Long Days, Short Tempers

I've had long days and a short temper this week.  First off, my wife is taking a week vacation to use up some of her well deserved time from work.  I'm jealous, sue me.  My back has been bothersome again, and I have limped to the end of every day at work this week.  Usually it is easily doable, but the last half of this week I have the 'difficult' project at work.  The wrong time to move alot yet I have to do the most moving.  My boss is nice enough and seems to understand and he takes it easy on me.  Yet, I still feel humiliated somewhat in front of my co-workers.  Not everybody understands.

Meanwhile, with this back, I have run errands to the grocery store and twice to the large hardware store.  I have supplies for projects that I can't quite do yet all over the place.  I need to get my truck into two different repair shops (brakes and body) soon.  I have to fix the toilet.  I have a leak by the water softener to fix, a workbench to build and shelves to put up.  We will be seeing family here this weekend on both days (not a bad thing, mind you).   And the lawn needs mowing, but tomorrow is supposed to be 90 degrees and humid with Saturday similar, but with a chance of rain.

There. Sigh.  Thanks for listening to me bitch!*

Now that I got that out of my system, there is a bright side.  My wife has okayed me taking a whole week off of my own.  I don't have near as much time built up as she does, so it's a bigger deal.  I'm not sure that I've taken a whole week off since we got married, except for a few short times of unemployment - not the same.  So for sanity's sake I'm gonna do that soon.  Otherwise my vacation time will just be eaten up by the next time or two when my back goes 'out'.  So I most surely will have some unpaid time by the end of the year.  Hopefully not, being laid up in bed for days is no fun, no fun at all... and definitely not a 'vacation'!

* I should note that even though my wife is on vacation she has her own things going on.  What I have listed are my things to do.

Garage Redo part 2

Pic Dump 15

It's time for the latest Pic Dump!  Here's 50ish things that made me laugh, cry or cringe since Pic Dump 14.  As usual, some you may have seen, some you may not.  Click on the pic to see original size.  And discretion is always strongly advised after the break.  Enjoy!

Garage Redo part 1

So, here's what I have to work with in the garage.  As you can see, along both sides there is stuff, stuff, and more stuff.  Before it gets out of hand and we can't get the car in there, I need to bring some organization to this mess.  The first stage will be assembling the modified workbench to be placed in the back of the garage along the left wall.  Then I will have to move the electrical box.  And finally, pull everything away from the walls and put up the shelves.  I'm also looking for a garden tool organizer to put in the back corner along the right wall.  The wood you see in the pic is the workbench and shelves unassembled.

My wife isn't crazy about not being able to park in the garage for a while, but it shouldn't be long.  Admittedly, I have been procrastinating starting the actual work.  My back sucks.

'Shrooms

I'm not saying that it's been too wet lately, but... these are all over the yard.

Garage Project Preview

Happy Friday!  I know it's been slow around here lately, oh well.  Truth is we really haven't been doing much other than the mundane daily stuff.  Usually I don't like to post things just for the sake of posting when I don't feel like writing (though I do sometimes, anyway).

Coming up will be my garage reorganization project.  Several weeks ago I got a dozen shelf brackets for free (after rebate) and today I bought the shelves for them to hold.  (Except I have to return 2-12'  1x10's that were supposed to be 1x12's because I'm a doofus.)  I also bought a workbench kit.  I should have bought the materials and designed my own, but I guess I got lazy.  Actually the kit seemed like a real good size for the space I have in mind, so I just got it.  There will be one modification, however.  I bought extra 2x4's so I could add longer legs to the kit and raise it to my preferred height.  And doing that means I will have to move the existing electrical box to a higher position on the wall, as well.

So, since this is my space to log our projects and activities (as well as share my music, thoughts and humor), we can all look forward to how this project turns out.  Wish me luck!

Die Antwoord on Tour

Hi, how are you?  We're okay.  Not much happening lately, thus no posting.  So, here, I found this out - Die Antwoord will be in Chicago on Wednesday, July 14.  Too far away from home, middle of the week, and it would take a bigger reason than this for me to drive into Chicago.  I'd love to see them but I won't travel.  Still, some good youtube material to look forward to.

Fat Cat Hiccups and Farts

Okay, I laughed when I saw this posted by Joanne yesterday and almost posted it here.  And then I laughed at it again when I heard it featured late the TMOS podcast today, and that was just the audio! So, here it is!  Enjoy!

Clarence Carter - Strokin'

This is very inside joke stuff between me and friends I used to know and fun times on the reservation...  Enjoy it anyway, it has nsfw lyrics.


via

Self Indulgent Recap

Hello.  I hope you had a nice holiday weekend.  I did, mostly.  I haven't updated in a bit, so here's a short recap:

Over a week ago my sister finally came to visit. She brought her boyfriend, Dave.  It was my first time meeting him, but they have been seeing each other for quite some time now.  He was actually a real nice guy, and he'd better be - he's dating my sister!  Of course my sister's kids, James and Lindsey, came as well.  They will be 8 soon, I think.  Being the devious uncle that I am, (and knowing that it was gonna be real hot and I had already introduced them to squirtgun fights) I went with the water balloons!  We had a lot of fun!  Boy, they can tire me out, though.  I wish I had that energy sometimes.

The latter half of last week I was dealing with some back issues.  Nothing to be worried about, just one of the usual problems just popping up again.  I didn't even call the doctor.  If it would have lasted longer or been more severe, then some muscle relaxers would have helped, though.  Still would, actually...

Friday night Jerome and Lisa came over for a while to sit out by the fire.  We kind of intended to invite quite a few more, but my wife pointed out how she never gets a chance to talk to Lisa.  I agreed, they are nice, fun, relatively new friends that we enjoy lots.

Last Saturday was the first outing on our friend Terry's boat!  We went to the usual spot, and did the usual things.  It was a real nice day for it, the sun was shining and it got really hot.  I made myself go hatless mostly, so I wouldn't get the white forehead that I had last year!

Sunday we shopped. We got new hardware for the kitchen cabinets and a new light fixture for above the sink. We also bought a grill, a real, full-size, nice, gas grill. (I still want Mangrates, though!) We spent some time installing all the new kitchen hardware after we got home.  My wife thinks they look much more modern and I tend to agree.

Monday, Memorial Day, was spent mostly relaxing.  I went grocery shopping in the morning and we put together our new grill in the afternoon.  I went to bed about 7:30 and slept wonderfully until my alarm went off this morning.

There, caught up.  (Yes, I know, TMI for some, but this is for me.)  Some of these subjects deserve a more thorough look, but sometimes I just don't feel like writing.  Also, I've noticed, the longer it has been since I've posted, the harder it is to write.  Best done quickly before my memory fades...