Coker, Alabama
Weather: low 73 degrees, high 96 degrees, mostly clear
The humidity here is like being in a sauna, and a person will sweat standing still in the shade. Feels great.
Remember I wrote yesterday about the problems with the fan blade for the kitchen exhaust fan? This morning, when the fan was turned on, the motor started making noises like it was trying to throw up. Since we didn't have a lot to do today, I decided to take the motor to the RV parts store to see if I could buy a replacement. They did have a replacement, so I bought it and installed it when I got home. The new motor is working fine, and is quieter. Maybe our problems with the exhaust fan are finished with this fix.
When we are in a new town, we try some of the restaurants that the local folks seem to like. Sometimes that works, and other times it is a complete bust. Tonight, we went to a local restaurant named The Front Porch. A couple of weeks ago, we had noticed that their lunch business was good, so we commented at the time that it must be a good place to eat. I had the tilapia special and Carolyn had her old standby, chicken fingers. Each of us had two sides with our meals. The tilapia was not bad, but I like catfish better. Carolyn's chicken was the better of the two meals. We will probably return to this restaurant, and I'll probably get the chicken.
As we were getting ready to go to supper, Carolyn told me that if I did not change my pants, she was not going anywhere. I asked her what was wrong with them. She said the right pants leg had a hole in the knee. Now, we're talking about a pair of pants that I have had about five years. They are just now getting soft and comfortable. And she says I can't wear them to supper? I told her Alan Jackson wears pants with holes in them. And I'll bet my legs look better than Alan's. She said Alan Jackson has a lot more money than I do, and he can wear whatever he wants. However, if I want her to go with me, I'll have to change my pants. Guess what? I changed my pants. I don't understand it. Just when a pair of pants is comfortable, I can't wear them. Sheesh!
Since we know that Terri will be selling her house (hopefully, sooner rather than later), I have been keeping an eye open for houses that might be suitable for her. We saw one today that appears to be in a good location, and have an appointment to see it tomorrow afternoon. We'll see how the viewing goes. We may or may not have a further interest.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Hartford, Connecticut: The Insurance Capital Of The World
Not all who wander are lost.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Friday, June 6, 2008
Exhaust Fan Blade
Coker, Alabama
Weather: low 73 degrees, high 97 degrees, partly cloudy
It seemed like I was on the road all day, having to go to Cottondale two times, and to Tuscaloosa once. The exhaust fan in the kitchen of the RV has a defective fan blade, which causes it to fly off. It is a little disconcerting when the blade comes off. The two trips to Cottondale were to pick up a new blade at an RV parts place, and a trip back over there to return the blade they provided because it did not work. For the time being, we will make do with the blade flying off. In the meantime, we will do some research on the Internet to see if we can find the proper blade. Isn't the Internet a wonderful tool? Even if Al Gore did invent it.
Terri had a boat and trailer that they used for duck hunting. She asked me to see if I could sell it for her. I placed an ad in the local newspaper on Thursday, and it was sold late this evening. The person who bought it didn't even haggle over the price. Maybe I priced it too low? Anyway, those two items are gone, and that's two less things to move. Now, if we could just sell that piano, and the 5500 watt generator and the gas powered pressure washer and the........
What happened to the stock market today? I happened to see that it was down 3% today, but I don't know what caused the meltdown. Sometimes it seems like the market is looking for a reason to go down. Seems like it could find some reasons to go up.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Zephyrhills, Florida: The City Of Pure Water
Not all who wander are lost.
Weather: low 73 degrees, high 97 degrees, partly cloudy
It seemed like I was on the road all day, having to go to Cottondale two times, and to Tuscaloosa once. The exhaust fan in the kitchen of the RV has a defective fan blade, which causes it to fly off. It is a little disconcerting when the blade comes off. The two trips to Cottondale were to pick up a new blade at an RV parts place, and a trip back over there to return the blade they provided because it did not work. For the time being, we will make do with the blade flying off. In the meantime, we will do some research on the Internet to see if we can find the proper blade. Isn't the Internet a wonderful tool? Even if Al Gore did invent it.
Terri had a boat and trailer that they used for duck hunting. She asked me to see if I could sell it for her. I placed an ad in the local newspaper on Thursday, and it was sold late this evening. The person who bought it didn't even haggle over the price. Maybe I priced it too low? Anyway, those two items are gone, and that's two less things to move. Now, if we could just sell that piano, and the 5500 watt generator and the gas powered pressure washer and the........
What happened to the stock market today? I happened to see that it was down 3% today, but I don't know what caused the meltdown. Sometimes it seems like the market is looking for a reason to go down. Seems like it could find some reasons to go up.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Zephyrhills, Florida: The City Of Pure Water
Not all who wander are lost.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Lookers
Coker, Alabama
Weather: low 71 degrees, high 94 degrees, partly cloudy most of the day, a shower in the mid-afternoon
I spent part of the day mowing most of the yard at Terri's house. There was a breeze blowing, which helped with the heat until near the end, when it stopped. Then it got hot. It rained for about 15 minutes in the afternoon, which made the humidity feel like a wet blanket. Have I said before that I don't like the humidity?
Around noontime, the people who came to see the house and property yesterday were back. We told them to look around as much as they liked, and turned them loose to go where they wanted. They took that permission literally, and walked in on Terri as she was changing clothes. After apologies were made, they continued on with their tour of the property. The interest level seems even higher than yesterday, and we discussed price and items that would stay with the house. As they left, they said they would be in touch. We shall see. If this family backs out, we will be placing the property with a real estate company on Monday. It would be nice if we don't have to do that.
Thomas challenged me to another game of basketball. I guess some people like to be punished. The score was tied 10-10 when we had to stop. I had him just where I wanted him, ready to pound him into the concrete. Lucky for him we had to stop. Then the little scamp goes and tells his mom that he beat me because he had me where he wanted me. It's a shame kids don't respect their elders today.
Tomorrow I will be doing the weed eating. I hate that job, with the dirt, sweat, and noise. It always wears me out.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Helena, Alabama: You Have A Bright Future In Helena
Not all who wander are lost.
Weather: low 71 degrees, high 94 degrees, partly cloudy most of the day, a shower in the mid-afternoon
I spent part of the day mowing most of the yard at Terri's house. There was a breeze blowing, which helped with the heat until near the end, when it stopped. Then it got hot. It rained for about 15 minutes in the afternoon, which made the humidity feel like a wet blanket. Have I said before that I don't like the humidity?
Around noontime, the people who came to see the house and property yesterday were back. We told them to look around as much as they liked, and turned them loose to go where they wanted. They took that permission literally, and walked in on Terri as she was changing clothes. After apologies were made, they continued on with their tour of the property. The interest level seems even higher than yesterday, and we discussed price and items that would stay with the house. As they left, they said they would be in touch. We shall see. If this family backs out, we will be placing the property with a real estate company on Monday. It would be nice if we don't have to do that.
Thomas challenged me to another game of basketball. I guess some people like to be punished. The score was tied 10-10 when we had to stop. I had him just where I wanted him, ready to pound him into the concrete. Lucky for him we had to stop. Then the little scamp goes and tells his mom that he beat me because he had me where he wanted me. It's a shame kids don't respect their elders today.
Tomorrow I will be doing the weed eating. I hate that job, with the dirt, sweat, and noise. It always wears me out.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Helena, Alabama: You Have A Bright Future In Helena
Not all who wander are lost.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The Old Man Wins One
Coker, Alabama
Weather: low 70 degrees, high 95 degrees, mostly clear
Hot weather has arrived in Alabama. The heat index today was over 100 degrees, and more of the same is expected the rest of the week.
Terri has been having a problem with getting a conflict resolved with Dish Network. She stopped the service and sent their equipment back in pre-addressed boxes provided by Dish Network. Since she stopped the service, Dish Network has been saying that she still owes them for the equipment, even though it was sent back. I spent part of the day tracking the UPS shipments, and found that two of the boxes had been received in Spartanburg, SC at the Dish Network warehouse. The other box had been placed in shipment to Spartanburg, but there was no record that it had ever been signed for at the warehouse. UPS said that we could notify Dish Network of our findings, and gave us a phone number for Dish to call to track the shipment. UPS said if the box could not be found, they would reimburse Dish for the contents. After finding the tracking information, I called Dish and gave them the information from UPS. When Dish checked Terri's account, the account representative told me that her account showed a zero balance. I'm not sure what caused the balance to go to zero, and they could not tell me why. However, at this point, it looks like my snooping around found what happened to the equipment, and if Dish tries to charge her again, we have the information to clear it up quickly. Whew!
We have been planning on placing the house on the market by the end of this week. Today, we had an interested family ask to look at the property. They showed up about a half hour before dark, so I gave them a whirl wind tour of the house and property. They appeared very interested, and did not seem to be turned off by the price I gave them. They asked if they can return tomorrow to look more, and of course we said yes. We have our fingers crossed that these folks will be doing more than looking.
Today, I struck a blow for senior men. Everyone knows that senior is the same as old, don't they? Anyway, Thomas challenged me to a game of basketball, so I told him to make it easy on himself when he chose what game we would play. He chose one on one, with the first player to 21 points winning the match. I scored the first two points, then it was seesaw back and forth until the score was 14-14, when I went on a run and held him scoreless the rest of the match as I won 22-14. I played him into the shade. I wonder if he will think twice before he challenges me to play in the future? Of course, I did have a few advantages, such as being about a foot taller and out weighing him by about 70 pounds. The biggest advantage I had though was my vast experience in life and subterfuge.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Madison, Alabama: Where Progress Meets Preservation
Not all who wander are lost.
Weather: low 70 degrees, high 95 degrees, mostly clear
Hot weather has arrived in Alabama. The heat index today was over 100 degrees, and more of the same is expected the rest of the week.
Terri has been having a problem with getting a conflict resolved with Dish Network. She stopped the service and sent their equipment back in pre-addressed boxes provided by Dish Network. Since she stopped the service, Dish Network has been saying that she still owes them for the equipment, even though it was sent back. I spent part of the day tracking the UPS shipments, and found that two of the boxes had been received in Spartanburg, SC at the Dish Network warehouse. The other box had been placed in shipment to Spartanburg, but there was no record that it had ever been signed for at the warehouse. UPS said that we could notify Dish Network of our findings, and gave us a phone number for Dish to call to track the shipment. UPS said if the box could not be found, they would reimburse Dish for the contents. After finding the tracking information, I called Dish and gave them the information from UPS. When Dish checked Terri's account, the account representative told me that her account showed a zero balance. I'm not sure what caused the balance to go to zero, and they could not tell me why. However, at this point, it looks like my snooping around found what happened to the equipment, and if Dish tries to charge her again, we have the information to clear it up quickly. Whew!
We have been planning on placing the house on the market by the end of this week. Today, we had an interested family ask to look at the property. They showed up about a half hour before dark, so I gave them a whirl wind tour of the house and property. They appeared very interested, and did not seem to be turned off by the price I gave them. They asked if they can return tomorrow to look more, and of course we said yes. We have our fingers crossed that these folks will be doing more than looking.
Today, I struck a blow for senior men. Everyone knows that senior is the same as old, don't they? Anyway, Thomas challenged me to a game of basketball, so I told him to make it easy on himself when he chose what game we would play. He chose one on one, with the first player to 21 points winning the match. I scored the first two points, then it was seesaw back and forth until the score was 14-14, when I went on a run and held him scoreless the rest of the match as I won 22-14. I played him into the shade. I wonder if he will think twice before he challenges me to play in the future? Of course, I did have a few advantages, such as being about a foot taller and out weighing him by about 70 pounds. The biggest advantage I had though was my vast experience in life and subterfuge.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Madison, Alabama: Where Progress Meets Preservation
Not all who wander are lost.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Obama versus McCain
Coker, Alabama
Weather: low 70 degrees, high 94 degrees, mostly clear skies
We didn't have much going on today, other than buying some groceries and some minor chores at Terri's house. As I write this post, it looks like the big news of the day is that Obama has been declared the Democratic nominee for president, joining McCain as the Republican nominee. In my opinion, neither nominee stands out as a strong candidate. Is this the best we can do?
Neither candidate has said or done anything that makes me think he would be an outstanding president. It appears to me that both of them offering more of the same old politics, with Obama having the most liberal voting record in the Senate, while McCain offers up policies that used to be Democratic Party standards. Obama makes flowery speeches, without giving specifics about what he would do. He says trust me. Well, look at the politics of the church that he just resigned from after 20 years of membership. And he didn't know what their views were before? Come on. McCain has said he will support sanctuary cities for illegal aliens. Both of them will open our borders to more illegal aliens, and entitlements (giveaways) will mushroom. Where is a true conservative when we need him or her?
As I have said before, I am concerned for the future of our country. The events in the primary elections have not done anything to make me feel better.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Winter Haven, Florida: The Chain Of Lakes City
Not all who wander are lost.
Weather: low 70 degrees, high 94 degrees, mostly clear skies
We didn't have much going on today, other than buying some groceries and some minor chores at Terri's house. As I write this post, it looks like the big news of the day is that Obama has been declared the Democratic nominee for president, joining McCain as the Republican nominee. In my opinion, neither nominee stands out as a strong candidate. Is this the best we can do?
Neither candidate has said or done anything that makes me think he would be an outstanding president. It appears to me that both of them offering more of the same old politics, with Obama having the most liberal voting record in the Senate, while McCain offers up policies that used to be Democratic Party standards. Obama makes flowery speeches, without giving specifics about what he would do. He says trust me. Well, look at the politics of the church that he just resigned from after 20 years of membership. And he didn't know what their views were before? Come on. McCain has said he will support sanctuary cities for illegal aliens. Both of them will open our borders to more illegal aliens, and entitlements (giveaways) will mushroom. Where is a true conservative when we need him or her?
As I have said before, I am concerned for the future of our country. The events in the primary elections have not done anything to make me feel better.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Winter Haven, Florida: The Chain Of Lakes City
Not all who wander are lost.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Long Day
Coker, Alabama
Weather: low 69 degrees, high 91 degrees, partly cloudy
We had a long day today, not getting home until about 2130 hours. In addition to us having a lot to do at Terri's house, Terri had to work late and did not get home until 2100 hours. That meant we had to stay there with Thomas until she arrived home. I put everything back in its proper place after the yard sale over the weekend. In the afternoon, I did some mowing and other yard work at our RV site because we were expecting rain late in the afternoon. The rain did not arrive, but at least our yard looks good.
I made up a list of items that we will be advertising for sale in the newspaper. If we do as well with these items as we did in the yard sale, we will be happy.
Terri's house is in the country, about 15 miles from Tuscaloosa. There are several nice things about the house and its location that we like. However, some of the things that we don't like are the horse flies, deer flies, yellow jackets, red wasps, and other assorted biting insects. I spent part of the day killing as many of these insects as I could. They can put a ferocious bite on you, and it will itch for several days. This is the worse place for these types of insects that I have seen in many years.
It's been a long day, and I'm wore out. Maybe we will have more to write about tomorrow.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Orlando, Florida: The City Beautiful
Not all who wander are lost.
Weather: low 69 degrees, high 91 degrees, partly cloudy
We had a long day today, not getting home until about 2130 hours. In addition to us having a lot to do at Terri's house, Terri had to work late and did not get home until 2100 hours. That meant we had to stay there with Thomas until she arrived home. I put everything back in its proper place after the yard sale over the weekend. In the afternoon, I did some mowing and other yard work at our RV site because we were expecting rain late in the afternoon. The rain did not arrive, but at least our yard looks good.
I made up a list of items that we will be advertising for sale in the newspaper. If we do as well with these items as we did in the yard sale, we will be happy.
Terri's house is in the country, about 15 miles from Tuscaloosa. There are several nice things about the house and its location that we like. However, some of the things that we don't like are the horse flies, deer flies, yellow jackets, red wasps, and other assorted biting insects. I spent part of the day killing as many of these insects as I could. They can put a ferocious bite on you, and it will itch for several days. This is the worse place for these types of insects that I have seen in many years.
It's been a long day, and I'm wore out. Maybe we will have more to write about tomorrow.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Orlando, Florida: The City Beautiful
Not all who wander are lost.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Remembering 1950
Coker, Alabama
Weather: low 69 degrees, high 84 degrees, partly cloudy in the morning, cloudy with light showers in the afternoon
After I took my morning walk, we stayed at home the rest of the day. All the work getting everything ready for the yard sale and then doing the yard sale for two days left me tired. Since it looked like we were going to have unsettled weather for most of the day, we decided we would not look for anything to do, other than rest. We have several things we want to get accomplished at Terri's house next week, and felt we should take this opportunity to rest.
As I mentioned last week, I wrote a short story of some memories of my childhood for Terri to place on her facebook page. She thinks I should share it with everyone, so here goes.
Remembering 1950
In 1950, my family and I were living in north Florida near the Georgia state line. At that time, there were five of us kids along with my mother and father. Janie and Keith had not been born yet. I was seven years old, and had just started first grade, going to school in Hilliard by bus. Kindergarten and pre-school were not available. I learned my ABCs and how to print and count at home.
We lived in a house that was located near the local grocery store. The store was not like the marvels of marketing that we take for granted today. It did not have any refrigeration except for a small meat counter. The items in the meat counter did not have the number of choices that we take for granted today, and consisted mostly of big rolls of cheese, bologna, and hog head cheese. Hardly anything was sold in cans, with most items being weighed from bulk and packaged in a paper bag.
There was no air conditioning in houses or businesses. Ceiling fans were used for cooling, along with hand fans or a folded piece of newspaper. We did not have an indoor bathroom, instead using a one-hole privy placed over a hole in the ground. Sometimes, going to the toilet was a real adventure, with fighting the wasps and other bugs that would gather there. Even worse was stepping in and coming face to face with a snake.
The kids took baths in a washtub, and the water was usually cold. Washing clothes was done by hand, because we did not have a clothes washer. Laundry was dried on a clothesline. We had a wood cook stove, which meant that someone had to cut the wood, bring it in the house, and start a fire before anything could be cooked. In the winter, the stove helped warm the house. In the summer, the stove made the house unbearably hot, and it must have been torture for my mother to cook because of the heat.
Water was obtained from a pump that we had to prime every time we needed it. There was no running water, such as the vast majority of houses have today. If water was needed for washing clothes, the pump was primed. Then, water was pumped into a bucket and taken to a washtub as many times as needed until there was enough to do the washing. When rinsing was done, the whole process was repeated. Washing clothes took most of a day.
If clothes needed to be ironed, we had some irons that were placed on a hot stove to heat up. When the irons were hot, the clothes would be ironed until the iron cooled off, and the irons would be heated again. Ironing was another chore that took a lot of time. We didn’t have permanent press clothes in those days.
We did not have a television, and did not even know that there was such a thing. That also meant we didn’t have computers or computer games. We did have a radio, and it was a treat to listen to the old serial programs. It seems my mother was a fan of one of the old programs, and named me after one of the lead actors. Saturday nights were spent listening to The Grand Ole Opry out of Nashville, and I can remember falling asleep many times to the sounds of bluegrass and country music. I still love that music.
One Saturday afternoon that fall, I was turning the dial on the radio to see what I could find. I happened to tune into a football game between the University of Florida and, if my memory is correct, Auburn University. Otis Boggs was the announcer for Florida, and he had a way of describing the action that electrified me. I didn’t even know what football was. His descriptions were so vivid that I felt like I was at the game. The teams moved up and down the field, with neither being able to take a decisive lead. Florida kicked a field goal at the end to win the game. Can you imagine the thrill I felt? Imagination obviously had a lot to do with what I felt, but I can still remember the descriptions by Otis Boggs of the action on the field.
From that point on, I was a Gator fan and followed their success or lack of success over the years. For many years, the mantra that Gator fans used was “Wait until next year”, because Gator football was not very good. However, over the last 30 years or so, Gator football has become one of the powerhouses of college football, and I still love to watch and listen to their games as much as I enjoyed the first game I heard. Go, Gators!
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Lake City, Florida: Florida’s Crossroads
Not all who wander are lost.
Weather: low 69 degrees, high 84 degrees, partly cloudy in the morning, cloudy with light showers in the afternoon
After I took my morning walk, we stayed at home the rest of the day. All the work getting everything ready for the yard sale and then doing the yard sale for two days left me tired. Since it looked like we were going to have unsettled weather for most of the day, we decided we would not look for anything to do, other than rest. We have several things we want to get accomplished at Terri's house next week, and felt we should take this opportunity to rest.
As I mentioned last week, I wrote a short story of some memories of my childhood for Terri to place on her facebook page. She thinks I should share it with everyone, so here goes.
Remembering 1950
In 1950, my family and I were living in north Florida near the Georgia state line. At that time, there were five of us kids along with my mother and father. Janie and Keith had not been born yet. I was seven years old, and had just started first grade, going to school in Hilliard by bus. Kindergarten and pre-school were not available. I learned my ABCs and how to print and count at home.
We lived in a house that was located near the local grocery store. The store was not like the marvels of marketing that we take for granted today. It did not have any refrigeration except for a small meat counter. The items in the meat counter did not have the number of choices that we take for granted today, and consisted mostly of big rolls of cheese, bologna, and hog head cheese. Hardly anything was sold in cans, with most items being weighed from bulk and packaged in a paper bag.
There was no air conditioning in houses or businesses. Ceiling fans were used for cooling, along with hand fans or a folded piece of newspaper. We did not have an indoor bathroom, instead using a one-hole privy placed over a hole in the ground. Sometimes, going to the toilet was a real adventure, with fighting the wasps and other bugs that would gather there. Even worse was stepping in and coming face to face with a snake.
The kids took baths in a washtub, and the water was usually cold. Washing clothes was done by hand, because we did not have a clothes washer. Laundry was dried on a clothesline. We had a wood cook stove, which meant that someone had to cut the wood, bring it in the house, and start a fire before anything could be cooked. In the winter, the stove helped warm the house. In the summer, the stove made the house unbearably hot, and it must have been torture for my mother to cook because of the heat.
Water was obtained from a pump that we had to prime every time we needed it. There was no running water, such as the vast majority of houses have today. If water was needed for washing clothes, the pump was primed. Then, water was pumped into a bucket and taken to a washtub as many times as needed until there was enough to do the washing. When rinsing was done, the whole process was repeated. Washing clothes took most of a day.
If clothes needed to be ironed, we had some irons that were placed on a hot stove to heat up. When the irons were hot, the clothes would be ironed until the iron cooled off, and the irons would be heated again. Ironing was another chore that took a lot of time. We didn’t have permanent press clothes in those days.
We did not have a television, and did not even know that there was such a thing. That also meant we didn’t have computers or computer games. We did have a radio, and it was a treat to listen to the old serial programs. It seems my mother was a fan of one of the old programs, and named me after one of the lead actors. Saturday nights were spent listening to The Grand Ole Opry out of Nashville, and I can remember falling asleep many times to the sounds of bluegrass and country music. I still love that music.
One Saturday afternoon that fall, I was turning the dial on the radio to see what I could find. I happened to tune into a football game between the University of Florida and, if my memory is correct, Auburn University. Otis Boggs was the announcer for Florida, and he had a way of describing the action that electrified me. I didn’t even know what football was. His descriptions were so vivid that I felt like I was at the game. The teams moved up and down the field, with neither being able to take a decisive lead. Florida kicked a field goal at the end to win the game. Can you imagine the thrill I felt? Imagination obviously had a lot to do with what I felt, but I can still remember the descriptions by Otis Boggs of the action on the field.
From that point on, I was a Gator fan and followed their success or lack of success over the years. For many years, the mantra that Gator fans used was “Wait until next year”, because Gator football was not very good. However, over the last 30 years or so, Gator football has become one of the powerhouses of college football, and I still love to watch and listen to their games as much as I enjoyed the first game I heard. Go, Gators!
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Lake City, Florida: Florida’s Crossroads
Not all who wander are lost.
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