How's the Weather Up There

Somehow I received all the "short" genes in my family. My brother and sisters are 5'4" , 5' 6", 6' and my kids are 5'9" and 6'. Why am I bemoaing this? I saw a billboard yesterday detailing the new SC child restraint laws. The magic number is 4'9". Children this tall and under have to be in a booster seat. I'm a mere 3 inches from being in that group!!!!!

For My Kids

ON SILVER WINGS

I have a premonition that soars on silver wings
It is a dream of your accomplishment,
Of many wondrous things.
I do not know beneath which sky
Or where you'll challenge fate.
I only know it will be high,
I only know it will be great.

Project: Water Line

Today Bette Ann and I put on our ditch digger hats and proceeded to dig a trench for a new incoming water line. The idea is to replace the rotten galvanized pipe from the meter and through out the house.
From the meter to the house is 22' and we went down about 2' until we found the old water line and followed it to the foundation of the house. An old concrete block flower bed had to be knocked down and there was one tangled mass of tree roots that I finally gave up on for today. All that's left is a bit of leveling and tamping in the trench and getting under the tree roots.
The tree is an old dog wood that was dead when I moved here and all that's left of it is five or so feet of stump. I just never got around to cutting it the rest of the way down but even if I had, the roots would still be there.
I don't have a muscle that doesn't ache and it will be worse in the morning. Aleve to the rescue--I hope.

Hurricane Katrina

As much as I want to, I cannot get away from work or school this year to go on assignment for the Red Cross. I know the Red Cross and many other organizations will be involved in this catastrophe for months, maybe even years to come so maybe somewhere down the road there will be opportunity.
My first opportunity to serve on a large disaster was last year in Florida. It was six weeks into the relief efforts and there were people lined up at every center seeking aid. I cannot begin to phathom what it will take for everyone affected in this disaster to get help.
Volunteers usually go for three weeks but can stay for six if their job or responsibilities allow. Where will all the volunteers come from to help all these "refugees" as they are being called? I'm really struggling with the fact that I can't go now.
If you found your way to this blog and would like to help by volunteering, by all means, get to your local Red Cross Chapter. They will give you the training and transportation needed to send you out.
We still have 2 months of hurricane season to go. I check the NOAA web sight daily to see what is going on in the Atlantic. I know that there is a chance South Carolina could be affected and is probably over due for a storm. If it comes here I might have to go regardless.

Highways

Bette, my roomie, has a facination with anything American Indian related, even believing she was a Native American in a former life. (If I'm being non-PC here, someone correct me.) Yesterday, we started out going to the Cherokee Indian Reservation with plans to visit the museum, Oconaluftee Village, and see Unto These Hills. My part of this trip was a stop at the model railroad museum at Smoky Mountain Trains. The internet "information highway" had provided all we needed about what to see, what to do, how to get there, where to stay, room reservations, tickets. etc.
Of course, the best laid plans can always go awry and that they did. We tend to travel on backroads and avoid Interstates as much as possible. About 1/2 way to our destination the truck started to over heat in an area where we had no cell phone reception and no town for several miles in any direction. We stopped to let it cool down, left the air conditioner off and tried to continue but finally decided to try and get back home. One gentleman stopped to offer assistance, which was very nice in this day and time. After several stops to cool down and adding water, we were able to make it home.
One of the cool-down stops we made was beside a stream where I had seen a Great Blue Heron standing in the water on the way up. I was absolutely thrilled when the Heron flew right below me along its watery highway. While a Great Blue is not an unusual sighting, it was fascinating to view it from above and see the colors of its wings and its size.
I put a new water pump on the truck a few months back and had all new hoses installed and the system flushed at a local garage. The guy at Auto Zone, where we stopped on the way home, sold me a new radiator cap and offered some other advice (the old fashined information highway) that I will try today. He seemed offended that I thought he had sold me a defective water pump but did want to save me the hassle of needlessly changing it again.
Back at home, I again turned to the computer and the information highway looking for a cure for my old riding lawn mower. The pull rope was working but something between it and the engine was not engaging. I happened upon a discussion between a man with a similar problem and several small engine "experts." After 15 or 20 minutes, the mower was started and Bette was happily cutting "highways" through the overgrown grass.
Everyday is an adventure no matter what highway you travel.

Lil' Putt

My new car is a 1983 Pontiac T-1000 that I've named Lil' Putt somewhat for its size and noise and somewhat for a name my son teased me with years ago-Lillipution. Lil' is not much to look at but she runs and the best part is I only paid $50 for her. The cost now includes $167 for a new windshield, $220 for tires, $70 for a battery, and $100 or so for tune up parts. So for $500+/-, I've got a running car that's fairly good on gas. The plan is to restore the car but that's also true of the '82 Volkswagon Truck and the '84 Honda Rebel that are rusting away in the yard.
I keep telling myself it will all happen when I get a shop to work in but that can only happen after I get the house remodeled and the list goes on and on.

This is my Farmall Cub.

Grandkids

My roomies grandkids are visiting and it sure let me know how out of shape I am. I took them to a small playground yesterday-ran, climbed, pushed the swings-and this morning I can feel it in every muscle. The kids are 3 and 5 and have surprised me with their intelligence, the way they compromise and share, and their appettites. The three year old used the word "magnetic" yesterday. The five year old is doing a good job of keeping up with how many days and nights he has been here and how many more before Mommie comes to pick them up. I will have to restock my entire pantry when they go home but they don't ask for or even seem to like sweets or junk food.It's great.
We're going to visit my daughter today, who is recovering from gall bladder surgery. It was supposed to be a one hour surgery that turned into three hours. The operating room did a good job of keeping me and her husband informed about once an hour. When she came out of surgery and went to recovery, they were swamped and it took an extremely long hour and a half to hear anything. She is doing well now at home and hopefully up to a visit.
With vacation and normal days off, I have only worked one day in the last 12 and have been very lazy. It's my weekend to work and one more week before I start a new schedule based around school. Red Cross wants me take a class to become an HIV program instructor and a couple of Disaster Responder classes. The local business association meeting is today and the antique tracotr club meeting is next Thursday. Time management is going to be critical but procrastination is what I'm best at.

Back to School

It would seem strange to some to even think about going back to school at my age (which I won't reveal) but I'm as excited as a kid going for the first time. My job has broadened into much more than I ever anticipated and piqued my interest in engineering, mechanical engineering to be exact.
As a mechanic, I've cursed engineers many a time for seemingly never thinking of the poor folks who would have to repair the machines they designed. There never seemed to be enough room to get two hands and a wrench on a problem. It will be interesting to be on the other side of things.
It all starts in about two weeks and I'm a bit overwhelmed thinking of all the changes it will bring. My schedule will change drastically but I am very fortunate to work where they are willing to flex my hours around my school hours. There is so much to do here at home to be caught up, if there is such a thing. My community involvements will have to take a back seat to studying. Trips to visit with my kids will be less frequent. I will just have to keep reminding myself its all worth it.

Farmall Cub

My first driving experience was on my Dad's Farmall Cub. Barely tall enough to sit in the seat and reach the pedals, he turned me loose to take the tractor to the barn. Simple enough, after all, I had been riding in his lap and watching him ever since I was old enough to sit up.
He set the throttle very low, put the tractor in first gear and told me to let the clutch pedal out very slowly. Off I went feeling like I owned the world. It was a straight shot and I didn't have to put it "IN" the barn but I soon realized, he didn't tell me how to stop. I pushed on both brake pedals with all my might but nothing happened. I clipped the edge of the shed and kept going with the bee hives right in front of me. Thankfully, I missed them and just before the pasture fence, I pushed the clutch pedal and came to a stop. Dad came running and after he realized I was alright, we both started laughing.
My mom sold the tractor after my dad died. It had been too close to a fire and the wiring and tires burned off. It was one of the saddest days of my life when I came home from school and she told me it was gone.
I recently bought a cub that has been restored along with several plows and a mower. It seems a lot smaller than when I was a child but I still feel on top of the world when I am driving it.

Missing Them

Maybe the road in my last post was actually me feeling isolated knowing my kids are so far away and somewhat disconnected.

The Road

Last night I traveled a road that I've gone down hundreds of times but progress has brought changes that somehow startled me. This two lane road, cut through miles of forest with houses few and far between, always seemed strong, brazen making it's way past giant trees, over streams, and across hills. But last night it seemed diminshed, shrinking itself to hide in the dark. Mighty trees once sheltered the road, embracing it and shading its travelers but they have been cut away leaving bare ground on either side. The thin black ribbon seemed hardly wide enough to carry my vehicle. Maybe this will be a road less taken.

Got Milk????

Now all we need is a bread dispenser.