The Midnight Carver

Saying Farewell To My Best Friend.

2023-06-11T14:22:00.201-07:00

This weekend I said goodbye to my best friend... Forever. My "Better Half" that I have known for over half of my life.

And it hurts.

For over a year now, we have lived separate lives.... And I have tried to figure out a way to bring us back together. But I have failed. It is over. Apparently.... It was over all along without me truly realizing it.... And there is now no recovery. All that is required now is to make it official. A process that I have been working on over this last weekend.

I never thought it would come to this. Never in a hundred years would I have thought that I would be in this position... Trying to plan for an uncertain future. Alone. Without Cheryl by my side. I always believed we made a good team and together, we could overcome any obstacle. But I guess I was alone in that belief.

In this world, everything eventually dies. Trees, Cats, Businesses, and even Relationships. I had planned and promised to let death determine the end of our marriage. But life has thrown us a curve-ball that I must have missed. Perhaps both of us missed it. For in the end, we have decided that separate lives are the best and only way to proceed.

The process should be easy. We have no assets, no house, no children, and no cats to separate or divide between us.. We already swapped titles for the cars. I now have the title for the Silver Bullet Subie and She has the title for the Bean.

So now Cheryl is free to go on with the life she always wanted. A Life... Without Me. To pursue a Career in journalism and use her writing skills as they were meant to be used. She can now run any race she wants and travel to any destination she chooses. With anyone she wants... Cheryl, who is no stranger to achieving great things, has once again managed to do what I thought would be impossible: She has made me no longer care.

She might be losing a husband., but I have lost everything. I have lost a friend, a partner. I have lost playful conversations, physical intimacy, those moments of Bliss and Love. Everything... Except the memories. The memories of the laughter, the joy, the sorrows, the scenic views and the long, country walks. The morning smiles with sunlight in her hair; the goodnight kisses and the warmth of her body next to mine. The deep, thoughtful conversations and the midnight whispers. All of those memories.... Over 26 years worth.... now only bring pain in my heart. And I wonder if I will ever be able to forget them or this feeling that they dredge up. Because instead of blessed nostalgia, They only serve as a reminder of what went wrong.

I have also lost her Family. A family I was actually quite fond of. And since I no longer have my parents; And my brother and I rarely speak anymore... Her family was the ONLY family I had in my life. I doubt they know... yet.... What exactly happened between us. But I will leave that to Cheryl to tell them. Because I doubt I will ever see any of them again. And that is a sad and painful thought.

But a Man who has lost everything has nothing left to lose! And that is a POWERFUL position to be in. I don't know what my future holds, But I will rise up and discover a new part of my story that has yet to be written. And this story will be mine alone to write.

As for this chapter of my story... And this blog. I am wondering how I should proceed. It started out as a carving blog, and morphed into a running blog with occasional scenes of car repair, stocking manufacturing, Origami videos, and mushroom foraging. In short, it became a blog about my life and how I shared it with with Cheryl. Had I abandoned this blog before the Move to Iowa, I would not have had all of these experiences recorded in the same place. But now.... As I re-read these old posts.... How can I possibly continue my thoughts when half of my subject material is gone?

But a blog should be about one's own life. And all of the good and bad that happens during it. But I'm afraid I have more people reading this blog than I suspect. And perhaps I should keep some of my next moves a little more close to the chest.

A "Successful" Chalk Event.

2023-06-09T16:49:00.002-07:00

I drove to Wellman on Wednesday and tried to prepare for the Thursday Chalk Event that the local Library was throwing for the town. There were a number of other events going on, But I was asked to be in Charge of the chalk thing. Guess I must have had a reputation back in the day. And since Chalking on the sidewalk is a rather fun thing for me, I decided to accept the offer.

The director asked me what I needed to prepare and I gave a few tips. Chalk obviously. But I actually had plenty for everyone in my own personal stock. They bought a case of the sidewalk mix as a back up, just in case. And a few extra charcoal briquettes. I found a few old dry erasers and commandeered them for my own selfish purpose. In other words, we had plenty of supplies to get the job done.

I woke up early and drew the basic outline in charcoal. And then I waited. I think the event started at noon and I had everything set up by 8 A.M. So... Kind of a long wait.

But eventually the director came to chat with me and the rest of the staff fired up some hotdogs and set out some gift baskets for the kids. I think they figured there were over 140 kids that showed up. ( based on hot dogs missing.) That was more than I was thinking at least.

None of the usual suspects showed up. ( my inner circle of Chalk kids who used to help me.) Instead, there were a lot of younger kids that I had never seen before. Many of them had no idea what to do or even how to start. It seems rather simple, but using the chalk and the charcoal is a game changer when to comes to blending colors and outlining your designs. Luckily, there were also a number of adults there to help show the kids how things worked. ( Adults seem to catch on a little bit faster.)

I'm not sure if the entire Mural was 100% completed, because I left after about an hour. I had to get back to Wisconsin and wanted to get a head start while there was daylight. The librarians sent me a number of pics of the kids with the mural still incomplete. The event was only to last an hour, but the kids could stay as long as they wanted. And a Mural of this size would take me an entire WEEK to complete! ( I have done similar sized themes at the same place before.) But having an Army of Minions certainly helps. AND having parents helping the minions is a Force Multiplier! ( Some Army Lingo there....) I left all of my chalk there for the kids to use. I figured they would get better use out of it than I have over the last year. Before I came to Wisconsin, I left over half of my "left over" chalk to the school. I heard they used it up and you could see all of the designs they drew around the building and adjacent golf coarse sidewalk. That made me happy.

So now I'm back in Wisconsin and I enjoyed a peaceful day of catch up. I ran two loops to Parkside and back. ( It could be as far as 13 miles!) and did walked around the forest this afternoon looking for Mushrooms. ( I found nothing!) The big thing is that my legs no longer hurt after I run that distance. Either I am getting stronger or my knee, hip and ankle pain that used to plague me are now numbed to non-existent. Either way, I'll take it. I'm happy I no longer walk like an old man after running 6 miles!

The weekend is upon us, and My plans have changed. I hope I will find things to do to have fun and continue the long needed relaxation. Wednesday and Thursday were long days with very little sleep. So Friday was a welcome change from that. And I still have two days left! How awesome is that!

I hope everyone is planning on having a great weekend this weekend. Weekends mean so much more now that I have a regular job. And if I get the rare weekend where I don't have to play "catch up," all the better. Hope everyone has a great weekend. And Thanks for stopping in.

Patty's Back! At The Zebra Warehouse.

2023-06-05T18:47:00.006-07:00

I just wanted to post a quick mention of the big news today. Patty's back! "Who is Patty?" You may ask? She is the all-important computer girl who looks up lost things, sends friendly email reminders, and generally fixes inbound things that are broken. ( From an I.T. perspective.) Honestly, I'm not entirely sure of what she does, but she is an important part of the inbound team and we have missed her ever since Rachel has had to take up both her and Patty's job since patty has been gone. Let's just say her job is unique.

We were afraid Patty had been sucked up in the great Haribo tornado that has now claimed three of our best employees! (Well, that's only if you count Phil.... Remember Phil?) Apparently everyone who makes the move LOVES it at Haribo... ( All that sugar in their candy has caused some sort of addiction, I bet.) And Patty has family that works there, so it was logical that we feared the worst. She had been gone for a while due to family issues and we feared she would be gone forever.

But she is back! And I just wanted to acknowledge that on the blog. Mostly just as a record and a heads up for those Zebra employees who tune in to my ramblings from time to time. ( Including Phil.... Are you still there Phil? Come in Phil... Come in....)

In other news: Remember when I said we would have 6 trucks on Monday. Turns out to be 7! And about 90 FedEx packages in addition to the usual receive load. It was a busy day. And before I go off on a rant or tangent, let me just say that we only got one of those trucks fully processed. ( TX5 Texas... I'll leave it at that.) It was slow going and half way through the day we lost one of our clerks. So our

Like tallying bananas!

In-Bound Team was missing one of our Managers, Rachael, Marian, and Patty had to train for most of the day, so she was booked up as well. Tomorrow, another clerk will be missing for Habitat For Humanity so we will be short handed yet again.

But all that work makes the days fly by! And there is a certain team building that occurs when a group of people face hardship together. But all that matters for me is getting to Wednesday that much faster. I'm ready for some Chalking!

So Welcome Back Patty! We missed you. And I'm sure everyone is more than happy to see you back on the team. Haribo can wait just a little longer.

Thanks for stopping in.

A Kenosha Kite Festival.

2023-06-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

Today, after Church, Dave and I visited a local park where they were holding the Kenosha Kite Festival. ( I don't know the official name. but that sounds good enough for me.) And just like rain on the 4th of July, it was a day where the wind could have been more cooperative. In other words, it was a peaceful calm day at the Lake Michigan lake shore.

But that did not stop folks from having a go at it. And the idea that there was "NO" wind is not entirely true. A shall breeze was all it could muster for the limited time we were visiting. It was enough of a breeze to get a few kites in the air and the pros made it look easy. I never knew there were professional kite flyers... But apparently there are! All the way from Vancouver! ( That's a city in Canada for those folks educated in the public school system.)

We did a lap and resisted the urge to buy a kite to show these kids how to fly them properly. (A reference back to my kite flying days when I was training to be a ninja... But that is for another blog posting.) IN the end, Dave shook hands with a Police friend and I scored an IKEA coupon... so I think we made out in the black on this one. It was fun to watch and see all of the other people having a good time... Even with the wind not giving its best. Incidentally, the wind did seem to pick up a bit just before we left. Almost everyone who was trying to fly a kite, got it up into the air for more than a few seconds.

Other than that, I changed Subie's oil and dusted off my chalk collection. I have until Tuesday night to get everything ready and set for the big event on Thursday. Hopefully, there will be much to blog about then. I talked to Cheryl and she invited me to a RC airplane show and a Tractor pull! Sounds like the best Saturday Event EVER! (I mean.... Who wouldn't want to see a tractor Pull/parade?)

Oh, that's right... Cheryl! She has to go for her work and is inviting me along for the ride. Little does she know that I plan on enjoying myself as I love RC airplanes AND tractor parades. So the joke is on her.... I also like old cars and military hardware... I think it might be a guy thing. Or just me. Either way, I'm looking forward to it.

Wow! Two posts this weekend. Who would have thunk it? I must have been motivated to write for some reason. Then again, I did leave a few of the other tasks for another day. Namely: Clearing and organizing the next section of the basement and cleaning up the floor a bit. But I'm thinking I will have time for that later and the dirt never goes anywhere without me moving it, so it will stick around and wait for me.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and is looking forward to Monday as much as I am. ( I really am! We are supposed to get 6 trucks tomorrow! FUN!) Warehouse work is perhaps the greatest secret they never told us when prepping us for the world out of High School. Otherwise, everyone would want to do this job.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping in.

Another Saturday Of Unrelaxing Activity.

2023-06-03T17:58:00.003-07:00

Normally I would say I was "relaxing" by doing things that are calm and low energy. Things that allow me to find my "Zen" while doing them. Today was not really one of those days.

First of all, I find Saturday's very short for the number of Activities I have to cram into them. That alone makes them a little more hectic than the regular work day. So... in addition to the usual laundry catch up for the week, I also have to do a longer exercise routine.

And that includes a longer run.... Which I did today. 13 Miles! ( I think.. Could be longer.) How did I get 13 miles when I only did 12 last week? ( I think... That could have been longer too!) Turns out the road has been under construction for nearly three weeks now. And it has been annoying to run and drive on while whoever tore it up dilly dallies before finishing the job. Well today, they finally started the "finishing process." On a Saturday!

Why on a Saturday? I don't know... Overtime? All the while they have not been doing much to ready the road for the black top. But all that does not matter! I was thrilled that it was finally getting finished and had hoped that I would be able to catch them as they made it towards Dave's house.

Which they did not. ( Figures!) Curb your Enthusiasm, Eth! I talked to one of the guys and he said they were only working until 2 P.M. and would try to top as much as they could. Also, this top was only the first of three layers. I can only imagine how long we are going to have to drive on the primary layer before the eventually add the remaining two.

To their credit, they were working pretty fast. When I left for my run, they has just started. By the time I had arrived for the second go around, they had already finished a small side section and had rounded the bend! I ran home to grab my camera and snap a few pics of the men in action. (And that is how I added an extra mile onto my initial long run.)

I noticed there were no women on the crew. Mandatory diversity fails once again! Did I mention it was hot? Did I mention it was stinky? Did I mention it was dirty? I wonder why females would not want a piece of that action. A Manly career that pays well... With Benefits! I guess the Patriarchy is still an issue in some fields of work.....

After snapping the pics and returning back to the house, I finished up the remaining loop around Parkside. By this time it was just after 10 and the heat started to turn up. But somehow, I managed to finish the loop without walking and without injury. I even got to pet a dog along the way. A Run just isn't a Run unless I pet at least one dog while I'm doing it.

Before

After... Still needs work.

After the run, I got to finishing up one of those additional projects I hinted at last week. The "fishing section" of Dave's basement is a bit of a mess. I didn't get much done today, but I added the shop light and peg board for the back. I also cleaned up a bit and attempted some preliminary organization. I may have more time tomorrow to attack it. In the mean time, I did manage to clean up a lot of the garbage that was cluttering the area just behind it. That means another full container for Garbage Day!

And now I am finally relaxing. Although I ache all over. I honestly don't know how Cheryl does this everyday. ( And faster!) I don't think this is getting any easier, but I do find my pain threshold has increased slightly. My foot no longer bothers me at mile 4 like it used to! And my knees sink into a dull ache around mile 8... Eventually the entire lower half of me goes numb and my arms start to hurt. Perhaps the goal is for my entire body to go numb.... Then I will be unstoppable! (Maybe.)

Hope everyone is enjoying their Weekend so far. Tomorrow is another busy day with an Oil change, Chalk inventory, and preparation for my Chalk Festival on Thursday. Hopefully things will go as planned and I will have a great time to blog about. Fingers crossed. In the mean time, Thanks for stopping in and have a great rest of your Day.

The End Of The Long Weekend.

2023-05-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! ( That sounds kind of bad...) If you are like many Americans, you show your support for deceased American soldiers and loved ones by grilling out over a long weekend. Three Days! What better way to show your patriotism? ( Just wait until the 4th of July...) And, like so many other red blooded Americans, I spent the three days relaxing and doing stuff. Nothing too crazy.... Just trying to rest and recover from a busy week at the Zebra Warehouse.

So... What did I do? I exercised... A LOT! I ran a LOT! 6 miles several times last week and 6 on on Friday. I ran 12 miles yesterday. At least I'm counting it as that.... it might have been further And YES! You Grammar Nazies! Further is used properly in this case. I checked!

A few oysters.

Dave ran 6 miles with me today and about killed me. ( He runs fast! And is in better shape than I am.) And here I was thinking I was in pretty good shape after running 12 miles on Sunday! Guess I have a ways to go

Didn't look all weekend.

. However, I have found myself running a lot lately. I don't know why I have decided to increase the distance, but I have. Hopefully I will be a little bit healthier for all of my efforts.

Earlier week flowers

Dave had a busy weekend as well. He had Church on Saturday and two times on Sunday.

More flowers.

He had a marriage class, several graduation parties and events to attend, and I think a Baptism. A full week/weekend for the Clergy man.

Another Flower!

While he was doing those things, I began unraveling yet another string in the basement.

Um... Is this how I got Poison Ivy?

This time I cleaned up and organized his "work area" or shop. This is really the wrong term for this as Dave does not do "craft things" or wood working or anything that requires tool or a work area in general.

Mostly finished Work Space.

Some clean up remains.

But I do! I will admit that there are certainly some self-interested motives behind my actions. Many of the tools you see on the peg board are ones that have been left behind by the former house owner. I can't tall you what half of the tools I found are even used for. But I'm guessing the former tool owner ran into the same problem many folks run into: They do not know what they have... so they buy replicants.

My next project?

Putting the tools on the wall helps a lot. It shows Dave... or whoever might need a tool.... exactly what they have and how many are available. ( Like 6 hammers... And 12 screwdrivers.) And now, for the first time since I got here, I can see the actual bench! I'm pretty excited about that.

Today, Dave finally had a complete day to relax... so we went fishing. I was a little disappointed at the results though. I think another group must have came before us and cleaned out the bluegills off their beds. We did manage to catch a few nice ones that were left over. Dave had the advantage with his waders. Whereas I was restricted to the locations with small gaps in the brush. I also caught a very large frog.

And that was it. After cleaning the fish, Dave grilled up some Chicken and we ate supper. Time now to finish up this blog and prepare for tomorrow. I'm thinking it is going to be another busy day at the Zebra. But it was fun having an extra day to catch a few things up.

Hope everyone had a great weekend this weekend. Perhaps you spent it with friends and family. (Living or dead!) Which is what I think everyone should do. Or enjoy the graduation of the next generation as we send them out to face the world and pay taxes. Enjoy the party kids! Adulting is a long and sometimes depressing career. Thanks for stopping in.

A Very "Productive" Weekend.

2023-05-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

I got a lot accomplished this weekend. It might not seem like a lot to others, but there were various projects that I have been putting off and finally got to tackle them... So I'm feelin' pretty good!

I ran 7 miles! I did laundry. I embroidered a half dozen things for myself and other people. I fixed the coffee maker! I purchased vacuum parts and bags at Menhards. I replaced the batteries in the Garage Door Opener. (Kind of a big deal.) But the really, really BIG thing was I cleaned up the basement area and organized a sizable section. That took most of my Saturday.

And finally, I was able to marathon through several episodes of Game Of Thrones.

The big thing was the clean up/ organization in the basement area. I kind of live down there and each day I walk around a mountain of old magazine collections and dead plants that Dave has "saved" from the recycle bin at church over the years. But somewhere while doing my seemingly endless embroidery projects, I tugged on the cleaning thread and it began to unravel.

It started with just a simple shop vac of the area. My embroidery area has scraps of thread and material that looks unsightly and can only be vacuumed up with the shop vac. The problem in that the handle has limited reach. I used an old tube from a Christmas wrapping paper roll, and it worked!

Right up until the suction of the vacuum collapsed the tube. ( which was kind of hilarious if you ever saw it.) I needed a better tube extension so I headed to Menhards to buy more. While I was there I bought some vacuum bags for Dave's obsolete vacuum. (They didn't fit... But there is more to that story.)

No, it didn't look this bad.

I hurried back and continued cleaning things and stacking things and organizing things and ultimately, throwing a number of things away. By the way, I found the "right" vacuum bags in the process! See! One of the perks for discovering what you have buried under a mountain of cardboard and magazines.You find things you thought you had lost.

No, it doesn't look this good.

Don't worry! Nothing "important" got tossed. Mostly I simply consolidated things and stacked them up neatly. Any left over crushed cardboard was thrown into recycling. ( Which is brimming at the moment...) But now I can see all the way to the Basement door from my dark little corner. And there are no longer any "trippables" out there.

I still may have to make a trip to good will for a few items that people might be able to use. But I will wait for Dave's "OK" on that one.

There is still the other side of the basement to organize. And there are the shelves and tables that have tools and shop materials all over them. A project for another day. But for now... They pose no immediate threat to me or any unsuspecting wildlife.

I also fixed the coffee maker ( no pictures.) This will be the third time I actually took this specific brand of coffee maker apart. I guess German Engineering is not all it was cracked up to be. There was a short right at the connection of the power cord. I removed the bad part and reconnected the wires. I'm not sure what caused the short, bt for now, it appears to be working. Without any of my special connectors, I will have to make do with what was provided. Hopefully it will last a while this time.

There is more, but I don't want this blog to get too long. ( They always do when you wait to sum up the week on a weekend.) Perhaps I will have the MOJO to blog again tomorrow. We shall see.

Hope everyone else is having a great and productive weekend. I think I have a long weekend next weekend, so I will have to plan accordingly. I wonder what I shall do with my extra day. I'll have to think about it.

As for me... Have a great day and thanks for stopping in.

A Successful Mushroom Hunt.

2023-05-15T18:46:00.004-07:00

I dislike Morels. I think I have covered that before on this blog. Everyone wants them. Everyone is out looking for them. No one wants to share their successful hunting spots. It is a dodge ball, secretive competition that seems to favor everyone but me. So I hate them. Silently. ( unless you read this blog)

So needless to say.... I did not find any morels this year... Again! A big zero! Unless you count the one that someone left in the middle of the path a few weeks ago. ( I don't!) As if to taunt me by showing me that they are in the area.. but I will never find any. And THEY can find them so often that they just leave the surplus on the trail for random strangers to find. So mushroom hunting for morels is a complete waste of time!

And yet... I continue to look for them. Why? Such self abuse should be banned. But similar to fishing... you never know when you will find something out there that was unexpected, but still desired.

And so it was that Sunday afternoon, I found my first Oyster Mushrooms of the year. Pleurotus populinus Also known as the "Spring Oyster mushroom."

I found them in a stand of big leaf aspen. And they were growing in several places. I gathered what I could and brought them to Dave.

He was excited and wanted to hunt for some more. And since it was mother's day, they was still the opportunity to possibly find a morel or two. ( except for me... cause morels hate me.)

On the way out to the woods, we found a tree loaded with Dryad Saddle!

Honestly, ever since I found those ones pinning a few weeks ago, I had given up on dryad saddle being anything other than survival food! But catch them early... while they are still tender, and they are awesome! These guys were still in the pinning stage and had not yet formed their pores under the cap. They were tender and brittle when you flexed the caps. We harvested everything we could.

Once in the woods, we found even MORE! But these guys were past their prime. It was obvious the moment we tried to cut them from the tree. They were tough and leathery! We took a few of the smaller ones, but even those will be set up for drying later. Once they open those pores, they seem to get overly tough and inedible for normal dishes.

Once home, I cut up all of the oysters and about half of the dryad saddle. Dave whisked them up with some noodles and beef tips and they were delightful! perfect texture and flavor. I guess part of the mushroom education is knowing when to harvest certain mushrooms and how to cook them at their best. Our education continues.

So I just wanted to post that since it was not going to make it in the last post. Certainly a different subject from racing and family. So... here it is. I now will be looking forward to hunting other mushrooms as they make their appearances. And I will be enjoying the forest now that many of the morel people will be leaving. I doubt they will be caring much about new and exotic species of edible mushrooms that make their appearances all summer long. ( Except the Chicken of the Woods....) And this is where I will gain ground and use my new found knowledge to acquire mushroom species they have ignored or abandoned. They will be mine! All Mine! muhahahaha!

Hope everyone had a great Monday. And thanks for stopping in.

The River Bank Run, Mother's Day, 50th Anniversary, Family Gathering in Michigan Weekend!

2023-05-14T18:53:00.001-07:00

Whew! That is a Huge title! And we tried our best to cram in as much junk into two days as we could. Which means that we pretty much had no time for ourselves and did not achieve everything we had wanted. But we survived! And I have something to blog about at the very least.

And it is late.... so I should try to limit the 700 pictures and all the details to just the bare memories that we will be able to recall... So let's get started

I was fortunate enough to have Friday off from Work.... A Z day! ( That's "Z" for Zebra... Not "Zombie"... Which would still be cool. Just sayin'.) Cheryl and I spent that day traveling to Michigan and picking up our packets for the Grand Rapids River Bank Run! I signed up for the 10 K and Cheryl went for the Big 25K. ( about 15 miles... for those of us who only live in the US and are not Military....) She was part of the "two Hour Club" from last year and wanted to get in the special bib and special room set aside for the snobs that can run faster than everyone else. Snobs!

How did it go? Well, I finished my 10 k in under an hour. That is fairly consistent for me. ( Just under a 10 minute per mile pace... for those who are not runners... Living only in the US and do not know the Metric System conversion rate.) I was pretty pleased with that.

Cheryl, on the other hand.... Finished 14 seconds over the 2 hour mark. Meaning... She got kicked out of the two hour club the very year she was allowed into it! What a loser! ( First loser.... to be exact! Her words.. not mine!) But..... She was still able to climb the golden stairs and join the uber elites in the special "two Hour Club" room. And what did she find?

Wait for it....

Bagels. That's it. No wine, no cheese, no special beer or cigars. No dancing women.... just bagels. That was a lot of work to get something rather "ho humm." Somehow, that made her feel a little less bitter about failing to crack the two hour time for two years in a row.

But the celebration could not last forever... And eventually we had to go to the Fam's for some additional celebrating. Namely, The folks were having their 50th Wedding anniversary. They wanted it to be small, so we just invited Andy and Tanya.

Mike and Julie's new cat.

But then Julie and Mike heard about it and decided to crash the party.

Are we boring?

It didn't take them long to get bored, but we managed to have a good time despite their constant yawning and stretching. It was almost as if they had run a 10k run that morning. ( That is a little over 6 miles... for those folks who were educated in the US public School system, are not military, or have ever run a race in the early morning.)

Finished take.

Outake #1

One of the highlights was when we got the folks to pose with their cake. Andy made them take several dozen takes to get the right ones. Just like Mom makes us do every time the entire family gathers up.

Finished Take

Outtake #2

What a long weekend! And there is MORE! But it is getting late and I will have to blog about the rest tomorrow. Monday is supposed to be a big day at the Zebra.... So I will definitely need some beauty sleep tonight.

Outtake #1

Outtake #2 But Cats are Family!

Hope everyone had a great Mother's day weekend this weekend. Cheryl and I managed to kill 4 "birds" with one weekend visit to Michigan... so I think that is pretty impressive. Perhaps next time we will be able to spend some time with each other.... just the two of us. Maybe....

Thanks for stopping in! And I hope everyone has a wonderful week this coming week. Until then.

When All Else Fails.... Try Volunteering!

2023-05-06T16:47:00.002-07:00

A series of events happened this week that I would almost consider a Miracle. Perhaps a little small for most people, but I believe no miracle is too small for God and to those who are influenced by such a miracle. So let me explain

I was planning on heading to Iowa this weekend to help Cheryl with a Garage sale. But then the plans were cancelled. I then was planning on driving Dave's sister to the Airport. That also changed. I had plans to do some heavy mushroom hunting this weekend here in Wisconsin. But every time I head out to my favorite places, I have not been encouraged by the harvest. ( A few pinning Dryad Saddles and a "gifted" half morel I found on the trail. Someone else found them and left the two on the small bike path I was on in the woods.) So what would I do with my new found weekend?

Well, it happens that the Wisconsin Marathon and Half Marathon was here in Kenosha this weekend! I could run another Half Marathon!

And... I have a Co-worker that will also be running the Half Marathon with her son. So I technically would not be running it totally alone. ( Technically. Everyone runs their own race alone.)

However. Miracles continue. I filled out the form on Wednesday night and tried to pay for the race... Three Times! Each time, my card was declined. There was no reason. The card was good. The entry deadline was not until race morning. There was no earthly reason why I should not have been able to pay for the race and join in on the fun of self-inflicted pain.

But then I thought. I could volunteer!

I have often wondered what it takes to be one of the volunteers at one of these races. Turns out... No cost! You usually get some of the swag ( shirt, mug, jacket, bananas....etc. ) and all you have to do is direct traffic, hand out water, or hand out the medals. That sounds kind of fun, right?

Pre-Sun rise.

Well, I click the volunteer button and choose the "floating volunteer" who will help out where ever there is need... And "Poof!" I'm in!

Sun rising over Lake Michigan!

Preparing for registration.

I did not rely on the 6:30 start time. Especially when the race stars at 7:00 A.M. So I woke up ridiculously early (2:30 A.M.!) and showed up several hours before the race started. It was 51 degrees, but began raining early on. I was lucky to be put in charge of the T-shirt hand out at the register tent. People were signing up for the race even at that late of an hour!

Sun rising.

At least it was sheltered from the rain and wind. And we were able to watch the sun rise over Lake Michigan. A phenomenon I have only witnessed one other time here on the Wisconsin side of the Lake. Very pretty.

I didn't know if I would see Marion ( the Co-worker who was running the race) but she and her son happened to stop by for a question. A familiar face at last! I wished her luck and cheered her on.

As the race neared, I found myself helping out in the baggage claim area. It was less sheltered from the rain and not sheltered at all from the wind! The temp dropped into the 40's and I was wishing I had brought warmer clothes. I luckily remembered I had my Work Gore-Tex in the trunk of the car. That helped a little.

Overall, the task was easy and fun. It might have been better had the weather been nicer for us. But then the runners would have had to deal with less than optimal conditions. Many of them commented that today was "perfect running conditions" for them. I think Cheryl might have agreed. She tends to like the cold. And does not shy away from running in the rain. I'll have to ask Marion about her experience later on Monday. I saw that she and her son had both finished the race. But both of them headed out shortly after before I could congratulate them.

So now... after a long nap, I have nothing left for the day. I will do Laundry tomorrow and possibly a couple of the embroidery projects I have lined up. The rain might have helped the Mushroom condition.... So a Hunt might also be in the works. And if nothing else, I would just run through the park to get in some exercise.

By the way. I didn't get a shirt. Or a jacket. Or a mug! But I did get s couple of Bananas and a rice cake. I probably could have asked about getting one, but decided sleep was more important at that point in the day. I do know that they offered a Beer and Brat at the local pub three blocks away. But again, I did not want to fight any more crowds and just wanted to get dry and warm.

The Verdict? Volunteering was not a terrible experience. It was actually kind of fun. And if all of your other plans fall through, it was a pleasant alternative that I would recommend! It's just like running the race with the early start time, cold conditions, and foul weather... But without the sore leg "gimp" afterwards. And you even get a banana when it is all over. (And possibly a shirt, beer and brat! If you actually want those things.) Similar to the Half Marathon experience... I might be willing to attempt Volunteering again.

Thanks for stopping in.

Running With Dogs.

2023-04-30T19:11:00.006-07:00

I did not run today.... Because of rain. But yesterday! I ran 6 miles and felt Great! With a Capital "G".

I ran through the Parkside Petrified Springs. I did not stop for Mushrooms... But I did stop for Dogs. ( At least the dogs would would let me pet them.) And that go me thinking....

In the Petrified Springs park, there are many dog walkers along the path. And even though I try to focus and not stop for any distractions while on a run, I will stop to pet a tail-wagging dog whenever I get the chance. Sometimes I even talk to their owners.

Kind of weird. I mean, A total stranger approaches you while you are walking your dog and stops... Pets the dog. And then continues on his run. Sometimes barely knowing your even holding the other end of the leash.

Not having a dog, I wonder ( usually after the fact) what that must be like. I mean, Dogs are family! Right? You probably would not let a stranger walk up and hug your kid while you are right there with them... ( at least you probably Shouldn't!) Perhaps you can get away with that behavior if you are a little hunched over, gray haired lady with a walker. But NOT if you are a Male... Between the ages of 35-55... walking through a wooded area... Alone! With Glasses!

He's wearing GLASSES!

OK, maybe the glasses bit is a little over the top. And with Glasses on adults being ubiquitous, it seems like adding them into the mix would not add any character. Glasses already have enough stereotypes categories to fill. Glasses = Nerds! Glasses = Academics. Glasses = Old people. Glasses = scientists. Adding in : Glasses = "Creepy Person!" Doesn't seem to set you apart very much. Especially since Nerds, Scientists, "College-educated Librarians" and Old People are already Creepy enough! But I digress!

Cute items temper the mean look...

I solidly fit within the "Serial Killer" demographic. And I am painfully aware of this fact every time I go out in public... alone... Without my "lovely Item" to temper the "Creep factor." But some how... People let me pet their dogs. Why?

Try wearing these!

Perhaps for the reason that dogs, unlike small children, come with a healthy face full of teeth! And they bark... Usually very loudly. Sure, kids can scream and cry, but lets face it. Kids are always doing stuff like that and after crying "wolf" so many times, non-parents tend to tune them out. Therefore, Parents are far more vigilant when it comes to protecting kids. But not so much for dogs.

Um...Guys? Ice cream trucks?

Or perhaps it could be that dogs are a better judge of character than kids are. Give kids some candy and they will jump in the back of your ice cream truck to who knows where! But dogs are a little more cautions when taking treats from strangers. Believe me! I have tried. (Giving treats to Dogs... Not kids! I better get to my point before this gets too dark!)

He just wants to get to know you.

Dogs have a secret weapon called a nose. I think in addition to smelling fear, ( and bacon!) they can also smell if a person is "good" or not. ( Or at least if the intentions are honorable) At least that is what I would like to think. Then again, there are always those dogs they simply do not like me. And I don't have the time on my runs to make the effort to make friends. ( otherwise, I would!)

Bottom line, Dogs are great! Man's best friend! And I love them all! Even the ones that threaten me and bark like Banshees ( Do Banshees "bark?") Loud noises! You get the drift. I don't believe there are any evil dogs... Only bad owners that have mistreated them in some way. If given the chance, Dogs will become loyal companions and faithful friends. And Family.

Just ask anyone who has ever owned a dog in the past.

As for me. I will continue to stop and pet the pooches whenever they allow me. Not only because I love to share the love. But it also gives me a legit reason to stop on the long runs. And I will give all of the dogs the credit for helping me out on a long run.

Thanks for stopping in.

The Wisdom Gained By Running A Half Marathon.

2023-04-23T16:08:00.001-07:00

There is much! But I'm sure, as with many things, it varies from person to person, since everyone will have a different experience and unique perspective. That being said, Wisdom comes in many forms, as life teaches us lessons about "Life"; and with those lessons, we can use them to take on an uncertain future.

So what did I learn about Life while running a Half Marathon today?

Well, actually, I think I learned a bunch of stuff. Some small. Some rather profound! And some things may end up being useful to me in some unwritten future.

First: I survived! No injuries, no heart attack, no blisters, no chafing, no broken femur(s). No mental break downs or unexplained fits of profanity. I just ran the entire thing. Pausing only once for a pee break and slowing down for water.

Second: You can't drink water effectively while running. Unless you want to wear it. And as cold as it was, I was not about to douse myself with water to "Cool Down." The wind and air temps were doing that just fine already.

Third: Cold weather makes you run better. Mostly. Sometimes? Well, I was given a throw away towel to wrap up around my legs or shoulders to stay warm while in the coral. It helped just enough to get me over the start line and ready to begin generating my own heat. Once you start heating up, the cold weather comes in handy.

Fourth: Stale Donuts suck as pre-race fuel! And Coffee seems to over-hydrate you.

Fifth: Small Dogs are ADORABLE!

Sixth: I learned to pee in the drain pipe of a small Episcopal Church! There's a handy skill to have! Useful when it comes to long lines at the port-a-jons and minutes before the race starts. And a great way to make friends! At least our area was slightly secluded, as many of the women were holding up towels and peeing by the large trees on the campus lawn. Special thanks to Cheryl for that one....

Where was I? Ah yes! That pretty much sums up the early morning, pre-race lessons that I learned. With no camera on my person, there were not many pictures to show off. Then again, who wants pictures of my skillful "Drain Aim." (Limited splatter, no puddles... No church bishop to ask us what we were doing....)

Seven: Cheryl Is FAST! And Super Human!

As for my race? It was LONG! And hard. But I met at least one of my goals in that I finished it. And I never walked! Hey! That's two goals met! As for the two hour goal.... Well, five minutes over that is not terrible.

And ultimately, I proved that I could do it. And not suck! Hurray for me!

Perhaps the best life lesson I personally discovered for myself is to NOT run a full marathon. I already felt like a Humvee racing in a NASCAR event. Not build for speed! Too wide for the lanes! Build for hills, not straight-aways! Drinks too much fuel! And ultimately not in the environment it was meant for.

And then there is the pain. Aches and pains in my legs, hips, and feet. I will be gimping for a few days after this one. Instead of reversing time, I feel like running makes me look and feel Older! All that is missing is the cane.

And then there is Cheryl. Who ran a new PR for the Marathon ( full!) and somehow managed to miss any age group awards or recognition for her efforts. Another life lesson I can learn from! "When doing your personal best, and Achieving an impossible goal... Don't expect the world to recognize you for your supernatural efforts."

Well, I recognized it. And gave her a hug and kiss at the finish line. A person who can truly appreciate the Herculean efforts required to pull off such a time over such a distance. While I'm wining about my slow pace over half the distance, she pulls off a monumental time.

She achieved a new PR and got to ring the bell.

Come to think of it.... So did I!

SO we ended up ringing it together.

And that was it. I survived the race! And am a little wiser for it. I believe, for me, there is no further reason to run such distances competitively. I have proven that I can do it if I had to. And I no longer feel the urge to push the boundaries in this specific field of exercise. Similar to driving my Subaru into a brick wall at 35 MPH just to see if the airbags work. Yes! They do! But now you have a broken car.

So now I get to settle in for the continued lesson of pain. Any satisfaction that might have been gained will soon be overwhelmed with that wonderful feeling of pain. But you have to be alive to feel pain, right? And I guess I am alive after all. Thanks for stopping in.

Adventures in Toledo, Ohio!

2023-04-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

Remember when I said I was running a Half Marathon in Cincinnati? Well, that was not entirely true. In fact. It was pretty much wrong! I guess I'm running in Toledo! ( Good thing I checked!) So here I am in Toledo, Ohio, preparing for my heroic victory or humiliating defeat as I attempt to run my first Half Marathon. Hurray for me!

Oh! I decided to bring Cheryl along. So she could run the Full Marathon. And give me a ride in the Bean Subaru. It helps to have a designated driver... Especially when you don't know where the Race that you are supposed to be running is actually located! But here we are now... Ready to face the trials and trails of life together tomorrow. (Was that sentence too complicated? Did anyone get the joke?)

So where do I begin? It was a fairly long day filled with much adventure. But I guess it really started yesterday with the long carpool through Chicago. I linked up with Cheryl in Joliet and parked the Silver Bullet Subie in a safe place next to the bus stop and Penitentiary. A few reasons for that: It is only $1.50 parking fee per day. And what Criminal will be committing a crime that close to the State Pen? We shall see if the theory holds true, as this IS seriously close to Chicago.... ( Be safe Subie.... )

Arriving in Toledo, We camped out and Prepared for the Expo, which was today. We were one of the first people in the door and picked up our BIBS and checked out the expo. Cheryl posed for a bunch of pictures by the giant 26.2 numbers. You could also write and sign the numbers to leave your mark on the experience.

As for me... I added my catch phrase to the numbers, even though I was only running the half Marathon.

There were a number of posters that the local school children made for the event. Honestly, I shot several dozen pictures of the artwork and could have spent the day inspecting the future artists of America rather than doing all that running stuff. Some of the kids were incredibly talented. If you payed any attention, you could see how the age of the kids helped display their skill levels. And even among a single grade, there were several students who broke away from the mold.

How I view myself

How I am really....

I liked this kid... Not only did he share my name, ( There were several posters by "Ethan." ) but he also shared my aptitude for art at an early age. I never thought I was anything special when it came to art.

Cheryl at the first Mile.

Cheryl after 26 miles.

But I did notice that many of my fellow class mates were not on the same level as I was. Not bragging... just an observation. ( Not that I did a heck of a lot with that Art skill in my adult years....)

We also did a little shopping and picked up some swag for the experience. The deals are there if you know what to look for! I scored a tumbler for under $20 and a tech shirt for only $5! Cheryl bought gels, socks and a headband. But eventually... we saw it all and left for the next adventure.

The BEACH of Lake Erie!

That's an has an eerie sound to it. Especially when they try to convince you that the beach is toxic or something. Sure, there was that moment in the 70's when the lake caught fire... but that was years ago! I'm sure it is perfectly safe now...

Did I mention Lake Erie is the Walleye capitol of the east? East of the Mississippi at least. the lake is far from dead... It's ALIVE! With blue green algae. But don't be fooled by the blue or the green.... The algae comes in a number of fun and fine colors.

Like Purple, Pink, Gray...

And Brown!

We were not there to swim, but rather to beach comb for oddities in the surf. Beach glass being one of the cool things we found in Lake Michigan several weeks ago when Cheryl stopped in to Kenosha.

What we found were shells.

Lots and LOTS of shells!

In fact, Finding beach glass at this beach was a rarity. We did find some, but most of them were large and not fully rounded off.

There were also a lot of Fossils in the large break wall rocks. Once again, there were so many, I could not possibly post all of them on this blog post. We wondered if they were ancient corals or petrified wood. A nice find along with the endless shells.

There were so many shells there that at one point, we could not find any sand or small pebbles there.

We walked up and down the beach until we felt we could find nothing else and then headed to the nature center, located in the same park. It was a typical nature/ learning center with many kids outside fishing in the small trout pond. Again, I took lots of photos, but most of them will not make it to the blog posting.

And finally we are back in our hotel room, waiting for the early 3 am wake up call to get the ball rolling. Only this time, I will be an active participant, rather than a highly skilled, but passive spectator. I doubt there will be many pictures, as I will be running the darn thing and will not want to lug my heavy camera around for 13.1 miles. ( Yes! Heavy! Anything is heavy after 13.1 miles.) So my next blog post will lack many of the "action shots" that Have made me famous in previous blog posts.

So what do I do in the mean time? Well, I took a long shower and shaved off all of the hair on my head, face, and other body parts to make sure I am as aerodynamic as possible. Who knows if it will help, but why not eliminate as many variables as possible? Remember, I'm not aiming for speed, but I would like to reduce as much drag as possible.

And then there is this blog post. Usually these guys take me three to four hours to complete. And I have an early bed time scheduled tonight! So... I will hurry up and finish this post while I make a few more memes of myself and the half marathon. Cheryl said I should have titled this post: " Half Marathon Man!" Or the "Hero of the Half Marathon!" There is a joke there somewhere.... ( "Half a man... But the BEST half possible!" Or " Where are the legs? Man. ) I like the hero part, as long as I don't fail terribly. And I have set the bar pretty darn low for myself. Besides, I look like a heroic Lex Luthor in a cape and running shirt. Perhaps Marvel fans will see the contradiction better than most. But in the mean time, I will attempt to channel that "Hero Spirit" to get me across the finish line. If I survive, I will tell you all about it. Possibly tomorrow... Wish me luck!

Adventures With Dave! Floor Duty...

2023-04-15T17:49:00.001-07:00

A quick blog because it is getting late. And lately, I have had very little to blog about... So. Here we go.

Dave shampooed the carpeting today. It has been almost a year since he did it last and a few of the heavy traffic areas have been looking rough. But... with a little help from me... He managed to get most of the spots up and at least dampen the traffic areas to where they will almost look unnoticeable.... Under the coffee table. Hey! A little bit of creative furniture arrangement can do wonders for the place. It can also hide stubborn high traffic stains.

And stubborn is the word! I went over it a second and third time and the dark areas remain. My answer would be for Dave to get better carpeting. (one with texture and color mottling.) White carpet is for high maintenance people with deep wallets and huge bank accounts. Or a serious case of OCD! How else would you keep such a shade unblemished?

The sunrises have been wonderful each morning as I head to work. Currently, the sunrises are timed perfectly with my arrival, and I get to enjoy them as the sun peeks over he horizon.

And lastly, I ran 12 miles today. And I ache all over. I didn't pay much attention to the time. And I did not walk.... But I will say I did run rather slow to make sure I had enough gas in the tank to make it.

Next weekend, Cheryl and I are running in Cincinnati Ohio. She is running the marathon while I run the half. I would be lying if I did not say I am a little scared. My primary goal will be to finish. And my secondary goal will be to get under 2 hours... somehow. (I don't know, Maybe an Uber will feel pity on me and offer me a ride to the finish line.) But my overall goal is not to get hurt or die. And before you ask: "13.1 miles. How hard can it be?" Bear in mind I just ran 12 and feel like crap! I may be able to roll over the last mile if my legs give out, but it will not be a fun experience.

And there it is. A fairly typical Saturday, except the the weather was wonderful and I ran 12 grueling miles! Time to sit back and relax as I head off to sleep early tonight. Tomorrow is a new day! And hopefully, I will be able to walk into it.

Thanks for stopping in.

Cheryl Meets The Senators.

2023-04-13T16:55:00.004-07:00

Chuck Grassley

Just a quick post on this Mid week Thursday Night. Cheryl got to meet the two Iowa Senators over the last couple weeks. Are they up for Re-election? I don't think so. But Rush used to say that "Politics is Showbiz for the Ugly" And that might have an ounce of truth to it.

Joni Ernst

It is not every day you get to meet a "famous" person. Even when senators tend to think of themselves as "Pretty Important," They are still our Representatives that we get to see on CSPAN. And it is always cool to meet someone you see on TV.

Governor Reynolds

That all being said, Cheryl is now up on me by one "politician" And until I shake hands with Trump. I may never get to catch up. I was fortunate enough to catch a picture with The Iowa Governor back in 2019.

Hope everyone is having a great week so far. Time certainly flies! I can't believe it is already Thursday today. The weekend is almost upon us. Thanks for stopping in.

Cheryl In Wonderland...

2023-04-09T18:40:00.001-07:00

Also known as: Kenosha! That is correct! Instead of our tradition of coloring Easter Eggs for Easter, Cheryl decided to come up to Kenosha for a visit! Lucky Me! Mostly because I did not have to brave the 5 hour drive to Iowa with an aging Subaru. Instead... She drove up with the newly revamped and repaired Bean Subie and we got to spend several almost days together exploring Kenosha.

Now I know that it has been a couple weeks since my last post. Phil is now officially gone and there simply was not much else to write about. Time in the evening had been taken up by my Silver Bullet Subie being repaired and me either having to drop it off or pick it up. So... Blogging took a back seat.

But then Cheryl arrived and I, once again, have something to blog about. Or at the very least, I have enough of everything else to lump together for a half-way decent blog post.

So what did we do of this Easter Weekend? Well... Nothing too crazy. Explored Kenosha mostly. We visited the Mars Cheese Castle

Tenuda's. The Italian Store with all of the Cool Italian things it offered.

The outlets! Which I had never explored before. We didn't buy anything! But that did not stop Cheryl from trying on a bunch of things and making me hold all of her stuff while she did it.

But mostly we ran and Beach Combed. Did I mention that I will be attempting a Half Marathon in two weeks? Um... Yeah. Kind of scared. Cheryl has been running 20-30 miles for the last two weekends and I have been running 9 if I'm lucky. ( Half marathon... Half the training... because it is half as long....Right?) Well, we ran both days at the Petrified Springs Park and I must say that Cheryl is FAST! Much faster than me. But that is ok... because I'm running for a different reason. I might post about my running and life lessons later, but not now.

And then there was the Beach Combing. The weather was just on the edge of nice by the big lake for the weekend. You would think that 50-60's would make walking along the beach tolerable, but whatever the temp is a few miles inland, the lake coos things off by about 20 degrees. Add in the wind and you get the feeling that it is plenty cold. That being said, it was still tolerable to be out there looking for Beach Glass.

Beach Glass! Lake Michigan's claim to fame, next to floating medical waste. ( that was sensationalized news story back in the 80's that has since gone silent. Either they cleaned it up or it was never an issue to begin with.) Beach glass is the product of people drinking beer on the beach before laws were made to prevent people from having fun. Drunk people would naturally toss their finished beer bottles into the natural glass recycling bin known as Lake Michigan; and 20 years later, you have a valuable gem wash up on the beach where excited tourists collect the shards and make jewelry out of it for their Etsy Shop! It's a Win Win Win! Mother Nature turns the ugly beer bottles into pretty glass flakes. The City of Kenosha promotes the beach as a "Beach Glass Mecca!" and Tourist clean up the beach... For FREE!

Cheryl noted that admitting the "History of Heavy Industry has led to a wonderful beach combing opportunity was an awesome spin on saying that they area was a heavy polluter. All that aside, We had fun searching for small shards of frosted, rounded, colored glass in the sand by the shore. It was a great way to spend several hours engaging in a "Zen-like" activity. Cheryl got to add to her beach glass collection and I enjoyed helping her in her search. Like hunting for Mushrooms in the Summer. OR Easter eggs during ... ah. Yeah! Easter! Like it was totally planned.

I mentioned that Cheryl had the Bean refurbished two weeks ago. She took a few days off and headed to Michigan to get the Bean Subaru checked out by the only Subaru Mechanic we can truly Trust: Andy! Her Brother! He did the Gaskets, Brakes, sensors, Cat Radio, and a bunch of other things. Water pump, timing belt, brake caliper replacement, Software upgrade..... And brought the Bean back into the present. Hopefully, Bean will now be able to run for many years.

That being said, Silver Bullet had to get new brakes and new wheel hubs last week. He sounds much better now, but Andy has offered to check him out for me to make sure things are up to snuff. I would very much like to take him up on his offer if I can. But I also realize that Andy might give me a verdict of bad tidings. I know Rust has begun to eat away at Subie. And that is irreversible.

So there it is. Cheryl came to Kenosha and we did stuff. And it was over too quickly. I imagine I will have more to blog about when we have our Race in a a couple weeks. (it's in Ohio! Yikes!) But until then... I will end this blog post with a Wish of a Happy Easter of Everyone. Hope you got to enjoy friends and Family and remember the real reason we celebrate this Holiday. It's kind of a big deal in the Bible, in case you were wondering. ( Bigger than Christmas!)

So, Happy Easter! And thanks for stopping in.

A Farewell To Phil...

2023-03-25T21:44:00.023-07:00

That is correct. It is with a deeply saddened heart to report that ~~Phil~~ Er, I mean: The guy who is in the Witness Protection Program will soon be leaving the Herd for the Bright Red Warehouse over The Great Horizon...

Don't be fooled by that cute bare fur face...

Haribo!

When asked about his decision, Phil said it was not a "Black and White" issue. Rather, it was a need for more color in his life. And by "color", he meant: better pay, more friends, better benefits, more vacation days, more meaning, a gold watch, better uniforms, better food, more hair nets, a better car, more fame, more glory, higher status, more Dancing Girls, and his own private jet airplane!

A Short Phil ... I mean... In Short.....Phil will be giving up his Sleak and Sexy Stripes for Rainbows and Teddy Bears!

And if you ever saw Phil... You would understand why being a gummy bear would be more of his kind of thing.

Who wants to pet the bear?

And who wouldn't? Every kid loves Rainbows AND Teddy Bears. And Haribo has BOTH! They say that the grass is often greener on the other side of the fence. But what if there were more colors than just green over there? Wouldn't you want to climb over that fence and play with the Bears too?

He was a ~~mostly~~ hard worker. And he was ~~fairly~~ reliable... Showing up ~~a few~~ days each week. He ~~always~~ ~~usually~~ never complained and was ~~rarely~~ ~~sometimes~~ a joy to work with.

Well, at least he went quick! After his two weeks notice. And he will be missed... by More than just the people who are throwing things at him. You see.... Now that Phil is mostly gone, there will be a huge hole left that Phil once filled. And that means that Management, along with everyone else in the building, will be scrambling to fill Phil's spot: That place in the break room.

Already, Jazzy Jeff has made a play for Phil's seat at the "cool table" where Tom, Marian, and Jane have their lunch. I can only guess that Jeff's motives are driven by the conversation with cooler people. Although it could also be the fact that Marian and Jane occasionally bring donuts and treats for the table. Or the placement against the back of the wall. Did I mention that Phil was in the Witness Protection Program? We should probably keep that a secret.... BUT.... If I had allegedly embezzled millions of dollars from the Mob, I would want a seat with my back facing the wall too!

But there is more than just a good seat in the break room. With Phil mostly gone now, that means that a Senior Warehouse Associate spot is now open! And I might make a play for that. Now I know what you are thinking: Why would I want to give up my "Material Handler One" position for a "Senior Warehouse Associate? Let me tell you friends. The term "Senior" is not in reference to Phil being over the age of 60. It means that his slot has more gravitas. And with a new title comes STATUS! I know that I can make "Senior Warehouse Associate" Great Again! If I get your vote....

So let us remember our feelings for Phil, as we bid him a fond farewell to his new fields and ~~friends~~. His becoming a bear will bear no resentment as he bares himself to the unbearable and becomes barely visible with cute sweet gummies, hairnets, and beard nets... Rather than a part of the herd. Already people are placing orders for Red Bears. A tidal wave of tasty temping teddies! No wonder everyone is trying to get his contact info.

So that is all I have.. On this late night as I try to come up with jokes to roast Phil. Did we mention we had a pizza party for him while he was absent last Friday? Jeff hit him up for $20 to help defer the costs before he left Thursday. I know that that might sound a little insensitive to his leaving... But the party was in his honor after all. And $ 20 bucks for $20 bucks worth of Pizza seems like a small price to pay.

Na, I'm just kidding. We didn't have any pizza.... Because Phil refused to give us any money. Talk about ungrateful....

All fooling aside, Phil was a great guy to work with. Even when he was not working... which was often. (Kind of true for all of us... since it was a start up and there are many moments of boredom.) Phil had lots of stories, jokes, and musical trivia to entertain us with. Along with an often misguided sports loyalty that Fransisco (The PIT driver, not the city by the bay.) often called him out on. But I know nothing about sports. And even less about music. So most of Phil's stories were tuned out as I tried to educate him on Mushrooms and Fish. We made a good team.

Who will replace Phil?

And now that he is going to Haribo... The three Amigo's of the DIM squad will soon be down to one. Me. But I am confident I will find new recruits to fill in the vacancies. Just like the three stooges found replacements for Curly and Shemp. I imagine the logical choice will be John and Jeff. I don't think Paul wants the job, even though he held the title "Phil 2.0" for a few weeks there.

And in the event that Phil finds that Scott has been employed at Hariobo ahead of him... and has a change of heart... despite the promises of a jet airplane.... I have heard that our Manager, AJ has extended an open invitation back to Zebra. With a pay cut and a different shift. It's good to know you are always welcome back if things don't work out. Or if Scott is working at your new job.

So a Heart Felt Farewell to Phil! The greatest non-PIT driver Zebra or GXO has ever known. He will be missed. And not just by the people who are looking for him. ( Did I mention he was in the Witness Protection Program? We should probably keep that a secret...) For this reason, many of the above information has been changed or censored for the protection of the innocent. And ~~Phil.~~

Find the Phil in this fiasco!

Phil? Phil who?

There is no one here by that name.... anymore. Wink! Wink!... (We got ya covered Phil. Your secret is safe with us! )

A Weekend In Iowa.

2023-03-19T18:14:00.007-07:00

I traveled to the distant lands of Iowa once again this weekend. To spend time with My beloved Cheryl... Who wanted me to bring her my spare computer and sign tax forms. How romantic! Well... That's married life for you. And love.

But there were some good moments that happened in between the duties of Marital Bliss.... I ran 8 miles! All at once!

Now... Before you point out that Cheryl ran 10 miles around the same time AND ran an additional 20 miles today... I would have you know that I have never run 8 miles all the way in a single setting before. I feel that that is quite an accomplishment for me. Did I mention it was cold? 12 degrees! And WINDY! -5 wind chill! Sure, Cheryl ran 10 miles in the same conditions. But I'm not in competition with her. Besides.... She is a woman!

But there are consequences for the novice runner that they do not tell you in "Runner's Camp" And that is the "chaffing" issue you will encounter whenever you run a distance longer than 4 miles. Ah the price for Wisdom....

Turns out, there are parts of your body OTHER than your nipples that can be rubbed the wrong way. I have been aware of the nipple issue before. ( lesson learned after my first 6 mile run.) But I guess one of the things they don't tell you if you are a fat person... or formerly fat person... Is that you have additional wobbly bits that can rub on your clothes Including the tip of Mister Happy!

But if you are going to run and try to lose the creeping weight of old age, what can you do about all the rolls and folds and dangly-danglies that want to rub up on your action wear? Well, apparently they have a solution for those people. A Thing called... Wait for it... Ball Butter!

Not to be confused with "ButterBall." That's a Turkey! And that is probably what you feel like asking for Ball Butter at the counter of your local pharmacy or health store. Ball Butter? Who thinks of these names? Couldn't they come up with alliteration that was better than Ball Butter? Besides, I believe Ball and Butt Butter is Better! Because, Butts Blister toboot! And no one wants butter on their buns better than a Bumbling blogger with a big butt? You better believe it buster! Ball Butter Without the Butt is Bologna! Bigger, Badder, Better, buttercup....

Alright, that is enough of that. Hopefully we all had a good chuckle making fun of the name of a seemingly important product. I should probably go out and purchase some soon if I plan on running over 8 miles again. But as mentioned before, it was not the dangly famly jewels that were the issue. Rather, the area where my Butt and Hamstring meet. And I'm not sure how I'm going to stop my pants from rubbing the tip of Mr Happy... ( That sentence brings a rather disturbing picture to mind... forget I even said it. )

So much for this rant. An awkward train of thoughts that make for an uncomfortable topic. But there it is! I ran 8 miles and now walk like I have been riding a horse for 20 miles. Did I mention my left foot hurts? And my knees. And hips and back. I could have ranted about those things... But the topic with the most comedic value once again wins the day. The take away: Eth ran 8 miles! The end. Hurray!

The other important thing was the brakes on the Bean! The Bean Subie has been acting up for Cheryl with a squealing, grinding brake application. I figured she might need new Brake Pads and purchased some to swap out on Saturday. I have done this before with the Silver Bullet... so it should be ok.

Except it was cold... and As previously mentioned, I ran 8 miles that morning. But! Life is full of challenges! Bring em on!

WTF!?!?!

Challenge number one. Theft proof Lug Nuts! What the CRAP! Man??? Who puts these on a Subaru Impreza? Well, surely the former owner was not an idiot and put the removal socket somewhere in the car... right? Because, flat tires happen on the highway all the time and without the special socket, you are screwed!

This must GO!

Nope! No special socket. So we look up a you tube video to discover you cram on a disposable socket to remove it. And that is what I did. Luckily, the former owner still had the old lug nuts in the back by the spare tire. ( No! No socket there either... or glove box, or ashtray.) I broke all special anti-theft lug nuts off and threw them all away and replaced them with normal ones.

After removing the tire, I notice that Cheryl's brakes were missing something.... the entire pad on the passenger side! The Rotor was grinding directly on the Caliper! I think there is enough medal left to continue to work... at least long enough for her to make it to Michigan this week so Andy can look at it. You see, Andy (Cheryl's Brother.) is the Subaru Auto Tech and is planning on doing the head gaskets for Cheryl. While he has it, I'm sure he will look over the brakes and give a professional opinion on how bad the caliper is. Perhaps it will need replacing after all.

Don't let this happen to you!

So those are the big things that happened this weekend. Cheryl finished the taxes, I replaced some brakes, and both Cheryl and I ran a lot! Sounds kind of "ho-humm" but for me, I achieved the impossible by running a distance I previously have never attempted. ( 8 miles!) That's kind of a big deal.

Now I'm back in Wisconsin, ready to tackle another week at the Zebra Warehouse. Hopefully things will go smoothly and everyone will be in fine spirits after a refreshing weekend of rest. And Work will be fun, fast, and productive. Well.... we can hope at least.

Thanks for stopping in and reading my rants. I hope everyone had a fun weekend and is ready for a great week! I hope my candid topics of nipples, butts and balls did not offend anyone. I was actually going for a laugh...

Tuesday Embroidery And Car Repair.

2023-03-14T19:15:00.003-07:00

It's late! So I shall be brief ( -ish). I got the part for the Subie today and replaced the heat sensor in the air intake filter box. ( or what ever the official Subie name for it is...) So easy I barely had to use any tools. And I did it in the driveway in mu socks. mostly because I was too lazy to put on shoes, but also because I was eager to get it replaced and behind me on my "things to do" list. Winner!

And then... I jumped into Embroidery. I have been falling behind after my "unsuccessful weekend" plans. So.. tonight, I am mostly caught up on the jobs I had been sitting on. I finished up both of Reggie's sweatshirts. ( Heavy Hoodies! Tough! The material was by far the thickest I have ever had to play around with. It was a challenge to get the hoop on the material and stay put! But luckily, it all worked out.

Then there was Joan's Zip-up hoodie. It was nice and easy doing this one because it had a Zip on the front and the material was much thinner than Reggie's. Easy to access the hoops and keep the extra material out of the danger zone of action!

Then there was AJ's... The boss! He wanted a fleece with just black thread. Like Joan's, it had a zip on the front so it was easy to maneuver. And I think the black thread looks sharp!

The problem with the fleece is that the thread disappeared the moment it began. So, I had to do a little something special to keep it on top and crisp against the fluffy background. It worked like a charm! And I'm sure veteran embroidery foks could have told me of this little "Pro-Tip" had I had time to inquire.... But I did not. This is a "shoot from the hip... Learn as you go... Sink or Swim in the deep end of the pool" scenario! And I feel like I have made some progress today.. Enough to give up valuable sleep time to blog about it.

But I still have 5 T- shirts and a Baseball Hat for "Outbound Matt." So... Enjoy the moment of recovery while it lasts.... In the mean time. Time to get some ZZZZ's and post this blog. Much shorter than usual, but it is a mid-week one... So thanks for stopping in.

The Setting Moon?

The Week/Weekend in Review. Lazy Blogging 101.

2023-03-12T18:34:00.008-07:00

Red sky at Morn... Sailor be warned!

Looks pretty red to me!

That is right! I have cut down my usual blogging regiment to a pathetic "Highlights" post. Like where I note all the things that could have been blog worthy down to a 20 second video clip and then post that on you tube. Only Blogger... Does any of that make sense? Well, it probably does to other bloggers who know the score. That is: You want to blog... but can't, don't or won't! For any number of life's excuses.

And with that Intro.... I will now begin. ( I find confession to be most cleansing of my lazy tendencies....)

Is that Snow?

Um... yeah! It snowed!

A LOT! Wet, HEAVY snow!

Some time this week. It snowed! Unbelievable! Since it was nearly in the 50's at the beginning of the week. I honestly thought it was an April Fool's joke, until I realized it was still March. But true to form, the weather turned and dumped a bunch of wet, heavy snow all over this section of Wisconsin. And the snow continued even into today! Even with the temps hovering above the freezing mark! It would have been a great opportunity to make a snow man or have a snowball fight with friends.

But I had bigger tasks on my agenda!

Many of which... I did not complete.

Feel the snow pulling at the Exhaust System!

One of the good things that DID get accomplished was that I managed to get the Subie fixed! His exhaust system is back as good as new with no pipes hanging, or loud exhaust noise. He sounds nice and quiet and the cost was very affordable for the items I had done. So you can imagine how I felt driving him in this ridiculous, heavy, wet snow knowing that every trough could rip off the repaired plumbing! Especially since the snow plows managed to focus only on the interstate and not on the back roads leading to work. But Subie loves the snow! And somehow... we both survived the trek back and forth to the Zebra Place. Intact!

I had big plans for the weekend. Ever since it was reveled that I have been doing my own embroidery at work, folks have been making requests. And after finishing ~~Phil's~~ that guy who is in the witness protection program's shirts, people have been giving me shirts to embellish with the Zebra Logo. I figured that having an entire weekend for such a task would allow me to complete it with time to spare. But life has a way of changing things up when you least expect it. There were design flaws that needed attention, purchases that had to be made, bathroom drains that needed to be unclogged, and laundry that required folding. Did I mention I had to run 6 miles yesterday? That takes time... especially for someone as slow and chubby as me!

Oh! And we lost an hour this weekend. That whole "spring ahead" thing cost me an hour of valuable embroidery and origami time. But that was Saturday... I can certainly catch things up on Sunday... Right?

This little this shuts down the car?

Not so fast! Because after church, Subie decided to pull a "I don't want to start" move that kind of freaked me out. Turns out, a small heat sensor seems to be getting bad. And as a result, the car will turn over, but refuses to start. ( because it thinks your car is overheating...) I wiggled the sensor and it turned over. I read the codes and it confirmed my theory. So I will be needing to replace that part later this week. In the mean time, Time was lost going to several parts stores looking for the small sensor that is shutting the entire car down. Sometimes Tech is evil!

I read that cold weather can cause it. I also think that a little dirt might have been built up, so I cleaned it as best I could. Fingers crossed I will be able to get it started tomorrow in time for Work.

After that little hiccup, I was not really in the mood to concentrate on embroidery things, so.... I decided to tag along with Dave and Christina as they explored another hidden section of Kenosha. To some Bargain Bin place that sells unclaimed food from distributors. Some serious bargains could be had for the savvy shopper! Unfortunately, they only took cash and I was short at the moment. Just when society conditions you to used your card for everything... because places are selecting against cash... That is when you enter a store that ONLY takes cash. And you don't have any on your person. As a result, I could not get my Hot Chocolate at an insane 5 cents a pouch. Neh... Maybe next time.

And finally, We capped the day off by stopping at a local bar near the place. Called the Honey Pot... or something like that. We enjoyed a Beer and some home-made Bread just before returning. We caught up on each other's week and enjoyed a cold one. Normally bars are not my scene... yet I have discovered that some of them defy the normal stereo-type and fall into a "small town/family" category. The bread was free and Spectacular! Dave and I had several servings while making fun of Christina's "Glutten Free" life choices. It was a fun way to end the weekend.

So now... I have to finish Reggie's Hoodies with the Zebra Logo; I have to replace the faulty sensor while hoping and praying it works long enough to get Subie back and forth to work each day; And I have to work on some Origami Models that have been requested by co-workers. Did I mention that I plan on heading to Iowa next weekend? So Subie has to be fixed by then... AND I will not have an open weekend to catch up on any additional embroidery jobs. ( as if this open weekend had any advantages...)

Time is fleeting! And our time on this Earth is limited. And with so much to do and so little time to accomplish it all, having a single hour taken away seems down right CRIMINAL! I blame the Government for stealing my time... it was their idea for this daylight savings time plan after all. And since when is the Government good at saving anything? In the end, you end up with a loss....Just like Social Security! But then I am reminded that a giant meteor is going to destroy the planet and all of these things will not matter so much. And somehow.... That makes me feel better.

Hope everyone had a great weekend this weekend. And I hope the upcoming week will be filled with all of the fun and joy that time will allow. And if you were not as productive as you had hoped you would be... Rest assure, there is always tomorrow to finish it. And if there is no Tomorrow... Then why are you so worried?

Thanks for stopping in.

Weekend Fun Wih Cheryl And The Pettit Indoor Half Marathon.

2023-03-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

Cheryl came up to Wisconsin this weekend! And decided to run a Half Marathon while she was here. The Pettit Half Marathon (Petite? or Pet-it? Or.... Pet something else? All versions sound rather racy... if you k now what I mean.) Cheryl has run this race before with limited results. She swore she would never run it again, but by now you must know how she is. And besides, with limited training runs due to her employment situation, she has to take all the long runs she can. ( at least that is the logic behind it that she tells me.)

So.. around and round she goes. Round and round and round and round..... and around. Did I mention it was a circular course inside a huge ice rink? 48 times around. And around. I was getting dizzy just taking her pic every single time.

But luckily, I have a new phone and decided to experiment with the various video options. Super slow Mo....

Hyper speed Mode!

And a number of other options that did not work out as planned.

But in the end.... Cheryl finished third overall female! And got a spot on the podium and a nice little award. She loves collecting awards. The medal was wood! And I appear to have not taken a picture of the finisher's medal. Ah well... it will eventually make an appearance on her wall of fame, I'm sure.

I can connect with this dog.

The Wooden Medal!

So what to do with all the rest of the weekend. She complained last time that one evening in Kenosha was not enough. I tend to agree! So this time she booked two nights for us to enjoy.

So what do we do with all that additional time?

Apparently... go shopping! ( of course....)

We did our Usual visit to IKEA for meatballs and some dishes she has been trying to get her hands on. (IKEA has been sold out every time we have visited before.) This time there were two left and she got her bowls. Yeah!

I stopped by Woodmans for some Wisconsin beer and cheese. And then to Meijer's for some eye care stuff for me and a look at some work gear. However.. even though Cheryl needs no more clothes... she still had to try a bunch of "sale items" on. And this is where I did what all husbands so best: Play the Part of the clothes hanger!

It is a role I'm very used to. And I'm secure enough in my masculinity to proudly say I do it best!

Other than that... we went for a Run this morning... because I have to get some training miles in as well. And I have been having the same issue as Cheryl trying to juggle work and running every day. ( Although, I am not as "enthusiastic" as she is about running. I'm motivated by other reasons... And Love of running is not one of them!)

While running along the banks of Lake Michigan... I saw a Golden Eye duck and a red head! ( I thought it was a Canvasback) I'm sure there were other migratory birds out there in the small bay, but I could not see them as clearly. Lake Michigan was almost like glass today, with no wind or waves to speak of. ( Update! Upon closer study, it could have been a female golden eye. Who knows? I'm not a hardcore birder!)

"There is nothing wrong with your hair..."

It is too bad that it is so late, because the story could be embellished more... but alas! I must sleep. And Work tomorrow! And I'm sure I will have to squeeze in a Muffler repair somewhere into this week.... after work. But that is for another time. And sleep is calling.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I know I did! And now I will be able to face another week or warehouse work with Gusto! Hopefully.... At least that is the preliminary plan for now. We shall see.

Thanks for stopping in! And have a wonderful upcoming week!

An Evening Of Winging With The Zebras

2023-03-02T19:17:00.004-08:00

Tonight, I went to Buffalo Wild Wings with several Co-Workers. Having never been to Buffalo Wild Wings, I really did not know what to expect. But the Zebras had been talking about a gathering there for several weeks not, because on Thursday, there is a "Special" where you buy 15 wings, you get another 15 wings for FREE! And who does not like free food?

After dropping a number of hints, along with a generous dose of begging, They finally decided to invite me along. Hurray! I like chicken! And buffaloes! Oh! And Fellow Zebra Employees who are willing to go out with me. And I need some friends in my life.... Did I mention that I like chicken?

The group of four that teamed up: Jane, Tom, ~~Marilyn~~ Marian, and ~~Phil~~ The Other guy who does not want me to write about him..( Probably because he is in the witness protection program.) They usually all eat lunch together at the "cool" table in the break room. The four of them have been sitting together since their "class" of new recruits first showed up back in June of last year. ( I think it was June....) And since then, many folks from that class and table...have left... Leaving only these four.... So the bond of friendship must be tight! In fact, I had to bribe them with chocolate just so I could sit with them for one lunch break! ( Only one... It's not like I'm made of Chocolate!) So being invited by this group is something really special.

That being said.... The four of them form the corners of a square. And within this square group... is me. Right in the center! Like a round peg in a square hole.

But I like squares. Mostly square paper... ( for Origami!) But I like square people too! And you will not find any finer specimens of "squareness" than Jane, Tom, Mari- ian, and The Other Guy who is in the witness protection program. So we went to the Wild Wings and ate some Boneless Wings. Otherwise known as "chicken nuggets". ( What else would you call them? Noodle Wings? Chicken Fingers?) the came in the sauce that you requested... I asked for the BBQ ones because I have not had BBQ chicken in such a long time.

Side note: Everyone got their wings at different intervals. Tom and Jane got theirs, Then five minutes later, ~~Phil~~ The Other Guy got his, And finally Marian and I got ours! Not the best timing for folks out enjoying a meal. But... what are you going to do...

In the end, we didn't talk all that much. Probably because these four already know their life stories. Or maybe because we were all busy eating and everyone wanted to get home before it got too late. Either way, it was an enjoyable, fun time for all.

Other than that, I have been trying to squeeze in embroidery when I can. We finally got our Zebra shirts yesterday, and I had to hurry to put my name on one of them for work. The challenge is that the fabric is the moisture wicking fabric that is a bit of a challenge to embroider on. But... It all worked out and had something to wear this morning. Tonight, I was able to work on another one so I have something to wear for Tomorrow.

Oh! And Cheryl is coming up this weekend! And I'm certainly looking forward to that.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week so far. One more day until the weekend! I can hardly wait! And thanks for stopping in.

The Ice Storm That Never Was....

2023-02-25T18:51:00.000-08:00

We survived the Ice storm. It was not as bad as everyone feared... however many people in the surrounding area did lose power for a large chunk of time. Including many of my friends and relatives on Facebook! ( Who knew Facebook could be effected by an Ice Storm in Wisconsin?) But the roads were clear and not as terrible as everyone feared. Hurray!

I tend to like looking at the "Half-full" Side of the glass. Unless there is more Comedic Value in looking at the negative. And then I try to spin it as if the world were falling apart and everyone is doomed! Over the Top style! But unfortunately, the Weather channel and the News make the absurdity of certain situations "Main Stream" so no one knows what to think these days.

But there were moments of Beauty that I managed to capture Early morning in front of the Warehouse. Sometimes I think the most magical moments are lost to many people. And it is not helped when you have many others pointing out the flaws or the disaster instead of the beauty or benefit of things. And so.... That is why I am posting these pics. Just because. If for nothing else... To remind future me of the wonder that surrounded him back when he worked at ZEBRA in Kenosha Wisconsin.

Other than that... A mostly relaxing, boring day for me. I organized my area here in the basement... A project that was long overdue. Now that I have a couple dressers to store my clothes in again, I have cleaned things up and made it look almost cozy! Not that it was not cozy before! Most of my clothes were still upstairs in the guest room. Now they have been safely reunited with me here in the bunker.

I still have to do embroidery.. But that will have to wait until tomorrow. And then there is the muffler issue. Dave told me of a local fabrication place that bends Pipe to fit your muffler system. I might check it out first. But if the cost is too expensive, I may DIY it with a welding unit from Harbor Freight! How hard can it be? I watched several You Tube videos... And they make it look easy!

Just kidding, I know it will be a steep learning curve.. But if I gain a new skill AND can fix my muffler for less than replacing it.... I will consider that a win!

Hope everyone is having a fun and relaxing Weekend so far. The weather is supposed to be nicer next week, I think.... Let's hope Spring finally gets here and we can begin Mushroom Hunting in earnest once again! Thanks for stopping in.

And Then The Rain... And Then The Ice!

2023-02-22T18:20:00.000-08:00

They called off schools today! BEFORE the actual storm hit. Just the HINT of a storm seems to make those Public Schools scamper for their safe spaces these days. Back when I was a kid, they would not call off school for snow days unless the Wyoming ( Michigan) schools closed... And they NEVER DID! ( Remember the snow storm of 1976? Only two snow days!) Did I just age myself? Did I just sound like my Mom? "walked 10 miles to school.... In two foot of snow... Uphill.... Both ways!"

Yep.... I'm officially old.

Ah well. It rained in Wisconsin, and everyone was was as scared as a frightened School Girl because there was a prediction of freezing rain later in the evening. Some folks did not even bother to show up today. ( Fellow Former DIM guy... Yes you! We are on to your deception!) Some of the folks were asking to be let go early so they could get a jump start on the storm. ( Fellow Put-Put Away guy...You know who you are.) Yes But in the end, we all had a great day and there was much rejoicing.. Too bad ~~Phil~~ That guy who wasn't there couldn't make it. ( There was food and dancing girls!)

But when the day was finally over, we headed outside to an world of Candy Coated Ice sculptures. It reminded me of a slightly lesser version of Niagara Falls in the Winter. ( Ever go there? It is Visually Stunning when the mist forms an ice coating on everything.... Except that the sidewalks are impossibly slippery.)

The good news is that the ice was "soft" and not fully formed yet. And the Salt Trucks were able to stay ahead of it mostly. I encountered no accidents on the highway and had plenty of grip for the Subie's bald tires. That being said... Tonight will be a different story....

Because of that threat, they canceled Ash Wednesday Service this evening...With the complementary Soup and Sandwich Meal that was to accompany it... That was supposed to be my Dinner! But fortunately, Dave found himself free for the evening and took the opportunity to cool up a fine Roast Beef Diner with Asparagus and mashed potatoes on the side. And I did not have to starve.

On a brighter note: The bosses said that if we come in a little late tomorrow because of the storm... They will not deduct a point from your attendance. In other words.. Drive safely and arrive alive. Of course ~~Jeff~~ "That guy concerned with employee safety" asked if he could come in after 11:00! There is always one of those guys who will try to find a loop hole and take advantage.

I probably should not use my blog to call out fellow "workers" as it might come off as rather "unprofessional." But I have heard that they read the blog occasionally and I think they enjoy knowing that they were able to make this weeks posting. So really, I'm doing it for them! And they LOVE it! Right? Former DIM guy who's name I strategically did not use....

But enough of them... I just wanted to share these really cool videos of how the ice was on the cars after work. I used to watch videos of this and found them so satisfying. So here ya go.... Enjoy! And thanks for stopping in. Make sure you are driving safe if you are in this area. I'm sure as the sun sets, it will turn to a different form of ice and no one will like that at all. Be safe!

Vallentine's Day... Part Two! The Sequel...

2023-02-19T17:13:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday was Valentine's day... And Cheryl and I celebrated it early with a run in Milwaukee. I figured my obligations for romance would have been met and ended there, but out of the blue, Cheryl calls me up on Friday and requests that I drive all the way to Iowa so we can get together on Saturday.

What was I supposed to do? An unplanned trip? The drive is long and treacherous!

Subie is an old car... With nearly 400,000 miles on him.

There was a blizzard warning! With 8-10 inches of snow predicted.... Who in their right mind would attempt a spur of the moment rendezvous with a sexy Valentine? Especially after all romantic obligations were supposed to have been met!

Well, Me. Obviously!

As predicted the roads were "terrible" ...( Meaning all of the snow and ice had been removed and the roads were dry and clear...) But Subie made the trek like a champ... only losing his muffler along the way. ( Technically, it is not "lost". I have it in my trunk at the moment.)

So with no run scheduled, what were we supposed to do for the weekend?

Buy some food.

Buy some beer!

Buy some flowers!

Buy some.... Oil? Wait! What now?

Yes, I gave the Bean an Oil change since Cheryl has been running him all around the state of Iowa and Wisconsin. I also fixed a small annoying rattle that comes when you straddle snow. The ice and snow ripped off all of the clips that hold the heat shields around Bean's exhaust system. An easy fix.

While working to maintain the Bean, Rocket, the neighbor's cat who thinks he is ours, came over to help. Mostly he just got in the way while tracking in mud onto the car seats.

I also fixed the leather sofa for Cheryl, after a guest broke it. It would have been an easy fix, had I had all of my tools and a few other resources available. But, currently, it is repaired enough to sit in and not notice any issues.

Cheryl spent most of Saturday doing the taxes. A fun job! I think I got the better end of the "Honey do!" list.

And after all of that, We enjoyed some beer, strawberries, and a bunch of Cheese and Crackers. And we talked. Talked about her job, Wisconsin, home ownership.... Moving? Really? Well, it's out there at least. Kenosha is a wonderful place from what I have seen. And they have great Mushrooms here! Who would not want to move to a place that has all these wonderful, edible Mushrooms?

Oh! Right... I kind of have a job and work here too. That's kind of important.

The Three Cat's Feeding Time.

Leo showing Cheryl love.

But the weekend was over too quickly, and I am now back in my basement abode. Prepping for work for tomorrow. I can only imagine the reaction I will get when Subie comes roaring in like he is a Rally Cross WRX! ( Because, the muffler is missing... Or rather: In the trunk until I can reattach it. ) I figured I would post this update before I head to bed while it is fresh in my mind. And keeping it shorter than usual... since I do have to get up early tomorrow.

Hope everyone else had a wonderful Weekend! They fly by so quickly when you have a job. But they do seem more precious when you are able to spend them with the ones you love. Thanks for stopping in.