What Do I Want To Do With Rest Of My Life?

Jeez Louise, you would think that at the age of 60 and with the good part of life in the palm of my hand I would stop asking myself that stupid question. I find that several times a week I ask myself what do I want to do with the rest of my life? I have everything I need and most of what I want so what the hell is there left? I'll tell you that it is the social capital that I think I need. As much as I needed Kenny here to help me with the really technical jobs, I think I needed him to have someone to talk to. I probably frustrated the hell out of him but I truly think I needed that social interaction that included having his dog meet me at the door and wagging her tail.
Our PBS Station has a program called "Simple Living" with Wanda Urbanska and she had a long talk about simple living. One topic was called "Bowling Alone" and it had a lot of the answers even if I didn't know all the questions. For example join one social club or organization and you are 50% less likely to die that year. Join a second organization and you are an additional 25% less likely to die. I'm sure that some where out there everyone must die but we are social animals and quality is better than quantity but quantity isn't all bad.
Now back to the real world. A couple of days ago it was 70 degrees and we set a new daytime high for that date. Today it started at 35 degrees and it has continued to cool off. As I went shopping about noon it was cold enough that on thin surfaces ice was forming. The ground is obviously way too warm but the mailbox and the hood of the truck had a rind of ice when I got home.
Crap, just as I thought I had one of the answers to life, Wanda talks about having a room of your own and spiritual growth when we set time to be alone and finding our own simple place. Slow down when you feel too pressured and try to find a center for your life. www.simplelivingtv.net is supposed to be a place for you to find answers . Great web site and I recommend you look it up.
So what is I really want to do with the rest of my life? I guess I'm doing it right now and so long as it works for me, I'll continue doing it.
MUD

What's on Your Table for Thanksgiving?

My version of a turkey is much darker after being smoked over a slow hickory fire but the picture gives you the basic idea of the centerpiece of the meal. I will brine the turkey tomorrow and cook it either late in the day or early Thursday.
There will be garlic mashed potatoes, stuffing (Stovetop done in a pan with some sausage,onion and celery) an apple salad, green bean casserole and some pies. My choice of pies is apple and Dave likes chocolate cream.
The most important thing is that the kids will be here and we will all enjoy a good meal and good company. Next year I hope we can do it at their house and have Barb's Mom there. We'll see. I'll probably still do the turkey and a lot of the cooking there but it will be instructional as I'm sure that Barb wants to learn as much as she can.
Put a radio in the old 53 pick-up and it can blow the windows out with 150 watts. I can't imagine what it would be like with an amplifier. Minor problem is the antenna length isn't quite long enough to reach the overhead location where I put the radio. Need an antenna splice or stretcher. I really put it in so I could listen to the radio but this thing will hook up to an i-pod, play CD or MP-3s as well as play the radio. You know that you are in trouble when your value of the truck gets doubled when you put in a tank of gas and a new radio. Oh well.
MUD

Good Enough for Government Work!

Today while I worked on the new house, I thought about the saying "Good Enough for Government Work". What would our world be like if everyone just mailed in their efforts at work, at home or in life. You know what I mean, just do it and not think about it or try to do a good job. "Just do it" may have been a good slogan for Nike but it is not good enough for me unless, it means more.
I once had a friend that when given an assignment by our boss would do it just good enough to get it done but not so good that he got asked to do it again. He made sure that he did things well enough to not get fired but I'm pretty sure that his work wasn't up to my standards. In fact, I did his job for while he went on a short tour to Washington and got in more trouble for the things he didn't tell me about than those things I did because I knew what to do. I got a call from our higher headquarters and they wanted to know when we were going to cut the order on a change in a unit. 1st, I had no idea there was a change out there and 2nd, I didn't have a copy of the change. My friend called me and said, "Remember that drawer I told you not to open? Open it". It had about a year's worth of changes that needed to be made. I started to work the changes that day and about a week later I had at least a handle on what was needed to do. I set up an action file and made time lines on all the changes. I worked that list until I had everything done. About a month later, the higher headquarters came out for a visit and to audit the job I was doing. I showed them the work I had done and they immediately had me brief their staff and from that discussion they issued a paper on how to manage changes for units. The auditor loved the work and upgraded the job two grades. My boss wouldn't give me that grade increase because I was a temp or back fill. My friend came back to Kansas and was immediately given the pay raise.
The good news is that the Chief of Staff saw the results of my hard work and hired me for a job that gave me that two grade raise. It also included a recommendation for promotion but I was then assigned to a unit in a Major's slot and had to wait a year to be promoted. The even better news was that I was immediately put in a command position and would have had to wait for a couple of years if I had been promoted.
Good work is almost always rewarded. Sometimes it is with the reward of more work but most of the time it pays in the long run. So, when I hear someone say, "Good Enough for Government Work", I am pretty confident that is is good enough for me.
MUD

Who Are You?

I am amazed at the great lengths people go to hide their identity. I have friends and family that really complain when I post a picture or their identity on my blog. Heck, even my better half has kind of complained about it when I talk about her.
The way I see it, the information age is here and there is so much out there about us on line that no matter how hard we try you can be "Googled" and found out about. I don't even try any more. I figure that if the bad guys want my good name they are welcome to share. I will continue to do my best to not besmirch it too much but by now most of the damage is done.
This morning the sky was about a wild as I have ever seen it. Right above Rabbit Run there were some very high clouds and as the sun was coming up it reflected a golden hue right down here. The sky in the east was a reddish golden color and the colors here were spectacular. I walked in the house and told Barb about it and when we looked out, the sun had just moved enough that it was all gone. Now it just looks like a lightly overcast day and in spite of it being 9AM it looks much earlier. Oh well, it will be 60 toady and it s not to snow for a couple of days. Better get some things done outside.
I really want to thank Ken for the idea of going to Joyland to look for things to update the new house. I looked at shutters at Lowe's and they were $25 to $30 @. I found four for $20.00 at Joyland. That is our local second hand store here and is a treasure trove of things piled here and there. The railing was about $10.00 a foot at Lowe's and I found it at about $1.00 a foot at Joyland. Heck, I bought paint and color matched the rail for about half of the cost of the railing. I guess used doesn't mean bad, it means inexpensive. I had typed cheap but that is not really the way I see it. Cheap could be inferior and not up to the task at hand. Most of the older stuff is better built and built to last. Most of the new stuff is plastic and won't last out the first season it is used.
Better get my act together. I need a ride up to the house to get my truck and Barb will be ready soon.
MUD

Mad Dog

When I was about 10 or 11 my dad had a bunch of tar drip on his head as he was patching a hole in the roof of a shed in our back yard. I don’t think I dripped the tar on his head but you never know and I don’t remember? To remove the tar he used a liquid he called coal oil. I don’t remember where it came from but I suspect it came out of a garage we tore down in Eldorado, KS. (El-dough-raid-o not the home of the gold, El dough raw dough) That coal oil acted as a thinner and not only did it remove that tar, it cured a really bad case of dandruff. That home remedy is one that I filed in my memory banks for later use.

Sometime later and I’m not sure of the intervening time frame but later on a friend of mine had an old dog that came down with the mange and had large bald spots where the fur was dropping off. One day as we were goofing off in the back yard I mentioned the coal oil remedy to Denny. He was a really fun kid to play with but not the brightest bulb in the pack. I think it was a disease that burned up some brain cells when he was younger that diminished his capacity. Being a consummate follower, Denny couldn’t wait to find some of that miracle coal oil. We searched my dad’s shed and where Denny’s dad stored his stuff. Not a drop of that “New Miracle Cure” could be found. (Yes, I now know that Coal Oil was an old product and not something most people would have a can of) We found a long list of products that could be a substitute but few that we thought would be appropriate to pour on a poor dog’s fur. Denny finally found a gas can and thought that because it came from crude oil that it would be close enough to substitute. You know, Crude oil vs coal oil. I wasn’t sure but hey, it was his dog and his gas.

Needless to say his experiment and application of gasoline to a mange spot turned out to be something we were not ready for. I had heard the term turpentined cat but had never witnessed a gassed dog. That old cur, that could hardly walk, turned into a whirling dervish of snapping, barking, howling and foaming at the mouth critter much more scary than Steven King’s Cujo. Mostly because we had to imagine Cujo and that dog was right there in real life and pissed off.

Thank god there were piles of large boxes in the yard and I immediately sought refuge on top of one. After a few seconds Denny thought that was a good idea and joined me. The dog continued to run around that box and bark, snarl and act rabid for about five minutes. All of a sudden she dropped on her side and didn’t move. Denny said,Did she die?" "Na," I said, "She ran out of gas."

Other than the ending of this story that I have made into a joke the above event did happen. Needless to say we learned a good lesson that day.

MUD

Why don't we write more?

Today in "Dear Abby" a guy complained that people don't write personal notes much any more. He was disappointed that his mail has turned into a source for bills and advertising. Barb said, DUH! we are writing probably more than ever it is just the form we use. We probably know more about what others in our families are doing than ever. We blog and e-mail at a high rate and in a lot of cases more than we can read.
My concern is one that I pointed out to a couple of people last week. They talk about things and don't tell us background an the what's of what they do. There is also a new blogger out there that is still testing the water and hasn't even posted a profile to identify herself.
I figure that writing about what I do is the purpose of this site. If you don't like why I write there are always the comment section. Lately there doesn't seem to be much in the way about comments but the number counter continues to spin so people are reading.
I love to hear about your gardens, your grand kids, you joys and the things going on in your life. Whatever form you use, continue to communicate.
MUD

Master Gardner Update

Barb completed a Master Gardner course and yesterday was their first field trip. They went to Kansas State University (KSU) in Manhattan to tour their facilities. KSU has labs that analyzes soil and plant problem for farmers and the counties. The lab at KSU is also the main lab for the Great Plains Region and it was neat to take the tour and see what and how they do things.
The soil lab gets in samples each day and according to the desires of the farmer/gardener they dry and then grind the samples. The samples come about 50/50 from the gardeners and farmers. The farmers send most of their samples in right before they plant so the busy time for the lab is spring and fall. The remainder of the year is through the county extension offices and is garden soil. Mostly they extract and then measure things like Potassium and Nitrogen and Phosphorous in the soil. What starts out like a brown organic sample is reduced to a clear liquid for most of the tests. That same lab also does plant and water analysis. I guess the farmers need to know the nitrate levels of the plants they are going to grind up for feed and the water treatment facilities are concerned about the high nitrate levels in drinking water. The lab manager told of one small town that had six of the seven women in one community spontaneously aborted their pregnancies because of the high nitrate level in the drinking water. The one that didn't, drank bottled water mostly and used the public water only for household purposes other than drinking.
One nice thing about our trip was that one of my co-workers completed the class with Barb and I got to visit with him and talk about old times. There are a lot of things we have in common and both are willing to share our thoughts/memories and war stories. It made the trip a good time for me. I hope Barb enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie.
For me I enjoyed the walking tour we took from lunch back to the greenhouse on campus. We stopped and talked about some of the problems the plants and trees on campus have. It is a little late for most of the plants so we did focus more on trees. It is always funny to me that our tendency is to plant trees and then when the grass dies in the shade of the tree to put in sidewalks. Yep, that kills the tree and the cycle begins again. Cut down the old tree and plant grass and a new tree. Build sidewalks to keep from walking in the mud when the tree gets over 10 feet tall and then cut down the tree when the sidewalk kills the tree. Year after year. The Doctor that gave us the tour also asked why some plants up by the building were yellow. Duh, frost! She didn't like that answer then I said over watering. I got a lot of ribbing about thinking I could know as much as the plant Doctor but hey, I have lived 60 years in Kansas and know poison ivy three times out of four.
Better run and get some things done today. It is not near as nice as it has been. A cold front is moving through and it is cooling things off but didn't bring us any much needed moisture.
MUD

62 Degrees at 7 AM

Just went out to get the paper and the cloud cover held the heat in last night and it was 62 degrees in Kansas in November. Spooky stuff. Got a lot to do outside yet so it is not all bad if it doesn't rain. I either have to make the blue trim look good or paint over it. A Few shutters would not be bad either.
Today is the celebrated Veteran's Day and there won't be any Government Offices open and the mail won't get delivered. The things that work today are the paper and the coffee maker. Those two things start my day in a good way. I was a paper boy for a year back in the early 60's and got in the habit of reading the paper at the start of the day. The coffee part didn't start for a few years but man I enjoy a good cup of coffee and the rustle of a new paper. I think there is something primal about being the first person to open a new paper that goes back to the days of having about a hundred new papers. Back then I walked my route and put the paper on the porch in most cases. There was one house that I would throw a paper on the porch and mostly I hit the porch until the owner met me one day with a ladder. I had to climb on the roof and get down those I missed the porch with. They were OK people just a little fussy about having those boxed papers on the roof. On Monday the paper was pretty small and you could make a box out of it and man would those boxed suckers fly.
Those of us that are KU Sports fans are just holding our breath. KU is listed at number three in the nation and our next games are against Missouri (Number 5) and probably Oklahoma (Number 4). The fate of the football team in in our own hands. I don't think they are really number one or two but they sure play like a good team that wins. I told someone the other day that it always seemed like the Football team found ways to stop on the offense and lose in the past. This year they just keep playing to the end of the game and win. 10-0 ain't no small potatoes. The Basketball team just is loaded with talent and they will lose only when they forget to do what has them ranked number 4 in the Nation. They have big men and guards so talented that it is just not funny. They have one guy sitting on the bench letting his knee heal that will probably go pro next year. He has a Paul Pierce ability and if his body holds together will be on someones big money list next year.
Barb and I have been talking about a trip to Morocco in March or early April next year. Probably won't hurt to do the taxes early and see if there is enough money to take the trip. I guess it is a blessing to have money to earn taxes on and then to have the money to pay them when due. Mixed blessing. The value of the US dollar is also way down but hey, this is a trip of a lifetime.
I hear the squirrels up and out at the feeder. It is a shame that our outside cat doesn't like those bushy tailed rodents. Squirrel snacks might be just the ticket.
MUD

Random Thoughts

Today is one of those days that just seems crappy. You would think that 70 degrees with a light breeze would be a nice day for November. But, it is overcast and there is enough moisture in the air that you could almost drink it. The sidewalks are wet from the moisture. I hope it either makes up its mind and rains or clears up. Either way I don't have big plans today. Mostly I have a few stray thoughts today so here goes:

• I have a squirrel feeder that is "Squirrel Proof". Yesterday I saw the strangest behavior by one of the little buggers. He would climb up on top and try to get the seeds. When he just couldn't, he would jump over to the porch support. I saw him do this three or four times before it was clear that each time he jumped, the feeder would bounce up and down ad spill a few seeds. The little bugger had found a way to get a few seeds from the feeder. Give them enough time, and they will find a way. He is back this morning but hasn't been up there yet! There are anywhere from three to six squirrels out there now.
  
• Do you know the significance of Veteran's day being on Nov 11th. WWI was ended at the 11th Hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. (no, the year wasn't 1911 it was 1918) Today I would ask that you spend a few moments thinking about your family members that fought in earlier wars to help maintain freedom. Whatever you do, don't confuse the members of the Military with the guys that cause the wars. The failure to maintain peace is the Government's fault not the Military's.
  
• Thanksgiving is a mixed blessing. If you don't have it at your house you don't have left overs. The good news if you don't have it at your house you don't have leftovers. Yes, this is an oxymoron. (Isn't that the guy that sells that stuff on TV?) How many thousands of calories do you eat because it is there and you don't want it to go to waste (or to your waist) I think being a volunteer at the local Thanksgiving feed is a good thing. I'm not sure what we will do. Somewhere out there in the future I will probably stop preparing enough to feed the masses but I will miss it. I will continue to grill a turkey on the grill sometime between September and Christmas. Nothing better than a good smoked turkey. I even bought myself a special ring so there would be a spit to turn the turkey on. No, the turkey doesn't get turned on, it gets turned slowly over the smoke.
  
• One of these times we need to have a long talk with the kids about the color scheme of their house. It is a real light blue with a dark blue trim. It looks like a giant Lowe's building. Oh well, it is really starting to look good and one of these days I'll be done there.
  
• What do you wear as your casual clothes inside your house? I am tending more and more towards the sweats but find them too warm on those days where the sun shines in the house. Today they are a good thing as it is overcast. Now if I could just find that other slipper. Can't wear just one but can't find two.
  
• Last night Boone Pickens (who has given Oklahoma State many Millions of dollars) said that the real problem right now with oil is that we has demand for 88 million barrels of oil a day and only the ability to pump 85 million. I think the problem is that even if we did get an extra million or two more we don't have the capacity to do anything with it. We haven't built a new processing refinery since the Jimmy Carter Presidency. Both parties have had their run during the intervening time. We need to just wind up our windmills today to have all the electricity we could use.
  

That's all I have for now. I hope you all have a great day and a better week.
MUD

Marine Corps Birthday & Veteran's Day

Today, 10 November is the birthday of the US Marine Corps. The US Army is very happy there is a Marine Corps because if it were not for them, we would be stuck out there on those ships and have to make amphibious landings. We love to have the job of meeting and greeting the enemy at the forward edge of the battle area so long as it is on dry land. Here are a few of my Marine jokes that I tell in jest to Marines:

• There was a Marine and a Sailor in a bath room. After peeing, the Marine starts out the door. The Sailor said, "Hey, didn't they tell you to wash your hands?" The Marine replied, "Nah, they taught us not to pee on our fingers."
• There was a Chief Petty Officer outside the Marine Recruit station near San Diego (They call those trained there, Hollywood Marines because real Marines train at Camp Le June) The Chief was up on top of a dumpster jumping up and down and hollering "FOUR!". A new Marine came out the gate and said, "Uh Chief, why are you jumping up and down like that?" The Sailor replied, " I have stress and this is the way I get rid of my stress". The Marine said, "Uh Chief, I have a DI that just hates me and I'm so stressed that I almost can't sleep." The chief invited the Marine to get up on top of the dumpster. The Marine jumped up and hollered, "4".(Being a Marine he probably couldn't spell Four) The Chief said , No son, you have to jump as high as you can and really holler FOUR!" The Marine said, "OK Chief". As the marine jumped up, the chief threw back the lid and the Marine landed inside. The Chief then Jumped up and down on the lid and hollered, "FIVE!".
• The Army has a saying, "You can Always Tell a Marine! You can't tell them very much but you can always tell 'em.
  

The Marine Corps tradition is to have a dance and to cut a cake. The first piece goes to the oldest Marine and the second piece goes to the youngest Marine there. I encourage you all to have a piece of cake today and remember that only on their birthday are they ever handed a "Piece of Cake". They are almost always handed the toughest and hardest jobs to do and they pride themselves in doing their best. Semper Fi!
MUD

Something about me you didn't know!

I am a college wrestling fan. I wouldn't walk across the street to see the WWE or any pro wrestling match but I may give up a KU basketball game to watch Fort Hays put on a dual match here in Topeka. Notice I said I might, not that I would.
My love of wrestling goes back to a classmate in Officer Candidate School, Don Carder. He was a wrestler at OSU and got kicked out of school when he was caught in the girls dorm way after the curfew. He was drafted into the Army and was selected for OCS and assigned to the same squad I was. We had many long talks about his college career. I think some of the talks may have been longer than his career. We both went to Fort Irwin when we graduated and he showed me some of his moves after a few too many beers one night. I had a pair of shorts that were too tight and when I finished my spirits and the shorts were both split right down the middle. Don was one fast and strong guy and even with the 30 lbs I had on him could make short work out of me.
It was ironic that Don managed to make the Olympic wrestling team and lost to the same guy there he lost to in the State of Oklahoma final. Dan Grable that went on to be the head coach at Iowa. My friend went to the games (and not Vietnam) as an alternate and assistant coach. The irony of all this was that he was killed in Ponca City, Oklahoma while riding a motorcycle. Stupid, stupid, stupid! He had married and had a three month old daughter.
On a lighter note, I saw in a Nebraska Furniture Mart ad a leather recliner, rocker with a built in massager and one arm that could act as a cooler to hold 4 beverages. What you say, no built in porta potty and remote control holder?
The hawks round ballers play tonight and tomorrow night the football team plays OSU. Should be a good weekend to be a sports fan. Win or lose, they are a bunch of kids playing a sport and should give us a couple of good games. The giggle of the day was the headline on the sports page that says, "KU Fans embrace Mangino". I don't know if you have seen him on the sidelines but it would take two of me to get my arms around him. The T-shirts say "Our Coach beat Anorexia", "Our coach could eat your coach" and "Our coach is PHAT!" I just hope that his heart holds out long enough for this team to play up to their potential without killing him.
Better run. MUD

The Truth, The Whole Truth and nothing but the Truth

This morning Barb and I had a long discussion about some of the world's problems and then narrowed it down to the problems right here at home in the Heartland. Here are some of the issues we feel our Government needs to spend a whole lot more time on:

• Energy - Oil is now at $100 a barrel. That is a 33 gallon barrel and less than a third of the oil is gas so you can see that gasoline is headed to $3.50 to $4.00 a gallon soon. (By Christmas?) Where is the experimentation on alternate sources of energy and why are we letting the NIMBY crowd keep us from developing new sources. (NIMBY is the acronym for "Not in My Back Yard" and is applied to those people that say we can't drill for new oil, build new coal fired plants and that windmills are ugly) If there is an issue that should be on the front burner of every candidate for the president in 2008 it is this one. Don't hear much about it do you?
• The Border - I for the life of me can't figure out why this is a big issue. If it is the dollars going to Mexico I say OK but I think it is a symbolic thing and not worth the effort it would take to plug it up. Get control of who is here by making everyone have an ID card and if you don't have one you can't make/spend or send money. I heard that there are over 3,000,000 bogus social security numbers out there. Where is the policing on that one. Yes, it is a source of revenue that causes Billions of dollars to flow to the Soc Sec Administration. Follow the Dollars!
• Water - There is a real bru-ha-ha going on here about the 345 million gallons of water a proposed Ethanol plant would require. The story makes the point that about 3/4th of that would be recycled and reused and only 1/4th or 86 million gallons would be new each year. The truth is that our typical golf course requires 82 million gallons a year. Now you tell me, what is the most important thing for us to use the water for?
  
• Does the number 10 trillion mean anything to you? That is our new National Debt ceiling. What is that number as a part of the Gross Domestic Product. (As if most people have a clue what that is in dollars) What does it mean in terms of life right here at Rabbit Run? Unless someone figures out how to make the debt something people recognize as a problem there is just no way anything is going to be done to fix it.
  
• Truth - So long as there are ways to obfuscate (lie in a way that seems normal) what the truth is, we will continue to have people doing their best to lie to us in ways that sound believable. Yesterday on of the talk shows spent over an hour talking about "Dog the Bounty Hunter" as if it were a topic that should have been important. Sheesh, I could have told you that he uses the N, f, and lot more words that aren't political correct. I wouldn't recommend you watch his program on A&E but the few times I have watched it they have to bleep out about every third word. DUH!
  
• Politics - Strange bed fellows are about. Senator San Brownback threw his support to Senator McCain. Talk about too little too late. I am not sure that if I was in third place I would want the sixth (or lower) placed person to support me. Just for the moment I will not talk about Hillary running for President and not running as a woman. (That just makes my head ache when Bill comes out ans says the guys shouldn't pile on because she's a woman)
  
• People who Don't Care - The real problem is there is so much on the plates of people out there they just don't care enough to make our Government do the right things, first. (Hell I would be glad if they do the right things right even if they don't do them first) People don't spend their money wisely, they run out and buy things they don't need with money they don't have and then wonder how they got under this bus. Just today I read that there is a new grenade contract let to Israel for 52 million to blow down doors. Jesus Christ, don't they have size 12 boots? I know they have C-4 and blasting caps but that just isn't good enough.
  

In closing it should probably be noted here that I have time to write about these things so you got the full boat. I do care and hope things are getting better. We'll see how long I can continue to keep this goofy smile on my face in light of my concerns.
MUD

Personalities

This is just an experiment to see if I can describe some of the types of personalities. I know, that many of you will jump to the conclusion that I am describing you. Wait till the end and see if you can describe yourself. There is just no way that I can absolutely label anyone with 100% accuracy anyway. Here goes.

• Controlling vs creative. There seems to be a personality type that just can control facts, numbers and things very well. The opposite of this is those that are creative and inventive. (These guys have to develop a system to be able to find their keys on successive days) There are a lot of crossovers on this and I know that there are a lot of the controlling people that can decorate a pretty cake.
  
• Open and closed. This is the old extrovert and introvert discussion. Don't attribute good or bad things to this. Extroverts would rather work with as group to solve a problem and introverts would rather take it home and study it in private. Sometimes the introvert doesn't have all the facts and sometime the extrovert build a camel when a horse is needed. Most people would rather stand outside in a hail storm than give a public speech and the true extrovert just lives for that moment.
• Sad and Happy. I am not sure where this actually fits but there are people that you meet that just seem to have a smile on their face no matter what. Then, there are those people that always look for the sky to fall no matter what. There are those sad few that need medication to control this but most people have both. One of the nicest descriptions was made this weekend about Col Mike O'Toole who was killed in a private plane crash. Someone said that if you said "Mike O'Toole" and you didn't immediately have a mental image of someone with a smile on his face, you just didn't know him. I hope the same can be said of me later (a lot later)
• Facts and Fluff. Some people don't believe anything unless it can be empirically defined with facts. There are others that look for the clouds and arrows in the drawing to help build the entire picture. I'll bet the new computer age is driving some people completely bonkers. You can not trust anything from a picture to a recording today. On the other hand, you can make some spectacular things that just blows the old stuff away. Is music done by a machine any better or worse that that man written and played? Is one of the computer enhanced pictures taken with a digital better or worse than an an Ansel Adams black and white?
  
• Change vs conservative. There are people that think that nothing should ever change and the old ways are the best. There are people out there changing things faster than they can document what the hell they want. I know people that won't shop at a WalMart because it is new and different and I shop there because of the cheaper prices. I do think that change should be controlled somewhat and that if a slow and steady change is made things generally get better. Every once in a while I listen to the conservatives and they just rail at the liberals. I think that I don't want to throw out the bathwater with the baby but every once in a while you need to look in the tub for stray turds.
  
• Mechanics vs Technologists. There are some people out there that just love to have a tool box and fix old things. We are amazed when something is made that is just not repairable. We all know that there are things that we just throw away when they break and things that only Kenny can fix. If you don't know, Ken is my bud and if he can't fix something, throw it away. On the other hand, Dave doesn't have the time and tools to fix my old truck but he can wire up about and electrical component and make it work great. As I get older I find myself absolutely overwhelmed by the new changes in technology and I am less physically able to bend over the fender of the truck to work on the engine as I age. I am sometimes not sure of the differences between a Mega-bite and a Giga-bite and just think the whole thing bites the big one.
• Frontiersman vs Settlers. We all know there are people that never seem to settle down and move about as often as the years change. There is also the other group that it takes a major fire or disaster to get them to get more than a half a tank of gas away from home. Somewhere in the middle there is those that have a controlled adventure plan but enjoy a thrilling ride now and then.
• Planners, plodders and the grasshoppers. We all know the grasshopper story where the ant has to feed the poor grasshopper in the winter because he didn't take care of business during good weather. There is also the turtle that takes his house with him everywhere he goes to have a secure place each night. There is the planner in the middle that takes just enough with him to get there and makes sure there will be enough when he-or she returns to get by for a while.
  
• Caller ID vs answer the phone. There are people that screen their phone calls by looking at the Caller ID. There are others that just answer the phone and see every new call as another adventure. In some houses there is only one of the many phones that has a caller ID and some that have an answering machine to just hear what is said after the call.
  

I'll bet you thought this was going to be a different look. I was trying to see if there is some different ways to look at personalities. Did you see anything in there that fit?
MUD

Some Body Pinch ME!

There are Jayhawk fans all over the heartland that just don't believe the incredible good fortune to have two teams in the TOP 4 nationally. There is a lot of premature talk about the Hawks being in the BCS championship and I think everyone should slow down and enjoy the ride. They have the talent to win out but they also have that little thing called opponents. Iowa State and Oklahoma State will show up and play hard. Anyone that thinks the Sooners are going to show up and play like Nebraska just isn't awake. I will not leave out Missouri playing in the KC Chiefs home field as a real fan's game. But, with that all said the Hawks will also show up and play hard so anything is possible.
Now to my favorite subject, roundball and hoops. It never ceases to amaze me that the Hawks can year after year load up with incredible talent. Just when you think they are going to have a senior class graduate and take all the good guys with them they recruit raw talent and build powerhouse teams. They lost only one player from last years starting team and recruited a bunch of kids that are going to play their way on the floor. Probably one player that can play either big guard or small forward, Brandon Rush, is nursing a sore knee. I hope he can stay off it and get it healed before the desire to step in just overwhelms him. He played hurt all last year and he needed to play. This year there is enough talent that he won't be too worn out by year's end. If you doubt the Hawks, there is a Big 12 Championship banner that has 7 of the 12 years the Big 12 has been around. Now, if they only had a basketball arena with some parking.
Barb is finally, and formally a Master Gardner. She completed classes through our county extension agent's office and is just waiting for the dirt to that out next spring to bring the prairie to bloom. My hope is that she can focus on Kansas wildflowers but I know they will have her do a pretty flower (Needs lots of water) garden or two to build up some of the volunteer hours she needs to prove she is worthy of the new title. Oh well, she has become the Master Gardener her at Rabbit Run and I will remain the head laborer.
MUD

Eagles

The top eagle is one of my almost 20 year old Eagles that I wore for almost 10 years as a Colonel in the National Guard.

The one on the left is the Army Staff Badge and current Army Symbol
The one on the right is a picture used by my niece Jenn in her Blog.
Can you tell that all the one's I used the eagle faced left? Her's faced right and is a picture of what we called a "War Eagle" Normally the Eagle faces the feather end of the arrows and the "War Eagle" faces towards the arrow points. Jenn asked for a little more information so here goes. The Army wears their rank insignia on the right collar. They wear a branch insignia on the left collar. Their Eagle faces away from the person you meet. During wartime it is rumored that many of the "Old Brass" wore a War Eagle instead of the normal eagle. Just today I found a new book called The Colonel" and darned if they didn't have the eagle backwards. Oh well...;
Trivia brought to you by MUD

Windy Day in Sportsland!

When I went out to get the paper this morning, it was 41 degrees and the air so calm that it was foggy. By the time I got my tire fixed, it was a little warmer but the wind was about 35 MPH. I worked on the sunny side of the new house and it was great there. When I moved to the west side, I swear that my ladder blew over every time I got off it to get something.
The good news is that most of the trim is done on the outside. I do need to do some minor trim on the north side and put up some guttering. A few coats of paint her and there and it will be done.
Went to "On the Border" tonight with Dave and Barb for her birthday. Da Barbs birthdays are a month apart (and a few years). The wind and cold just destroyed my sense of smell today so the only real taste was hot.
Gotta Run. MUD

What a Weekend!

It all started when I got to see the 2007-2008 Jay Hawks basketball team play their first game on Thursday evening. It was great to see the entire team get to play and have a good time playing an in state Div II team. Of course they won silly goose. It wasn't the score or the opponent that was important.
On Saturday I worked at the new house in the AM and then had a chicken and noodle lunch at a local church. The girl serving mashed potatoes asked if I wanted my chicken and noodles over the mashed spuds. DUH! did you ever have them any other way? Too many meals in the local school system. Barb said, "Carbohydrates over carbs?" Oh well, I also had some mystery pie that was a combination of bananas, cherries, frozen strawberries topped with some whipped topping. It was darned good and managed to get most of my favorite things into one pie. After that meal I managed to watch almost all of the KU vs Nebraska game. It was so exciting to watch the Hawks go down field 10 times in a row and score. The final was 69 to 30 something. It serves the Corn Huskers right to have someone run up the score on them for a change. This has put the Hawks in the number 4 spot on the BCS. Can we say BCS $ boys and girls.
Sunday was a work day and I managed to get a lot of the trim finished on the outside of the new house done. It all needs a coat of paint but watertight is important first and paint will come later. I did listen to the KC Chiefs game but it was a disaster. I wouldn't have watched it on TV or better yet, I would gave napped through most of it.
Sunday night was the best. Barb and I went to a concert at Washburn put on by the Fountain City (Kansas City has more fountains than Rome) Brass Band. It was a very good concert and they play such a diverse set of music that it was hard to believe it wasn't an orchestra and not just brass. I swear that when they broke into a Jewish piece I could hear clarinets. They did a combination piece that took John Williams music from Star Wars played by a alien group and combined it with a Jazz piece that just blew the house down. It was the most enjoyable two hours I have had in a long time. I think Barbara even had a good time. She goes to musicals with me, I think to humor me but every once in a while she gets a winner too.
This morning a cold front came rushing down from Nebraska and I will go get a tire fixed first. The temperature will be near 50 but the 35 MPH wind will make for a miserable day. Oh well, life ain't always fun, sometimes you get wind. (In Kansas that is most of the time) Have a great day out there.
MUD

Life 101

This is a continuation of some thoughts I have after 60 years of living on this planet.

• No matter how hard you try, people just don't hear your unspoken thoughts. Telepathy is not telephony so don't be surprised when you just don't get your unspoken thoughts across.
• Deeds are just that, deeds. People don't always see what you do and they sure as heck don't see them as you intended. Good intentions aren't always seen as such if they cross purposes with the desires of others.
  
• It is often quick and easy to figure out what and annual salary is. there are 52 weeks in a year and 40 hours per week is 2080 hours. If you get paid vacation and make about $10.00 per hour you make $20,800 per year. If you make about $20.00 per hour you earn about $40,000 per year. I don't know why this is at the front of my mind but hey, not every life lesson has as much purpose as all other thoughts.
• I hear people say, "If we didn't spend so much money on the Military, we could have all the new schools we need." My concern is what happens to all those soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines? When you put them out of a job do we need to retrain them or are we willing to accept unemployment growth while we rebuild. Many of the people today don't remember when Jimmy Carter tried to cut the guns and did nothing to improve the butter. Our economy sputtered and almost ground to a halt. There is a balance in our spending and everything we do has an effect. I'm not sure if anyone has a complete handle on the scales and know just what to do.
  
• Sometimes the simple things can bring as much pleasure as the big new shinny things. Feeding the birds with a little sunflower seeds and a little suet can bring hours of enjoyment out your back window.
  
• Unintended consequences can be tricky. When you move item A, sometimes item B is effected. For years I stuck out a career in the National Guard and could have easily quit and had every weekend free. Instead, I stuck out a 30 year Military career and now it is paying off. Once a month I am reminded that my part time job is now paying for a lot of retirement. I know I missed a lot of weddings, funerals and birthday parties but I promise you it is nice to have the money and time now to enjoy retirement.

That's all for now, I'll do more later. Oh by the way, don't let anyone tell you that laminate flooring is easy to install in a closet. It is a royal pain in the butt.
Dennis aka, MUD

Its cold outside!

This morning it is only 33 degrees or darn near zero Centigrade. It will warm up some today and by Sunday it will be 70 in the afternoon. I guess we can't have warm weather all year long.
You know what the good news is? The basketball season starts tonight with KU playing one of the local colleges at 7 PM on TV. Yes, it has officially started and the football team is still in action. On the recruiting front, KU has already signed almost a whole new team for next year. They seem to reload each time it looks like they need help. We'll see how that works out but it almost always seems to be a good thing. (Oh no, I'm quoting Barb who quotes Martha Stewart)
Today will be working in a closet at Dave's new house for the most part. I need to measure, put some flooring down and then figure out the best way to put up rods for hangers. Whatever I do it will be sturdy and functional. Gotta Run.
MUD

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, GO KU!

I stand amazed at the results of the 2007 football season so far. I like many of my brethren were simply tolerating the football season as it soon would end and Basketball would start. Now in the anticipated time of round ball start, I find myself watching an 8-0 football team win another game. To win against A&M is a feat but to win there where the 12th man is a big part of the game is truly amazing. It has to be in a big part to the coaching. Imagine you are in a place where you can't hear yourself think let alone call plays so everyone else can hear. The KU team went into that stadium well prepared and they executed what they planned. In years past, the KU football team would find a way to lose the game in the closing moments and now they are able to hold off other teams when the minutes are ticking off. The TV announcers talked about the Colorado altitude killing the hawks and then the momentum in Waco swinging to the A&M team. KU WON!
KU will host Nebraska and Oklahoma State and play at Iowa State. Then the big game against Missouri in Kaufman Stadium in KC. I hope the game there is as big as the OU/Texas game is and keeps growing.
Man this crow pie is killing me about Boston. The Rockies won 7 straight games to get into the playoffs and now they can make their bats work. No more bad words about the Red Sox. They are for real and playing well.
MUD

Eat'n Crow

Man was I ever wrong about the first game of the World Series. The Rockies were rusty and red sox were on fire. They brought their "A" game, "B" game and silenced the bats from Colorado. I stand corrected. It should be a good series and not another Colorado Sweep.
The new house is about complete on the inside. I cleaned out my tools and brought a truck load of stuff home. We will have Dave's birthday p[arty there tomorrow night. I have some killer steak and chicken for fajitas and I'm sure that between Barb and me there will be good stuff to go with the good stuff. I'm pretty sure there will be some rice, black beans and chips. I'm not sure about the dessert but can assume it will be a cake decorated by Barb.
Pictures will be posted tomorrow or the house in all it's trim. I need to figure out how to clean the terrazzo where the kids got paint on the living room floor. There is a good tree wax sealer that I think is little more than a liquid wax. I'll take the buffer tomorrow and see what that does.
Tonight I got to sample tomorrow's steak as a preview and man was it great.
MUD

It's a lie!

Don't let anyone tell you that there aren't enough Guardsmen or equipment to do State duty because of the War in Iraq. The equipment issued to Guard units is based on the Federal mission. If they can use it in a State status, bonus. Just how many fire engines do you thin there in the guard? There are some but a lot of it is State issued equipment or located at remote training sites.
California is one of the places most Emergency Planners go to learn how to do emergency preparedness planning and operations. The school at San Louis Obispo is the best. They spend several days work shopping the roles of all the players in an emergency and then have a big CPX where it is all put into action. I swear they are the best.
California has a system where Guardsmen can go on State Active Duty in small stages or full time.They are used to reinforce the civlian agencies. back to the fire engines and dump trucks. I will bet that the State of California has more fire engines and dump trucks than the entire Guard.
I am fully confident that California can and will respond to this emergency the best they can. The Guard there will do their best and in the long run they will recover.
As for the President going there to visit, I have never found that a visitor hurts anything we were doing and in fact the soldiers, firemen, paramedics and policemen will appreciate that he cared enough to come there. The Lt Governor of California is an idiot and needs to sit down and shut up.

World Series

Last night I went to the store to pick up some snacks. Ice cream, potato chips and some Little Debbie snack cakes. When I got home I searched the channels for the series and found that I was a day early. Dang, I hate it when I am out of the loop on something and get it all wrong. Oh well, the German Chocolate ice cream with the caramel goo was soo good. Perhaps tonight I will get it correct.
The Boston red Socks had better show up with their "A" game or it will be a continuation of the Rockies straight sweep of their series. They won two of three games this year at Fenway and outscored the red hose big time.
This is the one time of the year that I watch baseball. Kind of like my flirtations with the NBA after the college round ball season ends. I will watch the championships but the regular pro season just doesn't inspire me much. I really liked the San Antonio Spurs and actually attended a couple of games while there in Texas. They haven't shown me much lately and they are a great team without a lo of spirit. When Dennis Rodman played for them it was unpredictable. The admiral Dave Robinson and Dennis Rodman had spirit and you could see the joy in their eyes. (Perhaps it was the gleam off all his gold and tattoo's in Rodman's case)
Better run and get some trim nails to finish the bead board in the kitchen. We need to get that done and the final trim installed today. Clean up tomorrow and party Friday.
MUD

My Idea of a Good Time!

What are some of the things I enjoy in life:

• I really enjoy spending time with a dog. I haven't done enough of it lately and I am not a better person. I really love puppies and watching them learn.
• Ice Cream. In my dessert column there is a yes where Ice Cream is listed. Add chocolate and nuts and Oh My! Vanilla is for cake, strawberries and/or apple pie.
  
• Old cars. I really like Chevy's but mostly because I have some limited knowledge of them.
  
• Being tired if there is a good reason like I worked hard. I have never liked doing nothing and I think it is good that I can still do a few hours of work. Yes, I do get tired but hey, for a 60 year young person I do OK.
• People in general. I find it invigorating to have a group of people and to find a solution to a problem. Can we spell EXTROVERT boys and girls.
• Grilled steak. I will eat chicken but given free access and it is a big ole' hunk of cow for me. If you add a salad and a baked potato, you can skip dessert. Might want some ice cream a couple of hours later but I would want ice cream if I ate green beans, soy beans or any beans
• Singing along with any kind of music. This drives some people crazy but I don't care.
• Potato Chips. Not those baked imitation kind, the kind you have to go wash your hands and wipe the salt off your face when you finish. I will eat corn chips if there is a great salsa for a dip. A local restaurant puts fresh Cilantro in theirs and I love it.
  
• Beer! I now drink non-alcohol beer but after a hot day of work there is just nothing better than a cold beer.
  
• In this order, My wife, my son and his wife. Mostly this based on the length of time I have known them. I have grown to really like my brother-in-law and his dog, Grissy. The rest of the family is generally liked in no specific order. Well, perhaps Mom is a little higher on the list than some.
  
• Positive things! I hate, hate! is that a double negative?

MUD

Hillary for President?

On a trip ( a couple of years ago) to the KC airport one of the passengers was an obnoxious New Yorker and she was obviously trying to stir up an argument. She praised Al Franken and then launched into how good Hillary was as a US Senator. After letting her expound I simple asked her, "What has she done?" The response was that she was a good Senator for New York and everyone there loves her. I said that is fine but Hillary is a US Senator from New York and she should be doing her best for the US not just New York. The woman's husband said that I made a good point and he had never thought about it before. If she is so good for New York why isn't she in the Governor's mansion in Albany or serving in the New York Senate?
Hillary's only move (as the First Lady) into something that would have a national impact was her Socialized Medicine move and the US Congress told her that we could not afford to kill our golden goose.
Hillary has never run anything larger than the staff of the White house and to run the country would be OJT. Can we afford to let her OJT that job? Read some of Bill's Campaign staff's opinions of Hillary and her legendary temper. The staff would rather fall on their swords than tell her bad news. Ask the people who lost their life savings when "White Water" caused a Savings and Loan to collapse. She was a Lawyer that set up most of that effort and no one holds her responsible.
Can you trust the judgment of a woman that let her husband cheat (over and over) and not haul his ashes to the divorce wood shed? Is her political ambition more important than what is accepted in the Heartland?
I personally want the steadiness of a Fred Thompson, the get it done of a Mitt Romney or the experience of a Rudy . (Oh hell, I can't spell his last name and get it past spell checker) I don't want to vote for a side of party that is moving towards the Christian Conservative side of the house but I sure as hell don't want to throw out the bathwater and the baby.
The following are some of the issues I support:

• Abortion - I think abortion is a horrible way to have birth control on a personal level but I sure as hell don't want my Government interjecting its self into what is a thing between a woman and her doctor.
  
• US Projection of Power - If the other countries of the World would stand up and do things right through the UN, I would feel a damn site safer. Then I would probably complain about the UN doing too much. Sheesh, there is no clear winner in this dog fight.
  
• The US/Mexican Border war - I am not sure how to get it done but the combination of the America's would solve this. Europe has put it all together and made it work. We need to realize that this is a Global problem and solve it. A damn fence just gives us a warm feeling but it is a lot like wetting our pants in a dark suit. "It gives us a warm feeling but no one will really notice".
  
• Government Intrusion into our lives - When everything goes to hell, it is a good thing. When everything is running up and normal, it needs to be reduced. I would sunset almost every law and make the Congress/State/local Governments decide what to keep not come up with fancy dancy ways to add more. I would cause things to be run and paid for at the lowest possible level. Need I point out anything more bad than "No Child Left Behind"? National Dictates without the funding.
  
• Capital Punishment - I believe in the "Mad Dog" rule. If what you have done is so bad that only a mad dog would do such a thing they should put in an express lane to have you put to death. Rape and kill a child, Kill a mother and cut her baby out of her womb, kill multiple times and you go to the front of the line.
  
• Military Spending - This is one of the few things we are making for ourselves and if we stop doing this, what the hell will we do for jobs? If you want to transfer, say 5%, of the Military spending, do it in stages. If you gave the schools an extra 5% this year they could not spend it. Do it next year at 1% then 2% the next and then 3% and they will have a chance to get there and re-build infrastructure they need.
  
• Not In MY Backyard - Some day we will go to our electrical switch and when we turn it on nothing will happen. Gas will eventually reach $8.00 a gallon and we will be at the mercy of the world for energy. We must build some either Nuclear (Yes, I almost spelled it nukler) or coal plants and get hauling on alternatives damn soon or we will be in a hurt. I don't care if the environmentalists think wind mills are ugly. I don't care if Hydrogen stored in bulk is an explosive. Find a way to overcome the problems and do it damn fast. If our Government can't solve this problem, what the hell do they have to do that is more important. At least give us some slogans to make us feel warm and fuzzy. (See the dark suit analogy in Mexican/US war part of this post)
  
• Stem Cell Research - I believe that modern science can and will find ways to fix some of our problems. How and where are details I want them to figure out. Again why is the Federal Government involved in this? Because they don't have enough tough things to keep them damn busy. This is personal to me because my father died of Parkinson's and not a day doesn't go by that I don't look for tell tale signs of it in me. I we are going to live to 100, I want to live strong as I can. (Without falling down a lot)
  

Crap, I spent way too long on this. I feel confident that most people will see the heading and by pass it. Oh well, (Dark Suit) I feel better.
MUD

Trim, Trim and more trim!

As I near the end of the house project, there is more trim to do than I can get done in a day. Today I installed a door on a closet in the bathroom and put a door on the hot water heater enclosure. I managed to trim out a window or two and tomorrow is the big day.
I convinced Da Barbs that the kitchen wall that was not detailed the bottom couple of feet would be best covered with bead board. Tomorrow I will start that project. I have a stud finder with a built in level. I will start with a good reference point and carry that throughout the kitchen. With a three inch bottom trim I should be able to make it all come together and not look like a carnival fun house. I'll try to get some good pictures and get them on the net soon. Barb sent pictures before and after of the kitchen. Scary.
I need about three days outside and the weather here is flat crappy. It rained hard and stayed cloudy the rest of the day. In spite of the hard work and the heater running I just got a chill this afternoon. A couple of bowls of good hot soup fixed that.
See ya all later. MUD

One More Thing!

I was listening to a discussion of pain and an interesting thing was said. Most people can feel pain from one place only. If your back hurts and you crack some ribs, the rib pain will cancel the back pain for a while. Seems that some pain clinics will deliberately cause short term pain to cancel out chronic pain. Seems like the mind and body can be fooled into paying attention to the new pain and when it stops the chronic or old pain just isn't there.
This sounded a lot like mumbo jumbo until I started thinking about my pain. As long as my ribs hurt, the back just didn't. Now that the ribs are on the heal the back is much better. Who Knew?

MUD

Thoughts From The Field

I don't know where to attribute all these thoughts so I will just report them and let you sort out ownership:

• An article in the paper said that old men should fight all our wars for the following reasons; Old men don't think about sex every ten seconds so they would have an extra 28,000 seconds a week to think about the enemy. Old men actually like guns and would take a lot better care of them. Old men are used to having someone nag and yell at them so Basic Training would be easier. No one ever outran a bullet so running is overrated. There is a lot to be said about the wisdom of the aged vs the strength of the young. It would be easier for the Drill Sergeant to yell, "Drop and give me one". Other than the PT tests, I never saw a push up in the Army. Many old men would love to have an excuse to get away from home. (That works both ways) Grumpy old men would make for a better soldier to hate the enemy. Besides all this, old men wake up early (Bladder Control Problems) and can sleep anywhere.
  
• Our Niece Jennifer had one of her young crews chosen to go back east to row in a big prestigious regatta. (Read Big, Big Honor) It is the "Head of the Charles" river near Boston. I am watching the results but it is a little too early for the race results to be posted even unofficially. Their boat was put on the KU boat trailer and on the way there someone crashed into the trailer and broke the ass end off their boat. (Yes, I know it is probably called the stern or bow but hey, this is my story) The good news is that the boat building company that they bought it from is there and loaned them a new boat. Boy talk about planned obsolescence. I wish them well today. It is truly an honor to have someone as pretty, bright and talented in the family. But hey, there are nieces that I would have loved to have for our daughter all over Barb's family and mine.
• Don't let anyone tell you that retirement means a life of ease and glory. I didn't work this hard or as long when I worked full time. I have a list that is about three pages long of "Honey Do's" that I am avoiding. Actually I am just a little late starting today but will get there eventually.
• Who would have thought the KU Football team would be 7-0 and 3-0 in the Big 12. It was a hoot when the TV broadcasters started talking about how the altitude would wear out the KU team (The game was in Boulder, CO) and they would pull an Oklahoma and lose it in the last half of the second half. (yes the 4th Quarter) Didn't happen ! KU won 19 to 13. GO Hawks! Bonus was they put that game on ESPN and I didn't nap all the way through it. The first half was a little slow so I did get in a little nap.
  
• In today's paper there was an ad for sweat pants with cargo pockets, a billfold pocket and a zipper in the front. The only draw back was they don't come in Dress Green or Tulip Yellow. Can we say Christmas present for Kenny, boys and girls? Now to find something worthy of Grissy.
• Our outside Tom Cat showed back up yesterday. Tiger the cat wasn't here when we got home from our trip. I guess he was out some where begging/hunting for food. Barb was out planting some flowers and that cat actually took a swipe at Barb for ignoring him when he mewed for food. I think it was a love swipe for our being gone but I'll promise you that it is just no way to win your way into her heart.
  
• When Barb and I were both working it was always easy to have money left at the end of the month. It was a bonus to have the drill check coming in and to have a slush fund. Now with the income not equal to or greater than outgo, it is a challenge. Not a big challenge, but one that a lot of last minute purchases on the new house and a trip to Idaho didn't complicate.
  
• Did you ever notice that the amount of stuff you have is always equal to or greater than the space to store it? Right now I am approaching either some serious organizing or the old pile in on top of the old pile routine. It is great to have a lot of new tools to help do the work but I smell a conspiracy to do more brewing. Oh well, what the hell, it is only the rest of my life.
  
• I saw a clock in that special stuff catalog on the plane coming home that was about my speed. It has the days of the week only on the dial. Kind of like the time my dad talked me out of my new Timex watch. He later told me that it told him three things more than he needed to know. I won that deal as he left me his Gold "25 year" Hamilton watch from Beech Aircraft. I don't wear it much but I do on special occasions.
• I stopped wearing my fancy Seiko watch when the band broke. I figured that I had been too rough. The replacement band was almost $80 to replace. I found out that if I didn't wear it during the day while working, the battery just didn't get charged up enough. I guess it is a lot like a metaphor for life; "If you don't use it you lose it." I have always said that a man should not own anything he doesn't use. Fancy China plates, antique cars and tools.
  

Oh well, I can wax eloquently here all day and in the end of the day the only thing I will have accomplished is to reach the end of the day. Better get my act together.
MUD

I love it When a Plan comes Together

For what seems like an eternity I have been restoring the new house from a wreck to what is a solid pretty house. There are things about the house that I would do different with enough time and $ but mostly it is a solid really redone place. I am not sure when Dave and his wife will move in but I hear rumblings about using the dish washer in the new place.
Today was to be curtain shopping but Da Barb's couldn't get together for whatever reason. I spent the day doing trim work. Coming together well and if I can hide the nails from the brad nailer should look pretty good.
I am waiting for the KU vs Colorado game at 4:30. Should be a good game. I hope they can get it done and KU on a plane before the snow gets there. I would think it would be great if they would come out of there with a win but hey they are 6-0 and I don't think they will win all their games.
My real challenge is to get the game on and stay awake for the entire game. Seems like the down time just cries out for a nap. More to come tomorrow. MUD

Places in Idaho By Barb

This is a nice little lake along the snake river. It looks like a staging area for ducks headed south,


















This is the Snake River By Twin Falls












Another View of the River by Twin Falls











This is the bathroom in Balanced Rock Park


















This is Balanced Rock



















All these Pictures were taken and edited by Barb.
MUD

Took the Day Off

Yesterday I spent the first day back putting a new 40 gallon water heater in the big rental house.
I decided that a day off would be in order so I started with the soldier's delight, a haircut. Shaggy just isn't my style.
I spent some time at the hardware store and made a trip to Harbor Freight. Bought some things to get my tools and stuff organized. I have a goal to have all my plumbing tools in one bucket (with an organizer) and my mechanic tools in a tool box. As it is it is spread from pillar to post and then some. I'll bet it takes me a week or two just to get re-organized after we finish Dave's house. I don't think I will gt quite as anal as my dad was and build plywood boxes for the saw, drill and tile cutter. Never say never.
During the last month there were a couple of things that broke and I just didn't get fixed. One was the bar stool in the kitchen. One leg of the four broke and I had it in the garage out of sight. The other was the towel/robe hook by the shower that kept falling off. I bought a used chair and put the legs from that one on the seat of the old one. The towel hook just got replaced for $3.99. Both jobs took a little time but no big deal. I think my plumbers bucket turned out nice but the real test will be when I need something and can't find it. I know there is some plumbers putty and some PVC cement still not in the bucket.
My barber was about to leave when I got there as hs wife was going to the hospital to pick up their new baby. I guess the baby's heart didn't seal the hole that bypasses the lungs and they had to go in and sew it up. Great young couple I wish them well. Two little boys and the desire to have at least one girl.
Better run. Have a great weekend. MUD

More Random Thoughts

I met Barbara through a blind date when I was stationed at Fort Irwin, California. (now known as the National Desert Training Center) I had been on post for about 6 weeks and a friend of mine was talking to his girlfriend on the phone there in the day room. I asked him if he was talking to his girl in Barstow or Bath, Maine. He said Barstow. To shut me up he agreed to ask Jane if she had a friend I could date. That blind date led to what will be in February 40 years of married life.
My favorite car in the whole wide world is almost always the one I am driving. Sadly, the 53 pickup has so many issues it just doesn't make the list. I need to spend some time and $ on the 57 to get it back into shape for it to be fun to drive. An air-conditioner, better steering, disk brakes on the front and a good radio will make it one hell of a car. I am not crazy about the carburetor on the engine, and I have been reading about a lot of after market stuff to make it run better. I really had a fun time driving Volvo's over the years. Dollar per mile they have been a pretty good investment and almost always fun to drive.
Today was put in a new water heater day. I had to work in a little closet that was about 4 feet wide and the heater was about three feet of that. It really wasn't all that hard to do and everything hooked up and worked. I could have used a little help to get the old heater out and the new heater inside. At least I was smart enough to drain the old heater before I tried to muscle it out. Lets see, 40 gallons of water at 8lbs per. 300 Lbs/+ that I couldn't have done myself. I wonder how long it will take me to empty out the dead heater out of the bed of the truck. Can't say there is much of a market for old leaky one's.
It must be the Monsoon season here in Kansas. Everything is soggy and it rained all day today. The humidity and the cold air makes it seem more damp and cold to me than I like. Don't mind working up a sweat if the air is hot. Cold and sweaty is clammy to me
Oh well, will go over to the the create site and see If I can load some people and places pictures.
MUD

Idaho, Places and People

Where do you think they are going to jump from?
Snake River Bridge in Twin Falls
My favorite Girls at the party. From left to rightAllison, Kay-Kay and Grissy. They were eating grapes and giggling as the dog also ate them.

Did Ya notice?

When I am tired, I am a lot less apt to smile and tend to be a lot more negative in my comments.
I am an early riser and after a quick cup of coffee am ready to go
I always try to take tests early in the AM. Back in school it was better for me to get a good nights sleep than cram for a test.
Someone said your subconscious mind never forgets. For me I can play solitaire on the computer and answer questions on Jeopardy. Wonder if my subconscious is listening and feeding me answers?
The first nights sleep in your own bed after traveling is always a treat.
The damn water heater at the rental house can last for 20 years but take a short one week trip and it leaks? I will go over and see if they got it fixed and how much it cost. Good thing I have a little of the travel $ stuck in the back of a suitcase.
Do you dream a lot or do you just not remember them. I dream vivid dreams.
That little "Bladder Warning Alarm" goes "PEE,PEE,PEE" until you get up and pee.
MUD

We're Back!

It is nearing midnight on 16 October and I had to test drive this computer after setting it up. I did realize that the battery in this laptop is toast and without a power plug in this is a 20lb anchor.
A fun time was had by all. Good Night. More to follow... MUD

Why we are here

Almost 40 years ago I met a wonderful young woman when I was stationed in Southern California. Now her family has figured out that they just have to live with me as I am not going away. We celebrated her Dad's birthday in the park. Picture one is the group together and laughing. They had a ball.
Picture two is the Johnny Appleseed of Recumbent bike riding. He rides, manufactures and plants the idea to ride one everywhere he goes. He's my bud and my brother-in-law.
Picture three is me doing what I can do. Two soups, ham and hot dogs. If they went home hungry, they were on a diet.
The last picture is Barb and I. I cooked and she took pictures. A good time was had by all.
MUD 10.14.07

Much Better

Man is this vacation thing a lot of fun. My ribs are a lot better and my system seems to be working well otherwise. I'll try to get some pictures of the scenery here Going to spend the day getting ready for the party in the park tomorrow. Scoped out the site tonight and things look pretty good.

The first picture is Balancing Rock Park. It a Twin Falls County, Idaho park and is beautiful.

The second picture is the famous balancing rock that looks like a head done by an impressionist to me. Magnificent scenery after driving miles of what looked like Kansas crossed with a desert.

The third picture is a pond and was covered with ducks preparing for their migration south. It was fairly early and the Snake river had a lot of fog. this is right along US 30 west of Twin Falls.
More tomorrow night after the party in the park. BYE MUD

Ribs

It should seem odd that someone that is so fond of BBQ ribs would break some. I will tell you that after a week and a half I only moan when I pick up things and lean to the right. Most of the time it is ony a minor side pain and the good news is it is just enough to help me not notice my feet and my back hurt. Gotta run, Barb's awake and has plans. MUD

How did this simple Job get so Hard?

Somewhere between sure I can do that and oh my, this is hard is about three days of looking at something so simple but so hard to do. I'm not sure what I could have done to simplify the process but there must be a way. Oh well, a little grout and it will all be done.
Things are moving to a close but nothing is easy.
Thanks for reading. MUD

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