Hummingbirds and Cheese

No, I am not going to start eating hummingbird sandwiches with cheese on it.

Yesterday, I was sitting next to my big pond. I REALLY like doing that, as long as dogs aren't barking out there (and no, I am not referring to mine, I do not allow them to bark incessantly), interfering with the tranquility of the moment, I can sit out there for an hour, 2 hours, whatever, enjoying the fruits of the labor of my hands  - and God's hands since I neither invented fish nor could I ever think up the perfection in the way He created such to work so brilliantly even in a setting with my house in the middle of a desert, in the middle of a very polluted and populated town.

Well, I moved the hummingbird feeder because I haven't seen any feeding from it.  I thought maybe it was too hidden for them to find.

Au contraire.  A hummingbird that is the most beautiful version of one I have seen around here yet came up to the thing, took a drink, backed off, took another and then headed straight for my Honeysuckle plants.  They are blooming in full force right now, literally hundreds of flowers in the front and the side of my house.

I concluded from that that probably, that stuff is too old to try and be using anymore.  I've had the base mixture in my refrigerator for a year, time to throw it out and get some fresh stuff.  I would have done that today while at Fry's, but I totally forgot.  There are quite a number of Hummingbirds visiting my property and partaking of the Honeysuckles, I just want to be able to watch them feeding from inside my house which is only doable if I get some fresh mix.  It isn't expensive, I'm just cheap in such things.  Use it ALL up before getting anymore.

The cheese part of this entry comes from my visit to Trader Joe's today.  I had never noticed the huge and very fine selection of quality cheeses they have.  I mean, they have just about everything and they have some great prices on fine cheeses.  They also have some very high prices, I can only imagine what such must taste like - cheese heaven - and imagining is as far as it goes.  I've spent $50 - far more than I really wanted to - on this endeavor, but, it's for a good cause: make everyone at work including the general manager happy, lol.

I also got a variety of crackers - from plain old Ritz to wafer to a variety box to an entertainment box and some other stuff.  It sounds like more than it is, I bought just enough of it to give a good sampling of each, but I didn't go overboard with it.  I have 2 rolls of summer sausage, a package of sliced pepperoni and 1 container of some very excellent dip.  I am going to buy 2 more of the dips and call it done.  I will be cutting that stuff up tomorrow morning.  I don't even want to open the packages until then - just want to keep it fresh and not getting dried out. I am going to make my cheese tray a party experience, that's all I can say about it, and it is, IMO, money well spent.

That's it for the entry, OH< WAIT A MINUTE!!!

I just got a call from the ex - Caleb (our son) found out today that he passed the AIM's test!! YAAAAHOOOOOO!!   You don't graduate High School without passing that test, period.

Oops, the sun is beginning to go down and I want to hang out next to the ponds for a while.

ben

Friday 12/10/2010

Friday

Just a few minutes left in my pre-work rituals here. I got started in looking at the news and then realized I had placed a bid on Microsoft Office last night on Ebay.

Went to see if I had won - not. I am NOT going to buy a brand new version of that junk for my new computer. It isn't worth anything near what they want to me. I use that stuff in a limited fashion, I have no need for expensive bells and whistles. I found an old one on ebay this morning for $2. The bidding is over in about an hour. They want more for shipping on it than the product itself, lol.

I am going to put a bid on it before I leave in the truck this morning - I have pickups to do today for a delivery on Monday morning. 

As for this weekend, well, there's the company Christmas party tomorrow - which will probably go on for at least 4 or 5 hours. I am going to stay until the Cornhole competition is over with. Usually, that goes on for quite a while. After that's over? I'm outta there. 

My muscles are sorer today than they were yesterday from a workout 3 days ago. I knew this would happen, but it usually doesn't go into a third day!!!

Ummm, well that's it. Time's up, workday is here and to you..

I bid a g'day.

ben

The People Across The Street

Well, let's go straight to the heart of the problem: NOISE.
I ain't talking yelling and screaming, they do plenty of that, but that's not my issue.
Have you ever heard a Harley Davidson, sitting idle, with it's owner revving up the engine?
Sure, lots of people love that sound.
I'm not saying I hate it.
But when 3 of them are sitting across the street, revving them up and making a LOT of noise for 20 or 30 minutes?
Doors and windows closed, they might as well have them sitting where my kitchen table is, the noise is that loud.
Oh, and the car that is driven over there whose owner visits - 40 or 50 year old something or another, beautiufl car, glass packs.  Oh, there they are!! Right NOW, that guy just showed up over there as I was writing this.  There are a dozen vehicles over there for whatever reason, no clue, don't care. They only socialize with their kind, I tried to introduce myself to them when they moved in.

Yup, there are the glasspacks.  Look'em up on a Google search if you don't know.

But, the Harleys are much louder.  Just that you get all of this noise making going on at the same time, for sometimes hours on end.  No respect for neighbors.  They don't even care what neighbors think.  My campaign against them will start sooner or later.  When I've had enough, they will be getting visits from the Phoenix police department.  I'll send them a letter first.  It will be nice, it will be as unconfrontational as possible, but it will be to the point.  That letter will go out tomorrow, actually, as after tonight?  I'm done with this.

Take action, slow at first.  No need to start a war if they might, just might, realize that that kind of noise is unreasonable.

I do not live in a "normal" neighborhood. Besides child molesters, meth-heads, illegals, people that don't work and haven't worked since LONG before the recession even thought about popping it's ugly head out, total assholes and a few other types?  This is the biggest reason I want out of this neighborhood.  I'm stuck here - I don't know for how long.  My property is surrounded, literally, by trailer trash.  There is not a normal property on any side.  4 properties against my one, all of them filled with trash, junk vehicles, old appliances and this that and the other thing.

I can't change people.  I can try to make friends, and in some cases I have. I dunno.  I just want to live in a normal neighborhood.  I can call the city, they will do their job, they always do.  But then I feel funny.  Like a narc, a tattle-tale.  It takes  a while for me to get to the point that I actually call them or, nowadays, just fill out the form online and send it in.

Umm, different subject? Sure, but I started this entry in extreme irritation at neighbors who don't give a DAMN about their neighbors peace.

I bought most of the stuff for my offering in the company Christmas party today.  I figure to wait until Saturday morning to actually put all of that together.  It won't take that long, I just don't want cheese to be exposed to the elements too long, even if it's securely wrapped in plastic.

Got a nice haircut today.  Number 2 on the sides and hand cut short on the top.

The old Buick?  Sitting out there.  Fires right up, drives on down the road.  I am not driving it and took my car back from my son - I am not going to be fighting with a car that decides to quit on a whim.  The thing is crazy.  Going to cost $50 to $100 to find out what's wrong, allegedly anyway.  Don't have that to spare right now, bills take precedence.  If my son wants to fork up the money, then fine, I'll get it into the shop.  Otherwise, 2 Mondays from now, I can take it in, have it diagnosed and hopefully fixed.

A rant type of entry,  I guess.

ben

Thursday 12/9/2010

It's just entertainment at it's best (for me, anyway), to see the democrats falling all over themselvse  in an attempt to make themselves stick out in a crowd that used to have complete control and now..........

The President is being dissed by his own party, which is - pretty amazing, really, and a statement of who is really running this country, or has been anyway until the recent elections - Pelosi and Reid.  The president is really a puppet-man, at least the way I see it.

So it is.  Okay, it's kind of nauseating to see all of this bile coming out of so many different, elected politicians, but, I find entertainment in it as well.

I bought most of the stuff for my cheese tray today.  Summer sausage; pepperoni; the normal Pepper Jack and Medium Cheddar  and then, well, I got some fancy stuff, too.  Wine flows freely at those parties and good cheese go great with wine.  I also got some bread, crackers and will be looking for those thin, wafer type crackers that I couldn't find at the store today.

We have already been declared the winners of the 2 Annual Cornhole competition.  I ain't counting my chickens before they hatch, but the guy I am paired with was the best player out there last year, hands down. I'm not lauding myself here, I did okay, made quite a few tosses into the hole but that guy made a LOT of tosses straight into that hole.  My half of the prize, if we did happen to win, would be around $60.  Lol, that would pay for my cheese tray stuff and then some.

I sent out $1,616 worth of bills today, which really gave me an "ouch" moment.  OUCH!!!  Fortunately, I get paid next week as I still have a couple of Christmas presents I need to buy.  One tenant paid up the entire month in advance - all of that went to the Ouch moment - I know the other tenant will pay his up when it's due, it's the third I'm concerned about.  No need to go into that again, just that she is unemployed and I have no idea of what kind of ride I am in for there.

Oh, I couldn't write my normal morning daily news this morning because the new computer wouldn't let me get online.  Turns out it needed a password thing put into the network settings to make it work.  Oh well, just kind of annoying to show up to work early and not be able to go through with daily, morning rituals.  Tomorrow morning should be back to "normal", hopefully anyway.

Last night.  About 3:00 am.  I am zonked out asleep - a good thing of course.  I am awakened to a loud crashing noise.  I mean LOUD, I bolted upright in bed it was that much noise.  Couldn't see a thing - I MUST have pitch black in my room to be able to sleep, amongst other things.  I turned on the light.  It was obvious what happened: Prince fell out of his bed.  I busted out laughing, how he managed that, I have no idea, but he was looking around wondering, I was imagining, who did it to him.

Well, that's it.  Gonna head outside now that my "mandatory" internet stuff is done and visit with the fishies.  They are all doing quite well, looking healthy, moving around the ponds nicely, no issues so far.

G'day.

ben

Wednesday 12/8/2010

I wasn't in the mood to write anything this morning, the time of day when I normally write entries - so I didn't.

I found out who I am paired up with in the Corn Hold contest.  It's a game, it's actually fun and just about anyone can play it.  If you really want to know about what it is, just look it up on the net, there's plenty of info.

Anyway, we played that game last year, I was doing pretty good, my partner started out well and then, kablaam, dug himself into a rut and we lost.  Oh well.  There are 11 teams this year, but, I got the best partner of any of them from last year.  He was nailing the hole over and over and over.  I asked for fun who was going to win this year's contest, he pointed at me. Lol.  That's cause' I'm paired up with the best dude in it, I wasn't hitting as many as he was last year, but I did hit a lot of them.  

I wasn't really thinking I wanted to go to this party this year, but I have changed my mind.  The drag is that it's at least a 50 mile drive, one way.  I drive for work, other than that, driving isn't really all that much up there on my preferred list of things to do.  Have you ever heard a person say that they don't like doing in their free time what they do at work?  That's me.  I drive all day long.  Today was no exception.  So, when I get off of work, yes, the drive home, get it over with and I'm done.

I'm still getting some interest on Plenty of Fish, but the one I was most interested in has flown the coop.  Dunno what happened, but I'm going to send another note anyway.  She did proclaim that she is very shy, so I probably should be working on that angle by itself.  I am not shy, in any way, shape or form.  At least, not in any situation I can think of.  I might be a bit intimidated walking up to an entire couch full of available ladies if that scenario even ever played itself out.  Years of ministry took any inhibitions I had out of me.  Go ahead and get up and preach to 1,000 people - whatever is in you that might be a blockage is going to have to go by the wayside if you want to be effective.  

Just saying I'm actively searching again : ) 

My Christmas lights - of which are plenteous out there - are costing me about 50 cents per night to run.  That was good news.  I looked at the money spent since midnight last night early this morning just before shutting them off, the power usage was nominal.  I figured as such,they are VERY low wattage bulbs, I think they only use half a watt per bulb.  

I haven't logged into KCL in so long, I don't even remember my user name.  The entire format of that site has completely changed.  I see a few people on there that, yes, I do like.  

Okay, I have to chime in on this. I am not wealthy, not even close.  So that's out of the way: WHY do democrats think that wealthy people should have to pay disproportionately more than everyone else?  I don't understand this "logic".  Democrats have had carte blanch to pass whatever bills they wanted for 2 solid YEARS now.  So, they could have done this Bush tax thing LONG ago, when they had total control.  Who do they have to blame?  THEMSELVES.  Again, READ THIS CAREFULLY: The democrats could have already ram-rodded down everyone's throats WHATEVER bill they wanted concerning the Bush-era tax cuts, yet they did nothing.  Now they are whining like a bunch of babies that are teething.  

THEY HAD THEIR CHANCE, 2 YEARS WORTH OF IT.  So SHUT UP ALREADY.  I don't CARE about their pathetic whinings.  Like a bunch of squealing pigs going off to slaughter, it's ridiculous.  I would REALLY like to hear WHY they didn't address this issue when they had full, complete power?  PLEASE and if someone's going to reply here, NO BS and political ramblings.  Thank you.

Too much time has passed, almost bedtime.

G'nite.

ben

I called the auto electric shop.

The lady on the phone told me $95 per hour shop labor and that it usually takes between a half hour to an hour to diagnose a problem. 

I had to call, it was an "urge" - find out what it would cost to at least find out what's wrong with it. 

My son gets paid every Friday, he already offered to help.  He likes driving, obviously.  So, I'll contact him again and tell him what it's going to cost - or hopefully not more than $100 - and at this point, hopefully nothing left serious to go.  But who knows.  

My dad's wife fell in their house the other day and hurt herself.  Bad situation, but nothing that is going to end up costing her life, fortunately.  She is really a great person.  Anyway, she has been in terrible pain - I assume, however, the pain killers are taking care of that problem.  

I'm not a moocher or a beggar.  But I have to say it's become very helpful that my dad has been sending me a check every month for what, almost a year now.  I thought perhaps the end of it had come.  I said nothing.  I never asked for the money to begin with.  I just don't do things like that.  It just didn't arrive on it's normal day, or the day after, or the day after that.  I never count money I don't have until I receive, which put the budget in a bit of a strain.  

I dunno, wasn't going to let that kind of thing get me down.  Yesterday, we were going through all the stuff I scored from the lady moving out of her house that was being foreclosed upon.  No, I didn't ask her for any of it, all this Christmas stuff, I was helping my manager move the stuff he bought from her and she was getting rid of EVERYTHING.  She asked if I needed any Christmas stuff - it was what, July I think?  Yes, I said, I'm always game for Christmas stuff!  She gave me all of it.  She loaded up my car with boxes of Christmas goodies that I hadn't seen and didn't know what was in there.

I'm STILL amazed that she just gave all that stuff away.  I'm estimating at least $500 worth and that would be on Craigslist, not in the stores.  I have my front yard lit up very nicely, including a frosty, a deer with moving head, a full, fake Christmas tree and a lot of other stuff.  I don't care what my financial situation is, I am always going to be in love with Christmas for 2 reasons.  One, I was infatuated with it when I was a kid and that ideal never left me. 2, because it is a celebration of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Whether it's the ACTUAL date or not, I don't care.  It's what is in my heart.  

So, I put it out of my mind.  I look at what I have, not at what I might be getting. What I had at that point? Definitely not enough.  Umm, well, enough, but scary.  The only way I can say it.  So, I get home today and I find what in the mailbox? Yes, my dad had sent the check.  I chalk it up to the ordeal they are going through with his wife's accident, pain, hospitalization.  Thank you dad.  He wrote me an email today and said Christmas probably isn't going to work out with her in pain and the accident effects.  Yes, well, I doubt it's going to go on THAT long, but I wrote him back and said we could come at another time.

Company Christmas party.  Uhh, our company got a bit of a late start on that scenario.  It's this Saturday. I committed to bringing  a cheese party platter.  It's just that it snuck up on me because the forewarning wasn't given near as far in advance as it normally is.  I mean, it's 4 days away.  Cause for alarm? No, not exactly, I'm just going through the internet to see how I can put together a bit more appealing cheese dish than what I had last year.  Not that it was bad, but a better variety of cheeses is in order.  

I have at least a half full day tomorrow.  It's strange having all these people coming out to our branch to cover the manager's absence.  I was asked to close today because the inside sales associate who was covering asked me to - he wanted to go back to the main branch, get on his computer there that has all of his stuff on it so he could get some work done.  Yeah, no problem.  I have closed many times in the past, no big deal.

I started working out with free weights again today.  I have my own weight set.  It's enough to get me started for now.  I will go 3 to 4 days per week, though I suspect after today's workout, my muscles are going to be sore tomorrow and it might be a few days before I can go again.  My muscle tone has deteriorated quite a lot since this economic turn down.  The reason is we used to be extremely busy - I was working my ass off, every day, all day long.  That ended with the housing bubble and though I still work as much as is afforded, it's a 1/4 at most of what it used to be.  Work has pretty much kept me in shape my entire life because I have always had extremely physical jobs.  I faced the fact that I better start pumping iron again or I'm going to look like a pig with whale proportionments in short order.

That's enough.  I just didn't get to write out a good entry this morning because the guy showing up today showed up - very early.  

G'nite.

ben

Tuesday 12/7/2010

Tuesday

Quite a lot of interesting stuff in the news today. Of particular interest because of the evilness of the act are the 4 "adults" that tortured that teenaged kid for over a year. Burned him, starved him, kept him tied up in chains, made him "sleep in a fireplace". 

Hmm, the interim "Manager" has already shown up, ready to tackle the day. Not so fast, Hoss, I'm still in pre-work rituals and not signed in yet, thanks.

Oh, but it is distracting and I'm getting offa here. Try again later.

G'day

ben

Monday 12/6/2010

Although no time is a good time for a car to break down, certainly on the way to work would be considered one of the "badder" times for it to happen.

So, I"m on the freeway, the car dies.  I pull over onto the shoulder, try to crank, it, not happening.  In this case, it was different because in all other cases, the car would crank away as long as I tried to, not this time. It wouldn't even turn over once.  I figured a bad alternator, perhaps a broken serpentine belt.

Parked the car, walked up the off ramp, called my son.  Come get me, I am not taking a taxi when he's at my house, with my car.  I've made PLENTY of sacrifices in this exchange of him getting to drive a car, the least he could do is get up a bit earlier than normal, come pick me up and I would drop him off at his mother's house - only a mile and a half away - he will have to go without a car until I get this situation resolved.

I had the car towed to my house.  I have no money to take it to yet another shop as the previous shop owner informed me: if it happens again, take it to Village Electric in Mesa.  Further, since it appeared to be a dead battery, I just bought that battery, I could get it recharged or replaced, free and have the alternator tested for free at Autozone as well.  No sense in hurrying to spend money I might not need to spend.

So, I get home from work today.  The car fires right up, as if nothing ever happened.  I wasn't laughing.  And I'm not driving it until I get it to the electrical shop and get a good diagnosis on it.  I did let it idle for about an hour.  Just sat there, running.  Didn't shut off, didn't do anything but sit there, taunting me - drive me if you dare.  I drove it around the block.  Not satisfied driving it to work when I can't trust that it will actually make it to work.

Onto other things.  Got into the most in-depth conversation with the female side of the trailer tenants that I have gotten out of her yet.  Bah Humbug.  Mark and I are out there fooling with Christmas lights, Santa Clauses, this that and the other thing.  She wants to see the lights up, she is definitely not in the Christmas spirit.  On a side note: UNBELIEVABLE the amount of stuff I got from that lady that was being foreclosed on! We were going through it today, hundreds of dollars worth of VERY fine Christmas decor that I paid nothing for.

As for Lynn, - trailer tenant - she said she has worked for Boeing, the state and some other large company.  I gave a double-take on that, if that's true, she would have been making some serious money.  I asked her flat out: HOW did you get into this situation?  "It's a LOOOONG story". I didn't push her on it.  She didn't want to talk about it.  She stated she used to have her own house, car, etc etc etc.

I did ask why it is she might not be able to find another job such as what she used to have?  A car and the apparrel.  I can see the professional dress to be able to land that kind of job - a car, well, yes, in a place like this where everything is spread out, pretty necessary, but to start out with, there is the bus system.

I can't help her with a car, more than I can offer or would even want to offer.  I dunno about helping her with fine apparel.  I want to discuss this further with her.  I want to see what kind of ummmmph she has from within to get herself out of the current predicament: living in a 24 foot long trailer and not much of anything else.  I really would like to see her land any kind of job first.  If that happened, well, perhaps she could buy her own fine clothing.  I'm not doubting her statements.  I don't have any reason to, there is no reason for her to make up such a story.  She was a professional "in a different life", I think I'll just let this one play itself out.  However, I'm not letting her get away with Baaahhhh Humbugg.  So life sucks without money, I've been there too many times.  I never lost the Christmas spirit regardless of my financial situation.  It was a bit of a drag on Christmases where I was totally broke and couldn't even buy my son a present, but that's life as it has been dealt to me and I have learned to deal with it.  

As for this entry, that's it.  I got off work early,only to start right in on the car and they already had all the Christmas stuff out and I couldn't help but get involved with it.  For the first time in my life, I actually have a Christmas tree in my front yard!  I also have a large snowman and a deer that moves it's head up and down as if grazing in the grass, all lit up.  That lady that was getting foreclosed on gave me all this stuff and much more. 2 Santa Clause's - VERY fine product, those are going in my living room or kitchen.

Anyway, g'nite.

ben

Sunday 12/5/2010

Wow.  That's all I can say about the story in the news I just read.   A 24 year old "man" enters the bedroom of his parents.  He starts stabbing his father.  Then he attacks his mother.  Dad grabs a shotgun, shoots son, son is dead.

I don't remember reading that before.  "Usually", it's the kid that kills the parents or the entire family, the kid shows no remorse, the kid goes to jail to - get stuff done to him for the rest of his life, or most of his life, anyway.

I can't imagine, really, what it would take to shoot your own son and I don't believe I will EVER have to go there.  I CAN see a husband trying to save his wife's life, but the "extra-added-feature" that the assailant is your own son?  Wow!!!

Okay and now then.  I have spent today cleaning house, putting up some more Christmas deco, went to WalMart for dog food, ummmm, nothing much else.  Well, and try to get the female living in the trailer into the Christmas spirit.  She loves my setup out front, she is still walking around with the "bah-humbug" stuff.  God only knows what must have happened in her life to have that kind of view of Christmas, I only know I am going to turn it up. I put the fancy, silk, Santa Klause I got for free this summer RIGHT there, staring at the door of that trailer.  I informed her that I put him there on purpose.

That's it, really.  Or not.  Lots of things going on - talking with a lady through P of F, interesting situation there.  
Caleb left earlier to hang out with his friends.  My dad's wife fell, smacked her head on the floor and twisted her ankle (ouch!!), life goes on, I guess.

Strange, really.  Life is that way, sometimes.  I am mostly not shocked by such, but that situation with a dad shooting his own son, amazing.  That story was short on facts, but if the facts are that the son is crazy and dad was saving his wife's life, I have no problem with dad killing his son while son is stabbing wife, but still, wow!

G'nite.

ben

Saturday 12/4/2010

So, I went up to Home Depot to get the wire for the sub-panel.
I asked for help, wasn't really SURE about what I should be doing here.
A lady comes up, I asked if she knew anything about electrical.  "Some".
Well, I started asking questions which is when a man comes walking up - not
an employee - and begins asking me questions about my setup.
Back and forth for quite a while.
I am no expert here, I have never set up a sub-panel.
The conclusion I came to?  Gonna have to do a much thicker gauge wire to feed that sub-panel.
Because of that, I have decided to not use the lug that feeds the AC unit.
It would cost $200 worth of wire alone to feed it that far.
No, instead, I am going to move it to within about 10 feet of the main panel, outside, yes, but not
too far from the main box.
I can run Romex from the sub-panel to wherever outside that I need outlets.
However.  That 10 feet of wire will be another $35 or so.  I will have to install a 50 am breaker off the main panel, another $15.  I guess I am also going to have to drive a ground rod into the ground - dunno how much the rod is, plus the wire between the rod and the panel.  I have to buy a buss for the green/ground wire to install in the panel.  $5 for that.  Now we're talking about getting into some money here.  Plus a chunk of romex long enough to go from the sub-panel to the front of the house - about 80 feet anyway.  I did find some wire on Craigslist to cover that, though, at a good price.

I had no idea this box setup was going to cost me this much more money.  Talking another $120 or so.  I just don't think that's workable into my budget right now.  I think that box is going to wait for "better times".  I have my mom's Christmas present bought, I want to get Caleb something and probably send my oldest brother the steak deal from Omaha steaks.  I just shelled out $250 for auto insurance - though my son gave me $140 to cover most of his portion of it.  I have credit card payments; child support; car payment; water bill and other stuff to pay.

In other words, I can't justify spending that $120 or more on that electrical setup right now and it's going to have to wait.  I am going to use extension cords to put up my Christmas lights outside.  My main reason for wanting the electrical panel and outlets is for the pond setups.  That includes the setup I want to put out front, which will need an outlet out there to serve it.  No, this panel and finishing the job can wait until next month. I am also going to post an ad on CL and see if anyone might have extra from maybe tearing down a house or something that they want to get rid of.  Who knows,it's at least worth a try.  I'll get that panel setup done eventually, but definitely want to do it right, I don't need another house burning down : )

So, pretty quick here I am going into the shed, dig out the lights, start putting them out there.  I think Imight even go get a nice cigar for the occasion.

G'day.

ben

Arizona Department of Transportation Highway Patrol Commercial Enforcement

So, I was travelling through the same stretch of highway today as I was yesterday.
I got beyond where the "infraction" occured yesterday and was merrily cruising on SR 87
towards Coolidge.  Getting closer to Coolidge, I came upon 2 Highway Patrol - a cruiser and an SUV -
parked window to window so they could talk to each other.

Neither of those vehicles were that of which pulled me over yesterday, issuing bogus warnings.  Yes, I call them bogus because - they WERE bogus, both of them.

Well, I was cruising 63 in a 65 zone, so nothing there.  In fact, I didn't give them a second thought, I am doing nothing wrong, was checked out yesterday, why should I have to worry about it again today?

I check my mirrors frequently.  You learn that in trucking, check your sides.  But it isn't just for traffic, I am pulling a flatbed trailer, I am looking at my load and my straps.  Always looking back there.  Is there a loose strap? Has anything shifted for unknown reason? I can't help BUT to look back there and check it.

So, I can say, I was shocked, literally, after passing those 2 ADOT Highway Patrol cruisers, to see yet a different ADOT pickup behind me.  I mean, I never saw it coming - again, I check my mirrors frequently. WHEREVER it came from, it must have been cruising at VERY high speed, because it is out in the desert and you can see in all directions for quite a distance.  I was looking intently at it's driver, too much distance behind me to ID it as the same guy as yesterday. Well, he appeared out of nowhere and he sat there behind me.  I came into a 45 mph zone on that highway approaching a stop light, slowed to that speed, put on my turn signal, turned right on Arizona Boulevard going through Coolidge - yup- that truck turned right behind me.

When he pulled up beside my trailer, that was when I was able to ID him.  Yup,the guy from yesterday.  I accelerated to a whopping 25mph, he was scrutinizing my straps.  No nicks on them today, you can bank on that.  In fact, most of my straps are new, just replaced them a couple of months ago.  I did not go any faster, if he wants to pull me over, have at it.  I will demand a supervisor to show up at the scene.  If not, I will start making phone calls.  This guy may think he's king out there, just wait til' he gets someone like me going.  Everyone has to account to someone - he has a boss, who has a boss  on up the line until you reach the Governor of the state.

If he didn't pull me over, then I didn't care.  That was my thought at the time.  It still is.  This went on for at least 60 seconds.  Dude, either pull me over or let it go, do something because I have a delivery to make and I don't have time for these games.  He finally pulls up next to the tractor, looks at me, signals to me to show him that I have my seat belt on.  He apparently can't tell from down there.  Yes, it was on.  I pulled it forward, off my chest, to show him.  He gives me the thumbs up, pull into the center lane, flips a U-ey and that was that.

I know, it's about safety, right?  Whatever you say. There are JUNK trucks running up and down that road - they look like junk, they are junk.  Pull THEM over and check their tires, brakes, air lines, etc etc etc.  ONCE was good, the next day? GIVE ME A BREAK.  I have driven through sleet, snow, on ice, through torrential rains, fog, heavy winds, even a tornado.  Okay, the tornado wasn't a good idea, I was young and dumb and didn't know there was a tornado.  EVERY other car and truck out there was pulled over, that should have given me a clue.  I went past all of it, several of them pulled out behind me, apparently looking for a "leader".  I'll NEVER forget that ride.  Wow!!

I didn't know what I was going to do this weekend, it suddenly plunged into my head: CHRISTMAS!!!  Finish that electrical panel and get the lights out!!
That's what it is, it's CHRISTMAS TIME!! Hey, we're in December, my lights aren't on, forget about it. I"m getting it going if I can starting tomorrow.
\\

Friday 12/3/2010

Friday

I was pulled over in the semi yesterday by AZ DPS officer. These are the guys whose almost sole job is to pull over commercial vehicles and do inspections.

And, as is their custom, they will always find something wrong with your truck so as to either write up a citation or give you a warning.

I was given 2 warnings yesterday, thanks a lot, there goes my bonus next month, next?

The first warning, and this after the guy spent 40 minutes inspecting the truck, the tractor and the load to the nth degree, was for a strap that had a slit in it. After looking at the strap, I concluded that it was still legally usable. 3/4's of an inch. Further, the cargo that that strap was tying down? Had TWO straps on it. In the case of that cargo, which was a crate holding 3 small check valves weighing at most 500 pounds, ONE strap was legally enough to secure it. The cargo was over-strapped - a thing of which the officer complimented me on and then gives me the warning.

Whatever.

The second warning irritated me. You see, this officer followed me for almost 10 MILES before he pulled me over. Why he did that, I have no clue. He handed me the warnings and I looked at the second "infraction". It said I had followed too closely to a tractor-trailer rig in front me.

BUNK. I asked him WHERE this alleged activity took place. He told me where SR87 meets SR387. Yes, there was a tractor-trailer rig in front of me, yes I had PLENTY of room in front of me. The officer allegedly clocked me at 2.57 seconds distance behind the truck.

First off, the truck in front of me had started slowing down to turn off of SR87 onto SR387. He did not slow down using the footbrake, he began braking using the engine brake. When a truck in front of me does that, it takes a second to recognize that that truck is slowing down - the brake lights do not come on with the engine brake.

Second, this DPS officer was sitting in his pickup about 300 feet off the road semi-facing south. We were coming from the north. At the point where this officer would have been able to see both trucks, I would have been going between 10 and 15 miles per hour. That's right, the driver of the truck in front of me slowed WAY down, he was going maybe 5 mph when he made that turn, I was just rolling behind him waiting for him to clear the road.

I got into a discussion with this officer about that one. That will not look good to my company, following too closely that is. I stated to him the same thing I already wrote: by the time he would have been able to see me, I would have been going no more than 10mph. He stated that "he didn't know how fast I was going". PLEASE.

Don't tell me they don't have a good estimate of how fast a vehicle is going - that's a 6th sense they get after being out there for a long time, looking at vehicles and estimating pretty close how fast they are going. The fact that he stated that he didn't know how fast I was going was what got me going. He KNEW how fast I was going and IF I had been less than 3 seconds behind that truck, it was because we were going SO slow, even if that driver had slammed on his brakes I would have been able to stop before hitting him.

I brought that up as well. He didn't have an answer for it. I then told him these warnings were going to cost me my bonus. He looked at me in shock, but there was no retraction. If they had been citations I would have seen the guy in court, guaranteed. With warnings, I don't know that you can fight them because that's all they are: warnings. At the same time, I lose an entire week's worth of pay that I would have gotten next month for being a safe driver, which I still conclude that I am regardless of this guy's warnings.

Nice way to start the day, it was around 7:00am when this occured. After leaving, I go to the job site with the load and find no supers or foremen there for this company. Only workers. That can sometimes be a bad thing. Well, I was delivering some pipe (as well as a lot of other stuff on the truck). There were 2 different kinds of pipe - different ratings on it - that look EXACTLY the same as each other.

I pointed this out. This is class 52 pipe, this is class 350 pipe, don't mix them up. What do they do? Mix them up. I pointed it out for about the 5th time when another guy walked up, who got into an argument with the backhoe operator, who started yelling at another guy, who started yelling back.

I might have found these morons entertaining, throwing hard hats down, kicking dirt, hurling insults at each other but the encounter with the DPS officer had put me in a bad mood. Watching a bunch of clowns get into a pissing match wasn't top on my list of things to do.

That is what happens when there isn't a forman or a superintendant around to monitor them. I noted on the paperwork that the pipe had been mixed together. This because the super will eventually call and ask where his class 52 pipe is. It is thicker walled pipe and can take both more water pressure internally and also more abuse from traffic above it underground. Mostly, I think it's used to cross underneath roads. Then back to the regular class 350.
Whatever the case, it costs more. At least the pipe is marked, albeit you have to know where to look. I showed this guy - this was like the 5th time now - where the markings were on the pipe, where all 5 sticks were.

Got that truck unloaded and got the bleep out of there.

That was it. There were other deliveries but they had to get out so salesmen ended up delivering them. By the time I got back, it was almost time to go home - I am over hours and had to leave early yesterday and will have to leave early today as well.

And with that, the weekend is almost here.

The news is rife with garbage. "New report: Dream Act to cost taxpayers billions". No kidding? What, is this supposed to shock anyone? Is there ANYTHING that the government does that doesn't cost a buildingful of money?

Pollution. We get these advisories every winter. Pollution settles into the valley and doesn't go anywhere. Pollution advisories are issued - they are expecting this year to be particularly bad for whatever reason. Nice, breath in that wonderful, polluted air. Just another reason I would love to leave the Phoenix area permanently.

Whatever. No plans for the weekend besides usual stuff. Still responding to respondants who are interested - referring to "Plenty of Fish". One of them looks intriguing at least.

G'day.

ben

Thursday 11/2/2010

Thursday

I'm standing in awe of the fact that it IS Thursday already. Where has the week gone? Oh, yes, work has been very busy and keeping me late. Today will be no exception. I was supposed to make 2 trips to Florence yesterday, but, I ended up driving everywhere BUT a second trip there. No, that trip is this morning. Back to the yard, load up for 2 other deliveries and then done. That should take a good part of the day.

Another whammy coming our way: the end of the Bush tax cuts. Or not. Who knows. The bickering in Washington never ceases to amaze me. GOP says extend it to all, Dems say not to the rich, I say shut the bleep up and do what's right for America. The "rich" continue to say that if those tax cuts aren't extended, then it will restrict their ability to pursue hiring more workers. The Dems believe that the rich - shouldn't be rich I guess - sock it to them.

For right now? I say extend it for everyone at least temporarily and then they can sit there and argue and fight amongst themselves til' some kind of agreement is made. I AM glad that there is a tourniquet to the money-let in Washington with GOP taking back the House, I figured that the best that was going to become of it was that NOTHING would be able to happen, however, I think the GOP has it mixed up. Americans that are unemployed and only have unemployment benefits probably want those benefits lengthened and Americans like me that are employed but working less hours probably don't want to see even MORE money going to taxes.

There's my beef with all of them. We ALREADY pay too much in taxes but the GOP is standing thee saying we are going to have to cough up even more? SCREW that. I have to live within my means, everyone else has to live within their means, but the Federal government? Oh no, just take more from the people. I most certainly did NOT vote the way I did so I could see my taxes raised.

Talk about raising the age to receive Social Security benefits and other "entitlement" programs. Great, take away a portion of my retirement, but do it now, I mean right now, cause if that's the way it's going to be, it will light a fire under my feet to do a LOT more to prepare for retirement. I'm already considering having more taken out for 401k even though I can't really afford it. It's almost at 10k now, breaking in to the 5 digits is a good motivator in itself to save even more.

December 2, 2010 6:03 AM

Anonymous said...

Well enough about that. I left this morning - it must be in the low 40's outside anyway - the dogs escorted me to the gate as they do every morning and then, before I even got in the car, they beelined for the doggy door and inside the house. Duke was cold this morning IN the house, I can't imagine what he was experiencing outside.

I dunno what else. Lots of stuff on my mind. Nothing that is overwhelming, just a lot in there. Don't really feel inclined to speak about some of it on the world wide web, either, so it will just have to stay in there. Lol. I am going to try to finish the electrical project this weekend and then get some Christmas lights up out front. I would also like to get a Christmas tree, but this year, I want a smaller tree. A big tree takes up too much space in the living room and also blocks my view outside. My traditional thought of having a giant tree is fading. I might even opt for a living tree and plant that sucker after Christmas is over.

The female trailer tenant says she doesn't really get off on Christmas anymore and that she used to. Well, I suspect, that's because she has gone from living with a high income job to being homeless and then, living in an old trailer. She gets on my old computer every day and fills out applications. She says she will take a job anywhere, anything to get some income. I'm sure they don't want to live in that old thing the rest of their lives.

I am, however, going to do my best to get them both in the Christmas spirit. Putting up a lot of nice looking lights is the first step. They have been eating the ham and turkey for nearly a week now. I bought all of that stuff so they haven't really had to spend any money on food for a while now. I am going to take $30 of the money they give me for rent this month, get a movie theatre gift card and give that to them. It isn't a question of need - they are always going to be in need until they get a good flow of income - it's a matter of getting a different perspective on things. When you are broke and living the way they are right now, I can understand why things might not seem so bright and cheery.

Anyway, the work day is here, I'm outta here.

G'day.

ben

Wednesday 12/1/2010

Wednesday

Got home late yesterday from work. At noon an "emergency" came in and some valves had to be delivered to a water company in Coolidge. That got me home at around 4:30. 

Do we need to get deficit spending under control? Obviously. Bring down the national debt? Of course. Should we just ignore the millions of people that are going to be affected by the complete loss of unemployment benefits?

Not so fast. I know people that get those benefits, it's ALL they have. The people that I know aren't sitting home watching soap operas or playing on video gaming consoles during the day, either, they are either hitting the streets putting in applications or online doing the same. There are entitlement programs that need to go entirely, there are others that need to be scaled back, but this? 

I can't agree with. The news is saying that jobless benefits begin to run out today. If we're going to bail out banks and become part owners of car dealerships, the least we can do is help those that will have nothing at all if these benefits aren't extended.

This isn't about saving someone's Christmas, if you are on unemployment benefits, I'm sorry, but buying Christmas presents shouldn't even be on the list of things to use that money with. No, it's about keeping the lights on, buying food, pay the water bill, putting gas in the car to go and try to find work. I don't believe that, when we voted a few weeks ago and sent a clear message about runaway spending, it included ending the jobless benefits. GOP prolly should rethink the stance if they are going to oppose it - those that are unemployed might remember it in 2 years and give the same bashing to the GOP as the Dems just got.

Uhh, some pretty bleak news in there. Think I'll give it a pass. I have a lot of driving to do today. Jobsite in Florence - a huge order building a small hospital out in the middle of nowhere, at least that's what I call it. 2 tripper. Well, 3 tripper, really, but I won't be able to get 3 trips done in 1 day. The truck is already loaded and ready to go, get that pipe out there, get back here, load'er up again, back out, and then if there's time, downtown and then back to the yard.

It's a good day when I'm busy at work. Even better that it's the first day of the month and we are already going to be doing an 80k order. That gives a nice jump start for the rest of the month, which it will need, because Christmas time is traditionally very slow even in the best of economic times for our company.

My Cyber Monday scouring didn't result in me getting anything but 2 sweaters for the dogs. It's cold out there - 30 something degrees right now - the Danes are going to have sweaters. Probably arrive sometime next week. I am putting the Windows 7 quest on hold. I have bills to pay and Christmas is approaching. Plus, I was shorted on rent by one tenant - the one who got a job and then lost it because she didn't wake up in time to get there......because........she spent the previous night at the casino.

Well, I got half of it from her. She offeredt to do work around the house for the rest of it - not. I need the money, not work. You want to work, yes, PLEASE go find a job.

G'day.

ben

Tuesday 11/30/2010

Tuesday

Yesterday, after getting home from work, I put the turtles in "storage". Pulled them out of that cold water, one of them was quite upset about it and hissed at me. Well, whatever, turtle, according to the experts you'll be far happier in a box with padding than in freezing cold water. And so it is, they are in the storage shed as I type this.

There is a freeze warning in effect right now as well, but, the temp outside is 37 degrees. I'm not worried about my plants as this isn't cold enough to damage to any of them that I know of. I guess I'll find out later on when I get home from work. 

Unfortunately, the cold weather means the dogs are going to have to have access to the house while I'm at work. No choice in the matter, large, short-haired dogs in almost freezing weather? Gotta be able to get into some warmth.

The house is much warmer than it is outside and that without even running central heat. I turned it on for a few minutes this morning to bring the temp up a little, but, it's about 30 degrees warmer in the house than it is outside. 

"If lawmakers vote to censure Rangel, he would stand in the well of the chamber as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) delivers a verbal rebuke" I read this a few minutes ago and thought, gee, this would make great entertainment to see Pelosi rebuking a crooked politician. I'm no fan of Pelosi, yet, somehow, the entire scenario would be fun to watch, I do believe. 

Well, there's a lot in the news today, 271 before-unknown-to-exist paintings by Picasso surface; the cable fiasco; North Korea; Obama suddenly deciding it must be a good time to actually try to have a dialogue with the GOP; the teenager that was going to blow up a bomb at a Christmas tree ceremony who has pled not-guilty (good luck with that); and a massive election fraud in Haiti. Gee, we seem to hear a lot of that going on around the world, the biggest of which was Iran's so-called free elections. 

Anyway, back to the house, I finally figured out where I might be able to unload the dirt that is going to be dug out if I put a pond in the front of the house. I shut the turtle pond down yesterday and will have to decide what to do with those turtles before the winter is over. Not really there yet. The pond I might put in the front could be a turtle pond, but then, that's all it could be, I'm not really interested in that idea. I want a plant pond with smaller fish out there, not turtles that will mow down every plant I put in there. 

Ummm, that's about it for today's writings. The truck routing system is full of pickups for tomorrow - a huge delivery in the system. So large, it will take 2 full semi loads to get it all out there. So, busy today at work picking up the parts for that order plus pulling the stuff we have at our branch for it as well. Haven't driven the semi in what, almost 2 weeks? Lol.

G'day.

ben

So You Want A Great Dane

I've read this, that and the other thing by so-called experts on Great Danes ALL over the web.  Most of these individuals are nothing more than what I am:  a person that owns a dog or dogs that are of the Great Dane breed.

I have 2 pure-breds and 1 mix.  They all have very, VERY different personalities.  They are wonderful, awesome dogs!! But, like any dog, they also have their peculiarities and sometimes even annoyances.

One of my Danes must follow me everywhere.  His feelings are visibly hurt if I want him to go lay down instead of his face in my face constantly.  The dog knows no limits to his loyalty to be at my side, either.  Yesterday,  I crawled under my house to get at some electrical wiring.  When I say crawl, I mean I was on my belly sliding underneath pipes and conduit and such.

Who was RIGHT behind me?  Yup, Prince, the black Great Dane.  I didn't call him to come follow me under there, the first time I went under the house I had no idea a dog that large could even FIT underneath all of that.  Not Prince. He was on his belly, pushing himself along with giant and rather powerful rear legs and followed me right along.  When I got to where I needed top be under there, he came right up beside me, took a comfortable position and just laid there, staring at me.  I couldn't, of course, help but pet him for a bit and then, back to work.

Meanwhile, Duke, my other Dane, was up there, whining away. He desperately WANTED to be with us, but he wasn't even going to try crawling under there.  The Dane mix?  Wanted nothing to do with it.  She went about her business, but, then again, she isn't a pure Dane, so I'll keep this conversation to the purebred Danes.

I do agree, just from my experience with these 2 Danes and another Dane we had when I was a teenager: they want to be with you - people - all the time, as much as possible.  People tell me when I leave, Prince, makes horse like noises and trots and prances back and forth for hours.  Leave for work, that is.  When I come home?  He is RIGHT there, waiting for me. So are the other 2, to be fair.

Danes want attention, that's the jist of it.  They want a lot of attention. They are nothing but big, giant babies.  I'm quite serious, that's just what it is.  If they don't get enough attention, from my perspective, they get their feelings hurt.  Prince will start making his horse noises in my house when I tell him to lay down.  It isn't barking, it isn't loud, it's an objection.  I object to you telling me to lay down when I want you to pet me, continously, the entire time you are here.

Oh, btw, I have a doggy door in my house.  When I am gone, I am told they do NOT come in here much.  Yup, they are out there, waiting for me to come home.  Umm, but now it's getting cold outside and I suspect that if I ask again, they're going to say they are coming inside.  Why?  They simply cannot handle cold weather.  I just ordered some sweatshirts for them on a Cyber Monday Walmart sale, it's going to be in the 20's tonight, very cold.  My dogs NEVER sleep outside unless they are sick, ie: throwing up or diarhea.   They sleep in my bedroom and yes, they have their own bed.  Actually, I have a bed and pillows on the floor. One bed does not fit all of them.

They are heavy dogs, they really should not be left to sleeping on hard floors.  Duke is 143 pounds and Prince is 132 pounds.  Hey, do YOU want to sleep on the "raw" floor all the time?  Didn't think so.

Food? Yup, they eat.  No, they are not fat or obese.  I never have and never will allow my dogs to get fat.  I do go through a lot of dog food, but, I have 4 dogs, 2 of them VERY large.  The Dane mix would be considered large, not very large.  about 40 pounds of dog food per week plus scraps.  Oh, and btw, be prepared to clean up some giant dung in the back yard.

I could go on, but 1, it is my bedtime and 2, it's only a surface scratch at what it's like to live with Great Danes.  I will write again about what it's like actually living with Great Danes versus "professional" sites that just give overviews. Not that those are bad sites, just don't give an up and close, personal reality of what it is to live with them day in and day out.

Monday 11/29/2010

Monday

Get up this morning - 38 degrees. I didn't have the heat on, no. It isn't cold under the covers. Go to bathroom, turn on hot water - comes out - cool by the time it's running "hot". No clue. Get in, shock and awe, jump out freezing. 

Get dressed - I had turned the water heater breaker off when I was working on the electrical stuff yesterday. On the way out this morning, one of the dogs catches the phone wire and yanks it right out of the wall. Wonderful. That supplies the internet. Left a note for Kirby - he uses the internet during the day in combination with a side business he runs. Get a new phone line if you must have internet and I will reimburse you.

What else was I going to do? They don't cost that much, that isn't the problem, I don't happen to have an extra 25 foot line laying around.

Get to work. They left the heat on all weekend long. Not a problem, per se, just a waste of electricity when no-one is here. Check the routing system - at least there is one delivery today, albeit small. Smack me in the face and welcome back to reality. Lol

Today is Cyber Monday. I am only looking for one thing - doubt I will find it on sale though. That would be Windows 7 Home Premium. I will be checking the usual suspects and then go on beyond those to see if anything is out there. 

Here's the biggest news I've found today: Leslie Neilson died. That guy was hilarious, especially in that Airplane! movie. Okay, so there is this newest leak of "Diplomatic Cables". Who cares. I don't. The rest of the world shouldn't either. Unless there's classified stuff in there, that is. The biggest rumblings is that there are some "untoward" statements about leaders of other nations all over the world.

I'm sure they talk s*** about us, too, again, who cares. Well, I'll be reading about that further/in-depth later on today. 

As for now, it's time to get offa here and bounce back into the working world.

G'day.

ben

Sunday 11/28/2010

There was a 1% chance of rain forecast yesterday for today.
ONE percent.  So what does it do this morning? Yup.  Rains.  A pleasant diversion, actually.

Well, anyway, I get that whole electrical setup done yesterday for find - that whoever wired the AC system wired it with incorrect colored wire and the neutral wire is actually a hot wire.  I was feeding the new panel off of that 100 amp lug.

So, this morning, I decided I was going to find out how possible it is to punch out a new hole at the bottom of the main circuit panel and attempt to feed a line through the hole, down through the wall and yes, through a small hole in the floor to get access to running a  line under the house and over to where the new panel is already set up.  This would provide the neutral line that is imperative for that kind of setup.

I didn't expect it to be easy, and it didn't let me down.  First off, I had to crawl under the house to get to it.  This is no small chore in itself, because there are many low-lying obstacles in the way.  Getting there, I realized I would need a knife to cut away the plastic that covers the entire bottom of the house.  Back out, got the knife and a flashlight, back under.  Prince following me under there each time. HOW that giant dog can squeeze himself under there?  Amazing sight.  Maybe I'll get a video of it and post it on YouTube.

Cut the plastic.  Out again, cordless drill with a wood bit on it.  Back under.  Drill several holes.  Bit not big enough.  Back out.  7/8ths bit.  Drill new hole.  Back out.  Start trying to fish a piece of Romex down through the top hole, the wall and find the bottom hole.

An hour of this.  I finally decide to try and find something rigid and straight to stick down through there.  But what?  No way am I stick the only thing that comes to mind in there:  a stick of rebar.  No, whatever it is, it's not going to be able to conduct electricity.   Small tree that died after I transplanted it last year.  That was the ticket. Cut it out, cut off the branches, perfect.  FIRST try and it goes straight down through the hole at the bottom and out.  WHY didn't the Romex do that?  Because, I was trying to feed it at the wrong angle.  Changed my angle, walaah.  I went back under the house and sure enough, there it was, mixed in with a clump of other wiring being fed to the entire house.  Secured it at the top, put the main panel door back on, done for today.

Why?  That was ENOUGH of that stuff for one day, that's why.  If my explanation of the rigors of trying to just get that part of it done wasn't enough, dunno what else to say.  It is, hopefully the hardest part, though, I will have to drag a line clear under the entire length of that house at a diagonal to get it to the new sub-panel.  Which reminds me, there is no green ground wire, either.  Have to get a 2 strand wire, I guess, might as well do it right.  Either that or just run an entire new line altogether, but that will cost some serious money in wire, that stuff isn't cheap.  Still looking on Craigslist for wire that I might be able to get my hands on.

Male tenant showed up today, after being gone 4 days.  Handed me rent.  Female tenant that was helping a lady with her newborn - gone for the last, what 6 days?  She owes rent - today actually.  The other was off to work early this morning.

I was informed that the Steelers are playing in a little while, I think I'll cruise out the rest of my vacation on a Steelers game followed by whatever movies might be on with a bit of cleaning thrown in.  I am not dreading work tomorrow.   That is no frame of mind to go back to work.  The only thing I ever dread at work is if there is nothing to do - I am a work oriented person, I want to work, I want to keep busy while at work, having nothing to do is not my idea of fun.  People muse about how great it must be to have a job where you just sit around doing nothing.  In my view of it, that is a job from hell, a NIGHTMARE job.  I can't imagine the boredom of inactivity and not using your mind to accomplish anything while you're there 8 hours or however long.

So, I bid you a happy Sunday.  I feel better having taken this time off.  There are 2, 3 day weekends coming up for Christmas and New Year's, so not too long before even more time off.  I probably won't be writing another entry before tomorrow (no guarantees, however), so I bid you a.........

G'day.

ben

Saturday 11/27/2010

Vacation slowly winding down.  Today and tomorrow left and then poof, back to driving trucks all over the place and everything else that is associated with my job description.  I hope it's busy Monday morning as I would rather just jump right back into it and having something to do versus - nothing.

I got up this morning and headed over to Ace Hardware to see if I could score a weedeater with the 50% off coupon.  The coupon is restricted:  Nothing over $30 and nothing that is on sale.  They had one weedeater at $24.99 - small but exactly what I needed.  Everything else was over $30.  I got that one and paid a whopping $13.95 for it.  Put it together, went out there and started hacking down overgrown grass.  THAT little project is going to take a while to finish.

I also went to Home Depot and spent the store credit on the electrical setup I need for outside.  Huge overkill.  A 6 breaker box.  It was the smallest outdoor box they had.  They had plenty of smaller indoor boxes, but not outdoor.   It wasn't that expensive, I just didn't really want one with that big of a box or that many circuit breakers.  I could power EVERYTHING outside with that box, easily.  As it stands, I only bought one circuit breaker for it and the wiring.  I only need it for Christmas lights out front for right now.  I will eventually run line next to the big pond and have it running off of that setup with a 4 outlet setup right there, next to that pond.

I don't need that right now, I am just going to put a 2-outlet setup out front for Christmas lights out there.  I won't have to run miles of extension cords, I can start running lights right off that setup.  I haven't started on that yet, I am still feeling vacationy - like - I don't really want to do to much intensive.  But, I would like to start getting Christmas lights out there.

Speaking of Christmas, I'm looking at this picture of this 19 year old freak of nature that conspired to blow up a van at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony.  I mean, the Feds were all over this and the whole thing wasn't even real to begin with, the bomb was a fake put together by the feds.  The question I have is: how many more of these nutcases are out there, in our country, planning to blow up whatever?  None?  10?  100?  1000?  More?  These people are already HERE is the point.  That's insanity.  We can only ask the Good Lord that all of this stuff is uncovered before an - NFL stadium is blown up full of people or a concert at a concert hall or a huge gathering of people outdoors such as with this Christmas tree plot.

NK is still churning the rhetoric machine.  Don't really want to go into all of that again, just waiting to see what, if anything, happens with this joint military exercises the US is going to do with SK.

As for now, I am going to go outside, get the electrical components and get started on doing whatever it is going to take to get the new electrical panel installed, up and running.

G'day.

ben

Black Friday 11/26/2010

I didn't bother to get up early.  It was cold - in the 30's and I had no expectation that anything on sale would just disappear as they used to when times were good, money was flowing, people were using their homes as ATM machines (second mortgages/refi's) and spending on credit cards was no big deal.  I still couldn't believe the TV images yesterday and even the day before of people camping out in front of stores for these "big" deals.  If they were giving away free 72 inch HDTV TV's, yes, I would pitch a tent.  I have waited in the past an hour and  a half at most.  That's when it first started.  No-one was putting up tents and showing up 24 hours in advance.  I don't see the point of sacrificing that much time in a very uncomfortable setting to get - things.  They put one woman on the news and asked her - she was first in line - what she was going to get.  She didn't even know!!! She just knew she'd find "something" and that was good enough for her.

No, I got up at 6:30 am, took my time, drove leisurely up to Walmart, yes, it's a Supercenter.  I didn't know what I would see in the parking lot for cars.  It was a bit surprising:  there weren't any more cars in that lot than you would expect to see on a busy day at Walmart. Walked in, lots of police and security standing around everywhere. I really only wanted one thing:  the $98, 19 inch HDTV that my mother hinted that she wanted for Christmas.  I really didn't think those would be big sellers - after all, a 32 inch HDTV was selling for - I believe it was $238.

I walked to the back and couldn't find any anywhere.  Bummer.  I saw one of them in a shopping cart behind counter in the electronics department.  It was full of all kinds of stuff, like when people go to check out and decide they don't want or - oftentimes - don't have money to pay for it on their cards as they might have thought they did. I had thoughts maybe  A store manager was standing right there, so I asked him if he knew if there were any of those left anywhere.  He reached behind the counter, picked the thing up, handed it to me and said: "Yes, this one, it's the last one in the store".  I looked it over.  Hadn't been opened and the box wasn't damaged.

Good enough for me, I thanked him profusely and walked off.  For yuck's sake and because I scored what I went there for, I walked around the entire store.  I found a fleece jacket for $7.  Yeah, I grabbed one of the few of those that were left.  But, I didn't really see the great deals that I thought I would see.  There was stuff out in the aisles all hyped up as a great sale - but maybe the stuff had a couple of bucks hacked off the price, it certainly wasn't a 20, 30 or 40% slash.  I was looking for deals on Christmas lights - nothing but regular sale prices.  I"m not complaining, I saw what I figured I would see, really.  A few good deals - especially on the flat screen TV's -  but not much else.  And, everything that was slated for that Black Friday sale - besides the last of the type of TV I got - was still there.

I left there. I have a $57 card for Home Depot - it's a store credit for something I bought, lost the receipt and just said fine, give me the store credit, I know sooner or later I will be able to use it.  So I went there. The store was virtually empty.  They had a few great Black Friday sales, the rest was nothing that even caught my attention.  A washer and dryer set was the biggest steal there, I am not in the market for such and if I were, well, I pretty much always buy used.  I bought nothing.  I walked the entire store and the only thing of interest was an iron for $6.  I just passed it by. I called mom while there, wandering around the store.  I had to tell her what she was getting because yesterday, when I was visiting her, she said she was going to look for a TV - well, I didn't want her getting a TV when - I just got her one.

In all of this, I hadn't had a cup of coffee yet, so I stopped at McDonald's and got a large cup, went home, got online and did some surfing.  Went outside and realized 2 things I need from Home Depot. 1 - a weedeater.  I have grass that I always pull out and it always grows back.  I stopped pulling it out because - it always grows back and it's a pain.  A weedeater would hack it down in a few minutes with much less effort.  2.  The electrical setup I need for outside.  Not enough outdoor electrical outlets.  I haven't gone back today, in fact, I don't think I am going back out at all.  I am going to think about it and make a decision tomorrow - which one is more of a priority.  Probably the electrical outlet, but, I have a coupon from ACE hardware for 50% off any item  in the store that's $30 or under - just one item - valid tomorrow only.

I'm going to go there and see if I can score a weedeater cheap and then I can spend the store credit on the electrical setup.

I have already eaten another complete Thanksgiving meal today.  The trailer tenants also consumed a large portion of it, plus forked over the money for a pay-per-view on Direct TV: The Expendables.  I have wanted to see that movie, it's an all day ticket on every TV in the house.  Watch that later.

I then started doing more landscaping maintenance on the front.  I've definitely sold myself on installing the small pond out front.  I started pulling out that Texas wild grass that Mary planted some time ago.  It looks okay, but not great.  It's appeal is much lessened now that much of the other stuff I have planted out there is slowly starting to mature.  Well, where that plot of grass is is where I want to "plant" the pond.  What am I going to do with the dirt? Good question, I may just half bury the pond and then use the dirt to build up mounds all around the pond and put plants in on the sides of the mounds.

Mark - one of the trailer tenants - said he was going to buy a space heater today.  Alarm bells went off in my head.  Space heaters consume a lot of electricity and I did not withhold that information from him - immediately.  If they want to heat the thing, they are going to pay for it.  Look, I don't run the heat in my house at night, either.  I am not expecting them to do anything that I don't already do.  I do admit that on some morning, I'll turn the heater on for 10 or 15 minutes, but that's it.  It got down in the 30's last night and no, the heater wasn't on.

Oh, I took Coco with us to Grandma's yesterday.  Well, Caleb's grandma anyway.  Coco is the Dane/Catahoula mix.  She was okay for a while, but after about 3 hours, she started getting nervous.  Did she need to go outside?  Let her out, she stood at the window and stared at me.  Was she hungry?  Fed her, and then started this nervousness again.  I got up to go to the bathroom, she followed my footsteps.  I wondered if it was a flash from the past.  She was handed off to 4 different families before I got her.  She had separation anxiety when I first got her that you wouldn't believe.  It wasn't til' we got in the car that she calmed right down.

I kinda wonder about the materialistic society that we are becoming.  Thanksgiving is becoming just another day off.  God is becoming something that we don't really need.  If we don't have the most current electronic gadget, we are behind the times.  Yes, I did just put together a new computer - but that's after using the old one for some 10 years.  This computer?  I won't be replacing it for a long, long time.  I will undoubtedly upgrade it over time, though right now, the only upgrade it needs is Windows 7.  I'm kinda hoping Cyber Monday might have a deal on it on one of the software sights like Newegg or Tiger Direct.  I just look at this Black Friday hype and mania and see it as a sign of what we are becoming.  Yet, many of us are broke.  It was no wonder to me, at all, that Walmart had far fewer shoppers than in previous years. I wondered how people were paying for the carts stuffed full of stuff - mostly electronics - with credit cards?

Not trying to judge people.  Just wondering.  I also saw North Korea shooting off more bombs/artillery.  They're talking the brink of war.  Are they going to shoot at the aircraft carrier USS George Washington ?  I mean, they know there are US troops in South Korea, are they also going to wage a war with the US? Is this just more talk and rhetoric, or are they serious?  I'm guessing the rhetoric, but who knows.

My vacation - the rest of today, Saturday and Sunday.  Next month, I'll have a 3 day weekend for Christmas and a week later a 3 day weekend for New Year's.  I wrote dad and told him I was hoping we could find a couple of days that Caleb could get off of work to come down with me.  If not, I may just go down there by myself.

As for the rest of today.  Well, it's a bit cool outside, but really, it's wonderful.  I'm going to go back out and do some more foliage maintenance.  My next door neighbors kitty keeps coming over when I'm out there visiting.  I find the thing strangely endearing.  I have been a cat hater since after my childhood - my parents had cats and guess who had to clean up after them and also take care of the litters every 6 months?  Yeah, I got tired of it and that's the reason I really don't much care for them.  But someone else's cat?  I'm finding that that's fine by me.  Kinda strange the kitty just comes right up to me and puts around, smelling, looking and doing whatever cats do.

 I am going to get a box at work, put the turtles in it and shut down that pond for the winter.  The turtles will get stored in the shed, just following the expert's advice.  When it's time to take them out?  I'm not sure.  I can't put them in any pond that I want plants in - which is all of them - because they just cut them down. They would have to have their own setup.

That's it for today.  I'm content and at peace.  I signed up on Plenty of Fish yesterday, someone said I should try it out, well, why not.  It's a dating thing, meet the ladies.  One person showed interest - a 48 year old that has kids, lives in Gilbert, states that she is successful, a businesswoman, owns her own house, all kinds of stuff.  Interesting.  I put it all out there, who I am, what I do, etc etc.  Well, I don't know about that, just have to think about it and wonder if I met her, would there be a connection?

I'm headed outside.

Later.

ben