Die Nasty III (die even more nastier yet with Sharp Things in your tires...)
The car's tires have been letting us down lately...
Our trips to Seattle over the summer may have something to do with it. The tires aren't balanced, you see, and they got hammered going to and fro on the Interstate 5.
I took the car down to Action Tire (best used tire yard in Surrey) and was prepared to buy a replacement set of "pre-owned" for the back wheels, when their guy pointed out that three of the four tires were just as bald and wavy as the pass rear tire I was concerned about. What we cheifly need is a matched set of - balanced! - all season radials with mebbe some front end alignment work...I have budgeted 400$, and that will be getting away CHEAP...If I can swing it. I will at least have the front end checked by a place that does free inspections, and perhaps do the repairs there, if necessary. I must check the state of our finances and credit, and see if I can at least do the new tires and balancing tomorrow. Need to get it done ASAP, or that tire may fly apart at an inopportune moment, like when I'm on the highway on my way to work...
Laurie thinks I'm being an alarmist. I prefer to think of it as being sensibly cautious.
Next thing you know we'll get nailed for the cracked windsheild, then we will wave bye-bye to another 250$ to get the glass replaced. We can do it on the cheap (we can to anything on the cheap) but L would prefer not doing anything at all. I think she still thinks of the Chrysler as her Parents car...and she doesn't fully realize just how MUCH more expensive keeping a large car running smoothly is. Especially as this example came to us with some pre-existant problems. I am glad that I am able to ride to work the odd time; it certainly saves some gas money. I still need some waterproof luggage and some boots to complete my wet-weather riding ensemble.
Area conference was...interesting. In a departure from normal procedure, the conference addresses were broadcast via sattelite downlink to about 40 meetinghouses across BC. Ususally, the Brethren would find a large meeting hall or convention centre and pack in the members from our 6 stakes and 1 district into one place. BUT - last time I attended a regional conference that way, it was held in GM place. I guess our membership has outgrown ONE venue, so we use technology to bring the meeting to the members, rather than the reverse.
It was NICE today, after the week of torrential rains and flooding in the lower-laying areas. I tuned in a traffic report Wednesday to hear about a car floating -yes FLOATING - down the Willingdon Ave ramp off Hwy 1. The Mary Hill Bypass was impassible due to the CPR underpass just off the Pitt River Bridge being full of water. That would be about 12 FEET of rainwater, I guess...
So it's nice to have a little break between Monsoons. I will probably ride out to work tomorrow, but I still have to get the car fixed, so I may take the car; I think it will depend on whether I go out at 5:30 AM to find a car with FLAT tires (or not). Perhaps I will leave the car for Laurie, a flat tire would go a long way to convincing her that we do, indeed, need new tires. A blowout would be even more convincing, but I wouldn't wish that on my wife; or anyone else.
I have been giving serious thought to taking a course of Herbal Medicines as a Parasite Cleanse. I seem to have some general symptoms that would indicate something is putting a serious strain on my personal physiological resources. I don't drink, so keeping the wee beasties (and you would be surprised at how many different species have made a successful go at using Homo Sapiens as a viable host) out of my gut and out of my bloodstream is that much more difficult. A good Rip-Roaring Drunk three to four times a year keeps the gut clear and the arteries spotless, but that particular avenue isn't open to me, even for medicinal reasons. Besides, as any recovered alchoholic can tell you; it's hard on the Liver. I have found at least three general Wormwood formulations, and recipes and instructions for a DIY course of treatment. I think I will give one of the more reputable courses a try...
If it works for me...I may buy a second course for Laurie and the kids. Convincing Laurie would be...difficult.
Wish me luck.
Sunday, October 19, 2003
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
I am sooo lucky...
I laid the last coat of sealer on the deck early last week. IT WOULDN'T DRY!!! The mornings got so cold and damp for the last week that permanent puddles formed and started to run the paint! Add to that the dog's inexplicable need to scratch up a section of the deck for a taste-test (what? Is it edible or something?) and I had dire visions of a pond forming in the workshop below the deck. I DREAD the thought of tearing down the walls down there and turning the whole thing into a big, covered, concrete patio. Not before Granpa passes away; and thus removes the necessity to store all the tools down there. At least I wouldn't worry about drainage...
But we had SIX HOURS of sunshine today...and the paint is DRY. Tho' I may still have to re-do a couple of spots. All I ask is ONE, just one more sunny day to get this done right. The deck appears to be (mostly) water-tight at the moment, but I want to be CERTAIN. I still have about a half-gallon of Deck Kote (tm) left, and that will more than suffice. I also have a line on two Five Gallon cans of deck paint for FREE! - from the Buyn'sell press. Guess somebody had a house burn down, or something.
Work is getting BUSY!!! As per usual; things are getting botched, details are getting missed, and expediency is winning out over rationality. Add to the mix a sudden push by top management to "ramp up" our shipping output (set a facility record Saturday of some 93,000 odd cartons shipped) and I can see some turbulent times on the horizon. We are ALREADY carrying 1.5 times the traffic (combined) that the old facilities used to handle, and things are bound to get more...interesting as time goes by.
Just finished a 15 minute "help us improove Blogger" survey on a google site. Wanna improove? Gimme back the archived entries you guys lost! Stop losing my posts! Waah Waah Waah...cry 'em a river, eh? Was OK; looks like they're adding some features Real Soon.
L bought the kids a game console for Xmas. I WANTED an Xbox (tm), but that's a little out of our budget (isn't everything?), so we ended up with the 'budget-package' Gamecube (tm). We did a little demo run of Starfox Adventures (tm) and I can safely say the kids will likely be blown away. Of course, they were already impressed by Donkey Kong Country (tm) for the SNES (tm). They have a version of the arcade classic "Spy Hunter (tm)" for the Gamecube (tm) that I think I will be renting from Microplay sometime soon. The Xbox (tm) is the DEFINITE console to beat, taking the #1 spot from the PS/2 (tm)...I guess an onboard Hard Disk really DOES make a difference. Sony has announced that the PS/2 (tm) will also have a Hard Disk soon, maybe next year.
I was tickled by the "Helen, Sweetheart of the Internet" comic today...a wry commentary on the RIAA's offer of "amnesty" to all us scum-sucking freeloaders who won't pay 25$ or more per album containing ONE hit single we actually want to listen to, and which will be completely unplayable by the time the copyright OUGHT to run out; oh, and did I mention that most of the tunes I grew up with aren't even AVAILABLE through retail channels any more? I think the only one getting killed by the Great Filesharing Revolution is the Columbia House Music Club...and good riddance!
So...Arnie Schwarzenegger groped women in health clubs...and Gray Davis beats up on the women on his office staff. As Steven Greenhut pointed out, California is the bellwhether state. What happens in California will happen to the rest of the US in another 10 years or so. I weep for the state of the Union.
Jean Chretien: go home already!!! Mr. Martin has already assumed leadership of the Liberal party, so technically 'ol J.C., a.k.a "da liddle guy from Shawanigan" is now no more than just another sitting MP. I don't expect Canada to get any better with the current elitist-socialist cadre in charge, but I don't have any reason to believe things will get dramatically worse in the near future - at least, I don't have a reason for such pessimism YET...
More later, I gotta go build a bike now...
I laid the last coat of sealer on the deck early last week. IT WOULDN'T DRY!!! The mornings got so cold and damp for the last week that permanent puddles formed and started to run the paint! Add to that the dog's inexplicable need to scratch up a section of the deck for a taste-test (what? Is it edible or something?) and I had dire visions of a pond forming in the workshop below the deck. I DREAD the thought of tearing down the walls down there and turning the whole thing into a big, covered, concrete patio. Not before Granpa passes away; and thus removes the necessity to store all the tools down there. At least I wouldn't worry about drainage...
But we had SIX HOURS of sunshine today...and the paint is DRY. Tho' I may still have to re-do a couple of spots. All I ask is ONE, just one more sunny day to get this done right. The deck appears to be (mostly) water-tight at the moment, but I want to be CERTAIN. I still have about a half-gallon of Deck Kote (tm) left, and that will more than suffice. I also have a line on two Five Gallon cans of deck paint for FREE! - from the Buyn'sell press. Guess somebody had a house burn down, or something.
Work is getting BUSY!!! As per usual; things are getting botched, details are getting missed, and expediency is winning out over rationality. Add to the mix a sudden push by top management to "ramp up" our shipping output (set a facility record Saturday of some 93,000 odd cartons shipped) and I can see some turbulent times on the horizon. We are ALREADY carrying 1.5 times the traffic (combined) that the old facilities used to handle, and things are bound to get more...interesting as time goes by.
Just finished a 15 minute "help us improove Blogger" survey on a google site. Wanna improove? Gimme back the archived entries you guys lost! Stop losing my posts! Waah Waah Waah...cry 'em a river, eh? Was OK; looks like they're adding some features Real Soon.
L bought the kids a game console for Xmas. I WANTED an Xbox (tm), but that's a little out of our budget (isn't everything?), so we ended up with the 'budget-package' Gamecube (tm). We did a little demo run of Starfox Adventures (tm) and I can safely say the kids will likely be blown away. Of course, they were already impressed by Donkey Kong Country (tm) for the SNES (tm). They have a version of the arcade classic "Spy Hunter (tm)" for the Gamecube (tm) that I think I will be renting from Microplay sometime soon. The Xbox (tm) is the DEFINITE console to beat, taking the #1 spot from the PS/2 (tm)...I guess an onboard Hard Disk really DOES make a difference. Sony has announced that the PS/2 (tm) will also have a Hard Disk soon, maybe next year.
I was tickled by the "Helen, Sweetheart of the Internet" comic today...a wry commentary on the RIAA's offer of "amnesty" to all us scum-sucking freeloaders who won't pay 25$ or more per album containing ONE hit single we actually want to listen to, and which will be completely unplayable by the time the copyright OUGHT to run out; oh, and did I mention that most of the tunes I grew up with aren't even AVAILABLE through retail channels any more? I think the only one getting killed by the Great Filesharing Revolution is the Columbia House Music Club...and good riddance!
So...Arnie Schwarzenegger groped women in health clubs...and Gray Davis beats up on the women on his office staff. As Steven Greenhut pointed out, California is the bellwhether state. What happens in California will happen to the rest of the US in another 10 years or so. I weep for the state of the Union.
Jean Chretien: go home already!!! Mr. Martin has already assumed leadership of the Liberal party, so technically 'ol J.C., a.k.a "da liddle guy from Shawanigan" is now no more than just another sitting MP. I don't expect Canada to get any better with the current elitist-socialist cadre in charge, but I don't have any reason to believe things will get dramatically worse in the near future - at least, I don't have a reason for such pessimism YET...
More later, I gotta go build a bike now...