Friday, February 26

New Form of Vehicular Slaughter

I swear, when things get bad, it just feels like they can't get worse, and then they do. Of course, this is just because one is usually feeling overwhelmed with one thing, the others just seem to add to it. But when things are going good, the little things going bad, don't seem to affect one as much.

Yeah, I know what I was saying, and what I meant. But I prolly just confused the hell out of most of ya.

So, here it started off as a decent week. I had to take our minivan in to the garage. Seems over the course of last weekend, the digital odometer had quit and was showing only dashes. Followed by Sunday morning the speedometer quit working. Then the fan/blower control in front, that can control the back as well, quit. So Monday morning plans were for me to take it in and see how bad the damage was to fix. Then Monday morning the heater quit working in it. Yeah. About half the day was spent in the garage getting that fixed for about $310. The cruise control hadn't been working for a year, and the ABS light was on. The cruise got fixed, but the ABS light we placed on low priority as it had been on for quite a while. Seems the electrical wiring cluster for the dash stuff, heater, climate control fans and cruise were all in one place and repaired.

Life is good. Wasn't some four digit repair bill and not have the vehicle for days. Then Wednesday, the wife tells me now the service engine light came on. The ABS light was on/off intermittently. I went to take it in Thursday, but they were so busy they wouldn't be able to get to it til today, so I returned this morning. Shared 2 1/2 hours of book time there to find out that the ABS light is going crazy and to fix it the brake module system has to be replaced. that in itself is over $700. And the engine light is because the intake manifold is sucking vacuum. That's another $200-300 for them parts.... counting labor, programming the damn computer, and supplies it all comes up to near $1900. Those two parts alone are "FORD ONLY" and why so expensive. I lucked out though, and 1 of each is available from the dealer to get this fixed. Repair time is going to be MINIMUM of 1 whole day...so I got scheduled to bring it back Monday. Technically, it shouldn't be driven, as taking a chance the vacuum will start to break the gasket holding coolant, and cause water to get in the engine area... and the damage would be worse. We have no choice though.

Yeah, as you would guess, Wednesday night, as I got home from the pub, my tire went flat on my car. There is a rip in the sidewall that let it all out. So, it is in the drive right now. I am home from the garage. (big ass sigh)

Not supposed to drive the van, but let's see. I need to pick the wife up from work today, get the kids, come home. Tomorrow - Daughter has to be at school for theater midday (drop off and pick up), the wife wants to go to a baby shower, we planned on attending the daughter's play tomorrow night. Then Sunday the wife and kids have church. Then Monday I gotta run her to work before going to the garage.

Wonder if we can do that running and not damage the van more before getting it fixed. I can just feel all the worry and stress about it eating away inside my belly. Making me nauseous.

My youngest boy turns 4 today. After picking the wife up from work today, gonna have to swing by the store and pick up some presents for him. Try to do that without adding extra driving.

I am ready for some good stuff to happen.

PeacE

Thursday, February 25

Oh Geez....

I gotta quit posting after drinking....

PeacE

So Sick of It...

Aside from politics.

Aside from bad housing in a major city.

Aside, from kids in a bad area, actually getting a chance.

Sounds like good things. I'd throw a few bucks down for that. But ain't that what the rest of society do? Have some big, high dollar function, to help those, that: 1) weren't invited, and 2) evidently, have no clue how to use the money?! WHOOPS!!!

I bet, they have good use meant, for the money. But ya know what... I bet they don't use it that way. They use it to support people, that ain't gonna give them nothing in return. Hell, we done seen that.


Let's say I live in an area of severe health consequences.... Let's say Haiti.

We are poor. We thrive on the market we have, but that has changed now, due to the worldwide attention we have received. We have been given aid. We have been given food.
We have been given hope.

But that, is only if we rise above this, to reclaim what we thought lost. I pray, that they realize, and move ahead.

Otherwise, another country "falls" and our economy goes with it. Dickhead President. Yeah. Hang myself.

PeacE - if you can find it.

Tuesday, February 23

Rev Mom hates this one....

OMFG. It's like 3:30 AM and here I am, for you, my avid readers. Yeah, I know that is bullshit, but it sure sounds good!!!

Anyways, Monday was a long day for me, Spent some time at the local garage again. Had to take the mini-van in, and see why the speedometer, odometer, heat, climate control, ABS light, and cruise control - Why they is all not working the way they should. So I took the purty lil wife to work and went in.... with no book, or paper.

Let me continue by saying... I have read every SI since Dec 11 of 2009. I have edu-ma-cated myself on the pull-out for the Olympics. I even read the last 2 months worth of news of the NFL playoffs.

Felt things were ok in the sports world. Then I picked the newspaper. Yeah. Arizona Republic. It is our big paper here. The Indy Star would be a smaller version, but same idea. Sooooo... where is this leading? Probably everywhere I don't want to go.

11:30am - heh - fell asleep at the computer...now to finish

I learned that politics really piss me off (at least current administration), everywhere, the news is bad and nobody wants to mention anything good, and the comics - they aren't as good as they used to be for some reason. Or maybe because I was depressed they didn't cheer me up. I dunno. So, anyways, I had no idea where this thought was heading, at 3am.

PeacE

Saturday, February 20

Oh My! It's Gonna Get ... Well, Better!

So, the week ended. I can say I am feeling better now, compared to how it started out. 'Course, I blame it on circumstances I have no control over ... and I still say I wasn't sick. We all know different forms of depression can do many different things to a body.

It helped alot just getting that last post off my chest. It was nice to hear some feedback from family, and others. Let me know that I ain't just writing here to myself, not that that would be a bad thing either... just saying.

So I was out at the bar tonight. First time in a week (that means really good for me!).

I came up with an idea. I can hear you, even in yer head already..... yer thinking, "OMG. Not another one of *those* ideas...."

Yup. It is "one of those" ideas. But y'all will just have to wait a day or so as I put the details together. I will leak some small bits as of now.....:

- it is open to all forms of criticism (hell, if it weren't, WTF we here for?)
- Anyone can say anything, at anytime about the whole thing
- I dunno anything else, til I figure the rest out.

Sounds interesting though, ay? Maybe you come back in at least a couple days to maybe hope I figured it out.

Yeah, Git-R-Done!!!

PeacE

Thursday, February 18

3/8/1948 - 2/17/1985

It's hard to believe it has been 25 years since Ralph Jr. (my Dad) passed away. Yesterday marked that day.

I was 13 then, and attending Frankfort Jr. High (7th grade). Dad had been "sick" for most of the previous year. Everyone said that back then. "Sick". I mean, we are talking about the 80's - when almost next to nothing was known about AIDS, and of course, Cancer. That's what Dad passed away from. Cancer - not AIDS.

I remember fuzzily back when it first started. We had attended a black powder turkey shoot at a place south of Frankfort in early November 1983. We attended different types of rifle shoots in the area, Dad being a gun enthusiast, and teaching me to love them the same way. He was even in the process of renovating an office space to open a small gun shop in Frankfort. Anyways, the shoot was conducted in what would probably be called an over-large storage shed. Big enough for about 15 people, with four shooting from special made window ledges on the one side. It was chilly out, and there was no heat.

I don't remember the score from Dad's shooting that day, just that we weren't bringing home the turkey (1st place prize). We headed home, still feeling good from a good morning of male camaraderie with shooting guns. On the way home, Dad had to pull over to empty his stomach. I remember him saying he thought it was from the smell of burnt gunpowder all morning in that little room - just upset his stomach. Our ride home continued on, and things seemed normal.

Later that Saturday afternoon, Dad was stretched out on the couch, I was in an easy chair, and we were watching some war movie on TV. Seems to come to mind it might have been "Kelly's Heroes" as both of us were Eastwood fans. Dad went into an epileptic seizure. My Stepmother called 911, and I was sent down to help direct the ambulance (we lived in an upper apartment over a business building).

Frankfort, though a county seat, does not have the largest, or best hospital. Even though both my Dad and brother were born there. No determination of the seizure was found. Things went back pretty much to normal... for a few weeks. Then Dad started having some awful headaches. Constantly. Enough it made it hard to go to work (at the time he was working at Frito Lay). After several doctor visits and finally being sent to a neurologist in Indianapolis, in late December, early January, a CAT scan detected the large mass of cancer in his front left temporal area.

Being how I was 12, I wasn't involved in medical decisions, or what was available at the time for treatment. I just knew that by this time, Dad had had a couple more seizures, and what the final result was once detected. I didn't know anything about cancer. Nothing beyond my paper route, school, watching my 1 yr old sister, and helping out at the stepmother's cake store, was in my interests.

Over the period of years, I have found out that the treatment that was decided upon was surgery to remove the mass, or at least as much as was possible. The mass was about the size of a grapefruit, and the doctors were doubtful of removing all of it, as "roots" had grown tendrils further into the healthier brain mass. This was open head surgery, and with little known about cancer, chances of a perfect recovery were next to none. My Sister and Brother were flown in from AZ, just in case Dad didn't make it, and for that last possible visit prior to the surgery.

The surgery came and went. Dad came through with only small complications. An occasional word mix-up in speech that he didn't notice but we did. That, and a hideous looking scar from where they cut his scalp for the surgery. Since not all of the cancer was removed, radiation and chemo therapies were prescribed to hopefully reduce, or even finish off the cancer. He was given less than 6 months to live.

To shorten up the story, over the course of the next 10 months, the radiation treatments made Dad lose his hair, but not his beard. The chemo would literally make him green and be sick for a few days afterwards. I am guessing, the treatments were in WAY higher doses back then, than the way they can give them out now.

He became paralyzed on the right side of his body, losing movement in both arm and leg. Seizures still occurred randomly. My stepmother and I did what we could for "physical therapy" and helped him with bodily duties. His gun shop (located under our apartment) was turned into a bedroom for him, with the old hand-crank to raise the head type bed. a buzzer hooked up to "ring" for us when he needed.

With lack of movement, he occasionally got blood clots in his legs, and would have to spend a week or two in the hospital. Medicines prescribed (seemed like hundreds) and lack of exercise made him bloat up terribly. Finally, around late January, early February, he was in the hospital once again for a blood clot. We came in to visit, and Dad wouldn't wake up. I was sent off to call my grandparents, to have them start down from Elkhart (the hospital we were at was in Lafayette).

Years later, I found out Dad was in a coma, and the doctor did not think he would regain consciousness. Late in the evening, Dad took that last breath and took his leave. I remember sitting there the last couple hours, and knowing the time between each breath was getting longer and longer, until there wasn't another.

Dad was placed in Greenlawn cemetery in Frankfort. He was a Vietnam veteran, having served 1968-69. He enjoyed motorcycles, and had since his teen years. He had had some accidents.

From speculation, it was determined the start of the cancer was from a "scarred" tissue of the brain mass in the left temporal. A result of one of his motorcycle accidents. It had somehow, started to grow cancerous, and became malignant. One possible source was the Agent Orange used in warfare and in the area of service he served. But again, this is speculation. The government denied it all at the time, but in later years have come back and said, it was possible. Can't prove it now....

Dad was 36 when he passed away. Just about 3 weeks short of his 37th birthday. Lived over a full year even after the doctors gave him only 6 months. Words just cannot describe him or his accomplishments. He was so many things in his life. A soldier, a police officer, a draftsman, a business owner, and a father of four.

I miss him still. I love you Dad.

Tuesday, February 16

Sniffle, Sniffle

I got the sniffles. Nothing really bad out of the ordinary for me. I mean, my allergies give them to me throughout the year anyways. But they seem a little worse than normal. And my eyes are all itchy and watery. Could be allergies coming on strong. After all the rain AZ received, everything is growing and blooming and pollen counts are going up. Yeah, I can tell this is going to be a fun spring.

But along with the allergies, I got the blahs. They started yesterday. Over the weekend, I had one son down feeling sick, and the daughter has been getting through a cold for the past week. Maybe I am catching one of them. I'm tired, feeling blah, a little achy... hell, what's different than normal there? (shrug)

Exciting News!! I ain't got any.

Go read some of them there blogs on the side bar. I know most of them write better than I...

PeacE

Saturday, February 13

The Weekend is Here!

(Yawn!) Yeah, it's Saturday morning, and I got to sleep in somewhat today. I think I needed it after the Guy's Night we had last night. The Wife and Daughter had left for Flagstaff at noon yesterday, and that left me with the three boys. We went out and saw "Avatar" in 3D. Oh, the graphics and FX were really good! I didn't care so much for the 3D...though there were scenes it worked really well. The middle son (7) didn't understand much of what was going on, but he said he still had a good time. The youngest (3) he sat enraptured by it all for the whole movie. He did so good, I only had to leave once for the bathroom with him.

After the movie, we went to McD's (by popular vote) for dinner, then retired at the homestead. There the boys watched a couple Disney videos and I played on the computer. Today we expect the girls back around 1pm. My bro, Stuman, should be coming by this morning anytime to drop off a couple videos for me, as his family treks off to the north to a place called St John's.

Seems like a busy weekend, with last night and all. Later today I will be heading up to one of my pubs and we are doing a drawing for the position we have in our Nascar pool I play. So, that means some Golden Tee golf too I am sure. And beer. Then tomorrow starts Nascar racing, though I think I will prolly stay home.

President's Day is Monday so the kids will be out of school. Federal and State employees will be off work. I'll still be unemployed. Thank goodness that the day is remembrance of past great president's and not the dumb-ass dick in office now.

Ok, done for the time being.

PeacE

Wednesday, February 10

Back to Normal (for here anyways)

As I had mentioned previously, over the past few days I have been having some really weird stuff going on with the whole computer/internet thing. I tell you what, I am living in a Bermuda Triangle of something... because today, it all seemed to be working fine. I know as of midnight last night, it was still screwing up... I don't get it.

So yesterday was a nice different day for me. I was able to get some reading done. Warcraft was down all day, so I had to find other things to do.

Friday the Wife and Daughter leave for Flagstaff for her Vocal Ensemble deal. They will be gone overnight, so me and the three boys are having a "Boy's Night" doing something. I haven't decided what yet though. I was thinking maybe a movie and dinner out. Or order pizza and watch movies here at home. Prolly easier to do the second one. Cheaper in the long run too. Just don't know.. maybe I can go out and buy a new movie to watch ....

Allergies are a major pain this morning. Can't get the itchy and watery eyes to stop and go back to normal. Irritating, and makes the nose run, etc. Damn rain making everything grow...

PeacE

Tuesday, February 9

Where in the World is ....

I have lost any possibility of sanity. Where it went, I have no clue. I mean. I might still *seem* sane, but I feel far from it. This Tuesday morning finds me frustrated once again with the "computer". I put that in quotes, because I am not sure if it is the computer, or the internet. Either way, one of them is sitting back, covering their mouth, and giggling at me as I try to get stuff done.

I use AOL for the whole family's email and basic web surfing. I have for many years. On the 2 computers we have, it is working fine on the "slower" computer - which is on dial-up connection. The other computer, is using a broadband modem and I do not have the AOL software installed. Instead, I just use Mozilla, and log into AOL thru the net. Except for the past 2 days, I can get no further than the log-in screen. Sounds like some glitch with THEIR site, not my computer...?

So I finally give up, and go to Facebook. Read through my updates, etc. Decide to play one of the apps. Except IT won't load up right. I figure it is a problem between Facebook and the application company.

Every other site I have been to, works fine. I have tried rebooting, resetting modem, diagnostics, and still find nothing wrong on this end. But it is sure pissing me off that it has been happening for the past 2 days.

There I vented. What else is going on in the world? I dunno. I been sitting here trying to get my frustration fixed. WoW is down for maintenance, and I am bored. Actually, I have the slow computer trying to load up the facebook and apps.... slowly.

PeacE

Friday, February 5

Warm-Up to the Weekend

Welcome to Friday!

I had some idea of something to post today, but it has entirely slipped my mind now. The Wife had gotten on the computer this morning prior to myself, and had played her little Fishville application in Facebook. She had left it at the log in screen for Facebook, as I was about to get on as well, and do my thing.

I couldn't get the damn thing to work! It wouldn't log me in. So I jumped over to AOL, and I could log in, but couldn't navigate from that page. Back to Facebook. I finally was able to log in, but couldn't navigate from that page.

Okay. It must have something to do with Firefox, which I had just put in the new update a few days back, or so. I closed it, went to IE. Same shit. Reboot computer.

Firefox - same. IE - Same. I am starting to get pissed now. I opened up World of Warcraft. I got online, messed around a little. My latency was low, as usual. Jumped to desktop - same issues as before. Exit all - reboot.

With the computer shut down, I am sitting here with my held in my hands wondering...WTF could be wrong? I did nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing new has been downloaded, so no major memory hogger, or virus (that I could think of). I am at a complete loss for what is going on.

Thinking it is the best thing I can do, I grab my handy-dandy-always-in-reach-by-the-computer notepad, and a writing utensil. I am going to write out the whole procedure of how I turn on the system, and normal activity I do, and record everything I see happening - be it the regular stuff or not. Maybe some computer savvy friend will know what is wrong.

The damn computer must have felt threatened. Everything is working fine now. Third try is the charm? I dunno. But for about 50 minutes I was getting to be one pissed off fat boy on a Friday morning!!

And because of that folks, I forgot what I was going to post today.

PeacE

Wednesday, February 3

Whoa, Nelly!

For a few of ya, the ones that got in here early, got to read some interesting drabble I threw up. Glad I only got a few hours sleep, before catching it and deleting it...

Okay, back to bed and a couple more hours of shut eye.

PeacE

Tuesday, February 2

Some Email humor and then some

I have been mentally blank for the past few days. I am hoping it is something that is going to end soon. Since WoW is down for maintenance, and I have nothing else, enjoy a couple emails I got this morning....

A woman goes to the doctor, beaten black and blue. . .. . .

Doctor: "What happened?"

Woman: " Doctor, I don't know what to do. Every
time my husband comes home drunk he beats me to a pulp...."

Doctor: "I have a real good medicine against that: When
your husband comes home drunk, just take a glass of
chamomile tea and start gargling with it. Just gargle and
gargle".

2 weeks later she comes back to the doctor and looks reborn and fresh again.

Woman: "Doc that was a brilliant idea! Every time my
husband came home drunk I gargled repeatedly with chamomile
tea and he never touched me.

Doctor: "you see how keeping your mouth shut helps!!!"


I must have sat there and giggled for a few minitues about this one. Luckily, the Wife didn't hear me.... Here is our next selection:


What to do when you sit next to a jerk on an airplane. (or any where else for that matter.)
1. Take out your laptop.
2. Slowly open your laptop.
3. Turn it on..
4. Make certain your neighbor is watching.
5. Open your internet browser.
6. Close your eyes for a few moments, open them and then look up to the sky, or the heavens if you will.
7. Breathe deeply and open the site (http://www.myit-media.de/the_end.html)
8. Look at the expression on your neighbor's face.
Hopefully this will still show up...

PeacE

Monday, February 1

Kids Say the Darnedest Things ....

Remember this saying? Well, the Wife has decided to do her best to capture those moments in our offspring's lives. I think it is more to embarrass them, if given the chance, once they are older, but who is to say. Anyways, since I am not mentally running yet this morning.... here are a few excerpts from recent days....

1/12/10 - David (in his most innocent 3-year-old voice) whispers: Kisses will get me out of trouble ... hugs will get me out of trouble, too.

1/14/10 - After running all over the house, jumping off chairs, swinging a plastic "sword", David stops in front of me, and very solemnly says, "There. Now I am done teaching you how to be a Ninja," and walks away.

In our house, with my "water baby" around, nobody gets to take showers alone. When David hears water, he's running to the bathroom stripping as he goes. Last night, he was running across the house calling, "Sissy, I got my towel ... Let's get NAKED!!", then in a quiet voice explained, "you have to, to take a shower."

PeacE