas card, and I can see why someone might say that. As you can see, this picture looks exactly like a Christmas card. I think it would make a good one. People who think the story nonsense, probably won't see it anyway, I suppose. But if a person does believe, I think they might enjoy this retelling of it all. Just like today, most people didn't believe Mary's story then. That's understandable.
I'm aware that the "Christmas Season" is prechristian, and the Bible doesn't even say for sure when all this happened. But that's not the point. This is a good time to celebrate, so party hearty. We've got birthdays, Hanukah, anniversaries, Christmas, New Year's, and our family gathering ahead of us. So let's party.

Going.... Going.... Gone

The sun that is.
I was just tripping on how the light gets caught in the treetops as the sun slips below the horizon. Sometimes I don't think much about the sun moving, it's just day, or night. Maybe this is the little kid in me. Time works different when you're a kid. Lots of things work different when you're a kid. Now time (and the sun) moves plenty fast. Then, maybe it has something to do with this time of year, when the days get short.
We have a sundial out by the garden. It was pretty cool till I cut down a tree and broke off the little pointer thing. I think there's a name for that little pointer thing, but I'm too lazy to look it up right now. I also have a neat little sundial compass that you can fold up and carry in your pocket. It's cordless and you don't even have to wind it up. Unfortunately it doesn't do well with time zones or daylight savings time. I still can't figure out how that saves time. You have to waste time changing all the clocks twice a year. But, I digress. If you pay attention, you can even watch the sun move.
That's what's so cool about sunrise and sunset. I think it may be best over the ocean. We don't have an ocean here, just trees, and hills, and stuff. We went to the beach last summer. My Sweetie is from the west coast. I had go to a lot of trouble to get her, but it was worth it of course. But she was really disoriented to see the sun set over the land, and vis versa. But I think the best place I ever watched the sun set was up on a mountain on the west coast. There I could see the curve of the horizon, and over the sea, the round sun ball. The kicker was the young moon putting in an appearance as well. Watching it all moving, I swear I could hear the music of the spheres.

The Wild One

This one, named Angora, is a wild one. You don't touch this one. You don't get near this one. Maybe you can sneak up on her, almost. I've been told she is very soft, hence the name. But I wouldn't know, I can't get near her. As soon as she realized I was making her picture, she was gone. A close-up would be out of the question.
We didn't need an other cat. We had just gotten three kittens. It's good to have a few around to keep down the rodents. They also keep the birds from getting too uppity. You can't trust birds you know. I like to feed them sunflower seeds, but they're still birds, you know. But then just when the new kittens were getting settled in, her brother showed up. Just came up out of nowhere one day. I think they like the food. Eventually he got tamed down more or less. But then she showed up. The wild one. I doubt she'll ever get tame enough to pet on. But she is pretty, yes ?

Lonesome Quartet

When the leaves left this pear tree naked, this forgotten quartet of pears remained. Actually they were a compleat surprise. We never knew they were there before. Usually some sort of bug or blight takes most of them out. We may get one or two, sort of a special treat when we do. But then, long after the season had passed, here they were, just hanging around. Seems like this should mean something, but I don't really know what. I did think they were kinda pretty hanging there. For some reason it made me think of a "partridge in a pear tree". I haven't seen that partridge yet, but this is the last day of November and he may show up soon.
The seasons are rushing by. When I was a kid, Christmas took forever, now I can't get out of it's way. You can say it's three weeks away, but as soon as you turn around, another week has flashed by. Has time sped up, or have I slowed down ? Does this have something to do with that relativity stuff ? Does it even matter ?

Probably not.

Once this was a proud bird, a mighty bird, a magnificent turkey. But now what ? This is all that remains. He was cut down in his prime, never to strut the barnyard again. Never again to incite fear in lesser foul, or young children.
Of course we all realize this particular piece of poultry probably never had the oportunity to engage in any of these popular pursuits amoung turkey-kind. It's a pitty of course. Sometimes we get to see his wild and free counsins in fields arround here. People do try to shoot them but at least they have a chance I guess. Don't get the wrong idea here, I have no reservations about eating turkeys. I think it was Freewheeling Franklin who said it was "OK to eat turkeys 'cause it was God's way of punishing them for being so stupid". Wild turkeys aren't so stupid I hear.
We got a couple "organic" turkeys once. They were quite tasty actually, but also quite expensive. Too expensive. We have raised chickens, also ducks, geese, and some other kind of bird I can't figger out how to spell. We had some muscovy ducks once and man, were they ever mean. But I have no trouble chopping off thier little heads, it's just part of it. We used to make the kids pluck them just for fun. I guess that was mean too. It does smell bad. But we gave all that up for now.
This scene of carnage actually took place at our daughter's place in the Big City. It was really nice of them to have us, and we had a good time eating turkey and other stuff. But they don't raise turkeys either. They keep cats, but none of us eats cats. I think this is probably a good thing.

The Tin Man

The Tin Man is here.
He was a gift from a friend of our son a few years ago. Unfortunately he is not a tin woodsman like in that movie with all the munchkins. If he were, I could maybe put him to work on this wood pile. He is a tin cowboy, but we have no cattle so he has little to do around here. He is getting a bit rusted though. But his joints still move. But you have to admit, he never looses his good attitude, see him smiling ? Beside his good attitude, he does already have a heart, so no quest is necessary on that count.

Thanksgiving is upon us. Let the holidays begin. I do have a lot to be thankful for, my loving wife who has put up with me all these years, for one. And a lot of other stuff. Even my truck is running again. I still have a job, good health, and so I am thankful. Some people don't have anyone to thank, but I will thank God, and join family to feast before Him.

It's that time of year again. Time to split.
This is our only heat source here. (Although we have been known to throw in a lump of coal from time to time.) It is a lot of work some times, and I don't have a lot of patience with that "it warms you twice" bit. Some years ago, during one of those oil crunches, there was a big fad for folks to go to wood burning to save money. But it kinda slacked of when people realized how much work was involved. What was fun and trendy got to be a drag fast. It was good when things let up a little, cause the competition for wood eased off a bit. A lot of what we burn is what we pick up on the streets here. There are a lot of trees in town, and when limbs fall they must be removed. There are still people who want it though and most of the good stuff gets gone quick, especialy in cold weather. Some folks like to burn a little in their fireplace for effect. Now days, people are getting these gas fireplaces. No muss, no fuss. But that's good for us.
I supose we could be viewed as filthy contributers to global warming and all that, but what we're really into is dwelling warming. There is something about having a real fire here in the house that just resonates with me. I think it's the hearth thing, "Home and hearth", as they say. It's also a great place to warm up the old butt on a winter evening.
There are, of course, some practical aspects. We don't freeze our tushes during ice storms. The price is right, if you can some how ignore the labor. And a rug next to a woodstove is a great place to nap.

Happy Happy Joy Joy !

The Happy Hula Dancer Girl
Happy Happy Joy Joy !
She is happy to be home. Finally, after many days, truck is home. And amazingly, I have driven truck for two (2) entire days without truck no go. Dancer loves to ride in truck. She go every where with me when I drive in truck. You can see by smile she glad too.
Times was very sad when truck no go. Even girl in grass skirt was sad. She no go anywhere, must stay home all time. I pay much money for fix truck. But that in past now. Now we is very happy again. Happy Happy Joy Joy !

For Want of a Nail

For want of...............................
It was a nail, a shoe, and more.
In this case more modern stuff, but the principal still holds.
It has been previously told how I was finally forced to face the facts and send my truck to the truck doctors. I had come to the conclusion that the problem lay in the deep recesses of the computer, or processor, as they refer to it. My shade tree lacked the complex and sophisticated equipment necessary to deal with this sort of situation. So, just for the record, after a week or so, the experts concluded the same thing. This is not good. But at least I do have the satisfaction of knowing I was right about it all. When I was at Ft Bragg one time, a drill sergeant gave me this advice, "Always expect the worst, and you'll never be disappointed".
Here you can see an exposed brake drum. You may wonder why is this so since this is not the usual thing. This brake drum is part of what was previously referred to as the "tow vehicle". In the days preceeding this doctor visit, (and hospital stay), problems were detected in the braking system of the potential tow vehicle. This could present a danger on the highway as can be easily understood. This could be easily corrected by an adjustment to the brake shoes inside of this brake drum. There is a opening though which one can easily perform this operation but unfortunately when this was attempted the adjuster fell off inside the brake drum. This picture was made during the two days it took to hammer it loose. Eventually the brakes were fixed and the trip was completed. On the return home it was discovered that a leaky fuel line was skeeting gasoline under the tow vehicle. God is merciful.
But the reason I even brought this up, is that the picture reminded me of the other day. Since my real truck has been indisposed, I have been riding to work on the motorcycle. This is not a bad thing in it self since it is my vehicle of choice in reasonable weather any way. But on this fateful morning, as I went to crank the bike, I discovered to my dismay, the tire was flat. Once again the faithful tow vehicle was called into service to save the day. Things were fine until after a longer than usual work day, on the way home, I heard that ominous sound, the flop flop flop of another airless tire.
But life is good. Do you realize what could have happened ? Suppose the brakes had failed when I was towing another truck on the four-lane. Suppose the spewing gasoline had caught fire at 60mph. Suppose this blowout had occurred in that situation. So what do these little annoyances count for any way.

And so not to dwell on troubles any more. Fall is here. the mornings are crisp. The leaves are falling. Life is good.

The Infamous Trio
This is about another fiasco involving what should have been a simple matter.

Due to some dietary complications which I won't go into here, it became necessary for us to purchase a pressure cooker. This unfortunate chain of events began early this year. There had never been such a gizmo among our collection of useful food preparation equipment. In fact, I must admit, there had always been a slight apprehension of having such a dangerous high pressure device here in an occupied dwelling. But times change, and necessity is necessity. And so one evening my Sweet Thing and I zipped on over to the K Mart. We had both seen these things in use in our younger, more innocent days, and thought we knew what we were looking for. Well, as one has come to expect, what we were looking for was not, in fact, there. However, we did find something that was referred to as a "pressure cooker". This was made in a foreign country which was once under the thumb of a great European empire. After some study, it was determined that what set this contraption apart from what we had in our minds as a "pressure cooker", was the addition of a few features that were most likely added to enhance it's safety. Well, safety is a good thing, I suppose, but so is simplicity. Too many moving parts are not always a good thing. However, since this was the only thing in the whole K Mart that bore any resemblance to what we needed, we went for it.

Time has an ability to reveal things, and it didn't take a lot to do it. The handles kept getting loose, various plastic parts broke, and inferior sealing rings (on the "safety" features) crumbled and leaked. (This, by the way, is the cooker on the far left.) It became obvious that this wasn't going to work out very well. Having internet access, the obvious thing seemed to be to go online and find a replacement. So with high hopes in modern technology, we launched into hyper-space searching the World Wide Web for a simple, low tech, pressure cooker. There are a lot of these things out there, but we finally found what we believed would be just what we wanted. No bells, no whistles, just a simple stainless steel pressure cooker. It was even made in a "European Country". I suppose P T Barnum was right, although I hate to admit it under these circumstances. Well, they got our money, and our pot was shipped to us. In truth it seemed to be everything we had hoped for, simple and functional, although the directions in an unknown language did give us some pause. (This would be the one in the center.)

Unfortunately, in this "European Country", there must be a steel shortage. After using this thing a few times, the flimsy locking lugs began to stretch, and the gasket would no longer seal. Being the resourceful fix it type guy I am, I took a crescent wrench to the thing, and bent the lugs back into a position that enabled it to seal once again. This became an every day thing. Not good.

On the right you will see a third pressure cooker. In a fit of frustration, we finally sought out that great American Institution, Sears & Roebuck. I wish I could report that this brand name cooker reestablished the superiority of american technology and quality, but alas, it seems to have been made in an asian country. There is also the fact that we haven't tried it out yet. Yet it seems to be well made and not overly complex. Maybe this time things will work out and we will be 1 for 3 .

They're calling for frost again tonight. Of course this isn't the first time. Before the first frost I pulled these peppers and some green tomatoes. The tomatoes aren't much to look at but I think the peppers are kinda interesting. I like all the bright colors and all. The jalapinas were a little disappointing this year, not very hot, almost like a bell pepper until you got right down to the stem. But the habaneros made up for it. They were hot going in, and hot coming out. But I guess that's the point, isn't it ?

It's Over

Well it finally came to this. After extensive efforts on my part, and soliciting advice, ideas, or anything from all kinds of mechanically minded acquaintances, I finally gave it up. What you see here is a very sick truck attached to a less sick one.

This sad tail goes back a long ways, June of '06, if I remember correctly. We had been having a wonderful time vacationing at the beach. Most of our extensive family were there enjoying the salt air, surf, and sand together. This little truck had performed flawlessly the whole time. Until.........

Until the very morning we were to return to our happy piedmont home. As we pulled out into the street in hopes of a safe and uneventful trip, it happened. Truck no go. Suddenly, inexplicably, truck no go. Now this doesn't seem to be the kind of thing I could blame on the Republicans, or even the Democrats, in spite of this being an election year. Well I'm going to have to give God the glory, because somehow, by His grace, we made it home. We got it crunk (as we say around here) and although it didn't run right, it ran all the way.

After spending literally months trying this and that, it was time to admit defeat and throw in the grease rag as it were. Time to let the experts at the dealership cuss and fuss for a while. Maybe they can cuss in Japanese. I can't. (Maybe that was my problem.) Of course this wasn't easy either since at this point the tow vehicle started acting up. But since said tow vehicle is rather low tech, I could patch it together. At least for the 25mi. trip. I should know better than to get involved with this off brand stuff. Oh well, now someone else will have their hand in my pocket. Maybe it will all work out yet.

The View

This is actually a long range shot. This tree is quite tall and a good way from where I was sitting. This is one of the paradoxes of these modern times. We have this wonderful digital camera, which though the wonders of modern technology, has the ability to make distant objects seem so close. The paradox is that I was sitting in an old fashioned low tech outhouse at the time. I don't think I really need to go into exactly why I was there. Let's just say I had my reasons. But as I was enjoying a peaceful moment there, my gaze wandered upward toward the now bare branches and a curiosity caught my eye. Why does it appear as if there has been an ice storm ? It did rain the night before, but it was not cold. Especially not cold enough for ice, not even a frost. And yet this has the appearance of a real ice storm, the kind that breaks trees, turns out the lights, and causes general havoc. I suppose it is just the sunlight catching the still wet branches, but to me it seemed special.
No, I don't carry a camera each time I visit the little house or go, as we say, "down the hill". But this was too good to pass up and I had to capture the moment before the "ice" melted.

Dexter Tripp up to his tricks at the renaissance fest. The poster does not lie. But he does more than this of course. We have observed this fellow standing on a chair balanced on this same rope, juggling fire whilst standing on the shoulders of a volunteer, and walking up a burning rope. At times he duck-tapes explosives to his body and sets them off. This seems like a hard way to make a living, but I suppose it beats flipping burgers at Micky-D's. Unfortunately I missed the shot of him juggling an apple, machete, and a chainsaw. The first time I observed this I thought to myself, "this chainsaw probably has no chain (a la Halloween gag)". I suppose he could read my mind as well 'cause he then caught the apple on the machete and cut it in half with the chainsaw.

This is a fellow we met at the Renascence festival. I'm not sure what his name is. I was afraid to ask. But I don't think he is as dangerous as he looks. Little children were getting their pictures made with him and he didn't eat any, at least that I saw. We like to go there at least once every year and hang out with the other weirdoes. It's alot more fun when you dress up and all. There's lots of cool (but overpriced) stuff to look at and musicians and all. They stamp your hand if you go out, so we usually slip into the surrounding woods for a Renascence Picnic compleat with ale and all that good stuff. We didn't poach any of the king's deer, but we did have a lot of fun.

Went to visit our daughter this past weekend. She lives in a big apartment complex in a big city somewhere. Actually it was a combination trip. My Sweetie went to a Chinese calligraphy class which is one reason we went. Those characters are really impressive, quite artistic and all, but I'm glad I've only had to learn English. A lot of people are getting tattoos of those things these days. I sometimes wonder if they say what they think they say. Actually I've been told by people who are supposed to know, that this is a problem sometimes. But hey, they still look cool.
But anyway, I took a little stroll that morning. A lot of the tenants keep doggies. They chase my daughter's cat up trees if he's not careful. They also leave little reminders of their presence in the neighborhood. The management encourages the residents to thoughtfully take care of this situation themselves, and has provided this convenient facility to facilitate. I couldn't help being reminded of the approaching political barrage in my mailbox. I have to wonder why the only thing I ever see is about how sleazy the other guy is. I can only conclude that all the candidates must be sleazes. I wonder how this can be possible. It doesn't seem reflective of the general population. Is it because only sleazes get into politics ? This is a great mystery.

The Hole

This is a hole in the ground. It is very deep, but alas, not deep enough. If one looks closely one may notice a small shiny spot at the bottom. This is a small amount of water. A very small amount. We have not had a great deal of rain this summer. Those hurricanes seldom make it this far inland. Not that this is a bad thing in itself, but it can become a problem. Today it is actually raining, but not a whole lot. Not nearly enough. But anything is good, and we are thankful.
This is an old well. One might call it an antique in these days of great and wonderful technology. Just a simple hole in the ground. This is not the first time that things have come to this of course. A few years ago even the river dried up.
Many years ago we were in a similar situation. I decided the best way to handle things would be to make the hole deeper. It seemed like a good idea at the time. And so I built an impressive rig with a frame of 2x4s and pulleys and ropes and all kinds of good stuff to facilitate the process. And so fighting waves of claustrophobia, I was lowered into the deep, but dry, hole. I could say that one has never lived until one has spent time in a well, but that is not really true. I will say, however, that it is a unique experience. I will also say that even the most macho of men should listen to their wives at times like this. The earth at the bottom of such a hole is quite hard and must be chipped out slowly and with a great deal of effort. It must then be pulled out in a bucket by an assistant. All this chipping and scraping and huffing and puffing uses a lot of oxygen and produces an amount of carbon-dioxide which has a tendency to settle in low places. There are not many places lower than the bottom of a well. I suppose hell is lower, but that's another affair. My Sweetie had begged me to lower a candle into the deep each time before my descent, a trick she had picked up from a children's book one time. I, of course thought it unnecessary. I'm kinda dumb like that sometimes. I was having a terrible headache while working down there, but being a guy and all, I was just toughing it out as they say. But then came the dizziness an I almost passed out. About all I could do was mumble something like "You better pull me up". And with the help of the young'uns, she did. I did not feel real good, and looked bad enough to scare them. Just for the record, the candle never made it half way to the bottom before being snuffed. In a few days, there came a gullywasher that fixed the problem.
Did all this help ? Yeah it did. The well is a little deeper now, although it still goes dry at times. And I have one more reason to listen to my Sweetie.

Took my youngest daughter on a motorcycle trip a couple weeks ago. We had thought to ride up into the mountains but setteled for a ride around Lake James insted. We stopped and had a snack at the state park and to give the butt a break. Passed this stone barn on the back side of the lake and couldn't resist a pic. Really fine stone work done with river rocks. I don't think the pic does it justice though. This was near Linville Gorge which is a nice place to camp if you don't mind a hike. Me and my sweetie went there last summer but I didn't take a camera since it seemed to be monsoon season. But of course that's another story.

Stinky Pooch

Stinky Pooch caught in the act using mobile bathing facilities ! She certainly needed it. I wonder how her flees enjoyed it. She took it pretty well, even the blow dry. Indeed it was a big improvement. This may not work as well in the winter. We haven't tried this yet with a cat. I would imagine that could get painful. But then cats bathe themselves, if you can call licking yourself bathing. Yiech. I probably could use a bath myself.

This is one of the freaky things one can find in our kitchen. It seems to have something to do with the lighting, which actually sucks. But it does cast strange shadows at times. This is apparently the head of one of those weird Celtic dragon things. Or maybe Viking dragon things. But how did it get in our kitchen ? The beverage of the moment was mere tea. Green tea, but still, tea. It seems harmless enough but yet those eyes are somewhat disquieting. I will admit this is not a normal kitchen in a normal house, but are there really weird invisible creatures that are only seen as shadows ? I'm sure many would seek a logical, rational, scientifical explanation for the presence of our friend, but shouldn't life keep a few mysteries to spark our imaginations ?
I suppose some may think I have too much time on my hands, but then why does it seem to pass so quickly ? Certainly not too much. But I will take some time to contemplate this visitor from our past.

Lit

We had our first cool weather and lit the heater. Not cold enough for a big fire, just a slow smoldering thing. I couldn't resist it. I had to try for a picture. I must be some kind of a pyromainiac or something. But I just trip on the colors I guess.
Soon it will be back to working up wood and all that. Chainsaws and all. Loading the truck. (If it will run.) Maybe a few hours in the woods.

Sports Fans

Greetings sports fans.

Notice the enthusiastic display of school sprit as the boys cheer the girl's cross country runners. They had already made their own run for glory and honor. Cross country meets do tend to be a little more laid back than say, football, at least for the spectators. And they let you in for free. The runners do tend to work up a sweat. We have a nice course here. It runs though the football field and winds though the woods. There is even a water hazard. And if that's not enough, we even got fire ants. I seem to get in them every time. I used to think we didn't have then this far north, but things change. I suppose the runners don't slow down enough to get bit. But maybe that would help them pick up the pace.

Boyz finished 2nd
Girlz finished 1st

Finally Gone.
This relic from the past graced our front yard for many days. In the early summer' or perhaps it was the late springtime it was an important part of our lives here in this peaceful paradise. But as sometimes happens in life, unbeknownst to us, dark forces were at work. To successfully bake bread, enchiladas and other necessities it included an oven, a simple device consisting of a thermostatical switch and a heating element. Now this thermostatical began to behave in an erratical manner. Thermostaticus-erraticus as it were. No longer content with subservience to the cook, it began to assert itself by turning on the oven at odd times and without supervision. At this point it was realized that this rebellious switch could no longer remain in control of the situation.
This would be in reality a simple operation in fact one successfully completed on more than one occasion in the past in similar situations. However, when a replacement was sought it became evident that this replacement was shockingly expensive. In fact for a modest addition in cost, one could become the satisfied owner of a brand new, slightly dented, but greatly superior cook stove complete with a totally reliable oven. So out with the old and in with the new, as they say.
At this point fate again steps in and this truck (see Sometimes things....) comes in to the picture. In order to remove this relic of past feasts it was necessary to be able to use this truck with some confidence of successfully returning to the point of origin. This was a problem. And so the grass grew around, the leaves fell and it became a part of our daily existence, always there yet unnoticed for the most part.
And now, on this wondrous day, it is gone. Truck is on it's mysterious "Truck Go" cycle and relic was successfully removed and truck returned home on it's own power. I am very happy as write this and enjoy delicious crackers baked with love in almost brand new, slightly dented, most superior cook stove.

This is an empty wine bottle. Once it was full. Someone liked the bottle very much and bought it. Unfortunately this person did not care for the contents. There are times when a man has to step in and do what a man has to do. Heroic stuff.

But even empty, this bottle could accomplish great things. It could safeguard important papers on a breezy day. It could support a candle and spread light in a time of darkness. It could even serve as a weapon and perhaps foil a terrorist plot. It could be a colorful addition to someone's home decor. The possibilities are endless.

And in my own humble way, I am very glad I was able to play a part in all of this.

Sunrise

I always enjoy watching the sun make it's way over the mountain and into the woods. Something about the light and shadows, I think. Of course one has to get put of the bed to get the full effect. But a pot of coffee brewed on a campfire is an added incentive. This is a favorite spot near Mt. Mitchell. Looks peaceful but the night before we had a bear scare. They say they won't bother you, but it's hard to feel that way when the critter is rummaging around in a dumpster about 50 ft. away and you're in a tent. We all had just read a story about Grizzely Bears killing people in Alaska which didn't help. But we didn't die that night. That was all last year and in the past. I still like the woods.

We have lots of trees arround our house. Is less grass to cut and cooler in the summer that way.

Car Seats

Car seats. Not real high class, but quite comfy. We have one on our front porch along with a couple freezers. An excellent place to sit in the evening and have a little nip. Strictly speaking it's not a car seat but a truck seat. Our son took it out of his old Ford truck and we scarfed it up. We lived in an old bus for a while, it was pretty nice. When you wanted to move on you could just crank 'er up and go. I'd hate to pay for the gas now though. We had a bunch of extra seats then. Back in the days, we used to sit on an old car seat on the side of the road and watch the tourists. I have a lot of good memories associated with car seats without the cars. A city near here passed a law outlawing car seats and freezers and stuff like that on porches. I think they just don't want folks to have any fun any more.

The Morning Glories are on the back porch, it's a nice place to eat breakfast.

In Perspective

Truck not fixed yet of course. But I think I need to adjust my attitude here and keep things in perspective like my friend here. I mean, there is a time for everything.

Frustration

It is so frustrating this truck fixing stuff. I try something and it seems to work, but only for a little while. I find myself getting obsessed with it. Yesterday we took a sabbath day off and I managed to forget about it for a while. That was nice. I'm not working on it constantly or anything, but my thoughts do turn there and I puzzle and puzzle on it. And puzzle and puzzle. Wasn't that the name of the donkey in "The Last Battle" ? I hope this isn't my last battle. Naw, it ain't. But still a puzzlement.

No Go

Sometimes things just get complicated.

My truck don't go. At least sometimes it don't go. When I try to see why it don't go, it go. But when I try to drive it to someplace, it don't go, at least not all the way. So I try to think this thing out rationaly. I change one part of the truck, and it go. I am very happy. I go for drive and it don't go. Now I am not so happy. I get chain to pull truck to house. Police are not happy. I am more not happy. I think some more, change part. Truck go ! I am happy again. I drive truck to job but truck no go all the way. I walk to job. I am not so happy again. Now truck go and I drive home ! I think some more, change part. Truck go ! I take long drive. I am happy again. I drive truck to job. Truck go ! I am very happy. I drive home, truck no go. I am not so happy. I buy many parts, expensive parts. Truck go ! Truck no go ! I am not happy.

The First!

Not sure why I'm doing this, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I'm new to this technology stuff. I'm trapped here in the 21st century and I'm not even sure the 20th was such a good idea. Time marches on and so do we. But what's the alternative ? So I'll give it a shot. If nothing else I may have fun. And that is worth something, isn't it ?