Here we go again......

Can you remember the gas shortages in the '70's? I can not as I was to young, but I read about them. Being the ever pessimist that I have been known to be, I have three words. (A quote from a fellow employee who uses this in every situation)

Now we're Fu*#ed!

Funny Story (at least to me)

On Friday, my son and I had a “Boy’s Day”. I took off of work to take him to the doctors for his 3rd visit concerning his newest round of ear infections. I very well could have bounced between work, daycare and doctors, but that is not me.

Enough babble, on to the story. I was busy at the computer finishing some eBay business. My son had asked for some paper to draw on, so I gave him a few pages. Busy at work, I heard nothing from him for at least 20 minutes. This is typical of him when he is at work making the “crafts” typical for a 6 year old.

But then I started to here laughter from the living room next to me. I did not investigate this initially because he was also watching TV. A few moments later, I here him running, something that is not allowed inside. I proceeded to walk the 15 feet into the living room and was surprised at what I saw. He had ripped the few pages of paper into little balls and was throwing them up into the ceiling fan. There I found many little paper balls spread around from the blades. I am sure the dog ate his share as he does not leave the kid’s side for a moment. I wanted to yell at him for doing what he knows is wrong, but I just couldn’t do it. I have not become one of those parents who forgot what they were like as a kid. Besides, I was not paying attention to him anyway. It is more my fault.

We then spent the next few minutes throwing paper balls into the ceiling fan, together. Sometimes it is the little things in life that keep you going.

Hard times to come!

May all the residents and neighbors of "THE BIG EASY" be in your thoughts and prayers tonight.

BUT!!!!! This is some great news! NOT! More oil problems!

It's about time!

I find it very difficult these days to find thing in my life that make me proud of myself. These times are far a few between to say the least. But, I finally found one. Something has happened in my life that makes me proud of myself.

When the summer started, I made a commitment to myself to loose some weight. I had let myself go for years with little to no real exercise. Plus the girls at the doctors were always yelling at me for my blood pressure being high. So I bought myself a mountain bike and rode my butt off this summer.

I have been eating my “lunch” early in the morning and riding my bike over my lunch break at work. I had a 4.5 mile loop I did in about 25 minutes. This was 4 to 5 days a week. Plus I would go for rides on the weekends when I can break free from the kids and all. The rides we all go on did not count in my opinion because we go so slow and all.

On Friday, I skipped work to take my son to the doctors. Those dumb ears just will not clear up. Anyway, while we were there, I ask for my weight and blood pressure to be taken. The official results are that I have lost just over 25 pounds and my blood pressure is dead on balls perfect!

I feel ok.

HELP!!!

Does anyone know of a online storage service that is free and lets you link to the files? I only need a few MB. I cut up an mp3 that I want to link to here.

hey, a party!!!!!!

This year our baseball league did something new. We had a picnic (party!!!) at the City Pool.

A few of us board members wanted to give something back to the parents who pay every spring to have their kids in our league.
Just to show that they are getting something back for all the fund raising and signup fees that is donated. It helps that our league president is also on the City's Parks and Recreation board.
This makes it allot easier to close down the pool for a private party.

I was the 'official' griller. My grill has only once ever seen so many items on it at one time. I also used it to get out of a pickle that we were all in during the league's Chicken BBQ a few months ago.
A few of us had less time in the water than most due the work that needed to be done, but I really don't mind. Personally, I consider it my donation. Some people donate money, I choose to donate time, energy and a roll model to the kids.
Most of us, but not all, have the same philosophy.

Speaking of roll models, our league president was whistled at by a life guard for diving in a no diving pool. That was freakin' hilarious!

Anyway, here are some pics from our day. I hope you enjoy them.















See you later!

Labor day...

Labor day is just around the corner. A time for families to go on vacation and celebrate the end of summer. But this labor day is going to be a bid different for me.

I am a hunter and a fisherman. Once avidly, I find little time for these pleasures today. Every year(sort of) the residence of Lamey road, the stone and dirt road where our cabin resides, have the less than famous, less than annual bean soup\pigeon shoot. Clay pigeons, of course. This always was a event that my father-in-law loved. Last year, he was asked to be the starter of the event, a coveted position. This honor was given to him because he was suffering from cancer. In his third year with the disease, he had trouble standing for long periods of time. His balance was off as well. But he managed to somehow 'suck-it-up' and he finished all 3 rounds of the shoot. It takes allot healthy man of his age to shoot a 12 gauge shot gun that many times in 2 hours. Even I am black and blue for a week after.

He has since passed on. My wife and I are having our troubles, but 'STU' was always dear to me. It is ironic that I married his daughter, since him and I have a much longer history. When I was growing up, my father and he worked together, side by side, for over 12 years.

This year will be strange for me. He is missed. In his prime, he was one of the best freakin' fishermen I ever met. In tribute, I have posted a few images from last year's event.


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A little less crude please

Well, as you can see I gave my blog a fresh paint job. I am not sure if I like it yet, but I think it’s growing on me a little.

I had seen a story on the news about the United States oil refineries getting Billion Dollar updates. I cannot seem to find the story in the web to link to it, but I can give you the short version. In laymen’s terms, our refineries are only able to work with the more expensive types of oil. Pre-refined, if you will. If you watch the news religiously, as I do not, you may have heard of this. I can attest to the truth of this and add some to it.

The company I work for produces consoles that fall under most, and sometimes all, of today’s standards including API (for you geeks out there, it's American Petroleum Institute, not application program interface), ASTM and ASME. I get to meet and chat with many API Certified inspectors. I have been hearing stories about all this work being done to update our systems in the U.S. in order to make our own “production” of fuel more economical. Billions of dollars is exactly what I have heard, and in more than just one company.

Basically, this is my understanding of the total situation today. The U.S. cannot just “dig up” oil and turn it into petro. Our refineries have never been equipped for this. This is the reason why we sell almost all the oil we tap to other countries. This has always forced us to buy our oil (again, laymen’s terms) pre-refined. The cost of this oil is obviously more expensive than the crude stuff.

My belief is that the oil companies plan to slowly stop buying our oil, and make our own from scratch, if you will. I am sure (and hope) there will be people our there reading this that have a more refined understanding of this situation. (there cyrs I dropped a pun for you.) If so, please advise.

Updating

I am updating and changing a few things here, so please stand by. Can we please add a few hours to the day?

Well it was nice....

My day at a glance. Well, this will probably sound dumb until I am finished, but what the heck... Here goes.....

I worked on my truck. That was first because it has been neglected for too long. I used to be a mechanic in and after high school, so I try to do most of the maintained myself. A few spark plugs, filters, and so on later, done. Oh, short bike ride. Fixed a few items on the bike, another neglected item. I have allot of those.

Oh, some blogging. That was ok. Wow, how quiet the house is during the day. That is something I am not used to. Silence sounds weird. I ate lunch at Pizza Hut. In and out in record time. I stopped and did some car shopping for my wife. Long story, but don't ever buy a Ford Focus! What a piece of sh*&!

Then comes the long bike ride. Very nice. I live on a hill, all but at the top. I get good uphill and down without even going far. But, this ride was a good distance. Over to Shikellamy State Park and around that a few times. I find it interesting to watch the people during the day when I am usually at work. I sometimes wonder why they are not at work. Do they work another shift? Are they stay at home people without employment? It is in now way any of my business, but I wonder non the less.

I stopped at the local paint store to do some business. Side note: You know, people look at you funny when you go into an air conditioned store totally soaked in sweat. I find that hilarious for some reason. Ok, business done. Move on.

I riding my bike up to the local skate/bike park and watching the kids do tricks on the 1/4 pipes. It brings back memories of my childhood, but I wish that had that park when I was growing up. We had to find out own places and get kicked off of peoples properties. Oh course, that was fun in itself.

Bike ride over, did some more work at the donated home for the church. Almost ready for paint.

Well, fun time over. First my daughter. Bet we went for another bike ride. Then another kid files in. Oh and then the usual starts. Things like 'stop it! Don't do that. Hey!' fill the house. Back to reality.

I am taking a ME day.

I was up very late last night watching the movie SAW. Plus, I had a few beers. I said to my wife, tomorrow I am taking a ME day (today).

Everyone is gone. Kids are in daycare, wife is working. Just me and the dog. I love it. It's not even 11AM and so far I have tuned up my truck, replaced the peddles on my bike, and updated my blog.

I may even decide to go out for lunch by myself! Ahhh..... Today is all about ME! I am heading out on a bike ride now! Weeee!!!!!

Volunteerism

Volunteerism: Performing an act of kindness, freely giving of your talent, time, and effort for the simple fulfillment of community expectations.

I live in a small city in PA. Sunbury, or as the locals call it Scumbury, is littered with houses smacked together like crackers in a box. I live in an area of the city that is kind of exclusive, if you will. Comparatively, it is like a urban community.

One of the titles I hold is Chairman of the board of Trustees at my church. I do not consider myself a “bible thumper”(as I choose to call it), but rather consider it my community service. My donation to society, if you will.

My next-door neighbor has died and willed her home to the church. Basically, as a parsonage, but maybe not. The legal nightmare to follow was horrendous, but we are past that now and have chosen to sell the property. Please keep in mind that we were not “close” but I have been in the home to help her on several occasions. Not a pretty sight, to say the least. Her daily “help” was not there to clean. And, the dogs and cats found it easier to do their thing inside.

I have been in the home almost daily getting it ready for public sale. I had my best friend (a contractor) pull the carpet and tack strips. But I did not go into the basement recently. I had no need to. Well, after the washer was pulled from the home (a ranch with washer/dryer in kitchen), the cold water valve was leaking slowly. Drip by drip, over several weeks, this made a hell of mess in the basement. I have to go over and empty the dehumidifier after I end this. And my shop-vac did a hell of a job.

I am getting tired so I will end it here. My point, if there is one. Donation of time is important. For kids (other than your own), for your community, for everyone. Please get involved! We live in a society where volunteerism the key role. Even in local government. Take a moment look deeper than the “President of the United States”. He is the leafs on a very large tree. Let work on the roots first. It all starts here!

Are we? we we, we….

I have been listening to people talk about the news on the supposed effects “Global Warming”. Increased hurricane intensity, abnormal weather. I am somewhat skeptical.

I am a self proclaimed amateur meteorologist. Our world has been with so called “weather” for millions of years, and we have been accurately tracking this weather for about 200 years. Like we have a clue!!!!

Was the last ice age our fault too? Yes, we are adversely effecting our world in many different ways, but we seem too quick to blame this current evolution of knowledge. Today’s current weather could very well a part our world cycle. “Oh, but it is too fast be natural”. Locally, the susquehanna river was over it’s banks several times last year, but low as he$$ this year.

I am all for change. I think we need to work our “byproducts” worldwide, but please don’t be so quick to blame. Our time here is like a blimp on a screen. We may just be witnessing a evolutionally change that is totally natural and has been seen before.

Just a thought!

Updating my blog

Yes, I am finally updating my blog. As if anyone cares to read it. (this is what I am thinking as I am typing) I have two main reasons why I don't update as much as I should. First, I am not a very good writer. My typing is so-so if I can concentrate on it. I should be a great typist since I took the class 3 times in high school. I failed it twice. Not because I couldn't do it, but I hated the teacher. Sgt. Price, we called her!
Anyway, the other reason is because I sometimes think that my writings and posts are, well, boring. I am not into politics, I hardly ever watch the news, I only read the paper once in a while, I am not in another country (anymore). Others think the same I guess. carnealian wrote about ketchup. I have not read this yet, but I will after I post this.

Sometimes read other blogs and fail to post a comment just because I feel like I am invading or something. I have issues I guess. Feel free to set me straight. Sometimes I need it. Anyway, on to my blog.

I thought that after baseball season was over, things would slow down for me. Yea, right! I am trying to get back into selling Italian Charms again. I mostly sell on eBay. Although I have none posted as of yet, I do have over $1,000.00 of stock in house ready to go. So hey, if you are into Italian Charms, let me know what you are looking for and I will most likely have it or can get it for you. (sorry for the sales pitch)

This weekend was spent at out cabin. More of a working weekend than anything. Repairing the chimney that is falling apart. Scraping and brushing for new paint. The place is along Penns Creek . We have a wall "out front" facing the creek. We sit about 12 feet above the water level, and this wall protects the property from floods washing away the property. Well, the water table is so low this year, it has exposed the wall completely and we now can see the washout (undertow) that all the floods of last year have caused. More work.

My kids love it up there. My daughter was unable to come along this weekend. She had plans with her mom. But my son is still up there with my mother-in-law (poor kid). Funny story. My M-I-L disturbed a bat sleeping in the rafters on the screen enclosed front porch (Obviously, not as 'enclosed' as one would think). This lead to the wife and her mom screaming in fear. Hearing the commotion, I arrive finding my son in the back of my truck crying. Call me what you want, but I attended to him first. I told him this:

Bats are not scary. Both mommy and Granny are girls and girls have issues. Just look at them yell over nothing! OMG! He make the biggest deal over them! He laughed and laughed, picking on them for hours. Well, the bat had friends and I found 4 others hiding. I caught one and showed it to him up close. I told him a story about how many bugs would be around bothering him if the bats would not be here. He thought the little teeth on the bat were cool. This is a kid who picks up Daddy Long leg spiders and plays with them. We then set the bat free unharmed.

Being up at the cabin is nice. The road that follows the creek is basically littered with cabins. Solitude is not found during holidays, but is easy to come by during the rest of the year. I would say over 50% of the cabin owners up there are present a few times a year. But, we all have become family. I have several people who I can talk to and trust. Labor day weekend is our annual Bean Soup and Pigeon Shoot. Again, for tree hugger (no disrespect indented), we use clay pigeons. Although I am a hunter, and have been most of my life, I kill to eat. Very little is wasted.

Ok, that is enough. And as for all that has deep concerns for Dorman, he will recover. I can not spill any personal information, but he will be OK.