I didn't win

Jeannie and I just got baack from the Chevy dealer. Today is the last day of the "Hotbutton" promotion at all GM dealerships. It's free to play and you could potentially win a new car. All you had to do was go to the dealership, sit in the vehicle, push the Onstar button and follow the prompts. You were talking to a live person on the other end, so it wasn't too lame, I heard your chances were one in 3000 to win. That's a lot better than any other form of gambling I know. Looks like a desperate attempt by General Motors to pump some life into their dying franchises. I mean, General Motors stock has been reduced to "junk" status, and is on the "do not buy" list of every stock broker. What has happened? It all seems so surreal to me. The once proud and mighty symbol of unimaginable corporate power and wealth being eviserated by Toyota. The wake-up call fell on deaf ears and eyes that would not see. I have no idea what the future holds for the car business. There was a time in my life when I knew I would never drive anything that was not made by GM, just as surely as I knew the sun would come up in the east. I wouldn't make that statement today. The world, she is a changin' my friends.

almost perfect

We have returned from the maiden camping voyage, like victorious warriors, big smiles all around. Jeannie doesn't think it's really camping, and to tell you the truth, it doesn't feel like it did in the old Holiday Rambler, that's for sure. This is more like having a luxury penthouse suite in the middle of a pine forest (or next to the beach, wherever you're camping). Now don't get me wrong, our camper is not the creme de la creme of the RV world. But it is in very nice condition, has a slide-out, which makes the living room seem huge, a working bathroom and running water and a queen-size bed. It is just the difference between night and day for us. We did spend the weekend at Newton Hills state park by Canton. We got there late Thursday night, dropped into bed, was up early Friday morning so we could get to Jeannie's uncle's farm auction by Parker at 8 am. What a day that was! I was so exhausted when I got back to camp at 10:30 pm it wasn't funny. We hadn't had advance reservations so we lost our spot on Sat. night to some kids in a tent. they reserved an electrical spot so they could plug in their boombox. Funny! Meanwhile, the rangers find us the last remaining spot in camp that wan't reserved, a non-electrical tent site. No problem, Grandpa and I both double up on the same site, no electicity, just battery power. No problem, it cooled off really nice that night. Sunday we had a nice relaxing day at camp before heading home. What a trip! Good thing I wasn't ina hurry. Now I know my pickup is a little small for the camper but most of the time it does OK. The wind had to be blowing 30-35 mph out of the NW and we are heading straight into it. Yikes. Luckily we took the back roads home so I didn't have to embarrass myself on the interstate. I can see a HD 2500 Duramax diesel in the future, when my ship comes in. Can't ever have too much power. Now Newton Hills was OK, but I can't wait until Thursday when we head to Lewis & Clark at Yankton. Now there's my favorite place to camp. I won't be camping in the Black Hills 'til I upgrade the truck. Right now, there's no way I could pull the Wasta Hill, no way. "The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of the cheap price is gone".

I'm outa here

Today is absolutely gorgeous, I spent all last night packing the camper, I've got a reservation at Newton Hills, as soon as the office closes, I'm outa here. See ya next week. Time to christen the new camper.

Taking back my life

Maybe that's a little dramatic, but I can't believe how much better I feel since my surgery. The constant nagging pain I always felt every time I moved my arm is GONE! It still hurts, but I believe that's just the residual factor from the surgery. As it heals, it should get less painful and stronger every day. Yay! Update on the pyhsical therapy- I went to my appt. at the designated time, John Decker, the PT hadn't gotten the notes from my surgeon yet. Later that afternoon he called me back, "you can just take it easy and do nothing the rest of the week. I talked to the physicians assistant who was there during the surgery and he did some major carving on you, so just rest and heal for now". I don't know what he did, but it feels great! So now I feel so good, I've also vowed to drop these extra 20 lbs that bother Sandy Smith so badly. ;-) Also, today was a beautiful day, if you aren't bothered by gale force winds. There's supposed to be thunderstorms again tonight and then, the weather is supposed to clear up. If it does, I AM GOING CAMPING IN MY NEW CAMPER. Don't try and stop me. "9 out of 10 criminals support gun control. It makes their job so much easier".

I'm half the man I used to be

Well, maybe not half, but I should be a little lighter. I had orthroscopic surgery on my left shoulder last Thursday morning. Today was the big day (48 hours later) that the bandages came off and the drug pump could dome out. It must be the new thing, but attatched to my sling was a nifty little battery operated drug pump. clear sides and you could see how much junk was left inside, waiting to be pumped into me. It was filled with a novicaine solution, which pretty much explained the lack of pain. Jeannie did pretty well helping take off the bandages but had to duck out when it was time to pull out the novacaine tube. "I'll do it then" growled me, the tough guy and went into the bathroom to watch myself in the mirror. I knew the surgeon had made 3 incisions, which were in plain sight and neatly stitched up. To my surprise, the novicaine tube had it's own entrance hole. "well", I think. " must just be inserted under the skin" Oh no, this bad boy was in there 6-8 INCHES! Where it was hiding or coiled up, I don't know, but as I pulled she just kept comin'. Really a weird feeling. Now that it's out, I had to take a pain pill. I guess I'm not as tough as I thought. We'll see what kind of snot-nosed, red-eyed blubbering mass of fat I turn out to be on Monday morning, after I meet with my masochist, I mean physical therapist. Oh yeah, cut me Mick, cut me!

Thanks.......I guess

Thanks Wyatt, I never realized my name was only 2 letters away from a cool nickname like Jeg. However I'm not so sure M will be as excited. It's scary (not really) to know you have the power to go in and alter my blog at any time , but I have no idea how to do it myself. That's why I'm a little nervous about online billpay, even though I do it all the time. I just don't think about the potential problems, which is the way I get through most troubling aspects of my life. Yesterday was Mother's Day and we had a fine little gathering at the house. Rather than go out to eat, which I have never liked to do on these special days, I volunteered to make the meal for the family. And with a little help, I pulled it off just fine. I wanted to bake a bone-in ham so I would have the bone left over for bean soup. Rummaging through the freezer I found a John Morrell E-Z cut ham, so opted to settle for that instead. So, baked ham, whipped potatoes w/gravy (yes, 10 lbs of real Idaho spuds. The gravy came from a packet though), green bean w/french fried onion cassarole, scalloped corn casserole, jellied cranberries, fresh bakery buns w/real butter and a relish tray that heavily favored the black olive section. It was swell eats, if I do say so myself. Topped off by Grandma's homemade rhubarb pies and ice cream, it was all I could've asked for. Luckily for me, the one that cooks, doesn't have to clean up. PS- I'm still suffering from the aftermath of the stupid giant tree I cut down. Now, all the gutters are full of the seeds and leaves from that thing, so when it rains, the rain just courses right over top of the gutters down to the ground. Next to the foundation. Where it can run down and penetrate my basement walls. And there is still sawdust everywhere outside, which gets tracked into the house constantly, which I can't vaccuum up because it's wet and the rain won't stop. But we need the rain, and I could've had the sawdust cleaned up before it started so I'll shut-up now.

gettin' better

You all remember the trashed rental house? It is an ongoing saga, but hopefully the glimmer I see is the light at the end of the tunnel and not the headlight on the train. Yesterday the house-cleaning lady came and did her thing, that'll be $100 please. And cheap at that. I went to Menards and ordered the replacement window, bought a new bathroom door and new door handles so I can change the locks. That'll be $233 please. then I came home and tore the carpet out of the living room and hauled it to the dumpster. And all this before noon, wow! I have to staff here today at the office so this is not the time of year to neglect your floor time. Busy, busy, busy! "Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out".

What the.................??????????

OK, this is getting old in a hurry. Yesterday, May 1st 2005. High temp - 43F. I mow the lawn for the first time all year, but it doesn't really need it. Snow showers occur intermittantly while I'm mowing. The wind is out of the north at about 30 knots, just like it has been for the last month. This is getting old. What happened to global warming? I pray for el Nino. It's just nuts. On an entirely unrelated subject, this is National Teachers week or month or something. Which I could care less about except it's the perfect lead for my quote o' the day-"If you can read this blog, thank a teacher. If you can read it in English, thank a vet". Yeah!