Catching Up

The Florida part of our trip went very well, the liquid sunshine took a break and the girls loved M, as I knew they would. Or more to the point, the girls loved how happy I am since M came into my life, which amounts to the same thing. We got in some beach walking and touristing as well, so all in all it was a good trip.

But wait, there's more. The later part of the week is being spent in Pennsylvania, where M is from, at her parent's house. Her mother is deeply appreciative of how I treat M so already I've made a good impression on her, and her dad isn't quite the curmudgeon that M says he is (either that or he's on his best behavior).

For the next couple of days we will be wandering to and fro about the Pennsylvania/West VA countryside as M and her mom enjoy each others company. My job is to fetch and carry and generally show her parents that I will be good to their daughter. I can handle that.

On the way up we passed by Pilot Mountain, which is near Mount Airy NC. Youngest Son saw it and immediately announced that it looks like a nipple.*

He's right, you know. It does. And now that I've seen it, I cannot un-see it.

At any rate, this brings us to the final but by no means least important item on the agenda, the Redhead of the Month:

April's ROTM is brought to you by Europe. It has to be good for something after all.

And with the necessities out of the way, I'm back on vacation. See you next week!

*I'm shrouding myself in the illusion that Youngest Son recognizes the nipple from TV or the internet, and have instructed him to leave my illusions intact.

Due To Circumstances

beyond my control this month's ROTM will regretfully be delayed.

Sorry Guffaw, I'll try to make up for it later.

Off to the Pennsylvania mountains now.

Some Beach

Somewhere...in this case Mayport, FL.

Two More Days

Workdays, that is, and after they are done I'll be on vacation for the week.

The plans are to take M to Florida to meet the girls and walk the beaches for the weekend, then back to rest up for a day and repack, then off to Pennsylvania to meet her folks.

She's been buying new togs for the trip. She hasn't had the need for a "girly" wardrobe for a while so didn't have anything to take along. She has also been complaining all the while about the coin she's putting out, but it appears as if she has everything she needs now.

Sunday morning I was folding my laundry and putting everything in the bag I'm taking on the trip and she was telling me it was too early to pack (accentuating her point by taking my socks out of my bag and throwing them - like a girl - at me). After I went to work she went back to her apartment...and packed for the trip.

All told we will travel a bit over 2000 miles, half in my car and half in hers, the two of us and Boy. I figure if I don't end the week standing on the side of the road with my thumb in the air it will be a successful trip.

One Of These Days

I'll post some content. I promise.

Not today though. Work day today.

Lies

Damn Lies, and Statistics.

You are entitled to your own opinion, but sometimes the facts can be pretty annoying.

A Few Simple Repairs

The past weather has not been kind to my poor convertible top. Yesterday when I put it back up I found this:

Yep, that's the rear glass un-bonded from the canvas outer top almost all the way around. The bottom still has a strip that is barely holding on, but the top and sides are completely unattached. The glass is still attached to the inner liner so there aren't any leaks, but it's only a matter of time before I have problems with water between the layers.

The convertible top people I've contacted seem to think that four years is a bit soon for this car to be having this problem, but for a nominal fee ($1800-$2000) they will be glad to install a lifetime warranty top that should fix it right up.

Or I could opt for the $200-300 re-glue job instead, which isn't guaranteed at all but just might buy me a couple more years.

I'm thinking I might explore that option to begin with and see how that works out for me. If I save my nickels and dimes I might have a couple of grand to put down on a new top in another year or so, but right now I'm just not seeing it.

Oh the joys of convertible ownership. You take the good with the bad I guess.

I Am Outraged

at your sense of outrage.

It's outrageous.

HT: AoSHQ Morning Thread

Darkness Falls

across the face of the Discworld.

Thank you Sir Terry Pratchett, for this and for all the other things that you wrote. Rest in peace.

The EBS Project: Revisited

Remember when I said it was done?

Well...I may have been a bit hasty...

It would require a re-barrel since I have the 8 shot magazine and the 20" barrel, but it would be totally worth it. Of course I would have more into the gun in accessories at that point than I had in the actual purchase price, but if I start adding things up I may have already passed that point anyway.

Drum magazine fed evil black shotgun? I can hear Nanny Nancy screaming from here...

Couldn't Help Myself

I just had to tell her.



The nice thing is...she said it right back.

Ain't Skeert

Ain't runnin'.



I know you've had it rough up to now, and I know that talk is cheap, so I'll just be right here wrapped around you until you can believe it on your own.

On The Mend

Weak and dizzy like I've been on a 3 day bender but it looks like I'm getting better.

Just don't ask how many attempts it took to type these two sentences.

Ugg

I've been cleaning house quite a bit lately and stirring up a lot of dust.

Wednesday when the weather was nice I changed out the central air filters, stirring up even more dust.

Wednesday night I had a sore throat. It only got worse from there.

All weekend I've been unwell, something that is not normal for me.

I don't like it a bit.

Yep

As predicted the rain and cold are back today after a very brief hiatus. It was 60 and damp when I left work this morning, 55 and misting when I got home 45 minutes later, and at 1:30PM the temperature has dropped over 20 degrees and the rain is steady.

This afternoon the rain is expected to become freezing rain just in time for rush hour and whatever is on the ground by midnight will turn to ice as the temperature plunges to 19 overnight. It will stay that way through the morning hours since the temperatures tomorrow aren't expected to climb above the mid 30's.

In other words, winter is BACK, beyotches!

It was nice while it lasted.

It's About Time

Seventy glorious degrees and despite the fell warnings of the prognosticators the sun is shining brightly.

Betcha can't guess what I'm driving to work tonight...

For Range Partner

It ain't much, but it's what I got.

Heat Wave

The temperature is up high enough today (55 Fahrenheit) to have completely melted the snow off the car. The snow is also gone from the bushes and they are starting to stand back up, a good sign that they will recover from the snowpocalypse. There is still a nice unbroken expanse of snow through the front yard which is shaded by the pine trees out front and along the back in the shadow of the house, but everywhere else it is gone except for fringes.

Dog and I were able to walk all around the house for the first time in a long time.The back yard is pretty wet, but except for some low-lying spots and the aforementioned expanse in the shadow of the trees the ground in the front of the house has dried up pretty well. Tomorrow is supposed to be quite a bit cooler (39) with rain but Wednesday the forecast is for 70 degrees or better, depending on who you listen to. Of course it will be raining.

Thursday is calling for more snow and freezing rain.

I love living in the South.

It could be worse, though. Tam has been Scooby-less due to clutch issues that have thankfully been resolved and she's had to pilot the Nazi roller skate around in way worse weather than I've had to endure for quite some time now. In my world the Baja has soldiered on without a hiccup and the Mustang hasn't moved in over two weeks (although I did fire it up the other day to dry it out and hear it run). I'm going to take it out a bit today though while the temperature allows and the sun shines.

That's Nice

She left her shirt here this morning.

That means she will be back to get it.

This pleases me in ways I can't begin to describe.

March

It has come in, if not like a lion then at least like an icy little lamb with freezing rain and ice hanging off of the trees. It's warm enough now that it has mostly melted away, but when it gets cold tonight it's going to be a real fun time driving home.

But, ice storms notwithstanding it is a new month, and even though my own situation has changed for the better there still must be a ROTM, oh yes there must.

And so, without further ado, I give you your morning coffee.

Love those socks. Hey, I have a table almost exactly like that one...

Good morning everyone!