really do not like making the calls I made today.    Mostly because I DESPISE talking  to robots,,,,    Anywhoooz,,, Called UPS about the shipment that has been in question.    Run-around with Robotic voice that says “shipment was delayed for reschedule by (garbled) and will arrive on the new agreed upon date.   Does this answer your question?”

Um, NO!! What was the new agreed upon date? 

Start the whole process over but this time, every question is answered with “I wanna talk to a person”.  ONLY took 6 questions for the robot to give in and re-direct my call.

And amazingly, an NATIVE english speaker!!!   If not born in Good Ol’ U, S, of A, at least spent enough time here or with GOOD tutors to fake it.

Lots of apologies and sorries and well’s  but the end result being “we don’t rightly KNOW where your package is: you will need to start an investigation through your shipper,,,,”    IE, Driver saw what it was, liked it enough to risk job and took it home,,,,   At least that MY opinion.    (FYI, the item in question is camping gear,,,,)

SO,,,, Now armed with a reference number courtesy of UPS, I call the Zon and start another robotic tap and dance, but this time, I go straight for proper body temperature and cognizence, telling ol Robbie the Robot, ‘piss off and let me talk to your programmer”

Robbie the robot offers “if you want to wait on hold the wait is 7 minutes, or we can call you back at (this) number,,,,  Do you want to wait for our call?”

What the hell, I have had to deal with this once before with The Zon and they do have GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE, (which finding out that UPS is rather archaic and stone-agey, was a shock) “call me back”

Five minutes later, I am on phone with a HUMAN BEING, and while not native speaker of the ol’Amurikan, not bad and I only had to ask him to repeat himself ONCE,,,,

New item on its way, (within three days) no charge to my card and I got a $20 rebate applied as well ‘for your inconvenience’. AND, this time around, in a plain brown box so prying eyes don’t know whats being delivered.   I swear that is what happened (though obviously, I don’t know for certain: I can only extrapolate.  BUT, current location and the fact that ‘rural’ ‘outdoorsman types’ and oppurtunity,,,,,  )  When I mentioned this, the operator/CSR didn’t outright say he agreed, but his tone was ‘ya, you’re probably right, and not the first time I have heard THIS story,,,,’.

So, while not satisfied YET, I have rectified the situation to some extent.   When the item arrives, THEN, I will fill out the questionaire asking how it went.   (email from CSR after the fact)

Today at J.O.B. was uneventful, still on the grumpy side but mostly because Ol’ Arthur came to visit last night and ALL OF THE OLD WOUNDS in my right arm were out in full force.  Even the old hairline fracture of my ulna felt fresh and alive.   I slept very little, and a handful of OTC’s, some topical stuff and a compression bandage on the wrist/thumb area,,, I was ‘mostly functional’.   My biggest asset is between my ears, so I was still able to do my job, even if not physically able to handle things (much,,, I still did, but my right hand grip was near non-existent.)

Shit still hurts, but at least I can control my hand again.   I wasn’t even able to move the first two fingers or my thumb until around noon.     Fingertips to shoulderblade, one big mess of pains.

This gettin’ old shit SUCKS,,,,

Little story from Brudda B.   Seems he has been bouncing around a pair of alternate realities lately.     Working at his shop, work, cleanups, work cleanups,  wash rinse repeat, over the last two weeks: he found one of these

Then today, in the same spot, after a full cleaning of house, FOUND ANOTHER.

Funny thing is, I have one myself.  I know where mine came from, and it wasn’t dropped in my path by goofy gremlins with a sick sense of humor.  (I will tell that one at some point, just not now.)

Seriously, serendipity or syncrhonicity?   You decide.  

Or maybe it was the Nazi scientists playing with a remote time viewer and left him a gift,,,,   WTFK, right?

SO, without going into all the Kabuki theater taking place, (who wants to talk wars and shit.  WATCH, yes,  Talk about it,,,, Nottasomuch,,,,) I leave you with some thinks,,,,,

CYA on the morrow

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A day much like any other day, but Muhndaze are unique,,,

If it could, it likely did, and this day was no exception.    Good and Bad ‘coulds’ all around.  

Burnout is no longer being chauffered by your faithful blogger and curmudgeonly character called Diogenes.   He moved into the trailer across the street from the J.O.B. and my obligations (self acquired, admittedly) are OVER.   I wish him well and Godspeed in his efforts to re-enter the human race as a (somewhat) respectable Citizen.

That was one of the goods.

A package that is already overdue by five days is now showing ‘re-scheduled for future date: we’ll let you know ASAP when to expect it.’,,,,    Umkay,,,,   The UPS guy has been by the shop every day since it arrived to the distrbution center, but no love,,,,    ’bout ready to call the distro center and request I COME GET IT,,,, its only 45 minutes away,,,,,

That was the ‘actually sort of expected this’ bad.

and thats just a taste of one of Dio’s muhndaze,,,   

At least I got in a full 8 today.  Froze my nads off with the windchill factor (wasn’t dressed for being atop a hill, exposed to freezing winds out of the north.  

BUT, I survived (obviously) and continue the good fight…

That cold wears a man down with an intensity, and my years caught up to me.  Not one person on the crew didn’t feel the lash of the tongue,,,   I was sarcastic and more than a little ornery in my lead today.   At least the last couple of hours I was able to turn things over to Burnout to handle and I went off and did Dio stuff by my lonesome.   I swear, you could hear the sigh of relief from the rest of the crew, from 100 yards away.

Hatez mundaze!!!!

Hatez the Kold,,,,

Most definitely don’t like the body failing me as time goes by, either.   Gettin’ old ain’t for wimps, as Brutha Rusty usedta say,,,,  (paraphrased as his was less family oriented,,,,)

Gonna warm up in the shower and call it a night.  y’all take care, Kay?

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Temps are dropping into the basement tonight, but things are definitely perkin’ up in the Spring department.  

Last couple of days have been windy as F!, WET! and sorta gloomy with occasional breaks of really spectacular sunlight breaking through; usually short spelled, but depression breaking for certain.

Spent all weekend dealing with house/’stead.  FINALLY cleaned out that closet of “clothes whore” issue,,,   MamaKat was NOT happy about it as she was trying to sleep on the pile of clean clothes I had on the bed (waiting to be put away as I reorganized) and I kept tossing stuff on top of her.   We ended up having a tiff over a danged sock that she was clinging to.   I was bitten, TWICE, trying to get that sock away, and she ended up with a thumped forhead and hissing at me about it.

We did make up later,,,   Fresh DedKow always makes the grumpy take a backburner.

Camp gear is all cleaned and reorganized now as well.   Funny how ONE small item that gets misplaced can instigate a complete overhaul of gear.   I managed to misplace the gas canister support for my campstoves.   I know, KNOW, I put it in a particular bag so it wouldn’t get misplaced and NOW, sure as shit,,, M.I.A.

and you know how this works,,,, I’ll finally break down, order a replacement and FIND the missing part BEFORE the replacement shows up, but can’t be canceled because its enroute.

EVERY

FRELLIN’

TIME.

ROFLMAO,,,,  Is what it is,,,

Two is one, one is none,,,  Preppers mantra.   Better to be looking at it than looking for it.

The part is only meant to keep the canister off direct contact with cold surfaces so it can evaporate better when the temps are down.   Nothing critical, but would have been nice to have last trip as the stove was acting a bit anemic.   I was able to get the stove back up to operating temps by stuffing papertowels between it and the table it was on, AND blocking the wind.   And the sole use of that stove last trip?   Making coffee.  Nothing else, but damn! So critical to sanity.  (I’m a fair hand at campfire cooking, but that percolator HATES campfires and will boil over long before it perks.   Next time, probably just take french press and be done with it.  Smaller volume, but more control of the final product.)

Observations about the REAL WORLD  ( it ain’t, for one)

Lots of noize being generated from the voters: We WANT to see ARRESTS DAMMIT.     With the amount of grift and graft being exposed, and the amount of damned near if not outright TREASONOUS activity being exposed, WHY ARE WE NOT SEEING PEOPLE BEING ESCORTED TO TRANSPORTS IN CUFFS?

Until I start seeing the likes of Peelouzy and Screw-em-more getting stuffed into cruisers, I am keeping a lid on my actual feelings about whats going on

With one exception.

KABUKI THEATER,,,,

it never ceases, does it?

and on that note, Its time to prepare my carcass for going back to the mines tomorrow, Dunno WHAT we have in store for the week, but I DO KNOW, I am going to need to use the RR right of way to get out.   The river was still coming up at 3pm and was in the road in three places making use of it verboten.    Love this time of year: rattle my truck to peices sort of thing.    At least it lets  me know if the kayaks are loose in the cradles or not.

Till tomorrow

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Rainy day, thunderboomer day, curdled the cream day (ever try to add curdled cream to coffe?  Blech)(yes, thunderstorms DO curdle cream, I have a couple years of experiance on this note.)

So what does an introverted cat afficianado do when the kats is bored and perturbed about Thunderboomers and Alabama pissing contests moving into the area?

I make lists,,,

Introverts LOVE lists,   they give us foundation later when said list is put into use.  Todays list was “What should I have ready in tote to go camping on a moments notice?”  and the key point of that list was not determined by car camping, kayakamping, or hike out camping.   It was general ‘this is the bare bones stock, all else can be picked up enroute’ list.

Shelter list

H&H list (health and hygiene, to include the mental sort.)

Cooking items list

I know, completely boring and muhndaine(yes, I intentionally mis-spelled that,,,)  BUT, it kept me occupied on a day when idle hands will drive a man to thinkin’ and goin’ just a bit batty,,,,

And I found I need to purchase nothing to make those lists complete (other than food stuffs, and coffee,,,, but those are perishables, and will be the ‘enroute’ purchases.) (I will pick up a better sleep-pad, but its not essential at this stage.)

So now, I am setting that tote up, cuz this krazy ol’ Foo is gonna go camping again sometime soon.    Weather is one of the factors that was covered in the lists, and Brudda B and I had a refresher course in “Weather WILL turn on you” last time out.  It was WAY colder than predicted and I was shy a couple of items (I didn’t bring ANY fleecewear, and thats a no-no when the weather can get below ‘freeze your dick off while peeing’ cold.) (as well as forgeting my camp chair and other small items I thought I had, but found were still at home,,,,)

The only real difference between the types listed is weight: what can you carry,,, Car Camping is luxurious since you can pack most everything including the kitchen sink and maybe even a throne for the calls of nature,,,,  

Kayakamping is similar, but has space restrictions and some small weight restrictions (you ain’t bringing a bunch of castiron cookware on your trip,,,)(And extensive use of dry bags for ‘reasons’,,,,)

Obviously, the Hiking thing restricts you even more.    The current bag I carry comes in around 50# when loaded for bear.   Toss in a rifle (like my Henry .22) and ammo, and I am toting my max and limiting how far I can go a day to 10 miles.   These knees don’t absorb the abuse they did when I was Marine,,,, (and those loads were “OMG what was I thinking when I put THAT in there?????”    Typically 60%+ of my body mass was the norm.)  (and I am a Colonel  Cooper student: The only reason you need a pistol is to get back to the rifle you laid down.)(but I do like “ol Ugly” the 1911,,, gotta large soft spot for that pistolla, I do,,,,)

Thats not to say I NEED all those toys,,, I could and have gone with bare bones, knife on hip and some cordage, camping trips a time or three.    I enjoy them since they really get the brainium working hard, but Hey,,, I ain’t twenty sumpin these days; that shit wears quick.   Good to know I can, but that doesn’t mean its desirable. (AND, you will end up with ticks in strange places, EVERY! FRELLIN! TIME!,,,,AMHIK)  The upside to those sort of trips: you can cover a TON of ground when its just your body weight and the cloths on your back. 

You’ll also smell worse than a pig in a wallow when you return.  I don’t care how clean you keep yourself during the trip: Humans STINK, and our modern world will tell you that, when you look at all the ways we try to cover/mask the stenches. (and this is something that ANYONE that’s visited a Turd-world shithole can tell you with confidence.)

But, the day wanes, my tote is packed and secured for my future efforts, and I has an ELBee buzzin’ in me lap.   Makes me sleepy (and the rain is helping loads)  time for nap,,,

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Its spring-like weather outside.  Has been all night: temp on the in/out thermometers are 68/80,,,

Huh?

I turned down the wall heater because I have little need of it when the weather is like this.   Only thing really ‘running’ is the pilot,,,

That Pilot has kept my house warm all night, JUST the pilot.   I could probably light a candle and get similar results.

I knew when I built this house that I wanted TOP NOTCH insulation and it would appear that I have acheived that end. 

GO ME!!!

(it also helps that my house is small.  Doesn’t take much to heat a small space*.)

T’weren’t cheap though, I can tell ya that.   But damned if it hasn’t been worth it.    Now I just need to find a smaller (or build one dangit, has welder and cut-off tools) wood stove so I can revert to burning wood and leave the propane for those times when I would like to spend time away, or when I’m whooped and just want a full nights sleep, instead of getting up every few hours to feed a wood burner.   No rush, no worries.

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*Other advantages to a small home: you are much pickier about the items you are willing to put up with when space is a premium.   You end up NOT loading up on geegaws and gunk that do little or have no reasonable function.   I do have mementos, but they are limited in size or where they reside (IE, pictures on walls) Furniture is minimallist, and I do spend much more time out of doors than in, with the exception of winter; when I will ‘hibernate’ and read, not get involved in much more physical stuff.

Cons:  comforts are sort of a back burner thing.   Large comfy recliners are a no-no when your floor plan is less than 1000sqft.   (and I do have plans to set up some eyebolts for an inside hammock for those days where I would prefer a recliner; which is growing on me as the years stack up on the opposite side of life.   Nothing fantastic, just a hammock I can set up or take down when not as desire strikes.   Might even be nice to have on those truly cold ass nights and be nearer the fires.

(some are stolen, so there,,,,,)

If you wanna hear God laugh, Make plans.

Never order something last minute and expect it ON TIME.

Time is the real currency—and once it’s gone, you don’t get a refund.

Don’t sweat the petty shit, and don’t pet the sweaty shit. (thanx B.)

Let go, or get dragged.

The only person that will use the word “Fair” in its proper definition, is a lawyer.

Lawyers are TRAINED to lie, never forget that fact.

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Freeday, (though I did get some hours in)   Did some piddlin’round on a project for Brudda B and meself.   Hammock ‘stands’ that mount in our reese hitches for car camping.   I have one most of the way finished.

I know it’s rather difficult to make out in detail, and it DOES stick out too far currently, but its able to hold my ass off the ground and not fold up like a cheap suit.   I will be going with a stouter pipe here soon, those were just peices I had layin’ in the shop.  Some small parts need cut from plate to weld up, but it could be functional as it sits right now.

Local news,,,,,   All the Easter Lillies are bloomin’ out.   Many of the Bradford peartrees are in bloom, and we have a VERY wet weekend on the books ahead.    Probably going to use the time for playin’ round the house, and wait just a tad longer before I get back into my paddling frenzy.   I was checking out the Dogwood tree at the end of my drive, and it has many small nodules where the blooms will be, and a few of them are starting to split open.   Not much longer and SPRING will be in full swing.    Much anticipated on my part mind you. 

anywhoos,,,,

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Just a long ass day wrapping up a job that HAD TO BE DONE IN ONE SWEEP.   Long drive time to and fro so the bosses decided ‘Slam everyone on it and ‘git-r-dun!!!’.’

beat, sore, tired, and a little sunburnt to boot.

shower

bed

in that order

more laters

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