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Chris - Good luck & fortune w/ the weather. Looks (radar) like you're having your A$$ handed to you right now & for at least another hour.
Norm - Yes, it's coming down in buckets right now! Forecast is high for continued heavy rain thru tomorrow. We're having lightning/thunder too, but Monty's doing ok because he's sedated, as much as we hate to do it. It was very bad last night too, but we sedated him about an hour before the really strong stuff started and he did much better. However, we don't want that to be the long term solution for obvious reasons, and is why we're looking into surgery that will help him get enough oxygen when he's overly stimulated.
As Norm mentioned, alot of heavy rain moving through here. We're doing ok for right now.
Last Sunday (I think?) I mentioned what a hectic week it was going to be, with 4 different appointments plus all the Storm Damage $hit going on. Well I was right about one thing, it was a blur, where in the hell did the week go? I'm keeping my head above water, barely, and suffering burn-out, but you gotta do what you gotta do. With tomorrow not being a business day, I'm going to try and keep my mind and body out of any of that crap and give myself a break.
Gabe has a hockey game at 1230pm tomorrow and that will be a fun distraction. I'm just hoping I am not landlocked and can get out to the highway. I saw Gabe last night and he told me he's gunning for his 4th hat-trick in a row. I wouldn't bet against him!
Hope you all have a great weekend! For you guys East of me, keep your eyes peeled, I may come floating by!
Norm - Ya, that'd work, might be a little expensive! . Seriously though, he was really bad 2 nights ago. His tongue and gums were turning blue, a sure sign he was suffering oxygen starvation, and were very worried he was going to pass out or have a heart seizure.
Chainsaw still has issues. Had a good talk with my back neighbor who insists it's his responsibility to fully clean up and fix the fence. I told him the fence fix has no due date. I got done dicking with the chainsaw and he picked up branches and I hauled logs. It's 2/3rds cleaned up. He's leaving on a trip next week and wants it all piled in his back area then, and he uses it for grandkids' bonfires. The man has ten grandkids, no wonder it's a party over there. He did appreciate the hauling help.
Raining again. I put a 55 gallon trash can under the end of a gutter without the downspout as it overflows when it can't keep up.
Still have the front tree to do. I hate tornadoes and shitty pines.
John - I provided you this link last year. It's critical you set the Hi/Lo set screws correctly. Every so often, depending on usage, maintenance, fuel/oil quality & ratio(s) used, etc. they will require adjustment(s). It's likely the leading issue w/ most chain saws. This guy does it exactly correct.
Norm - Thanks! I had been on the "watch" but lost sight this week with all the irons in the fire. Certainly one of those records most thought would never be broken due to the need for longevity, not just skill. Amazing athlete!
The crowd will explode when they face the Islanders in New York this Sunday.
Yep, each game until he breaks it will be crazy exciting!
Side note, the Blues were completely out of the playoff picture at the mid-point of the season. They started playing better after the break, and right now they're on an 11-game win streak, have made it into the playoffs (if the season ended today), and have many sports pundits saying things like they've really gelled as a team and could be real contenders.
It rained very hard here all night. Folks on the neighborhood Blog have reported the back way out to Barnhart is now impassable, but the primary route to Pevely is still open. Right now it's only a very light rain, which I'm very thankful for because both dogs went out in it to do their business. However, we have more very heavy bands moving in around 10am that will last until 4 or 5pm when it is supposed to start winding down. I'm still going to try and make it to Gabe's game at 1230 if I can get out.
Beautiful morning here. I can see I'm going to need to put up some sort of shade across the front of the front porch. The sun just beats down on the front of the house. Of course that means you can't get to the front door. Eh, no one comes to see me anyway.
Chris I hate that you're getting all that rain and it really concerns me that you can't get out of your neighborhood when it really rains. That sounds a little unsafe to me. Perhaps the city/county/state can come in and dig a relief and put some sort of bridge over it so the water goes under and emergency vehicles can get in if need be. How much does it have to rain before the second way out is impassable?
John everywhere I've read a tree that falls in your yard is your responsibility, regardless of whose tree it is. Seems a bit harsh, but I suppose I could sneak out at night and poison my neighbor's tree just so it will fall in my yard so I can make trouble. Good on your neighbor for taking responsibility.
Got laundry going and when that's done, Awful house. Don't know what to do this afternoon. Something outside that's for sure.
Chris I hate that you're getting all that rain and it really concerns me that you can't get out of your neighborhood when it really rains. That sounds a little unsafe to me. Perhaps the city/county/state can come in and dig a relief and put some sort of bridge over it so the water goes under and emergency vehicles can get in if need be. How much does it have to rain before the second way out is impassable?
Mike - I sincerely appreciate your concern, thanks! The second way out has only been impassable 3 or 4 times in the 15-years I've lived here, and those times it was only for a day or less. I agree it still could be a dangerous situation if there was a fire or health emergency.
Funny you mentioned about someone doing something to improve it. With this 3-day long rain event being forecast, the City was actually out digging and making some improvements in the area prone to flooding on that route before it started. Hopefully whatever they did is keeping it dry this time. The good news is, if it is across the road there, it usually recedes quickly as soon as the heavy rain stops.
I just got back from Gabe's game after stopping at Dollar General on the way home. I previously told you guys that I wouldn't bet against Gabe getting his 4th consecutive hat-trick, and I was right! He had 2 regular goals, and one on a penalty shot when he was tripped with the puck in front of the other teams goal. Unfortunately despite Gabe's efforts they lost 5-3. As a side note, he was close to having 2 other goals that bounced off the goal post. The kid's on fire! Good times! 👍
Elsie has come for a quick visit this afternoon. Was in the house about 10 minutes from my mowing before it all let loose. I hope this is the end of the pollen.
Walmart seemed sort of benign today. We were there about an hour earlier than usual. Very few people and plenty of handicapped parking. Except for this one bitch that had to fly into the front space from the opposite lane, and then hustled up to the store by herself. Her car had a handicapped plate on it but my guess is it was for someone else, and she was taking advantage. I wish there was a way to police that, nobody(but me) seems to care.
Chris even if the other team has more points, if the team plays hard and does their best, they still win. I wasn't in any activities(except cub scouts) when I was a kid, but I bet if I were I'd have a better outlook on life and would have gone farther.
Don't know what work will be like this week. I kind of like this stupid staggered schedule, we get pretty much an hour and a half for lunch, that's not the way it's supposed to work, but heck I'll take it. The new lead said this summer the operation is going to need us to do 180 wheels a day. That's okay, but the robots really can only put out 160. Maybe he'll do the other 20 by hand.
Okay have a great day everyone. Pizza for us tonight, can't beat that.
Chris even if the other team has more points, if the team plays hard and does their best, they still win.
Mike - For 12-yr old kids, I agree 100%, they should be having fun and learning, and be proud of their accomplishments win or lose as long as they have given their best effort. However, at some point in a young athlete's life, I believe there has to be a point where their priorities and focus changes. I think legendary Green Bay Packer Coach Vince Lombardi said it best, "No one can attain perfection, but if we chase perfection, maybe we can attain excellence!" He also said, "Winning isn't everything . . . It's the only thing!"
Maybe I'm just an old school fanatic, but Coach Lombardi's famous speech on "Winning" became my creed when I was in my teens. I had a large plaque of his picture with this speech on the wall of my office at work for many years, and it now hangs in my study. A few years from now, if Gabe is still playing hockey and wanting to excel and move on to the "next level", I plan on getting him a framed copy to put on the wall in his room. I'll ask him to read it at least once a day, and to remember what it says every time he steps onto the ice, or steps into a classroom, or works a summer job! In my opinion, it is a powerful life lesson.
Vince Lombardi: What It Takes to be Number One
"Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all of the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.
There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that's first place. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don't ever want to finish second again.
There is a second place bowl game, but it is a game for losers played by losers. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win.
Every time a football player goes to ply his trade he's got to play from the ground up - from the soles of his feet right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play.
Some guys play with their heads. That's O.K. You've got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more importantly, you've got to play with your heart, with every fiber of your body. If you're lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he's never going to come off the field second.
Running a football team is no different than running any other kind of organization - an army, a political party or a business. The principles are the same. The object is to win - to beat the other guy. Maybe that sounds hard or cruel. I don't think it is.
It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That's why they are there - to compete. The object is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules - but to win.
And in truth, I've never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn't appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something in good men that really yearns for discipline and the harsh reality of head to head combat.
I don't say these things because I believe in the ‘brute' nature of men or that men must be brutalized to be combative. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man's finest hour -- his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear -- is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious."
Ovechkin scores 895th goal. Islanders win. I hope Dustin Johnson's wife isn't too upset.
Norm - Thanks, I was on the watch and saw a replay right after it happened. Certainly somewhat bittersweet for Gretzky fans like myself. I can certainly appreciate his tremendous skill, commitment, and longevity that were required to break the record.
I was going to dick around inside today, but neighbor Mike went to work on the downed trees out there so I helped. My *** got put in the ground by a 68 year old retired electrician. He cut, I hauled. We even took out the two trees in the front yard because he appreciated my help. Granted, the front trees are still there, just in pieces. Haven't heard **** from the neighbor to my side. I'm going to leave it messy and slowly clean it up, and I'll tell him his trees are hazards, especially the one half destroyed and the leaning one. I can't make him take them down, but, he is responsible for their damage once notified and he will be once he finally comes outside.
Norm, I'll watch the video. I put the needle valves back as I found them.
--Don't remember if I told you guys this story... A new (to us) couple had started to hang out with our group a little with a year ago or so ( meeting at bar for dinner, drinks, etc.) Bill and Suzy are in their 60's. Both got the well deserved reputations as loud, life of the party types. He hadn't gotten the snow removed at their place back when there was a bunch of it. The snow became too much, so a guy was coming over one day with a plow truck to take care of it. Bill went out to shovel a path to the garage. Suzy stayed inside. Snowplow guy came and knocked on door- told him Bill was out back. Plowman came running back- "Call 911 You husband is out on the ground!". Suzy, a retired nurse, began CPR on Bill but no use. EMT's arrived and kept up CPR but no- Bill passed right there. Police was also there, then coroner had to come and Bill was hauled away in a hearse.
-- Suzy of course was a mess- she called Bill's son from his previous marriage. Step son (In his 40's) came up in a few hours with a teenage grandson . He was a "recovering" alcoholic.. 1st thing he did was go to Sue's booze cabinet and stay drunk for the 4 days he was there. Sue was trying to get some things settled and drunk stepson was a royal PIA. He asked if he and grandson could go for a ride on Bill and Sue's quads, which they did in 20" of snow.-- Quads don't do well in a lot of snow....
-- Whew- hunt and peck--- Anyway they bring back Quads and park them in same place and finally leave Suzy...A couple days later a mutual friend talks to Sue and says have you checked out Quad since stepson rode it? She and neighbor go our and look at it. Front differential is broken right off!! Driveshaft is flopping around !!
--Ok I sent that as I didn't want it to get lost-. So, here's my part in the story... A bunch of us went out to dinner and invited Sue. She told this story and and said it was gonna cost $3000 to fix Quad. I said oh it can't be that much-- and I am a little bored- I'll come look at it.... Another friend and I took trailer over and got it. I took it apart and found a new front differential is $1863 thru Polaris!! So she bought it and it has come.
-- What a PIA it is to work on, Everything is tight- usually on a car if you want to replace something you just replace it. On this thing the front differential is directly below and bolted to the electric power steering unit, the EPS can't come out until the handle bars come out, the handle bars wont come out until the front plastic cladding comes off. And the EPS can't come out until the gas tank comes out, and the gas tank can't come out until the air box and rear brake pedal and master cyl comes out. Air box cant come out until seat and rear cladding comes off... UGH no good deed goes unpunished!!!
-- Well looks like it is finally going back together- I hope i have leaned a lesson!! Had to go this far to get differential out!! I think he threw in 4x4 when in 2x4 and rear wheel spinning- Dumbass!!
Greg - Whew, makes me exhausted just looking at the images. I'm surprised you're even able to get the repairs accomplished without at least 5 "special tools". Your a good guy to take that on for her! Suzy's $'s, and your pain should be taken out of the son's and grandson's hides.
Yeah, Sue knew what had happened. I guess the worst part of this story is a 45 year old "Man" brought back broken quad, and set it back in it's place without telling stepmom that he broke it... When she confronted him on phone about it he admitted he did it and it made a big bang. What a jerk! Did he think she would figure Bill had broken it before his passing?? Oh and these people are hoarders- you can't believe all the stuff Bill had... Buildings full of tractors, lawn equipment, machine shop stuff (lathes, mills) snowmobiles, a side by side, motorcycles, trailers, rv's and most of Suzie's deceased mothers stuff... WOW.
Got out and checked the fuel line and filter on the chainsaw. Then got called over by Mike's wife Diane and we talked. Mike was out getting a yard trailer from a neighbor. They are behind my house. The lady to my north side came over and we talked some things over, then Mike showed up and we started working. Had assistance from Doc Johns next to Mike, diagonal to me. Holy hell, did we work. 8 hours or so straight. Tina on the north did some, Doc did some, but Mike again put my *** in the dirt. We hauled the entire front yard clear and 99% of the back yard. My burn pit area is entombed with dead pine tree parts. Tina made us big pot pies and cookies, which were good. My yard is looking better than it did. I talked trees over with Tina's husband, whose name I forget. We think another one will fall into the road next big storm. The good news is these were the ones closest to my house, so the situation is improving each tree that falls. I'm more beat than the one bull at a dairy farm.
Good start to the day but no one is in a hurry. That's kind of an oxymoron. Eh, I'm signing wheels when I get them that's all I can do.
Greg and John, you guys are great neighbors. That's what used to happen, neighbors get out and help one another. Used to be, when someone suffered a loss, the neighbors were there with food. Someone was in a jam, the neighbors were there to help out. Not so much anymore. I believe it would be like that in my neighborhood(nothing like that has happened since I've lived there) but my other neighborhood, where Mom lives now, uhuh. Those people are out to put the screws to anyone they can. So John, when you say you guys cleaned up your whole yard, did that include your other neighbor's trees who wouldn't come out when they fell?
Norm a chocolate shake sounds delicious. A malt sounds better. I used to go to Dairy Queen for a malt. If I got a large it was all malt. If I got a medium they put ice cream in it. Other than what they made it with. I asked them why and they said the medium was a Boston Cream. That didn't answer my question but it was as far as I got.
Chris I read up on Vince Lombardi. Sounds like an incredible person but hard to live with. Like Bing Crosby. I'm not a sportsman, is there any coach these days who is known to embody good values and hard work?
Got a couple errands to run after work, the rain is done and it's supposed to be nice the rest of the week. Got a lot of little things to do around the house as well. I need to get my ears lowered. I feel like I'm wearing a mop.
The good news is these were the ones closest to my house, so the situation is improving each tree that falls. I'm more beat than the one bull at a dairy farm.
John - Whew, you certainly had a full day to say the least. Glad to hear you got so much help cleaning up. 👍
Chris I read up on Vince Lombardi. Sounds like an incredible person but hard to live with. Like Bing Crosby. I'm not a sportsman, is there any coach these days who is known to embody good values and hard work?
Mike - I have read the same type of information about Lombardi, he obviously wasn't much of a family man according to many accounts. His wife was an alcoholic, probably exacerbated by Lombardi's inaccessibility due to his focus on his work, and he was also distant with his son and daughter by their accounts. These facts don't really diminish my appreciation for his approach to coaching and striving for excellence in sports. What it tells me is he was flawed as we all are, and probably should have directed more of his sports philosophy towards taking care of his family's needs.
As for modern coaches, the 1st name that comes to my mind is Tom Izzo who has been the Head Basketball Coach at Michigan State University for 30-years now, and just recently became the winningest coach in Big Ten Conference history passing the legendary Bobby Knight. I have never heard anyone say anything negative about Tom Izzo. He is known as being an excellent family man and friend, a great contributor to his local community, and is extremely humble.
Certainly an incredible football mind and motivator. I really don't care for his cockiness and arrogance, at least that's how he often comes across to me. I really know nothing about his personal life away from football. Just my 2-cents.
Damn Greg, what idiots. Your friends husband dies, and the adult kids response is to get drunk and f-up a quad? What a tool. I will be contacting the owner of the building where '72 is stored. I talked with my neighbor and co worker, and he is game on getting his Nova out as well. Hopefully this weekend. Well, I got me some pork butt. Stopped at the meat market, the smallest that they had was 8.9 lbs. Mixed up my rub, and grabbed my 4qt slow cooker.....too small, grabbed my 6qt, and it barely fit I do have a 18qt roaster if the 6qt would have been too small. She's on high for a couple of hours, then low. I'll have a couple of pork sandwiches tomorrow. Haven't decided as to whether or not to make my own sauce or to use the bourbon sauce in the fridge. Finally got the crown on the implant yesterday $$$. Still a little tender.
Finally got the crown on the implant yesterday $$$. Still a little tender.
Dan - Glad you finally got your crown on. Fingers crossed for ya that the sensitivity goes away quickly. The Pork Butt sounds good, I'm ready for some more already! Hope you're able to get your '72 home this weekend. I'm gonna try like hell to get the oil changed in mine on Friday. There's a cruise-in on Sunday I'd really like to get out to if I can get the car ready to roll.
. Seriously though, he was really bad 2 nights ago. His tongue and gums were turning blue, a sure sign he was suffering oxygen starvation, and were very worried he was going to pass out or have a heart seizure.
