Mid-Spring Hibernation complete...

To Emerge Under Refreshed Management Soon...

Autopilot

The blog has been on cruise control while I rally the troops in my head. There's been a lot of things going on lately that pulled me away for one reason or another.

Although, it may just be the Sloth in me.

Curse you fourth deadly sin. Curse you...

The good weather last weekend allowed me to get back on the van pimping project I started last month. I finally cut the last panel for the remaining section of the wall. I also have the "rough draft" of a platform to store our extra crates and x-pens. Couple of tweaks here and there and it's ready for finishing. I have one gripe, though. I wish I owned a planer/jointer. It is so hard to find the right material to build everything straight and true. It would be nice to have something with straight edges and corners once in a while. Lowe's sure isn't helping me, though. They just kicked a nugget to me in the form of a gift card, although they left a couple zero's off of it. Just enough to draw me into the store (like that's hard) but not enough to realize the dream. I hope to get back to it this weekend, but we may be rather busy.




On a more painful note, my Volvo, Ingrid, as been admitted once again to the Grim Reaper's La Casa automotora de Separación Financiera. She's been hemorrhaging black gold for the past week and the diagnosis isn't good. As soon as I heard, "The leak seems to be coming from a sealed component", my heart sank. Why can't it be, "Hey it looks like the drain plug was loose", or something like that? I may have to take her for a long drive out to the middle of nowhere one of these days...




Finally, to end on a finishing note similar to nails on chalkboard.....yeah, you just imagined that, didn't you? My portable hard drive is now a bona-fide Illinois Governor. Yep, it's corrupt. I'm hoping to find an unconventional (cheap) way to recover some important pictures and files off of it, so I'm open to any suggestions you might have. I've already done an inquiry at the local nerd brigade and the recovery fee is mighty steep.

Keep You're Head on a Swivel

Keep both eyes and ears out for news involving Cass Sunstein. I usually don't jump on the conspiracy theory train, but this guy's background and his recent appointment to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in Obama's administration make him pretty dangerous if he chooses to implement his animal-rights ideals.

Here's the article.

Kudos to Todd for getting on this quickly.

Light the proverbial match and start spreading the fire.

So 'Long Old Friends...

30+ years. That's a long time. However, for two of my travelling companions, we will never share another moment together. No more wild adventures. No longer will we enjoy trips to locations new or old.

Sad indeed. But, I feel it's for the best. For you see, these two had deteriorated in health for quite some time. They were barely hanging on to life. I could see the distress in one of them. The other, though, took me by surprise. A glimmer of hope suggested that they might pull through and live to see another day.

Alas, it was not to be.

A little over two months ago, our bond with each other was set on a path in which there was no shimmer of light awaiting us. Only the harsh reality of death greeted us at the end of our journey. Too soon......too soon.

I take full responsibility for the consequences of my actions at that time. I had no idea this was going to happen, but nevertheless, they trusted me to make the right decision and I let them down.

So, on Saturday, December 21, 2008, I made the heartfelt decision to say goodbye to two of my toenails. At this point I can realistically assume that I will be reduced to 50% of my original nail coverage by the time this is all over. This is a result of wearing shoes that were comfortable and broken-in, but not suitable for a three day, 30 mile trek in Hazel Creek. Live and learn, right?

Denise, I have made the tasteful decision to not attach pictures to this. Rest easy.

Hug your toes tonight and reflect on how special they are with attached nails.

Bring it On!

Choose your mood. Can you appreciate nature in all its forms? It's raining hard today, probably tomorrow too. One forecast calls for 1"-6" of the white stuff. Bring it on! With a rainfall deficit this year of 10" we could use all we can get. As I watch the rain drive through in sheets my thoughts drift off to full watersheds and navigable rivers and streams. More reasons I need to get back in my boat this winter.

Today is also chicken day. Jennifer and the new bus are coming home with 400lbs of chicken backs and necks. Thank goodness I polyurethaned the walls I put in! I usually like restocking our supply during this time of year because the flies are gone. With it being warm today I don't know what to expect.

Speaking of the new bus, I finally finished enough of it so we could move out of the old van. I still have some finishing work on the walls before I start on the shelves and the center console. I'll put some pictures together soon.

So, what about you? How do you take your weather? Hot and steamy? Cold and frigid? Somewhere in between?

If Money Flowed

I was recently tagged to list six things I would do if money were no object. I'm going to opt to reduce my list by excluding the obvious (new home, quit job, travel, etc). So here it goes.

1. I'd buy Jefferson County Kennel Club, then close it. I believe there is a place for the NGA Greyhound. However, it's not at this track, nor any other armpit track like it.

2. I would establish a Greyhound refuge, similar to Best Friends Animal Society and other canine rehabilitation centers. I would staff it with enough people (including those that truely cared for their Greyhounds at the tracks I close) to handle every Greyhound waiting for a new home.

3. Same as number two, except it would apply to any breed of horse. This would also include purchasing and closing all slaughterhouses in North America (for starters). I'd name the refuge after Ferdinand.

4. I would lobby tirelessly to help create laws that make any act of animal cruelty a felony. Personally, I'd like to see a variation Hammurabi's Code come into play, but that might be a little unrealistic. Although, it would leave a lasting first impression...



Sorry if you were looking for this to be an a-typical, self-serving list with a dash of philanthropy. I've been outside my box lately...

Get Up and Go!

This has been a long time coming. I knew eventually I'd have to do it. The urge was too strong. After seeing how easy it is to go to my wife's blog and read about things I have long since forgotten, I decided it's time to start my own. Too late? Maybe, but the sooner I start the less I'll forget.