Monday, August 27, 2007

watching the wheels go round and round...

Up a little bit ago to find out that Gonzales has deserted ship at the Justice Department...not that I really expect that to change much, just a new round of review and stalling on all those documents everyone keeps asking for.

Friday afternoon I ended up with a grandson I hadn't planned on, as Noel had a doctor's appointment and Caleb and I kept each other company while they were gone. It was a nice treat on a workday!

I got up Saturday and we took Dillon out to the park along with his bike and mine. When we started he was complaining about having to wear his helmet because it makes him sweat and no one else does. I pointed out to him that I always do...along with a pair of gloves as I'm allergic to "road rash". About a half hour later he managed to flip himself off his bike and to a face plant onto the asphalt at between 15 and 20 as he was trying to pedal away from me. He landed on the right side front of his helmet and it made a very sickening "thwock" sound as he hit, but the only damage was a skinned knee. Suddenly he's decided he likes that helmet a lot! On the way home I pointed out 3 couples on Harleys alongside us and asked him "who's smart and who isn't"? After he looked for a second he decided that the one couple that were wearing helmets were the smart ones.

Not that I used to in my motorcycle days, except when I had to!

After we ate lunch his parents came to pick him up, and John figured out that his Caravan had shelled the right front outside disc brake pad. He went home to price parts and see if they were in stock; Dottie and I went to shop and run the weekly errands as I hadn't done them on Friday, and Penney's had kids clothes on sale so it was a good time to shop for Caleb's birthday this next month.

By the time we were done it was 9:30 when we stuck some shrimp in the oven for dinner and sat down to watch a bit of TV.

Sunday we went to an early show of "Stardust". One we'll be buying the week it comes out on DVD. I pointed out how badly the critics were slamming it the other day, and how well it rated on the IMDB; I think the critics must not have stayed for the whole movie...I remember seeing some tapes on sale in the old days of VHS that were Siskel and Ebert's review tapes and they cut a 3 hour Tom Cruise movie down to 5 minutes.

Sunday afternoon before John came I rebuilt the dripping faucet in the bathroom, then at 4 when he arrived Dottie started dinner while he and I started on his brakes. At 6:30 the van was done and we were sitting down to eat; not bad for a set-up I hadn't seen before ("they're all the same, they're just a little bit different" I remember an old instructor telling me once 25 years ago).

After dinner while Noel and the kids finished watching "Escape from Witch Mountain" he and I took it out for a test drive and he got to feel the new pads seat in; perhaps when I'm gone he'll not be afraid to do his own or help his brother when the time comes. I had bought a new tool set for seating the piston back in the brake caliper, after having used a large "C" clamp for years; it worked well and with the brake jobs I have left to do in my lifetime and those that will follow, it was well worth the $20 I spent for it!

Off to gather the trash and get ready for the start of another work week. I hope the weekend was kind and Monday was as well!

alan

7 comments:

Taradharma said...

oh, we saw Stadust this weekend and the younger daughter and I loved it! N. wasn't impressed. I was completely captivated from the beginning to the end. I'm just a sucker for a british accent, I guess.

robin andrea said...

I like the stories you tell, alan. I get a real sense of life there, the rhythms and tempo. I'll put Stardust on our wish list for Netflix. I guess in a few months we'll see it.

ryssee said...

Nothing like a good face-plant to point out the importance of a helmet to a little kid! :-)
I still have no feeling in my knee and my elbow where I landed protecting my un-protected head and teeth...thank goodness nothing worse than that ever happened.
I'm still kinda glad though that we didn't grow up so protected from everything...last of the breed I think, but we were lucky, and I am still waiting for the day when my brain turns into an egg yolk from not wearing a helmet when I'm on my bike! But don't tell anyone.
I DO wear my seatbelt even to the store a 1/2 mile away. ;)
Oh, and my brother is a big car guy too by the way. :)

HAR said...

I get tired every time I read all that you manage to accomplish!
One thing always jumps out at me when I read some of your posts. You are such a good Dad/ Grandpa. Your family is lucky but I am sure they know that already.You spend so much time teaching them and helping them and enjoying them. You are a good guy Alan. I sincerely mean it. Have ag reat week.

b o o said...

hope you're feeling better *hugss* have a great week ahead :)

taza said...

alan--you're a wonderful granpa. i'm so glad your grandson saw the wisdom of wearing his helmet--b/c it doesn't matter whose *fault* it is with a bike/motorcycle wreck, the guy on the 2 wheeler is gonna eat dirt!

you are such a busy guy, and i so appreciate your taking the time to send me such uplifting comments.

bless your heart!
:)

Kranki said...

Wow! Another busy weekend! I have to admit I had a very mellow one and was, frankly, a little bored. I think I like your busy ones better. I need grandkids or something.