Working on the Winnebago

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Jerrie Cate

Jack showed up this morning to help me work on the one ’68 Winnebago that was left in our yard a few years ago. We needed to move it a little ways and it almost got away from us. Fortunately, the emergency brake works nicely. Unfortunately, the front end wasn’t connected to the rest of the rig as well as it should have been. When the bottom stopped, the top didn’t. The results are as you see it. The upside of this little mishap is that it was simple to work on the engine, which was the main reason for Jack’s visit today.

Sadly, apparently no one read an earlier blog entry suggesting that folks come, participate, and bring food. Since Diane left shortly after Jack arrived, lunch was a meager affair. Since the only appliance I’m allowed to use, when Diane isn’t home, is the toaster, that’s what we had. Toast. With jelly. It was really good. We had coffee, too.

We made excellent progress getting to the engine thanks to the emergency brake. We found all these wires running all over the place and tried to reconnect everything, but decided it probably was a waste of time since there’s no battery in the rig. What’s the point of connecting all the wires if you can’t turn something on? But, it’s kinda pretty.

Tomorrow we’ll free the engine, and transmission, and implant them into the trailer he brought today. Oh! I almost forgot! Jack called me this morning to go help him load the engine lifter thingie into his trailer because it was heavy and he couldn’t quite make it. So I said, “sure”, of course. He told me he was on Little Street. Yes, there really is a Little Street in St. Helens. And, it’s really a little street. Short, actually. Even though it’s a little street, it took me a while to find him because he was really on Lee Street. He succeeded in confusing me which, I firmly believe, was his ultimate goal. He should be ashamed for picking on his little brother like that, but he isn’t. He’s always picking on me. But, we had fun working together today so there’s still hope for this relationship to blossom. It could happen.

Now I’m going to stop and watch the Orange Bowl.

Time For Resolutions

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Jerrie Cate

Greetings All … Christmas is over and the time is near for everyone to make their resolutions for the New Year. Personally, I’m going to adopt Jack’s methodology for making these commitments that are ready-made to be broken. He makes it simple. Just commit to things you do every day, like

I will not gain 125 pounds this year
I will do everything Diane tells me to do in the order I remember
I will never answer the door naked (again)
I will not use plug-in power tools without supervision

Stuff like that. Easy, isn’t it? I could never think of anything before Jack told me this secret. I hope he doesn’t mind that I’ve shared it with you.

Our Christmas was very calm and peaceful and we enjoyed it a great deal. Diane got me lots of really neat things, like T-Shirts. One says “I really do know everything. I just remember it all at once”, and another that says “I have a million excuses. Which one would you like to hear”. Now, I suppose I could take exception to the last one because it hints that I’ve done something for which I need an excuse to justify what I’ve done. Or that I need an excuse to keep from getting into trouble. Regarding that, it’s been a painful life-lesson that no excuse can keep you from getting into trouble when thoughts shoot directly out of your mouth into the closest available ear, without transiting the common sense filter found in most brains. It’s really a good idea to form your thoughts first. Unfortunately, for Jerrie, his thoughts usually don’t make much sense until he actually articulates them. As he hears the words fall into place, his thoughts take on meaning but he doesn’t get the full picture until the last word is uttered … “uttered” – sounds like part of a cow, doesn’t it? … then, it’s just too late for him.

I made fudge on Sunday. I finally found it today in the garage where Diane hid it from me. Apparently I’m not allowed to eat very much of it at one time. But, it’s really good. It’s called Fantasy Fudge. The formula is on the jar of marshmallow puffy stuff that you stir into the mixture. I say that like it’s easy, but it’s not because it’s difficult to get it out of the jar in a timely matter. It’s very sticky stuff, and I double the formula. It’s made with six (6) cups of sugar, one (1) can of condensed milk, all of the chocolate chips you can find in the cupboard, two (2) jars of marshmallow puffy stuff, three (3) sticks of butter, and two (2) pounds of walnuts. You must boil the sugar, milk and butter for 10 minutes, or until it attains a temperature of about 400 degrees. It’s actually only 234 degrees, but feels like 400 when it drips on you. A candy thermometer helps determine when it’s done, but dropping it into the mixture complicates reading exactly what the temperature is. I know this is true and learned that candy thermometers do not float. You’d think they would but, no, they just sink right to the bottom which skews the reading because it’s too close to the burner. So, I just guessed.

All of the kids and kidlets showed up and we had a great time. Jerrie Anne got a cute little deer suit. She cried when Jennie put it on her. Gilligan and Baylee got dance outfits which they really loved. They cried when they had to take them off so they could put warm clothes on to go home. Daniel, Jennifer, Cedric, Lydia, and Jeran got clothes, too. I don’t remember any of them crying, though. Clothes seemed to be the theme this year. So, of course, I didn’t get any for Diane this year. Figures.

I’m a crappy shopper. I admit it. I’m just bad at it. Most of the things I buy are necessary, especially if it’s a tool of some kind. Planning ahead for shopping just doesn’t work for me. I could make a list, which I’ve done, but once I get into a store the list is quickly forgotten once I get a good look at all the new shiny stuff. At that point, the impulse-buying gene engages, by-passing the common sense filter mentioned earlier. That isn’t a complaint, by the way, I’ve become the owner of some pretty nifty things that would have withered away on some store’s shelves had I put even a little thought into need vs. want. Diane’s received some interesting things as a result of this, too. Many of them she found distasteful resulting in a return trip to the store for a refund. That brings up an important point … never shop in a store that doesn’t have a now questions asked refund policy.

I must quit for tonight. The cemetery board is meeting in 20 minutes, and I’m on the board.

Good News!

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Jerrie Cate

It wasn’t GOUT!

It was MSWTT & ISHTTOS! What a relief!

By the way … the picture in my last entry was not of my foot. I don’t know who’s it was, but I’m forever happy it isn’t mine.

For those of you who don’t read newspapers, or watch news on TV, let me fill you in on what’s happening …

It’s reported that Herman has been having an ongoing affair for the last 30-40 years. This, unfortunately, has put a large dent in Herman’s popularity factor which, of course, means less money for him. And, we all know that whoever gets the most donations is going to be the next president. Personally, I kinda like Jimmy McMillan who’s running for the “Rent Is Too Damn High Party”. What’s not to like about that? Then there’s Tom Miller, a career flight attendant. I don’t know what airline he’s working for, but perhaps you’ve met him in your travels. Maybe he works, or worked, for American Airlines and new about the their pending bankruptcy. Hmmmm. Maybe he’s the one.

Then, there’s sports, of course. Aren’t you all happy that the NBA and Player’s Union has finally agreed that everyone is getting paid far too much? They should, as it was with Michael Jordan, be paid on ability, not potential.

Now, for those of you just dying to know what’s going on in Scappoose, Oregon, check here: http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/index.php. Exciting stuff.

If you’ve been looking for an old classmate, or loved one, maybe they’re here: http://www.co.columbia.or.us/sheriff/inmates/index.php. You just never know where people will turn up now days.

Ihope all is well with everyone out there. Send money if the mood strikes.

Oh! I almost forgot to tell you what MSWTT & ISHTTOS means … it means that “my shoes were too tight & I should have taken them off sooner”. I think we’ve all had that once or twice.