Well, it was bound to happen. You live somewhere that it's cold enough to snow, you deal with driving around on ice and snow and stuff, and someone will eventually tag you. Dale got smacked this morning on his way to work, about a block away from our house. At least it was the car with full coverage.
I haven't seen the Fo yet. I was on my way to my first stop of the day, creeping along on the sheet of ice called South Sixth Street today. I called him to tell him to take the 39 to work because they usually have that pretty ice free. I said "Take the 39, it's less slip-" and he interjects "Yeah. I got hit, dealing with it right now". But he said its more scraping and scratching with a minor dent, no creasing at least *whew*.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
had it with the car. again
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a rabid Toyota fan. I'm even the kind of rabid fan that will admit when Toyota makes a stinker of a car, or something similar.
Well, in a way, our old Camry is one of the stinkers. I am so through throwing money and brain power at it, but unfortunately I'll have to continue with it until the end of next summer, probably. It doesn't have the bitchen 22R engine in it, and it's the second gen that had the ECT transmission, which in itself was a great idea, with not so great execution, apparently.
Through my brilliant powers of deduction, I've come to the conclusion that all the problems we've had with it can be traced to ONE issue. The vacuum system. Dun dun DUUUUN! Either not enough is being created or there's a leak somewhere that I haven't been able to trace down. Brakes, stalling, part of the heater problem.. all vac related. The power booster on the brakes works.. whenever. The heater vents open and close according to their own esoteric schedule. The transmission shifts at strange points, making getting onto the freeway an adventure. It starts and runs great but sometimes as soon as you put the pedal down, it poops out. That drove me bananas for a while. Because I kept thinking it was the automatic choke, but because it's fuel injected, and computer controlled with a cold-start injector, there is no automatic choke.
But, you know, otherwise it runs like a champ and gets great mileage. I hate vacuum systems as much as I hate electrical, as far as working on them goes. I'm a brakes and suspension person and would happily spend all day throwing new pads and shoes on cars and shit like that. Weirdly, I love resurfacing rotors and drums. I love to watch the lathe straighten that shit out. How clean they look once they're done. And honing cylinders. wee!
So I guess in the next couple of weeks I'll take it down to Shane and say "Fix it or shoot it, I don't care".
Well, in a way, our old Camry is one of the stinkers. I am so through throwing money and brain power at it, but unfortunately I'll have to continue with it until the end of next summer, probably. It doesn't have the bitchen 22R engine in it, and it's the second gen that had the ECT transmission, which in itself was a great idea, with not so great execution, apparently.
Through my brilliant powers of deduction, I've come to the conclusion that all the problems we've had with it can be traced to ONE issue. The vacuum system. Dun dun DUUUUN! Either not enough is being created or there's a leak somewhere that I haven't been able to trace down. Brakes, stalling, part of the heater problem.. all vac related. The power booster on the brakes works.. whenever. The heater vents open and close according to their own esoteric schedule. The transmission shifts at strange points, making getting onto the freeway an adventure. It starts and runs great but sometimes as soon as you put the pedal down, it poops out. That drove me bananas for a while. Because I kept thinking it was the automatic choke, but because it's fuel injected, and computer controlled with a cold-start injector, there is no automatic choke.
But, you know, otherwise it runs like a champ and gets great mileage. I hate vacuum systems as much as I hate electrical, as far as working on them goes. I'm a brakes and suspension person and would happily spend all day throwing new pads and shoes on cars and shit like that. Weirdly, I love resurfacing rotors and drums. I love to watch the lathe straighten that shit out. How clean they look once they're done. And honing cylinders. wee!
So I guess in the next couple of weeks I'll take it down to Shane and say "Fix it or shoot it, I don't care".
additions
Dale is now an uncle! I forgot to mention it! Can't believe it. His youngest brother is a dad, as of Wednesday. They're in Virginia. Got a baby for Christmas. She was late coming, by about a week-and-a-half.
I was supposed to be a Christmas time baby, but I was late, too. Been late ever since. I was, according to my mom, two weeks late. In a way, I still was a Christmas baby, if you're an adherent to the Eastern Orthodox sect.
I have several cousins with kids, but I'm an only child so I get to be an auntie, too, finally. Of course, my friends who have kids, i love those kids, too. Even though I say kids are sticky little petri dishes, I like kids. Phyllis' oldest granddaughter loves me, loves my bass with the stickers of Spongebob and Patrick on it. There are pictures of that small person in my flickr page, the old one. She's the one with the Baby Bum T-shirt on. The day I took those pictures we were at a jam out in the hills and she was swinging on a tree swing, and we got her to say "Awesome". Though it sounded like "Ottum", but that was close enough. She was about 18 months old in those pictures, and now she's so much bigger. Watching other people's kids grow up is pretty cool.
When I first met The Hoov, her oldest kid was going into her freshman year I think. Now that kid is a mom, the middle kid is going to be a mom. Hoov was a grandma at the ripe old age of 36.
Tam's daughter was five when I met her. Now she's 14 or 15. Bone's kid was 4, and now he's in high school. It's been really cool to see these kids grow up and their personalities develop. They're all wacko, which is important. Star was in the south coast's version of American Idol last year, and she made it to third. Personally, I think she should have won. She did Aretha Franklin's "Freedom" song. I've heard her sing Aretha songs, and she does them justice for a white kid from Oregon. When she was little, she adored Bad Company and Cream (ok, I admit, I turned her into a Cream fan), and couldn't carry a tune in a bucket with wheels, but boy did she ever show me. We do like to rag on her here and there for being a Spice Girls fan, too, but y'know, she was 6 or something, so it's ok.
I was supposed to be a Christmas time baby, but I was late, too. Been late ever since. I was, according to my mom, two weeks late. In a way, I still was a Christmas baby, if you're an adherent to the Eastern Orthodox sect.
I have several cousins with kids, but I'm an only child so I get to be an auntie, too, finally. Of course, my friends who have kids, i love those kids, too. Even though I say kids are sticky little petri dishes, I like kids. Phyllis' oldest granddaughter loves me, loves my bass with the stickers of Spongebob and Patrick on it. There are pictures of that small person in my flickr page, the old one. She's the one with the Baby Bum T-shirt on. The day I took those pictures we were at a jam out in the hills and she was swinging on a tree swing, and we got her to say "Awesome". Though it sounded like "Ottum", but that was close enough. She was about 18 months old in those pictures, and now she's so much bigger. Watching other people's kids grow up is pretty cool.
When I first met The Hoov, her oldest kid was going into her freshman year I think. Now that kid is a mom, the middle kid is going to be a mom. Hoov was a grandma at the ripe old age of 36.
Tam's daughter was five when I met her. Now she's 14 or 15. Bone's kid was 4, and now he's in high school. It's been really cool to see these kids grow up and their personalities develop. They're all wacko, which is important. Star was in the south coast's version of American Idol last year, and she made it to third. Personally, I think she should have won. She did Aretha Franklin's "Freedom" song. I've heard her sing Aretha songs, and she does them justice for a white kid from Oregon. When she was little, she adored Bad Company and Cream (ok, I admit, I turned her into a Cream fan), and couldn't carry a tune in a bucket with wheels, but boy did she ever show me. We do like to rag on her here and there for being a Spice Girls fan, too, but y'know, she was 6 or something, so it's ok.
unwrapped
we did a secret santa thing with the smart half's family this year. Everyone emailed out a sort of wish list. What i asked for was: a new set of DR flatwound bass strings, mediums (mine have been on my bass for almost seven years, a true testament to their badassedness), the CDs "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" and the "Sticky Fingers" album by the Stones, rolls of T-max or Tri-X film, a Rapidograph pen, an 8 x 10 copy of a favorite family picture and "if you make things, send me one of your crafty things".
My gift came yesterday. A pair of homemade socks, a really cool homemade scarf knitted with ribbons (both totally match my woolly hat), the Sticky Fingers album, a pair of shell earrings in a really neat little wooden (lindenwood) box carved in a polish style. So i was thrilled with all that.
Smart Half got a webcam. You have no idea how long *I* have wanted a video camera of some kind. It takes stills, as well. It isn't portable, but that's alright.
My gift came yesterday. A pair of homemade socks, a really cool homemade scarf knitted with ribbons (both totally match my woolly hat), the Sticky Fingers album, a pair of shell earrings in a really neat little wooden (lindenwood) box carved in a polish style. So i was thrilled with all that.
Smart Half got a webcam. You have no idea how long *I* have wanted a video camera of some kind. It takes stills, as well. It isn't portable, but that's alright.
Friday, December 21, 2007
ass cold... i gots it
it was like 11 degrees when I got to Tulelake this morning. Was a fun ride, with no heater. I thought for sure my big piggies were frostbit when I got there.
Currently, the airport is reporting 18 degrees. On my porch, it's 26. However, it was als0 26 over on the other side of town around 1:30 today, also.
Currently, the airport is reporting 18 degrees. On my porch, it's 26. However, it was als0 26 over on the other side of town around 1:30 today, also.
old guy
a few weeks ago i was stuffin some muffins (after all that is my job) at one of the gas stations and an old guy and I started having a conversation. Old, like, probably in his 80s at least. What he said made me laugh.
"Oh yeah now its the bitching and grumbling season. It's been snowing since God had a pacifier, and complaining about it every year is ridiculous."
Then he laughed, bought his coffee and wished me a safe winter.
I do love the snow. I love everything about it. How it's fluffy and spattery when it's wet, watching it build up after it starts to stick, and then when it's done snowing, watching it decay a little... how it gets an icy crust on it and you can walk on it without breaking through sometimes, how it settles into the crevices it's covering. I love how on a night with a fresh snowfall, you get to see the invisible things. You get to see where the deer are going to and coming from, the most trod path for the cats through the yard. And when it melts off, you can see neat patterns in the mud. Actually i think frozen mud is about the most trippy looking thing there is.
I thought it was really cool how late at night the other night, when the snow had stopped, all the sudden all these people were out playing in the snow, walking around together, looking at how the snow built itself on tree branches. I mean, it was literally after midnight, and whole families were out in it. If we let it, snow brings out the kid in all of us. If you're so serious, so grown up, that you can't grab a hunk of cardboard and shoot down a hill ONCE in the wintertime, and holler all the way to the bottom, what a crummy life you must lead. And I do know one guy who is so serious like that, and he's just a drag to be around.
I just don't like driving in it. Because I'm not good at it. I can drive great in rain, on sand, in mud... but ice and snow... not good at it.
"Oh yeah now its the bitching and grumbling season. It's been snowing since God had a pacifier, and complaining about it every year is ridiculous."
Then he laughed, bought his coffee and wished me a safe winter.
I do love the snow. I love everything about it. How it's fluffy and spattery when it's wet, watching it build up after it starts to stick, and then when it's done snowing, watching it decay a little... how it gets an icy crust on it and you can walk on it without breaking through sometimes, how it settles into the crevices it's covering. I love how on a night with a fresh snowfall, you get to see the invisible things. You get to see where the deer are going to and coming from, the most trod path for the cats through the yard. And when it melts off, you can see neat patterns in the mud. Actually i think frozen mud is about the most trippy looking thing there is.
I thought it was really cool how late at night the other night, when the snow had stopped, all the sudden all these people were out playing in the snow, walking around together, looking at how the snow built itself on tree branches. I mean, it was literally after midnight, and whole families were out in it. If we let it, snow brings out the kid in all of us. If you're so serious, so grown up, that you can't grab a hunk of cardboard and shoot down a hill ONCE in the wintertime, and holler all the way to the bottom, what a crummy life you must lead. And I do know one guy who is so serious like that, and he's just a drag to be around.
I just don't like driving in it. Because I'm not good at it. I can drive great in rain, on sand, in mud... but ice and snow... not good at it.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
the white
it snowed all day down in siskiyou yesterday. There was just under 3 feet of snow at the Snowman Hill candy cane thing. But it only stuck at the top of the 89 between Mt Shasta and McCloud, so it wasn't too bad. Then, the dreaded drive home.
I have a hard time driving when it's snowing at night. The snow mesmerizes me so I have to really concentrate on driving. Just found out that it makes me a little carsick too. lol.
Not too bad going over Mt Hebron. Not too bad going through Butte Valley except in Dorris but the last 20 miles were goddamn terrifying for me. It had been snowing long enough that it had stuck to the road and I was driving over packed snow, with crap for visibility. The tires on the car are really good... considering they're just all-weather, and they have pretty deep and wide tread. I'm just not good at driving in snow, at all.
The last two miles on the 97 getting to the city exit... 15 mph. Yeah. I suck. Blowing snow, shitty visibility, luckily no other traffic because i was the only idiot on the road. kids were hanging out at Veteran's park at 8:30 pm goofing in the snow.
But it gets better! Really. I got home fine. Went over to Phyllis' house and we hung out, watched "Festival Express" together, played some geetar, put down some whiskey and mellowed out. Around midnight, I left to go home, but she went into her garage first and brought out a sled.
The world looks really surreal at night after a good snowfall. It's quiet, and everything almost glows. There were a lot of people out, actually, walking around in the snow and playing in it at midnight. My neighbors built a big snowman!
But I got the coolest- a first ever (another one!). I got to ride down a hill covered in 6 inches of fresh snow at midnight in an old-style wooden sled. You bet your ass we hooted, hollered and made a bunch of noise.
This morning there is probably a little over 6 inches of snow on the ground. Not quite a foot, maybe. It's gorgeous.
I have a hard time driving when it's snowing at night. The snow mesmerizes me so I have to really concentrate on driving. Just found out that it makes me a little carsick too. lol.
Not too bad going over Mt Hebron. Not too bad going through Butte Valley except in Dorris but the last 20 miles were goddamn terrifying for me. It had been snowing long enough that it had stuck to the road and I was driving over packed snow, with crap for visibility. The tires on the car are really good... considering they're just all-weather, and they have pretty deep and wide tread. I'm just not good at driving in snow, at all.
The last two miles on the 97 getting to the city exit... 15 mph. Yeah. I suck. Blowing snow, shitty visibility, luckily no other traffic because i was the only idiot on the road. kids were hanging out at Veteran's park at 8:30 pm goofing in the snow.
But it gets better! Really. I got home fine. Went over to Phyllis' house and we hung out, watched "Festival Express" together, played some geetar, put down some whiskey and mellowed out. Around midnight, I left to go home, but she went into her garage first and brought out a sled.
The world looks really surreal at night after a good snowfall. It's quiet, and everything almost glows. There were a lot of people out, actually, walking around in the snow and playing in it at midnight. My neighbors built a big snowman!
But I got the coolest- a first ever (another one!). I got to ride down a hill covered in 6 inches of fresh snow at midnight in an old-style wooden sled. You bet your ass we hooted, hollered and made a bunch of noise.
This morning there is probably a little over 6 inches of snow on the ground. Not quite a foot, maybe. It's gorgeous.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
flickr weirdness
so, yes, you see two flickr photobadges. The top one is the new account. The bottom one is the old one that I can't access anymore. Flickr. Whatever.
Finally!
I have dragged this around for a few years, waiting til I had a scanner so I could finally share it with the whole friggin world.
Florence's Grand (Fl)oral Parade.
Florence's Grand (Fl)oral Parade.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Tantalize
The title makes me think of two songs, but they have nothing to do with the post.
They keep promising us snow. Like, measurable amounts. Not really any yet. I know we are in a good snow when everything gets very quiet outside. The snow muffles it. It's just weird. There was about a quarter inch on the ground when I woke up this morning, and then it's just sort of piddled on and off.
Ah but the two songs.. First into my head was "Tantalize" by Jimmy the Hoover. Then "Tantalize" by The Church elbowed it out of the way. Both songs put me in a very specific time and place. I can feel the summer sun on me when I think of those songs.
O and Smart Half and I are going to rearrange the living room tonight. Not all that big to begin with and has a sort of invisible wall right down the middle. Trying to get more space, or at least the illusion of more space, out of it.
I
They keep promising us snow. Like, measurable amounts. Not really any yet. I know we are in a good snow when everything gets very quiet outside. The snow muffles it. It's just weird. There was about a quarter inch on the ground when I woke up this morning, and then it's just sort of piddled on and off.
Ah but the two songs.. First into my head was "Tantalize" by Jimmy the Hoover. Then "Tantalize" by The Church elbowed it out of the way. Both songs put me in a very specific time and place. I can feel the summer sun on me when I think of those songs.
O and Smart Half and I are going to rearrange the living room tonight. Not all that big to begin with and has a sort of invisible wall right down the middle. Trying to get more space, or at least the illusion of more space, out of it.
I
Sunday, December 16, 2007
um yeah
that blogroll. just haven't gotten to it. I have it saved on a non-posted post so i dont forget anyone. Mr Crazy, I won't forget you :)
Ron Paul
Haven't paid much attention to the presidential candidates. And why would I, since in my mind, all politicians are liars and thieves, anyway...
But This Dr Paul is a Constitutionalist. And that's a huge red flag to me. Another red flag is that his followers say things like "He's the ONLY ONE that can.. (blah blah blah) and this is the last chance to keep us from being taken over by the UN (blah blah blah). North American Union (blah blah blah)!!!". I mean I hear crazy shit coming from the mouths of people, crazy shit that was crazy 15 years ago and is still crazy.
Learned a lot about the Con party in the early 90s. More crazy people, lock step with the Militia Movement folks and the nuttier of the survivalists. Am immediately suspicious of anyone who is called "THE ONLY ONE!!!!". I'm not a big UN fan, but mostly because of their sheer ineptness, cowardice and lack of action. Which I think are valid reasons not to like the UN.
But I think there are people who give the President too much credit for what the President is supposed to do. I mean The President, not the President in Office, who i haven't even paid any attention to since the last election.
I don't believe conspiracy ideas about government actions that shock people, secret societies, etc. Because I don't think there's anyone with enough brains IN the government to get any of the crazy shit done that it's accused of.
But This Dr Paul is a Constitutionalist. And that's a huge red flag to me. Another red flag is that his followers say things like "He's the ONLY ONE that can.. (blah blah blah) and this is the last chance to keep us from being taken over by the UN (blah blah blah). North American Union (blah blah blah)!!!". I mean I hear crazy shit coming from the mouths of people, crazy shit that was crazy 15 years ago and is still crazy.
Learned a lot about the Con party in the early 90s. More crazy people, lock step with the Militia Movement folks and the nuttier of the survivalists. Am immediately suspicious of anyone who is called "THE ONLY ONE!!!!". I'm not a big UN fan, but mostly because of their sheer ineptness, cowardice and lack of action. Which I think are valid reasons not to like the UN.
But I think there are people who give the President too much credit for what the President is supposed to do. I mean The President, not the President in Office, who i haven't even paid any attention to since the last election.
I don't believe conspiracy ideas about government actions that shock people, secret societies, etc. Because I don't think there's anyone with enough brains IN the government to get any of the crazy shit done that it's accused of.
convergence of nastiness
I'm supposed to detail my friend's husband's truck. Was gonna do it yesterday but got involved with grocery shopping and laundry. Well that can suck up a day faster than a fifth of vodka. The weather was decent for most of yesterday too. Which is important because i don't have an indoor area to deal with it in. So its supposed to be decent most of today, and I'm pulling the stuff together that I'll need. If i can get the upholstery done, and the plastic scrubbed (which will probably take most of the day anyway) I can run back over tomorrow with the armorall and window stuff. Tomorrow we get our first real snow, apparently. The dusting will become 3 to 6 inches.
That's a big ol' IF. It's a 20-year-old Nissan pickup that I don't think ever even had a vac applied to it. I was vaccing it the other day and went over a gooey spot a couple of times, thought O Crap I'm Pulling Up A Chunk Of Rotting Carpet. But no, was just the dog fur that was embedded in the gooey stuff.
That's a big ol' IF. It's a 20-year-old Nissan pickup that I don't think ever even had a vac applied to it. I was vaccing it the other day and went over a gooey spot a couple of times, thought O Crap I'm Pulling Up A Chunk Of Rotting Carpet. But no, was just the dog fur that was embedded in the gooey stuff.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
glass
mom called me while on her daily walk yesterday. "You should see the water" she says. "It's so calm it's almost reflective". She was heading into RAT when she called.
It made me miss the ocean. If I think about the ocean, I get all melancholy and sad, because I'm not anywhere near one anymore.
She says I should come and visit for a week again. She can line up a couple of details to make the trip worth it for me. It would be worth it either way. To be somewhere warm in December.
My goal in 08- i actually have a couple of them... not to be charged any outrageous fees by the bank for the year. A new bass amp- WITHOUT swapping my old one. It just sounds so good I can't bear to give it up even though it's goddamn huge and not very portable. See my grandpa while I still have the chance. Ah, Temecula...
It made me miss the ocean. If I think about the ocean, I get all melancholy and sad, because I'm not anywhere near one anymore.
She says I should come and visit for a week again. She can line up a couple of details to make the trip worth it for me. It would be worth it either way. To be somewhere warm in December.
My goal in 08- i actually have a couple of them... not to be charged any outrageous fees by the bank for the year. A new bass amp- WITHOUT swapping my old one. It just sounds so good I can't bear to give it up even though it's goddamn huge and not very portable. See my grandpa while I still have the chance. Ah, Temecula...
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
put up or shut up
i get so ticked off sometimes at some of the people in the blues thing. Jeezus, I do. Some people just run their mouth and bitch and piss and moan about everything, but ask them to make an effort to change whatever they're bitching about and OH NO! I WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP! Well, then, help, asshole. Do something. HELP is an active verb. It is an action. Standing around and complaining about everything with your finger up your ass is NOT help. It's hindering.
I think that's the phrase in the English language that I hate the most. "I was just trying to help". When i hear it drop out of someone's bonehole, I instantly dislike the person who says it. Ok keep this in mind- the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Do we need to dissect that? Intentions. Not deeds.
There are three or four of us who are the "magic stage set up fairies" for everyone else. Some people show up late, leave early, and bitch the whole time. I'm not one to engage in fisticuffs on the dance floor, but i am very nearly driven to it multiple times a jam night. I can't get all loaded to dull the irritation, either. All i can do is smile, nod, and go back to whatever I'm trying to deal with.
Bunch of babies some of them are. Christ on a popsicle stick.
I think that's the phrase in the English language that I hate the most. "I was just trying to help". When i hear it drop out of someone's bonehole, I instantly dislike the person who says it. Ok keep this in mind- the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Do we need to dissect that? Intentions. Not deeds.
There are three or four of us who are the "magic stage set up fairies" for everyone else. Some people show up late, leave early, and bitch the whole time. I'm not one to engage in fisticuffs on the dance floor, but i am very nearly driven to it multiple times a jam night. I can't get all loaded to dull the irritation, either. All i can do is smile, nod, and go back to whatever I'm trying to deal with.
Bunch of babies some of them are. Christ on a popsicle stick.
Monday, December 10, 2007
McCowan's closing
Only someone who lived in San Pedro for any amount of time would give a crap about this. Which is why I'm sad. I shopped at each of their stores when I lived in Pedro. They were always walking distance from the places I lived.
McCowan's last market closing.
The stores had better delis-real actual ones- than anywhere else I've ever been. Something else I miss is the neighborhood stores San Pedro had all over the place. Almost all of them had a sandwich shop inside that made sams that beat the crap out of anything like Subway or Quiznos.
McCowan's last market closing.
The stores had better delis-real actual ones- than anywhere else I've ever been. Something else I miss is the neighborhood stores San Pedro had all over the place. Almost all of them had a sandwich shop inside that made sams that beat the crap out of anything like Subway or Quiznos.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Jim Rowe
Jim's service will be Jan 19th at the VFW in Bandon. It'll be a nice one. Almost every musician in Coos County will probably be there to say G'Bye to such a fantastic guy.
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