TRUCK'S HOME............

and it's looks great.  I found two places that he should've taken care of.  But, I'll forgive him. 

It started raining about an hour ago, so, I'll take the car today.  Drove the truck all day yesterday, felt good to be back in my baby.  I love that thing.  Even Rich, the body shop guy, said how much fun it was to drive and what power it has for a Dakota. 

Dad found a puddle under his GMC on Monday.  We think it's anti-freeze.  So, after he took me down to pick up my truck.  We went over to Sam's garage.  I'd called them earlier to see if they had the time to take a look.  Both Sam and Jim were all over the thing and couldn't find any moisture.  So, Dad went home and put a piece of cardboard under it.  Nothing showed up as of yesterday afternoon.

I just can't seem to get warm this winter.  And, it's not been a bad winter at all.  Don't know what is wrong.  I guess if winter does hit, ie....snow, blowing winds etc., I'll move my bed out to the wood stove and hybernate until spring.  Ha!

Stopped at a lady's house yesterday who lives down in the village.  My friend Trudy use to work for a government agency and she had her as a client.  Trudy asked me last Friday if I ever see her and Cindy was out in her yard yesterday when I was coming home that way.  So I stopped and told her who I was and that Trudy was asking for her.  She was thrilled and said to tell her HI.  She then told me ALL of her health problems and she has 6 dogs, 2 ducks, chickens etc.  The old house is full of termites and the landlady won't buy the permits to tear it down and move a trailer in.  She was robbed a few months ago so she bought a 45.  The cop told her to shoot 'em next time and drag them in the house.  And on, and on.  I feel bad for her, she works at that place all the time, and it's not even hers.  Oh well, I'd better do something myself....

Later..............

STANDING GUARD

Picture was taken at the National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN on a June morning - as it appeared in the Minneapolis Star/Tribune.

Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words!  It says everything.......

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!

To my latest follower.......Caterina.  I am always humbled by someone hitting the 'follow' button.  
Thank-you and welcome to my blog.

Got a call from Rich today.  Truck will be done tomorrow.  Just got off of the phone with Dad, he is going to pick me up around 10 and take me over to the body shop.

It was a down-right beautiful day today.  Another one on tap for tomorrow, then rain for two days, so, I need to get that truck home and in the drive way.  Wish I had my garage built, but, someday.

Later.................

SUNSHINE......

It's a beautiful day today. About 33 and should get to mid-fortys. No moisture in sight.

Stopped in to see the truck yesterday.  All painted and beautiful, he's starting to put it back together. 

Had breakfast with friends at the Methodist Church on Saturday.  It's always a good spread.  Then went up to the cemetery.  Half-brother is not dead yet, at least there's no date on the stone.  Now, I know what you are thinking...that's cold!  Well, you must understand, his wife, 'the wicked witch of the west', drove a wedge between him and his family.  And since he had no kahonas to stand up to her, I more-or-less wrote him off a long time ago.  He visited our ailing mother 3 times in 15 years, and they lived 12 miles from her.  I could go on and on, but such are a lot of families.  It saddens me to think what could have been.



Got my taxes done on Thursday and will be getting some back this year.  That's good, although I've got about seventy-eleven gazillion places to spend it, I'll try to squirrel it away, and not go to the gun shop.

Well, should do something today.  Or, maybe not.

Later...............

KINDA BUSY FOR A CHANGE.............

Got some wood cut up today. At least it's in smaller chunks and I can always split it down to kindlin' size some rainy day. It was very windy and got colder as the day wore on, so, I stopped for a while and went for the mail, stopped at the amish store for the local paper.  While I was in the store I over heard this lady say, "No, I only buy as much as I can eat."  I was taken back by that for sure 'cause I knew the woman.  My first thought was 'what would you do if tomorrow you came and the store was out of food?'  Problem is, she is not the only one that thinks this way.  I am concerned that a lot of folks will be in for a rude awakening.

Later.............

JUST A SHORT NOTE CAUSE I............

have not posted in a long while.  But everything is OK.  Just tired all of the time.  Been watching the eagle cam at http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles.  So cool.  They had their first egg Friday night, so now either mom or dad is usually there.  Pretty neat.  Last year they had 3 eaglets.
Dad is doing OK.  Going to have another auction, August 18th, he's keeping 2 of his 7 tractors and selling the rest.  Plus a lot of tools and such.  His buddy Bob is in it with him.  He is a collector also.  The last auction they had was in 2005 and it went well.  I really like this auctioneer too.

Truck has a new fender and is sanded down to a pretty pink.  Yuk!  Should be getting it next week.  I told him I'm in no hurry, I'd rather have it done right than done in a hurry.

Furkids are all well.  The dogs are loving this spring-like weather.  Trimmed some trees this week and the sap ran out of the maples.  Here we are approaching the end of Feb. and no measurable snow fall.  Wonder what March will bring?

Later................

I'M STILL HERE......

Sorry for not posting.  Dad had issues with celluitis in his left hand.  That took over a week for the antibiotics to clear up.  Wrecked the truck on Jan 24th, it's in the shop now.  Been sick a few days, don't know why.  And, have the normal winter time blahs, I guess.
Dogs, cats all well and happy.  Snow predicted for tomorrow and I have a lunch date with girls I worked with.  Have never driven the PT Cruiser in snow, it'll be OK, front wheel drive.  If it's too bad, I'll stay home.
Got a virus and a trojan in the lap top and had to take it back to Best Buy for the third time.  Fine now.
Hope everyone else has had a better time of it than I.

Later..................

HAPPY MONDAY........

Wow, is it ever foggy.  I'm about to cancel the dentist appointment.  Taking Daisy is no problem, that's only a couple of miles.  The snow is just fading away as it's suppose to be in the 50's!!

Joe Paterno died yesterday.  They're saying it was lung cancer, but, I think it was a broken heart.  Penn State did him wrong.  The whole mess is rotten.   There should be a special place in hell for jerks like Sandusky.

So, now ole Newt has the upper hand.  Then Romney, then Santorum.  What a bunch of bananas!  (See posting of Jan 18th).  My cousin is probably thrilled, she thought Newt was THE most intelligent of all the candidates.  I think he's too wishy-washy and goes which ever the wind blows.  I'm still leaning towards Ron Paul, my other cousin says his foreign policy stinks.  I told him f**k foreign policy, bring our troops home, tell everyone who is living in a foreign land, you got 30 days to get your butts home.  Then close and guard the boarders.  Radical isn't it.  Maybe we need a dose of radical, just MHO.

Later................

IT SNOWED!!!!

Got about 3-4" with a layer of freezing rain on top.  Quite nasty to shovel, so I didn't.  S'pose to be in the mid to high 40's this week.  Nature gave it to me, nature can take it away. 

Finally got rid of the couch.  Always hurt my back, so I turned it over to Cleo.  Then she passed and the other two dogs preferred the settee.  So, I got it's cushion re-upholstered in a strong, dark red, denium type.  Looks good, got it covered with an old curtain that was up at the sliding doors that Fred removed.  Have another on the new chair, room looks bigger with less furniture.

Daisy gets her stitches out tomorrow, then I have a dentist appointment for cleaning.  They're gonna want to do xrays and I'm not gonna let them.  Not in the budget, and, besides, the last two times everything was OK.

Later.............

I'M BAAAAACK.................

Still not 100% but feeling better.  Friend Bobby said he had it for 2 weeks, and that's how long it took me to start feeling better, even with good drugs.  Nasty sinisitist and bronchitist, coughing so hard I couldn't sleep. 
Beautiful day today, windy, low 40's.  Getting colder the rest of the week, in the 30's. 
Got the Toro serviced this week, ready for spring!  Got the truck repaired, $1277.  New clutch and all the necessities needed.  Shifts sweet now.  Tried to get 200,000 out of it, but, only made it to 193,800.
Watching some of the Republican hooplah.  What a dog and pony show.  Looks like Romney will get the nod to me.  Not too crazy about him.  Politicians are like bananas;  when they start out, they're green, then they turn yellow and finally rotten.

Later...............

HELLO

Been sick for 2 weeks, and went to the Dr's yesterday.  Still feel like crap, will write more later.

I'M FULL OF KRAUT............

Archie and I  had a  nice dinner at Fred and Bev's house.  Their son, Matt, his girlfriend, Sarah and two other young couples were there.  Plus my other friends, Sue and Sarah.  Then we sat around and snacked and talked while the teenagers played WII.  Went home about 9. 

Went over to the firehall today for pork and kraut with Dad and Sarah.  Someone said they sold over 500 tickets by noon.  It's always so good.  Went home about 3.  Some rain this after but it was a beautiful day.  Around 50 degrees.  Tomorrow it is suppose to be 37 and the next day, not out of the 20's. 

Hope everyone had a safe New Years Eve, and a Happy New Years' Day.

Later..................

HAPPY NEW YEAR...........

A big 'Howdy-Do to http://www.jimandkimscountrylife.blogspot.com/.  I love her header photo.

Found the little do-hickey (another tech-term).  So all is well.  Kinda nice to end this dreadful year on a happy note. 

Best wishes to all of my blogging buddies.  I wish we could all meet sometime.  I feel like I know you guys and gals so well.

Made a some resolutions......
     1.  Try to be a little more kinder, everybody is fighting some kind of battle.
     2.  Try not to be judgemental of someone else.  See #1.
     3.  Continue to lose weight and eat right.
     4.  Be more active.  It is so easy to sit at the 'puter and surf all day.
     5.  Keep a cleaner house.  (Ugh, hate housework)
     6.  Stay off of Amazon and outa book stores for at least six months.
     7.  Shoot more.  Getting a little lax about home defense.

So, everyone have a safe and joyous New Year.  Pray for our President....Psalm 109:8
 
Later................

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS......

Took 'puter to Best Buy, they fixed it in 10 minutes.  $0.  Stopped at Invisible Fence, got battery for Daisy's collar.  $19.  Went to jewelry store, they fixed watch band in 10 minutes.  $0.  That's the good news.  Bad news is I did all this driving the car because when I got in the truck, put it in gear, the clutch sounded like it was gonna go.  Took it over to Sam's and after he heard it, he agreed.  New clutch and probably throw-out bearing and whatever else is worn....$800.  Ouch!  Not in the budget for this year.  Oh well, at 194K, I shouldn't complain.
So, this evening, I set down at the 'puter to update this blog.  WTH, the mouse doesn't have the little dingy (tech talk) that goes into the USB port.  I know I stuck it in there, 'cause they don't need the mouse or the cord when I take it in to the geek guy at Best Buy.  That's the second one I've misplaced.  Now I'll need another mouse.  I think I'm going to bed.

Later................

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL...........

'Puter problems, AGAIN!!!  Kinda makes me wish I'd bought a Mac.  Might do that yet.  Mouse, and touch pad quit working on the HP.  Taking it in to Best Buy today.  Got out the POS Dell and it is OK for about 20 minutes, then it gets too hot and shuts down.  My very first HP has a locked up keyboard and I have to prop up the screen 'cause the  hinges won't hold.  GGRRRR!!! I sometimes hate computers, but I will admit, am lost without them.
I'll probably have to leave the HP, then go to the jewelry store and get my watch band sized.  Dad bought me one at the Amish store for $2.50, and it works!  It's a Waltham.  Which I think is a good watch.
Going to Fred's house on New Years' Eve.  Their son, Matt, girlfriend, Sarah will be there, plus some of Matt's friends.  Sue and Sarah are invited, and, yes I'm taking Archie.
So, everyone have a safe and happy celebration of seeing 2011 out and 2012 in.  This has been a tormenting year, and, maybe 2012 will be better????? 

Later...................