August 14, 2024

Yesteryear
One year ago today: August 14, 2023, it’s a matter of touch.
Five years ago today: August 14, 2019, the houseboat idea.
Nine years ago today: August 14, 2015, prices are cascading.
Random years ago today: August 14, 2014, Florida summer sucks.

           Taking a chance on nothing going wrong, and a big chance it is these days, I elected to stay and get some kind of fence up for the dog. It’s really only Chooks, as Sammy is now too old to do much but relax. That’s him now. Let the little guy enjoy what’s left, a philosophy alien to the US government. I have the fencing here by 9:00AM and this has to be a super rush job. I’m truly disappointed with eBay. I left on the 11th, taking extra care to check every known input for orders and there were none. However, when I checked the library on the 12th, there were two orders dated on the 10th. Is this how eBay does business? Are you compelled to stay close to your computer just in case?

           According to the Reb, this is exceptionally cool summer weather and I needed it. The metal stakes need to be pounded a foot into the rocky ground, a two-man job. But I got them done. Fencing is not the career for me. This fencing is four feet tall but the next common size was just over half that. The doggie, now a healthy and trim 51 pounds, could almost step over that altitude.

           This was a pleasant stay, the shortest ever, but it was mostly business that could not be conducted from here. When the true state of finances became known, I cancelled my plans for a late summer trip and will see about the planned trip in October. Gasoline has remained expensive, unusual for an election years. We remain the only couple I’ve seen walking the dogs in Tennessee, though I imagine somebody someplace must. (Got that, Elliott, I said “seen”.) We shelved the customary movie and stayed home, which I admit isn’t the same with company always there. Can’t scratch where it itches.
           One priority is the van insurance. I needed some way to have two vehicles at the ready without paying double for insurance. It’s done and all I will say is now you know why I pay in cash and never moan about the cost. I also got the scoop on those places that advertise insurance for $38 per month. It’s a scam but I can’t really give the whole details. But some places want a two year policy where you make up any savings when the price kicks in the second year.

Picture of the day.
Dr. Pepper museum, Waco.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Here is the fencing, 88 feet with the rest still coiled behind the doggie igloo. It’s not that clear but you can see the wire mesh pushing back the bamboo sprouting up along the perimeter. One stake is visible left of center, they said one should be sunk every five feet, but at seven bucks each, I had to get by with five total. This took up to 11:00AM and I headed east forgetting my bag lunch in the fridge. I should have known nothing this heavy duty gets done when I’m gone. Again, the company never even bothered to look outside. I had one heck of a time dragging that wire roll down the driveway. But it’s done or will have to do.

           Chooks is not a digger and does not challenge fencing. He could get out the front any time but respects the boundary. This wire is very close to the ground just in case. He also knows we are watching. The photo shows around half the length, it goes between the two sheds at opposite ends of the south back yard. Hope you like.

           Stopping in Sparta, the Thrift had no audiobooks. That’s the store that sells the books by weight. If you ever need a ton of used religion material, they are ready for you. It was a beautiful day for driving and I was past Soddy Daisy in no time. I pondered taking Back Valley road, but I’m still test driving the Hyundai. I’ll stick to known paths for today. I stopped in Dalton for coffee and a half-hour read of my new book on Rommel. My back let me know I was (at my age) pounding in fence posts this morning.
           By some miracle, I breezed through Atlanta in less than a half-hour, listening to a repeat audiobook, the one about Trapdoor cave. It originally got my attention because it is based on a rare instance of the Innocence Project taking a case that was not on death row. The plot is believable under one condition, that the reader accepts people who go into caves suffer from incredible hallucinations. In this story, a cave explorer walks out carrying a girl’s dead body buy cannot remember where or how he found her.

           I continued past dark following the plan of last trip, that is, to stop in Valdosta. Then after an overnight in the van, a side trip to Perry via Quitman. It was late when I got in, selecting a shaded Crackerbarrel lot. For my readers who don’t camp, that restaurant chain lets you stay overnight in their lot, hoping for your breakfast business. It is not unusual to find a good quarter of the spaces with campers, cars, and vans. And, it is safer and a lot quieter than Wal*Mart.
           The Kodiak battery and a 120V van are installed in the Hyundai, so I slept soundly until well past dawn the next day.

Last Laugh