When you “just know”…

Today ending work, like the many other days have this year, we were on our way home from the office (just a block or two from the house). As always, I bring “the bean” with me to the office, because she just gets so excited to go “bye-byes” with me.

She was sitting in the back seat of my Durango passenger side with the window down. When we got to the stop sign, she flipped out angry barking at a guy who was walking toward the truck on the passenger side. Quite honestly, I have not seen her be like this with anyone. Turns out, he was not really approaching us, just our general direction.

I have relied on my “second amendment” right for protection the last few years, but it made me feel very good that she was alert and was protective of me and my wife. Sweety-bean has been one of the best rescue dogs we have ever had and she continues to surprise me with her smarts and the connection that I have with her. Without any hesitation, if she takes off after a stray cat, or squirrel, all I have to do is call out “hep hep” and she stops in her tracks, and returns to me. I have not really taught her that, she just does it. I am totally amazed.

I have also been trying to teach her the trick of setting something on her nose (tootsie rolls are her favorite) or sometimes flattened jellie beans. We both have a bit of a sugar addiction. We have gone from a second or two on her first few attempts, to almost 10 seconds, but my hands have to stay somewhat close to her head. It has been several months that we have been learning this, and she will get it eventually, I am sure. We practice at the office all the time. We are very lucky that she chose to rescue us!

Apparently, it’s JUST ABOUT HIM…

I will start off by saying that I have had a run in with this guy before, so I am biased, I will admit that up front.

How much of a self-centered A$$hole do you have to be to park your truck in the handicap parking place at the auto parts store? This guy is an ex-NY Cop, so I am pretty sure that he knows better. I looked and did not see the handicap placard that should be displayed if you are parking in that spot, maybe my eyes need to be checked… Some people think that the world revolves around them and those who may NEED that parking place should not have it.

Here is his facebook, Here are his ratings on Palm Coast.biz website, so please send him a little note and inform him that this world is NOT about him.

My travel “bucket list”

I have seen this one a few times, when the little mrs. & I get a chance to hit the road, I think that we shall try this trip. It may take months or a year or two to complete, but it would be “one hell of a ride”. If we also took side roads instead of the interstate, that would add another dimension to the trip.

From Florida, north, then west…

1. Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL
2. Okefenokee Swamp Park, GA
3. Fort Sumter National Monument, SC
4. Lost World Caverns, WV
5. Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center, NC
6. Mount Vernon, VA
7. White House, Washington, DC
8. Colonial Annapolis Historic District, MD
9. New Castle Historic District, Delaware
10. Cape May Historic District, NJ
11. Liberty Bell, PA
12. Statue of Liberty, NY
13. The Mark Twain House & Museum, CT
14. The Breakers, RI
15. USS Constitution, MA
16. Acadia National Park, ME
17. Mount Washington Hotel, NH
18. Shelburne Farms, VT
19. Fox Theater, Detroit, MI
20. Spring Grove Cemetery, OH
21. Mammoth Cave National Park, KY
22. Fox Theater, Detroit, MI
23. Spring Grove Cemetery, OH
24. Mammoth Cave National Park, KY
25. West Baden Springs Hotel, IN
26. Abraham Lincoln’s Home, IL
27. Gateway Arch, MO
28. C. W. Parker Carousel Museum, KS
29. Terrace Hill Governor’s Mansion, IA
30. Taliesin, WI
31. Fort Snelling, MN
32. Ashfall Fossil Bed, NE
33. Mount Rushmore, SD
34. Fort Union Trading Post, ND
35. Glacier National Park, MT
36. Hanford Site, WA
37. Columbia River Highway, OR
38. San Francisco Cable Cars, CA
39. San Andreas Fault, CA
40. Hoover Dam, NV
41. Grand Canyon, AZ
42. Bryce Canyon National Park, UT
43. Craters of the Moon, ID
44. Yellowstone National Park, WY
45. Pikes Peak, CO
46. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM
47. The Alamo, TX
48. The Platt Historic District, OK
49. Toltec Mounds, AR
50. Elvis Presley’s Graceland, TN
51. Vicksburg National Military Park, MS
52. French Quarter, New Orleans, LA
53. USS Alabama, AL

Here is a beef, err, sausage…

Hold on, I am going to stand up on my soapbox for a moment or two…

Not too many things catch me “off guard”.. This morning, it happened. As many of you know, I am expanding my mediation abilities with family mediation. Michelle & I completed the training a few weeks back and one of the “hoops” we have to jump through is monitoring other mediators to see how they do what they do. I had such monitoring this morning in St. Johns County.

Doesn’t that just look YUMMY!!?!

On my way, I was running just a bit late and was hungry. Instead of the typical McDonald’s, I like to mix it up a bit. At the exit of I-95 was a Krystal’s, which is not my first choice, but their sunrisers (egg, sausage, on the Krystal buns). They are small like White Castle, so I ordered 4 with a small drink. When I got to the window, the total was $9.22! I questioned the lady at the window and asked if that was correct. “Shaquita” (as the name on the receipt was printed) said yes, that is correct, and I stated “this by far is the most EXPENSIVE Krystal’s that I have ever been to. She laughed and went about her business. When she gave me the bag, I asked if they had cheese, to which she informed me “was extra”. I also did not get any napkins.

Totally dismayed, and in jest, I asked her if this was the result of paying $15.00 per hour minimum wage and she replied with “not here”! If this is the direction that we are going, hold on because WE ARE IN BIG, BIG TROUBLE AMERICA!!!

I have to admit that this was just one of those things that just pushed my button today. I mean when did breakfast at fast food become $9? I know, you could say that I could have just said nevermind and cancel my order, but I am not that person. $6 would have been reasonable, maybe even $7, but $9??

Maybe it was because it was right at I-95, where most places will gouge you simply because they think that you are going to complain, then get back on the highway and go to wherever you were headed. I ask, what about the locals? I don’t want any special treatment, I just expect fair.

OK, down from my soapbox now…

Gave Moms House a “bath”

Some of my friends know that I took on the task of helping my mother-in-law (mom) find a house. We found a really cool 900 sq/ft +/- bungalow in Deland in February. In mostly solid shape, it had been neglected for a lot of years (as most older houses are). Each weekend, we have had the Knuckleheads (boys) over there to lend a hand and help with the various tasks that are on the “to do” list.

Our goal has been to have her moved into the house by mid-June. We got some real progress achieved yesterday with the back door being replaced, lots of painting done, and the front of the house pressure washed. The aluminum siding had a coat of dark grey/orange/black mold & mildew that just made the house look horrible. So I gave the house a bath!

The outside is in serious need of a coat of paint, however, because the siding does not go with the period of the house, and beneath the siding is the original pine “shiplap” boards, the bath was a temporary solution to making the house at least look a little better. The problem is that the paint was so worn, that even the lightest tip on the pressure washer took the paint off completely. Right down to the bare aluminum.

Once we got the trash and weeds out of the yard, as well as the busted sidewalk, the house has started to take shape. It is going to be a long process to get the house looking really nice, for grass to grow, and flower beds planted. I know with my house, it took a good almost 2 years for the place to not look abandoned. I know moms spirit, the gardens will look great and the flowers will be blooming in no time!

Here are a couple of pics that I took of the house, that is a HUGE improvement. I only got the lower parts that I could reach from the ground. We will need to get the ladder out there eventually and give the house a proper cleaning. What I got done was about 4 or 5 hours worth of work. I am certainly feeling it today!

It may not seem like it, but we are on schedule to finish the inside to at least move-in ready in the next 2 weeks. My “tile guy” has promised that the tile will be done by tonight, and the drywall guy should be back out to finish the wall in the laundry room. If that happens, then we are right on track, to have everything finished on the inside. We still have a few decisions to make on types of lights, but overall, we are CLOSE!

Some “fundamental core beliefs”

I saw this as a photo today and I felt that I wanted to add it to my blog. These are some “fundamental core beliefs” that I believe more people followed, we would have more harmony in life…

• Live beneath your means.
• Return everything that you borrow.
• Stop blaming other people.
• Man up to your mistakes.
• Give clothes not worn to charity.
• Do something nice and try not to get caught.
• Listen more, talk less.
• Every day take a 30 minute walk.
• Strive for excellence, not perfection.
• Be on time.
• Don’t make excuses.
• Don’t argue.
• Get organized.
• Be kind to people.
• Be kind to unkind people.
• Let someone cut ahead of you in line.
• Take time to be alone.
• Cultivate good manners.
• Be humble.
• Realize and accept that life is not fair.
• Know when you keep your mouth shut.
• Go an entire day without criticizing someone.
• Learn from the past.
• Plan for the future.
• Live in the present.
• Don’t sweat the small stuff.
• It’s all small stuff!