Surviving Christmas...

is always a neat trick, but so far (knock on my wooden head) this year has been easier than some I remember!

We still ended up wrapping until 2AM, then since we were going to John and Noel's around noon for Christmas with them and the grandkids, we exchanged gifts when we were done wrapping everyone else's. She finally got her "Heroes: Season 1" set, and was delighted as it also has the "pilot" movie they never ran in it...

I on the other hand, was shocked!

I had told her a couple of times that I had thought of buying a Playstation 2 game to take to the family New Year's party next week, or the family Christmas party this Saturday. I couldn't bring myself to spend the money, though...

So imagine my shock when she hands me this big box...that rattles...

We've had some problems this year with things that rattle, whether it was the "Babylon 5" set I gave her for our anniversary, or the "Stargate: Atlantis" set she got for her birthday last month. That one took two returns to get one that didn't have a scratched disc in it!

As I pulled the paper off the box though, and opened it, the wireless guitar for "Guitar Hero" was just fine...as was the game. We spent 'til 4AM playing with it. The first two rounds she actually beat my score using the hand control...I went 0 for 360 in the first full song I tried! Seems that, not having read the instructions, I plugged the wireless reader into the "hand control 2" slot, so when she picked up the hand control, she started beating my first few efforts.

I took it to John's house yesterday; Bill and Laura came as well (having them both manage to get off work was a treat) and Bill, John and I took turns, then each grandchild took one turn. After that we 3 "boys" played for about 3 hours...

I was told to bring it to my sister's on Saturday for the family party. So it seems all the stories are true, it's quite the party game!

Today I finally gave up and backed my old Gateway up then updated it to SP2 and IE7. It took 12 hours of starts and restarts, but all seems well now. When Dottie got off work, she and I had to return 2 pair of Talia's jeans, and when we found the ones we needed, we found enough clothes to finish off her birthday shopping as well (coming up later next month). By the time we finished that and got home it was 10 when she got in the shower and I started dinner; we ate and finally caught up with "Battlestar Galactica: Razor" from a few weeks ago. Good movie, great series!

Tomorrow she works again, I have to wrap the gifts for the party on Saturday (along with tracking down one last one), and then Friday we are hoping the weather cooperates and we can slip off to a movie or two for the first time in a month, starting my birthday a day early as the family Christmas party is on Saturday, the actual day of my 52nd. If we survive that, we're planning to try to keep the grandkids Saturday night and Sunday so John and Noel can have a date night, then on Monday we'll have the November, December and January birthdays celebration at my sister's (there are 5 of us between Thanksgiving and the middle of January), along with New Years Eve.

I'm sorry to be slipping behind with all of your blogs this last week; the whirlwind shows no signs of slowing yet, but it will and I will catch up soon! You are all in my thoughts, and sometimes I swear I can hear a chuckle or two from some of you! In the meantime, I very much hope the week is being kind and that you all have wonderful and very Happy New Years!

alan

There's No Place Like Home...

for the holidays, and we are!

Stopped on I-70 by a 30 car wreck on Saturday, after we lost the hour and a half for the detour that turned thousands of us around, we headed north into Nebraska and then across I-80; we came home the same way. All safe, all sound...

May your Christmases all be as bright as mine seems this moment!

alan

What fools these mortals be!

I've spent my little bits of free time this week gathering things for the road trip this weekend. Log chain, tow strap, come-a-long, 12V electric impact, space blankets, extra gloves...

The zipper in Dad's snowmobile suit disintigrated last winter, and I'm back in that size range again, so while Christmas shopping last week I found one that fit at Sears for almost half off. I dug out my "long underwear" and a couple pair of heavy socks, along with my old "felt pack" boots I've taped back together several times through the years, and once again taped them up.

Conversation with youngest son, my co-driver this weekend.

"I have a snowmobile suit that will fit you, and a double layer knit hat, but no boots. My last pair was $18 at Wal-Mart."

"I've got my sneakers, Dad. I'm sure my feet will be just fine. They might get a little cold, but I'll be OK."

Spoken by someone who has never seen his feet bluish purple as I have!

So I slipped out to Wal-Mart yesterday afternoon; no $18 boots, but a set for $34 that are rated to -40F. I also packed most of the things mentioned in the beginning behind the seat, cleaned all the glass inside and out and Rain-X'd it as it's supposed to be rain/snow all the way to the Colorado line on Saturday. Friday and early on Saturday they are supposed to get 1-2 feet of snow, so hopefully by the time I'm climbing out of Denver heading north at midnight on Saturday they will have cleared everything!

Many years ago now I made the mistake of baking brownies to take in to each of the groups of people I stock for. The last time I did it it was 14 pans. Last year I took vacation, and had not planned to start doing this again.

A few months ago a guy who had been around back then actually transferred to one of the teams I stock for now, saying "Christmas is coming and I am really looking forward to some of those brownies"!

So last night I came home at 4AM and made 3 pans; right now three more are in the oven. When I come home tonight I have one more round, and that's it! I know someone's feelings are going to be hurt, but I just can't give up any more sleep and survive this weekend!

Tomorrow Dottie is off, Saturday I leave for Laramie; I'll hopefully be back early Monday morning. Dottie is working Christmas Eve so if everything works out I'll try to leave a short post on Monday just to say I'm home and everything is OK...

May Friday be kind; may this last shopping weekend find you with all the gifts you need and time to wrap them!

Happy Holidays to each and every one of you; I love you all very much!

alan

31 years ago today...

We had had the license for several weeks, but this was the only day she and her cousin, the Navy Chief Petty Officer who introduced us, were both going to have off before Christmas. (Opposite duty sections and his ship was "in and out" at that time, doing shakedown cruises.)

So we met at a San Diego judge's home in Chula Vista after he got home from work that evening. With a couple of the guys I shared a house with, her cousin, and the judge's mother looking on, we got married. I in jeans and a t-shirt, she in jeans and a blouse.

I'd have never dreamed she'd put up with me for this long!

Though she has to work today, I've taken the last of my vacation days for the year; she was off Tuesday and I started them then. When she comes home tonight the shopping will be done, and there will be shrimp, steak and fried mushrooms ready when she gets out of the shower.

Tomorrow we are taking Noel (my younger son's wife) antiquing for part of her birthday, which was Wednesday. When we get back we'll be fixing her "birthday dinner" of "porcupine meatballs".

Sunday will be back to Christmas shopping and trying to tally the lists and "even things out" if that's ever possible, lol!

Monday- back to my 10 hour days (Cracker Lilo sent me a link to a song I need to go check out when Dottie's not sleeping), then next Saturday (the 22nd) I leave to pick up Jordan's car in Laramie and to try and get home before Christmas, safely! My younger son John is making that run with me as Dottie has to work. I've bought chains and set aside some other things, and am planning to be "vewy vewy caweful"! (With my receding hairline past the point of receding anymore, I'm starting to look a bit like old Elmer Fudd!)

So I'll be in and out, but don't know how much bloghopping I'll get done!

So, in this ramp up to the holidays...

May your days be merry, and bright!

alan

A Christmas Story...

Once upon a time, there was a little boy...

He was born at the beginning of the last century, a poor little boy from a very poor family. His father abandoned them; at some point his Mom gave he and a sister to his grandparents to raise.

The little boy grew and, as little boys do, managed to end up the wrong place at the wrong time, and being the wrong color as well, in the South, early in the last century, was sent to a children's home. There he learned a craft, and mastering it like no one had before him, rapidly gained fame.

His fame took him north, and continued to grow. His amazing talent saw him raise his status in life beyond the wildest dreams he could have hoped for. It also cost him his first 3 marriages...

Constantly traveling, giving much of himself to those who came to see him, he married again in his early 40's. By this time he was known all over the world. They said there wasn't a country you could visit where the mention of him didn't bring a smile!

After the 2nd World War ended, they traveled together, and she decided that though they were constantly on the move, she would surprise him with a Christmas tree. When he came back to their hotel room, he was indeed surprised!

As was she! Because this grown man cried like a child! She watched him sob and sob and finally got him to explain why he was crying so...

He had never, ever, had a Christmas tree before! Not one that was "his"! In his entire life!

He was so enraptured by the tree she had set up for him that he insisted they take it with them, and she later said that for 6 months after, every time they moved, she set that Christmas tree up for him in their new hotel room!

The little boy's name?

Louis Armstrong!

I read that in the liner notes of the Louis Armstrong "Memorial Album" that RCA issued after his death; each year and with every tree I see, I think of it and him.

And I am grateful!



Thank you, Pops!

alan

Letters, I get letters...

I received this from my Senator last Friday. I had signed a petition that went to both of them, but the other one, the one who was running for President doesn't usually bother with my correspondence.

Perhaps I should content myself with the idea that they will allot some money (that will probably never be signed over, like so many other programs) and do some studies. I'm sorry, I'm not!

His letter:


"Dear...,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding federal hate crimes. I appreciate your insight into this complex legal issue.



In April, Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) introduced S. 1105, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This legislation imposes criminal penalties for willful bodily harm motived by race, religion, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. It also authorizes the U.S. Attorney General to provide assistance to state and local governments for the prosecution of crimes motivated by race, gender, religion, and sexual orientation. S. 1105 was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee where it awaits consideration.



Recently, the Senate passed H.R. 1585, the National Defense Authorization Act. During consideration of this bill, Senator Kennedy introduced an amendment similar to S. 1105. I voted against the amendment. However, it was approved by the Senate. I had several concerns with this amendment. We must be cautious in giving preferential treatment to select classes of victims. Every American is entitled to equal justice regardless of personal characteristics.



However, I voted for an amendment offered by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) to authorize $5 million in funding to assist states and local governments in prosecuting hate crimes. The amendment also requires a federal study of the prevalence of hate crimes. At this point the Senate bill will be referred to a conference committee where conferees will resolve the differences between the Senate and House versions of the Defense Authorization Act.



Again thank you for taking the time to contact me. If you would like more information on issues before the Senate, please visit my website at http://roberts.senate.gov. You may also sign up on my home page for a monthly electronic newsletter that will provide additional updates on my work for Kansas.



With every best wish,



Sincerely,





Pat Roberts"


My reply:


"Sir,

I am in my early 50's and have seen a bit of life. I am a Vietnam Era Navy veteran, and was aboard the USS Kittyhawk on the WestPac cruise after several sailors were murdered on board her during race riots. I grew up with my Dad using words that I shan't repeat here to describe people of other races and of other origins because he had grown up in southern Oklahoma and thought that he could and that no one had a right to tell him not to. This included his son, who had his teeth put through his lip for his trouble.

I remember the race riots here in Kansas City and being terrified that my Dad could be killed because one of the Milgram stores he was a supervisor over was in the affected neighborhood. I also remember pondering the irony of that possibility and the language he used to describe the people of that neighborhood!

I remember his Wallace campaign button from those years...

My point, Sir, is that had it not been for the Civil Rights Acts of the mid 1960's, a whole group of citizens would have continued to be treated as they had been for a hundred years before that. It took Federal law, not state or local, to make their abuse stop!

Two years ago, in Lawrence, Kansas on a KU football weekend two students walking down Mass. Avenue were beaten by some Nebraska fans because they thought they were gay. Because they thought they could do that, because they thought they "had the right". Had it happened in other cities in this state, I'm not sure it would have been pursued with the same vigor it was in Lawrence.

Recently, in Montana, a girl was followed and beaten in the same manner. It took letters to the editor of the local newspaper to get an investigation begun there.

There is no excuse for this in this day and time! Until there is a Federal law on the books that says "if you don't deal with this, we will" it will continue just like the crimes we look at as hideous from earlier days in our history!

This is the time, Sir!

Please re-think your position on this?

The child you save could be my grandchild! Or yours!

Sincerely,"



There were many other things I would love to have thrown in, but feared that were it any longer it wouldn't be read at all. As it is, I haven't heard anything back from his office, and usually I get an acknowledgement of receipt.

The last letter that arrived at my home from my other Senator, the one who usually doesn't bother, was addressed to "Ms." and my first name. Guess we know what the former presidential candidate feels about me!

I had planned to post this tonight, but have some shopping I need to slip out and do early tomorrow, so plan on coming home and getting to bed "early" tonight as I possibly can. I have a 40% off coupon for Borders that expires tomorrow, and there is a "Heroes" box set that has Dottie's name written on it if I can get there before work...

alan

What a ride!

Mercifully, we only did 8 hours on Saturday night. I got home just before 2, instead of 4...

Dottie was still up, having let her hours slip closer to mine; now she's paying the price as she's trying to go to sleep at almost 2:30AM and she has to get up at 8. I always try to talk her out of it; sometimes I win, but usually I don't.

I slept 'til noon today, then after some coffee and muffins and re-writing some lists, we headed out to load Santa's sleigh. First was Lowe's though, as 4 of my sand tubes from last year had rotted so they're now in a barrel on the corner of the patio to sand my driveway and the street in front of the house on the bad nights, and 4 new ones replaced them along with the 3 I saved from last year in the bed of my truck, as they're talking about a major rain/snow/ice storm on Thursday night into Friday.

Then it was an electronic store for the first major round. We got all but one game on our list there, filled my truck on the way home and traded it for her car, then set out again. Picked up the other game we needed, hit a bookstore I had some coupons for, then off to clothes shop for the grandkids. In a bit over 5 hours we took care of almost everything.

Now Dottie will spend the next few evenings logging it all, adding it all up to try and make sure things are even between all the kids and grandkids, then there will be some juggling things as there are some birthdays coming early in the year if she's over, or picking up a few odds and ends to even things out. Hopefully (finger and toes crossed) there are only a few more forays into the holiday throng before it's all done!

Which is good because I'm scheduled for 6 days again this next week, and she has Friday off and then works the weekend.

I got a letter back from one of my state Senators about his views on the "Matthew Shepard Act" (Senate Bill S-1105). He didn't please me at all with it, and I had planned to post it tonight along with my reply, but that was when I thought my wife would be asleep 3 hours ago...I am going to write my reply tonight and will try and get it posted in the next few days.

Forgive my scarcity of late, life's been a bit of a whirl!

May the week be kind to each of you!

alan

Bumpy...

these first few days back...trying to let my hours slip and keep all the other balls in the air, so to speak!

I figured out the other night that I have about 3 hours a day to have a life on these hours:

I try to get out the door to leave for work about 4:30 in the afternoon; if I'm lucky I'm back in front of the dresser at 4AM. There went 11.5 hours.

If (conservatively) I allot an hour a day to cooking, eating, packing my cooler and taking a shower, and a half hour to the other things that have to be done around the house each day I'm up to 13.

I try to get 8 hours sleep each night. Some nights that's harder than others (last night I woke up about once an hour for some reason...aches, pains...trips to the little boy's room...). If I don't, then I start screwing things up (like Monday night when I set a rack of "wrong" stock on the line). Now we're up to 21...

So that leaves 3...

I had planned to write something last night but I was cross-eyed. I'm not much better tonight, but I needed bibs for work tomorrow so they are in the wash right now. In a minute I'm going to slip off and watch one episode of "Ghost in the Shell"; that will be the first thing I've watched since Sunday.

All this fun and I get to do it for 6 days this week as well...hmmmmmm!

Lou Costello used to say "I must have been a baaaaaaaaaaaaad boy"!

Sometimes it feels that way!

Hopefully tomorrow night I will slip around and check in with some of you...right now I just want to lie down 'til the washing machine stops!

Thinking of you each...may the rest of your weeks be kind!

alan

Vacation winding down...

and as it does, I wonder how I find time to go to work!

Thanksgiving went well. I managed to distract Dottie while she was making pies Wednesday evening and she forgot to turn down the oven on one of the apples; that one ended up broken up into a corningware dish in our fridge so she could re-use the ceramic pie pan to make another...she thought for once that she would be done in time to get a "good night's sleep" and instead she ended up going to bed around 2. I was forgiven, though!

Yesterday we (Dottie, younger son, his wife, the 3 grandkids, his brother-in-law who lives with them now along with my sister and her family) all went to see "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium". I had read a piece in the USA Today about it 6 months or so ago, and knew I would be going to see it if no one else wanted to. 26 thumbs up...I will own that one when it comes out!

Last night I thawed our turkey and will be putting it in the oven shortly. A small one just for us, as Bill and Laura are both working this weekend so we won't be getting to have our own family after-dinner like we've done the past few years. By the time Dottie comes home all will be done except for making the gravy. My grandmother taught her, and it's one of the few things I just can't quite get right. Someday!

Meanwhile, I'm running laundry and watching the thermometer because if it breaks 40 there are some things outside I'd like to try and get done. Yesterday the caulk I had worked on Tuesday hadn't set up yet...have some wood it would be nice to get in prime tomorrow, as it's supposed to make it to 50 again. We'll see!

Monday I go back to work after my 10 days off; the feeling of dread has already tried to settle in. Back to the "rat race"...hopefully with others doing my job they've decided it really is too much for one person and taken something off!

(Not holding my breath on that! By way of explanation, they used to expect us to deliver 8 things per hours; as they put the radio monitors on our forklifts that has gone up but there are still only so many things you can do in one hour. Most anything takes at least 3 minutes by the time you deal with the empty container, the full container, and opening one or closing the other. Some take 4 or 5; some you have to take 2 containers and that puts you up to around 8 minutes. The last night I worked I delivered 12 in the first half hour. All things that would shut the line down if I didn't deliver them, the ones that weren't I skipped over. Partly because dayshift doesn't like to order, partly because too many of my parts come in 20 to 36 part containers. My team leader came and picked up 3 more off my screen, and I delivered 8 more after that...)

So, for the next few weeks, I'm back on ten hour days; the first two weeks of December are 6 day weeks as well; they want every Malibu we can build before the Christmas shut-down week. Dealers are still begging to get more than one or two; a good sign with it being the holidays because normally car sales "die" right now and stay "dead" until people start getting their tax checks. A good time of the year for it, with all the kids and grandkids to shop for, but backbreaking none the less.

Now my sights turn towards that Christmas shut-down week. I work on Friday night; Saturday morning I have to get up and head for Wyoming again to pick up the Galaxie that we trailered up there several months ago. Hopefully the weather cooperates and we'll be back late Sunday in time to rest up for the holiday! Dottie can't go this time, so my younger son is supposed to ride shotgun...I don't really want to try it by myself that time of year!

It's Dottie's lunchtime now, and time for me to go find my cellphone! I need to move laundry as well...then after she calls I'll start preparing dinner.

May the rest of the weekend be kind to you all!

alan

If this doesn't...

make your foot tap and bring you a smile, you're dead!

Happy Thanksgiving to those who will be partaking tomorrow; may the week be kind to the rest of you!

Enjoy!



Anita O'Day and Roy Eldridge (one of the most underated men to ever pick up a horn) with Gene Krupa's band...


alan

Guilty pleasures...

Before I get to those...

I had a few questions asked about my using Melatonin to go to sleep when I come home.

If you can imagine getting off work from a physical job and trying to go to sleep an hour after you get home, that's what going to bed at 5AM is like for me. It's the equivalent of going to bed at 6 or 6:30 for someone on a "normal" schedule.

Melatonin seems to work well for me and isn't "habit forming" like the other things I keep reading about. I don't take it, though, if I have less than 6 or 7 hours ahead of me to sleep and if I get less than 8 I wake up a bit "slow"; if I can get 8 or 9 hours, I'm just fine. I always try to get 8 when I'm working for fear of running someone over with a 16,000 pound forklift when they walk out in front of me oblivious to their surroundings.

I first read about melatonin in an "Alaska" magazine as one of the recommendations for dealing with the sun/lack of sun issues at certain times of the year. For me, it comes in especially handy when I try and flip my hours as I did last night, going to bed at midnight instead of 5AM and getting up at 8. Dottie refuses to take anything she doesn't "have" to, and if she lets her hours slip to mine she can't go to sleep the night before she has to go back to work. Plus right now, I need the daylight hours to try and finish my outside projects as the weather is due in Tuesday evening...freezing rain, etc..

It was also mentioned in some other things I've read. There's a lot of information on the net as well, if you are interested in it.

On to the promised "Guilty Pleasures"!

I mentioned something the other day in a comment about watching "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader". Whether it's realizing how much I've forgotten, being shocked at how much earlier things are learned now than they were "in my day" or pleasantly surprising myself with some of the questions I get right, each week that's one hour the two of us enjoy. Of course, many of the answers I get right, I didn't learn in school...

Of the new shows on TV, "Big Bang Theory" has been a treat as well! Well written, funny, and well cast! I will miss it when they run out of episodes due to the writer's strike. "Samantha Who" has been pretty good as well. There are some others we've recorded that we have yet to find time together to watch, so I know what we'll be doing when the new episodes of other things run out!

The "Big Band" channel on my Music Choice on our cable has been on way too much lately, and caused countless searches of the "Solid" database and Amazon and caused my Amazon list to grow by a few pages...

For a treat when the weather finally closes in I picked up the 2nd series of "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex". I got hooked on the first series several years ago, have seen all the movies, and bought the mangas as well. Something about the human/cyber connection intrigues me.

Last but not least, with all the time I've been spending outside these last few weeks, watching our 11-going-on-12 year old dog act more like a pup since her arthritis pain is being eased by the MSM/Glucosamine/Chondroitin combination our vet found has been a treat. Though she can't outrun Bill anymore, she can run my legs off if she wants to, and refuses to stay in the house if I'm outside doing anything. It's quite a change from a few months ago when she couldn't hardly use one leg, and had great difficulty getting up off the floor if she laid there too long! (Boy do I know that feeling!)

Speaking of outside, time to go check some wood putty and get back to work...

May the weekend be lovely and kind to you all!

alan

A Day in the Life...

like that old song title!

3:30AM- Off work!

3:48- Home; pull her car out, my truck in, her car back in.

3:56- Quietly slip through our bedroom to go to basement and swap the stuff in my pockets for the clean bibs I'll wear today and put two pair in the wash so I have enough to get through the rest of the week.

4:05- Back through the bedroom, try to convince dog to stay there and lay on the nice soft carpet instead of following me in hopes of getting a Milk Bone.

4:08- Take a melatonin to try and make sure I can go to sleep ASAP.

4:10- Turn on converter box to try to figure out what's on tonight so I can set up VCR's.

4:20- Wiggle mouse to turn off SETI and start browser then go start dishwasher and close door so it doesn't wake Dottie.

(at various times through this I'm also trying to convince cat to quit "erwauling" so he doesn't wake Dottie up. If the door to our bedroom is closed he yowls; last night if it was open he did as well...)

4:25- Sit down here with 2 slices of raisin bread to go through e-mail, news and a few blogs...

4:45- Print "For Better or for Worse" for Dottie to read this morning.

5:05- Turn SETI back on, put bibs in dryer, brush teeth, go to bed.

Noon- Clock goes off so I can turn on cell for when Dottie calls at lunch. Reset clock for 1PM.

12:10- House phone rings; it's Dottie- I slept through the cell ringing.

1:00- Clock goes off, pop caffeine tab and reset it for 1:30.

1:30- Clock goes off, turn on kettle and reset for 1:42.

1:42- Make latte; discover furnace pilot has blown out, relight, wiggle mouse and settle in here for a bit

2:15- Done with post, time to go out and work on garage 'til between 3:30 and 4, then get ready for work.

Tomorrow is my last work day this week. Several contracts ago we got Veteran's Day off, but they let GM decide which day we actually get to be off...this year it's the 16th. I have 3 vacation days next week as Dottie's birthday is Tuesday; I'll be off even though she has to work as she gave up her Monday and Tuesday to go with me when we went to Wyoming to take Jordan's car up on the flatbed. She is off on Wednesday so she can make the pies for Thanksgiving dinner.

Looking forward to 10 days off work! I'll be in and out, but can't promise anything regular...please be well and may life be kind!

alan

Another 6...

Tagged by "jlb" at "...here it begins..." last Friday I had promised to get this up during the week, but with the weather being so warm and me trying to get things done, plus being back on the 10 hour days, I didn't get it done. Since she is gone to a writer's conference this weekend (hooray) this is going to be up 'til probably Wednesday, as Dottie is off on Tuesday.

I got home at 4 this morning and tried to bloghop through my roll and visit you all, but at around 5 my eyes crossed and I couldn't go any further...I'm very sorry, and will be around as I get a chance. As I write this I've been up not quite an hour, it's 60 outside, and I have 5 hours of daylight left to get something done; please forgive me?

This list is called:

Six Random Facts/Habits About Myself That I Haven’t Already Posted

I've been mulling through things now, and don't know if I have six...we'll see! I'm putting some out this time I would never have dared to before. None my sons don't know about, but their wives and my sister don't...hopefully this slips under the radar...

1) I have a great fear of posting pictures of myself like I did below. In a world with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Clive Owen, I fear making people retch! (For all of you that said kind words below, thank you!)

2) In reading a few other lists that people posted it seems many of their misadventures were alcohol fueled. While I have had a few of those, most of them ended with my body functioning and my mind not, therefore it was never my favorite painkiller. "Better living through chemistry" did have a high place on that list however, "back in the day". "Microdot", "windowpane" and "blotter" were all consumed through the years and led to some very strange adventures. Attending "Andy Warhol's Frankenstein in 3D" was one. Riding my motorcycle there and back should probably count for two...bowling the highest score of my life when the other end of the alley was a twisted, writhing mosaic of color...

3) The very last time I ever did the above Dottie and I hadn't been together too long. I went to a party with some biker friends and decided it was time for me to leave. Wisely, on foot. However on the way home, as I walked down the sidewalk minding my own business I watched a fire hydrant jump out and attack my leg!

4) Now, at my advanced age, everytime I can't remember something I wonder "if I had back a few of those brain cells" would this be happening. In my heart I know it probably would, but there is always that nagging doubt!

5) When I decided to sign my organ donor card the above worried me so badly I asked 2 MD's if there was a possibility of my organs or skin or something causing some poor innocent who received them a "flashback". Both were amused by the question and said that no, as long as I wasn't having any problems, the recipients wouldn't either.

6) After I had given up the above, my last foray into psychedelics involved mushrooms and varnish. At the rental house I walked home to above, the living room floor was wood and had had motorcycles torn apart on it by the previous tenant. The landlord had agreed that whatever we spent to refinish it we could deduct from the rent, so we stripped it. The afternoon I started to varnish it I had bought some very good polyurethane spar varnish, but only had enough money left for some cheap paint brushes. As I opened the can, a friend stopped by...not long after I was very very stoned, tripping on mushrooms, high on paint fumes, and trying to pick the brush bristles out of the varnish as the brush was shedding one about every 4 inches...

A "freebie":

When he was in college my oldest blew his ACL in a martial arts class. When he had it repaired he "came to" in the hospital the physics major honor student was absolutely convinced that the anesthesia had ruined his mind because he couldn't do some of the complex math things he normally could in his head. This is about 15 minutes after he "woke up". I kept trying to convince him he was fine, that it was just the anesthetic and that when the rest of it wore off he would be OK. He was absolutely paranoid, so I started telling some of the above stories.

The guy in the next bed was a bit older than Bill, but not my age. I thought he was unconcious; he had had disc surgery and was "out" except for hitting the button on his pain pump everytime he stirred.

When checkout time for Bill came (23 hours after he went in) I went to go get the car, and while he waited the guy told him to thank me for the stories, he really enjoyed them!

May the weekend be kind!

alan

P.S. Hopefully none of you are offended by the above stories; it was a different time and a different world...

Cover up your mirrors...

and maybe your eyes as well!

My idea for an alternative title was "My Halloween Mask"



I needed a current photo for something "Zilla" cooked up and figured if I could send it to her, I could put it here as well!

I used to buy Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer stamps, but when postage went up a couple of years ago they quit making the Prostate Cancer ones. I'll put them on anything I mail; my wife doesn't think they are appropriate for some things...

I don't think cancer is appropriate for anyone!

It's been a few years since I heard numbers, but they used to say that one in 9 women would get breast cancer, 1 in 10 men would get prostate cancer; but that 1 in 15 men will get breast cancer as well!

I think for what we've spent in Iraq we could probably cure cancer; have health care for most if not all of us; have a real education system that paid teachers what they are worth; pay for college for anyone that qualifies and most likely have some money left over!

Instead, we've been propping up the next dictator we'll have to lock up and execute because he didn't do what we wanted...

Speaking of government policy...

Remember when W. said that global warming was just junk science?



We had more and later rain than usual this year, but that doesn't explain that on the 4th of November my tree that is usually bare by the 2nd week of October is still in full leaf and just starting to turn, or the lush green lawn that is in desperate need of mowing! Normally my mower gets used to mulch leaves one last time just before or after Halloween and that's it 'til around March.

Not this year!

Junk science my ass!

Forgive my language...please?

alan

Terrifying...

is how grown up a little girl can look at 6...



Her little brother wore a handmade costume...



and the oldest grandson was dressed from the surplus store!



Sorry I haven't been around much these last few days...I've been scraping, caulking and painting just as fast as I can go!

(Seems like this was all much easier 20 years ago!)

alan

My Halloween Treat!

Last night as I "chased the whirlwind" at work, trying to get and then stay caught up, my teamleader came and told me to report to our department superintendent's office. Since he was smiling, I didn't worry like I do at times...

When I got there Sue told me she had gotten to draw someone from our department to drive a new Malibu home, and I was the first name she drew!

I was a bit shocked; I haven't driven a test car since 1984, and usually decline offer when they do because I really don't want to be responible for something with that big a price tag!

But I accepted, and brought home a 2008 Malibu LS with the same engine as Dottie's 2006. Nothing else is the same except for the feeling of driving an awesome car that I am very proud to be a part of building!



Dottie got up in the middle of her night's sleep when I came home and we took it out on the roads we are most familiar with; the ones we drive every week on our shopping rounds. The ones where we know every tar strip, piece of ribbed concrete, etc..



The engine is the same 4 cylinder that's in Dottie's '06; the same one that averages 28 around town and we've gotten over 37 mpg on the highway from. It has enough power to startle you when you really "hit it"; I can't imagine what the V-6 must be like!

The redesign of the interior has added some subdued lighting that is very nice, extra cupholders (2 for the driver and 2 for the passenger) and cubbyholes that I'd have never thought of, plus a two layer console so you can put things 2 different places to keep them easier to find! We were also impressed with being able to place our sodas or whatever in the ones in the console and then cover them!
















The cornering is even better than Dottie's '06, and when a fox decided to come out of the median at 3AM running towards the left front fender the 4 wheel discs did a nice job of shutting it down as I swung the nose to the right to avoid him. I hadn't planned on practicing avoidance maneuvers, but she handled it well!

We both enjoyed playing with the XM Satellite radio; I've never decided that I could deal with another subscription fee, but can understand how it would be easy to fall in love with! The car has anti-lock brakes, traction control, and On-Star as well. Apparently all standard in that model!

In Dottie's '06 there is a display in the dash that gives you your current fuel range, current mileage, average mileage, and how long you have until you need an oil change.

In this one that is controlled by a button in the steering wheel inlaid along with the cruise control buttons, and comes up under the speedometer so you don't have to look away from the road. Besides all of the above, it also gives you the current pressure in all 4 tires individually, fronts left and right and rears left and right!

When we got back we took turns sitting in the rear seat and moving the front seat around. I have ridden a lot in the back seat of ours as we take Mom places; always comfortable and enough room for a not so svelte old man, the new one has even more leg room!



The rear of the console has a cubbyhole and a 12V outlet added to it along with the cupholders that were in Dottie's '06. As much time as my grandkids spend with Gameboys and Leapsters, that's a bonus!



The back of the seats has a net to keep things gathered up as well!




The back of the rear seats folds down individually from the inside, unlike Dottie's where the latch is in the trunk and you have to fold down one before the other. A nice change!







Quite a Halloween treat for me! The only thing I noticed throughout the test drive is that the Uniroyal tires had a bit more road noise than the Bridgestones on Dottie's '06. Since we put 4 or 5 different kinds on them, I might opt for one of the others were I ordering one.

A dream to drive! To see how far the American auto industry has come in the 29 years I've been working in it is quite amazing! The changes inside the plants are staggering; the technologies I never dreamt of, etc.. Having the end result in my driveway every day for my wife to drive and get to know it throughly; knowing that the people I stock for every night are the ones that put the parts on it and their hearts and futures in it makes it a very personal thing.

Driving the successor, and probably the last "platform" I will be involved with building before I retire was a joy and gives me great hope for the future of both my plant and Chevrolet!

Not something I would have dared to say 20 years ago!

Happy Halloween!

alan

7 things...

about me. Hmmmmmmm...guess some of you may have to forgive me if I reuse some from earliers memes...I hope you do anyway! "Clandestine" tagged me earlier in the week, so here goes!

First she said I have to post the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself, some random and some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of post and list their names.
4. Let them know they were tagged by a comment on their blog.


1) I have no toenail on the big toe of either foot. Both were damaged at different times by my uncoordinated self dropping things on them. At various times and various stages of only being half attached, they got infected and had to be removed, permanently.

2) Speaking of being uncoordinated, if there's a way to whack my head I'll find it. There is a 4 inch cast iron sewer line in my basement that has been there my whole life. When Dad dug the basement in 1959-60 it wasn't a problem; now it's forehead high. Either I duck under it and grab something and raise up into it, or go to back up with something, but at least once a week I catch it a bit; at least once a month it's enough that George Carlin's 7 words have nothing on me!

I've also walked into the bottom of cars on the assembly line at work through the years; I've whacked my head on hoods and deck lids (bonnets and boots to those who use them).

So far (knock on my wooden head) no stitches!

3) Speaking of which, at 51 and soon hopefully 52, I've never had a broken bone or stitch. I did have to have some butterfly tapes on my head once from the bottom of a car at work, though...I was spraying underbody, the line stopped but I didn't...

4) I was reading music by the time I was in kindergarten, and playing accordion. When I was in the 4th grade I found a fingering chart and picked up my Dad's trumpet and started playing it; to get me to leave his 1927 Conn alone, he bought me my own. I was in every school band there was from then all the way through high school. Between them and practicing, playing 5 or 6 hours a day was normal.

5) Which leads to my taste in music; while I will will listen to most anything, if I'm putting something on for myself, most likely it will be jazz of some vintage. When other kids were buying "The Beatles" or "The Stones" or "The Dead" I was buying Louis Armstrong, Bunny Berigan, Bix Beiderbecke and Chet Baker albums to wear out as I practiced..."Music Choice" around here is usually on the "big band" channel!

6) If the hair in my ears needed trimmed no more often than the top of my head, I'd be a happy man!

7) Which leads me to my finale; the very first place I put sunscreen, before anywhere else, is the top of my bald bald head! If you've never had a sunburnt scalp, you've never had the ultimate most painful sunburn! And a mesh ball cap is not going to prevent it! Waterproof, tear-free formula SPF-50, please! I'm so grateful for it because all the others run into my eyes and sting almost as badly as the burn I'm trying to save myself from!

So now that you've all figured out how strange I really am, and that you now know yo have nothing to worry about, should any of you feel the urge to do this, I'll enjoy reading your 7! Knowing how busy you all are, I won't tag anyone directly, but please, should you decide to share, please let me know?

May you each have a lovely weekend!

Mine will be spent with a paint brush in hand...though for a treat on Sunday I have some sirloins in the fridge and 2.5 pounds of sliced mushrooms!

alan

A bit of Sunday...

If you ever wanted to see a happy kid...and at the time we were waiting for a few more people to buy their tickets! The gentleman with the pony tail was telling me about being a new volunteer and what a wonderful time he was having working at the museum.



Dottie and I took turns riding and taking pictures...




Then I put the wide angle on the Nikon and tried shooting some movies with it. Sadly, I've spent an hour now trying to upload them and it seems YouTube doesn't like them...I was hoping that though the quality of the movie isn't great, that you would enjoy hearing the original Wurlitzer "Band Organ" that was restored and donated by a Leavenworth native you might have heard of: Melissa Etheridge! I will try and figure out why that won't post over the weekend...

I bought 24 tickets that afternoon; we were given 4 more with the tour. We came home with 2 left over for next time.

:o)

Time to put my laundry in the dryer and get myself to bed; tomorrow I need to get some primer on the garage before I go to work...

Dottie is off on Friday, so I'll be around on Saturday and Sunday...

alan

Double teamed!

My nephew Jordan. Owner of the Galaxy you met not so many posts ago. 16, played JV last year and was starting varsity before the year was out; a sophomore this year he's starting both again. Playing offense and defense!

A week ago Friday he had a fumble recovery in his varsity game; this last Friday he had a sack. The photo is from the JV game on Saturday; they shut out their cross town rival. He was double teamed most of the game. It was the first of his football games I've made it to; I'm hoping to make it to more of them next year!

I told my sister that between his grades (straight A's) and his athletic talents (he also wrestles and throws javelin) that perhaps she won't have to pay for his college.

We ended up with both grandsons Friday and Saturday nights. They went to the game and my brother-in-law's birthday party with us (Jordan's Dad, Mitch). Sunday we took them to the carousel museum; I didn't get all the photos uploaded yet as it was storming last night and when I got up today I went through the photos of Jordan's game to see what I had, then it was time for work. I'll try and post something Wednesday or so...

Tonight though every forecast I heard said that the low would be 40 Dottie heard someone say that it might frost (it's 4AM and it's 40 outside right now) so she brought her plants in for the winter. When I got home I had to dig up the timer and the plant lights...it's late now and I'm going to set up VCR's for tomorrow night and find my way to bed!

I was tagged by Clandestine so I'll try and answer by the weekend...too many hours, too many projects and too little time! Hoping to visit you all in the next day or so...

May the week be kind!

alan

Tuesday off!

I took another vacation day today; Dottie was off after working her weekend and Monday. I got to bed at 4:30 this morning, a bit over 2 hours after I got home from work; I was up at 10:30 (with a lot of help from some caffeine).

At 11:30 we were seated in the theater for "Michael Clayton". I had read some very good things about it and seen a few previews. I try not to read too much as I don't like spoilers; Dottie had only heard me say I wanted to see it.

Stunningly good movie. Perhaps good enough to make it into my top 10, which is doing something since my own list starts in 1916...we'll see after I watch it again. "Box office and business" on the IMDB aren't updated, but I hope this breaks even for everyone involved!

We slipped out to Applebees for lunch, then back to the theater for "Resident Evil: Extincion". Dottie was so "into" seeing this that we rewatched the first two on Sunday night. I remember "1" almost frame for frame, but had forgotten more than I'd like to admit of "2". The movie was very good; they close the storyline enough that if there isn't a 4th you're content, but there is room for a 4th if the box office carries it. A nice addition to the series.

A turn signal bulb on her Malibu had burnt out on Sunday, so we stopped on the way home from the movie and I picked up a pair of bulbs, then hit the driveway to change her oil and filter, fix the bulb, and change wiper blades, along with resetting tire pressures now it's starting to cool down. I'll hit them about every two weeks until we settle into the 30's come December, as there can be 6-8 pounds difference if you drop 30 degrees air temp...(trying to get you each to do the same, forgive me!)

My niece graduated from the fashion program at Lasell College this last spring; her Mom and Dad sent us a DVD of their spring fashion show in which Melissa had designed, sewn and fitted a clothing line; each student then had to put together the music and show for their own line. It was really quite something to watch!

Now it's almost 4, Dottie went to bed almost 2 hours ago (very late for someone who has to be up at 8) and I'm headed off to bed shortly. This weekend is my brother-in-law's birthday party; delayed from the weekend we took my nephew back to school in Wyoming. Saturday night after Mitch's party we're hoping to keep Dillon overnight and revisit the Carousel Museum with him on Sunday.

I could use another afternoon of childhood right now!

Thank you all for the kind words below. I hope you forgive my asking your words of support for another blogger. I used to fear fighting that same monster when my sons were small, having lost my Dad and so many of my family members to it. I still fear that I may have passed something on to them that has yet to be discovered. I have had a hard time dealing with some of that this past few days, especially since last week was the 24th anniversary of Dad's losing his battle with pancreatic cancer.

Someone was once putting together a book I read about in "Films in Review" (a now defunct cineophile's magazine) that asked Hollywood stars what one word they thought the most powerful in the English language. They only printed a few, of course, to save the rest for sales; they printed Hedy Lamarr's, though.

Her word was "Empathy".

I have found much of that among you. I am so very grateful to you for sharing it, both with myself and others!

I wish, somehow, it could expand exponentially and slay the other monsters of this world!

alan