Good morning guys,

Quite a bit warmer this morning, 35° and headed toward mid-40's. No precipitation in the foreseeable future which is nice.

Gabe has a practice today at 1pm I'm going to. Normally I wouldn't go to a practice but the boys are scrimmaging against their Coachs and Dads. My SIL Justin will be out there with them. Wish I had some skates and equipment because I'd be asking if I could participate, that would be a blast. It's their last practice before heading to Wisconsin tomorrow for their big tournament up there. That's another reason I want to go today is to see Gabe and pass on some encouragement before they head up there.

Dawn and I have no big plans for tonight or tomorrow, just staying in and staying warm and safe. I'll be watching a heavy dose of the College Football Playoff (CFP) quarter final games with one tonight and 3 tomorrow.

Hope you all have a safe and enjoyable New Years!

 

Wishing all of you a Happy New Year! Hoping for a way better one because last year sucked, lol.

 

Back at ya Art! Here's wishing you a much better year in 2026!

 

I am HOME 🏠

 

Good deal Norm. No further problems after the injectors were replaced?

Bathroom guys are almost done. A little more tile in the shower, shower doors, grab bars, install the toilet. It's looking nice. It will be the most modern room in the house.

Good luck to the team traveling all that way, hope they have a good game.

 

It's complicated, but it's not complicated.

The truck is running better than after I had to replace injector #8 two months ago. And, yes I had them replace injector #2, as well - it's complicated. I would say the injector they (Garland) replaced two months ago was a POS reman. injector. I am not going to fight about it w/ the guy (Garland) who did the original replacement. I'll mention it to him why I believe it was a faulty (POS) injector, but I have absolutely no intention of blaming, questioning, ridiculing, etc. etc. - a simple this is what I believe was the issue. At the end of the day you need to pick your battles - I am not going to fight over this. It was costly (seriously annoyed) but here's the deal - $HIT HAPPENS and that's all I care to say about it. I have no patience to pursue a fight w/ someone who does know what they're doing - $HIT HAPPENS.

I'd say the WH where I ate (twice) was not the most sanitary restaurant I've ever eaten & I've noted this in previous years which is why I steer clear of Waffle Houses. They were extraordinarily friendly, courteous & excellent service - they need to raise the bar on sanitation.

Glad to hear the WC (Water Closet) is nearing completion.

Did I mention how good it feels to be home?

🏠👍😉😎

 

HALLELUJAH!!! 😃 Glad you're home!

 

Trepidation was/is the word of the day. This morning the guy (Jaka) who worked on my truck couldn't make it to work - he said he was really sick. We only text messaged. His partner in crime (Mason) picked me up and finished things up. I did text message Jaka, again. He has the flu. Why I choose the work trepidation? I shook his hand at least a couple times, his hands were all over my steering wheel the entire day. Good thing I wash my hands at least more than a dozen times each day during this time of year. I didn't spray the steering wheel w/ Lysol but I probably should have & I still might tomorrow morning.

 

Thanks, Chris.

 

Mike - Glad the bathroom is almost done and looking nice. I'm sure your Mom will love it!

Thanks for the well wishes for Gabe and his team. They are guaranteed 3 games I think, and a potential 4th if they make it to the Championship game.

 

I've always loved this song (Paul Anka)

When he originally wrote/sang it:

I've always felt his voice matured/developed nicely as he aged:

 

Norm, glad to see that you made it home. Happy New Year to my Good Morning Thread friends. Take care, see ya in the new year.

 

Dan - Thanks. What a relief. Happy New Year.

 

Poor, poor Buckeyes, Boohoo! 😢
Woody is a Pecker, and a Buckeye is a Nut!

 

Back at ya Dan! I'm really looking forward to hopefully seeing you and Greg at Gabe's tournament in Holland in February. I will be sure and send you guys exact dates/times/locations as soon as I have them.

We're waiting for the artillery barrage to start here around midnight. There are always alot of fireworks and guns going off around here, which is never any fun for us because Monty goes into meltdown mode. We just hope it doesn't go on too long!

 

Apparently my town celebrates New Year early at night. About 7 pm I thought someone was pounding on the back door only to realize they were fireworks mortars.

 

--Good Morning and welcome 2026! Speaking of restaurant cleanliness, we went to a Golden Corral in Cleveland Ohio yesterday- what a **** hole- just terrible as far as condition and neatness. Well I guess that may be why the have closed most of them. Norm, I agree completely about **** happens and picking battles...
--3 of my buddies and I went to Cleveland yesterday to look at a '65 442. I can't believe how pumped up I was about it, I was already looking up availability of parts and planning what I was gonna do with it online for the last couple weeks. It is a 4 speed convertible survivor. The ad for it is in the cars for sale here on CO. I looked at the weather forecast and checked w/ buddies- who could go which day- and settled on going Dec 31st. I left Harrison at 6 AM, picked up buddies near Lansing. It had snowed night before and roads were covered- 3-4 ". Drove out of that south of Lansing, easy traveling until almost to Cleveland, Then snow in Cleveland. By time we got to the location- (which was actually Mentor) had about 4 " of snow.
-- Looked at car for only about 1/2 hour and I knew it was too much for me. I wanted to make a 50 footer survivor driver out of it. So I shook hands w/seller( nice guy) and left. Driving thru snow and slop, went to eat and headed home. Then started snowing again and white knuckle drive with snow/ slush, etc. Lots of cars in ditches etc. Finally made it home at about 9 PM.
-- It was nice getting together with buddies, but overall a lousy day due to weather and my stupidity- I mean really, what was I thinkin? A 60 year old car??

 

Happy New Year Olds friends, Norm Glad cha made it home safe

 

Greg - WOW, quite the adventure to end the year. White knuckle driving is no fun.

Jim - Thanks. Has anyone every referred to you as a Jamie? There's a fair number of guys with the name James around these parts who go by the name Jamie. I suspect it's a friendship name?

 

Happy New Year everyone!

The Greater Stockbridge Area didn't disappoint. Starting mid evening were the gun shots and fireworks. It sounded like World War 3. I was at Mom's all evening, and that neighborhood was unusually cranked up. I left around 1130 so I missed the grand finale. Of course once home I heard a barrage from all the surrounding neighborhoods, and strangely enough some coming from my own neighborhood. It lasted until well past 1.

Greg nothing wrong with looking at stuff. It's what keeps us going. You don't know unless you go look. When I got my Deuce and a half I had said I always wanted one. Found one in Alabama and went to look at it. While I was on the plane I talked myself out of it. What the heck was I going to do with it? The man was picking me up at the airport, and I thought, I'll just waste his time for an hour then grab a cab back to the airport. Much to my surprise, I spent three hours plus with him and drove the thing home.

Safe travels to the team today. Are they going in cars or taking a bus? Whoa a bunch of wound up kids on a bus, even a coach, sounds like a long trip. Fun for the kids...

Norm I'm fortunate that the Awful house I go to isn't awful. I suppose if it were I wouldn't go. They can be hit or miss. Sometimes the old, unremodeled ones look dirty, when it's just the decor that has not aged gracefully.

Sunny out but cold. I'm gonna get myself together and do some yard work. I have to break off early so I can get ready for one day of work tomorrow. Well, next week when I have to work all four in a row I'll wish for a mid week break. I mean, who wants to work the whole week?

Have a good day everyone, best wishes for everyone in the new year.

 

Mike - Understand. The Awful house where I ate breakfast twice was not "awful". I sat next to the grill. The floor under the grill was littered w/ debris. They would benefit from some "house cleaning".

 

I'd call it a temperate winter day weather wise. Bright sunny weather, a tad on the chili side for this time of year/location. Honestly, I don't feel like doing squat. Do some laundry, probably watch Logan's Run & 2010:The Year We Make Contact.

I read George Clooney & his (hot) wife Amal are now French citizens.

 

Oh Norm, I wouldn't advise doing any laundry. It's been drilled into my northern head(by the southerners) that it's bad luck to do laundry on New Years Day. You'll be washing away someone's future. Now, if you could choose who that might be...

Okay been sitting at this thing long enough. Want to start the new year out on the right foot.

 

Mike - Never heard that advice before. I could conjure up a couple candidates, though.

 

LOL, I'm not laughing at ya, I'm laughing with ya! You were thinking the same thing I was thinking when I took trips to 8 different cities to look at 60-year old cars before I found mine! You were thinking this is going to be a really cool car and it turns out to be no where near the quality you envisioned??? Really glad you and your buddies got home safely, I've been on more than my fair share of those trips going north this time of year.

 

Good morning guys,

Like Norm, it's a very temperate Winter day here. It's 33° here right now, gray skies,, and supposed to get up to the low 40's, but no precip in the forecast. Sure doesn't feel like January and I love that!

Mike - Sorry you had to endure WW3, I thought we'd experience the same thing, but surprisingly we did not. We had only an occasional bang or boom leading up to midnight and then maybe 5 to 10-minutes of only moderate shenanigans and then it was over, boy was I surprised. I was very happy for Monty's sake, who surprising tolerated what we did hear very well. All the famlies/boys headed out for Wisconsin early (6am) this morning in individual family vehicles, headed for a large Lodge with a giant indoor Waterpark in the Wisconsin Dells. The weather/driving conditions for the trip up are not supposed to be bad. They will spend today and most of tomorrow at the Lodge/Waterpark before traveling to Beaver Dam, WI for multiple games Sat and Sun, traveling home Monday.

No big plans for us/me today other than me watching the College Football Playoff games today, there are 3 games today. I bought some party type foods to snack on throughout the day. Tyson Hot Wings w/Bleu Cheese dip, pre-peeled and cooked Shrimp with cocktail sauce, and Triscuits with a variety of cheeses. I'll be eating well!

Hope ya all have a wonderful start to your New Year!

 

Wisconsin Dells! I haven't been there since I was in 7th grade. I keep saying I'm gonna go up there and ride the DUKWs. Over and over. Heck maybe I'll take a leave from work and get a job driving them.

Went out to do yardwork and somehow started overthinking it. Really everything I wanted to do depended on something else and the common denominator was the chainsaw, which is at Mom's. So I'm working in my garage, moving stuff around and cleaning and sorting and straightening.

 

I have a Michelangelo's Manicotti in the oven I intend to devour, shortly.
I just read 30 of the most ridiculous & stupid superstitions regarding New Year Day - doing laundry was one of them. Humans are messed up weird.

 

Sounds delicious Norm! I've never had that brand, in fact I've never had any frozen Manicotti. I love Dawn's homemade, but we usually only have it on special occasions because her's is so labor intensive. It'll be awhile before I start filling my belly. Just because it's a Holiday doesn't mean I get to skip my cardio workout, I'll be starting that within the 1/2-hour, then a shower, and then it's Party On Dude!!! 🥳

 

Never been called Jamie

No laundry today

 

Jim - Where's the burger from? Happy New Year pardner! 😃

 

I did two loads of Road Kill laundry.

When I deep dive into cooking Italian I make everything from scratch. It generally takes me ~6 hrs to boil down/simmer & season ~2 dozen tomatoes for the marinara. Manicotti noodles aren’t so bad to make fresh since they’re basically flat noodle. Takes some time to roll fresh noodles around the Ricotta cheese.

 

Guess I’ll watch THX1138 since I bought this ‘Director’s Cut’ version and see what it’s all about.

 

Vortex?

 

Norm Chili cheese burger from the Varsity

 

I'm stuffed but I'll bet I could make room for a Varsity Chili Sheburger

 

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Strips, Shrimp w/cocktail sauce, and Triscuits with Muenster cheese.

 

What about those Hoosiers, they just spanked Alabama 38 - 3. What an *** whooping!

 

Howboutit. Unbelievable turnaround season.

 

I think the next forum get together should be in Atlanta, again, and we visit the Varsity. I was there once and didn't care for it, but I believe I need an expert to help me extract all the enjoyment that everyone else gets. Plus when I was there nobody yelled at me.