Something New Every Day !

The Quik-O oil place here on the ridge was not busy, so I made a dive for the empty bay. The Ford truck was just about ready for an oil change anyway, so I tossed frugality aside, and went for it. I was guided over the oil pit by a very attractive young lady, nice change I thought! When I got out and happened to look down in the pit, another young lady was draining the hot oil! My curiousity was killing me, so I asked them where did they learn about working on trucks and cars. Come to find out, they had returned from the Middle-East where they had served a tour with Uncle Sam, working in the motor pool. When they got out, they needed a job, so they took these at Quick-O!
I've got to admit, they did a far better job than the grease monkey, drop outs I have encountered in the past.
Now, how 'bout that! "Go Army!"

Back On The Blog !

Yesterday, the weather here on the ridge moderated a little (Just 90!) so it seemed like a good day to install the new mailbox and post. The old one was looking pretty bad, survived a few drive-by
ball bats and was fodder for neighborhood gossip! The project started out just fine until we hit limestone rock about ten inches down. I would have been just fine if I had my ice spud, from my Michigan days to break up the rock. Three hours later the project was complete, my wife and I both covered with concrete dust! So now we will see how long it takes some little bastid to work it over!
Over the course of the summer, after haggeling with the insurance company, we got a new roof.
The storm damage occured in April and evidently did more damage to the roof than we had thought.
But, all is well now!
The big event for the summer was helping move our son and family into their new home here on the ridge. It took three days but we made it. I'm just glad we don't have to worry about moving our selves again, it's just too much work! The Pres. might have all of us retired folks eating cat food before he's gone, but at least we will have a place to call home!
We still have not gone on vacation, just too many doctor visits and other projects kept getting in the way.
So now we are going to try for mid-September, at least all of the kids will be back in school, and the old geezers like us will be taking their place on the road, (Scarey thought, huh!)
Where to go is the question. Do we visit kin folks, or do we just follow the hood on the Honda, and see where we end up? Either way, we need a little road time!

Happy Trails !

I'm going to sign off for the summer, be back in the fall with more stories to share.
To all of my blog friends out there, have a great summer.

Another Day in the Life....

Well it's Tuesday already, and so far this week I have not had my "borrowing neighbor" come over and ask to use something. I have never been selfish with my toys, always willing to loan anything that someone needed, but this guy must think we moved here just to be his own resource for what he seems to need that is" broken" or "not working right now". Case in point, a few weeks ago he came over asking to use a one inch socket and ratchet. I knuckled under and let him use it, breaking my own rule about never loaning out my tools. My tools have a sentimental value, as my step dad gave me a complete set of Craftsmen tools when I graduated from high school, which allowed me to tear down a whole lotta engines when we couldn't afford a decent car. Anyway, about an hour later he brought it back, spotless, with a light coat of oil applied. So far, so good! Then last week he came over wanting to borrow my riding mower claiming his drive belt was slipping. It took me by surprise as it really takes some balls to mooch some one's mower, plus the gas! Since the mower is almost new and belongs to my son on loan to me, I told him I wouldn't feel right loaning it out. I did explain to him how to adjust the belt tensioner to make the belt grip. You would have thought I just gave him a $100.00 gift card to Walmart!!! He had no idea that you could make the belt tighter. Now, I'm thinking the boy is one brick shy of a load!
Several weeks ago, we had a wind storm that took down one of his bradford pears, you can guess who's chain saw cut it up! I got to thinking about it and if he had cut a foot off, he would have claimed that I had loaned him a defective and dangerous chain saw and take me to court. I'm learning!! Fast!
On another subject, it was a banner week at Walmart for people watching. It was a light shopping day for groceries, I had just turned down an isle, and way at the other end, I saw an elderly lady reaching up for a cake mix on a top shelf, just as she got a grip on it her "step-ins" fell down down around her knees! Not wanting to embaress her, I grabbed something off of the shelf and pretended to read the label. Well, low and behold, she just stepped out of them and put them in her purse, just as though nothing had happened and continued shopping! Now at 68 years old, I  just thought I'd seen it all!!!!
Now, I know why nothing shocks me anymore.

The Green Thumb !

It's great to be back on the Gooble after a short set of problems that developed, from where I still don't know. I tried the suggestions from Buck and the Woodsterman, and the damned thing started acting right.
Glad I didn't take an axe to the laptop after all. Thanks again.
We spent a little of that Social Insecurity money making a raised garden spot. You've seen them on the TV garden shows, the 2 x 12's and then you fill the space with top soil, mulch, all the right stuff. Planted the tomato plants and other veggies. It is a total disaster! We didn't have room for all of the tomato plants, so I dug a hole in the old garden spot and threw them in, well, wouldn't you know, they are doing great, twice the size of the ones in the super soil. The raised garden was the wife's idea, so now I am being accused of planticide! You live and learn.
We are still having August type of heat here on the ridge, need rain, but it goes around us it seems. Need to do a rain dance I guess!
The Accord is due for it's 5000 mile check up which I am dreading. No problems with it, just that I get the feeling like being hit in the butt with a wet mop, when it's time to pay the bill. It's still under warranty, but we all know how that goes! This is our second Accord, both trouble free and unlike the Cadillac's I have driven in the past that liked staying at the dealership more than my garage! I must say though, the Cadillac's rode like a cloud and were very comfortable. The Accord's not so much!
Dapper Dan and I were discussing cars and we can both remember when a 1000 mile oil change was suggested for the cars of the period. Things have changed a little, huh.

Now What?

The google will not let me make a comment on my blog site or others!
Great!

Bee's and Other Things.

Our long time friends, Charles and Beverly, who live south of Atlanta sent me an email talking about the lack of honey bees they are seeing. Come to think of it, we are seeing the same thing here on the ridge.
We have blooms in the garden and a patch of clover in bloom, but nary a bee in sight! I wish I could say the same about wasps, it must be a banner year for them as they are everywhere. There is a wasp here in the south known as a "Cow killer" wasp. It's about the size of a June bug. If it tags you, it's  trip to the hospital for sure! The most vicious of all of the bee family that I have encountered is the yellow jacket.
They have sent me packing many a time, generally with 5 to 7 stings. Mean  little critters!
The weather has been hot and dry now for about two weeks, which means a lot of watering just to keep the things we planted from withering away. The water bill will be a big one as it always is, even in the winter! The Cumberland River is not that far away, plenty of water there, but the utility charges premium bucks for it, on the other hand electricity is very cheap because of TVA, so I guess it's a wash when it's all totaled.
It's been a while since I have blogged, the heat has kept us inside, so a lot of TV has been watched!
The National political scene is getting interesting...will she run, or will she not! The trail in Florida has been pretty dull at this point, but maybe this week it will get down to the nitty gritty. Then there is the news! It's pretty bad when you have to read off-shore newspapers on the web to find out what's really going on. Kudos to the CIA/FBI for arresting two more Muzzies, who were plotting against us. We need more of it.