Update on the work break

This has been a busy summer, very interesting, like the Chinese curse.

TLOML had a lumpectomy the day before I had to leave for work. If I live to be a thousand I will never do anything harder. Still the bills have to be paid. They were substantial, all covered now. God be praised, the mass was benign. Laser treatments (???) and medication and things are better.

We have done some kitchen up grades, and a major cleanup in the garage. If you think that was a minor thing, then you haven't seen my work bench.

We took a weeks vacation in Mexico, pictures below. We climbed some pyramids, swam in underground rivers, rode ATVs in the jungle and walked on the bottom of an inlet in hard hat dive equipment. We enjoyed some local foods, liquors, and entertainment.

The clan will have a new member in September, courtesy of my stepson and his love. She is the sweetheart he has been waiting for, or if he screws it up, he's an idiot.

One of my son-in-laws is changing jobs, so his soon to be ex-coworkers gave him a farewell party that left him at his door step at four in the morning, in his socks and boxers, falling down drunk, covered in ranch dressing and deli meats. ( WTH???) I don't think I will ever party like that.

I was talking about fishing....

I haven’t thought of this story in a long time. A friend of mine is from the Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky. He invited me and another friend to do some snag fishing below Kentucky Dam.

I’m always ready to go fishing.

The process is simple. Take a fishing rod seven feet or less long, a sixteen ounce sinker, 140 lb line, and a 14/0 treble hook, then go to the river and whale the thing as far as you can.

Hopefully it will hit the river. When you feel the sinker hit bottom, swing the rod to the side, and occasionally you will hook a fish. The day I went, we used two rods, for three men. The result was more fish than me and a big man could carry to the parking lot. I was worn completely out and I only fished for part of the day.

It’s a popular pass time. The fly in the ointment can be the commercial fishermen.

The commercial guys buy the biggest flat bottom john boat they can, and a six horse power Johnson out board motor. They have one wash tub for cut bait, and another for fish. Their sinkers are two or three pound balls of lead. Those are kept in a bucket with the pistol. They will motor to the top of the boil below the dam, drop a bait from a two inch long rod and wait for something whiskered to show an interest. They then hand over hand it to the top of the water, accesses the danger, apply sedation with a small pistol as appropriate, and throw them into the wash tub.

Pistol?????........yep, pistol!

If you’re wondering why a pistol in the boat, consider what would happen if you hauled an unsedated catfish of,, say,, 100 lbs into the boat? Nothing good, you can be sure. Some times a tourist will see the big fish, and see just enough to be foolish and drag a pissed off monster into the boat,,, sans sedation. Said tourist will immediately be balanced on the windshield like an ungainly cat, whilst the fish swats every thing not nailed down into the river. The oh, so helpful river rats, between gasping for breath and belly laughs, are yelling helpful advice, like, “shoot ‘im”. Like the dude has a gun or it wouldn’t blow a hole in the boat.

The bank fishermen have a gun also, in their sinker bucket, after all they don’t want to get a leg broken, or get finned by a catfish.

The problem starts when a boat fisherman decides to fish the boil nearest the bank. The bank fishermen are shut out until he leaves.

They take exception to that, seriously.

A new boat fisherman decides that the bank fishermen are having better luck a hundred feet away, and they can’t do anything to him, so he’s going to putt over and drop a bait. Profanity and verbal abuse ensue. Threats and such fly back and forth. Still the boat guy doesn’t move off.

A small group of bank fishermen gather and discuss tactics, then spread out and get ready to cast. The boat guy is lulled into a false sense of security. When the boat comes into range, all the bank conspirators cast at the same time.

It sounded like a hail storm on a tin roof.

Remember all those 140 lb lines and 14/0 hooks?

The boat guy is caught, and the six horse motor starts to lose ground. Someone is about to get his butt kicked.

Boat guy panics and grabs his pistol first, after a couple of shots, the bank guys, not to be out done, grab their pistols and return fire.

These are .22 or .25 hand guns with a two inch barrel, kept in a bucket full of lead balls. Probably not target pistols to start with and likely abused for years, a hit would have been an act of Providence, who was bent over laughing hard enough to puke at the moment, not deciding anyone’s fate.

The unarmed people freak and streak.

Good idea!

The TVA guard hears the commotion and takes cover with my friend behind a parapet wall.

Boat guy finally grabs a bait knife and starts cutting lines to make his escape.

So my bud asks the guard, who is holding his .38 revolver in his best TV dude, “point in a safe direction”, grip…”What are you going to do about that?”

He replied, “As soon as they run out of ammo, I’m going down there and run them off!”

Who says fishing is boring?

A step back in time

This is a spooky place, particularly for a nuke.

It's the only place I've been where there is one working plant, two unfinished, one shut down, two entombed and one fast flux test reactor. That's just what I can see on the ride to work.

There is a high energy laser looking for gravitational "string" evidence up the road.

The stories of things found in the desert abound, they are questionable in the extreme, just based on money. You can ride to the tops of the mountains, and find the remains of buildings. There are pull outs that go to the foundations of structures, and their attendant parking lots.

Kind of makes you wonder what really went on in the day.

Desert Hazards

One of the things I find it hard to get used to here is the ubiquitous tumble weed. Many times you will see them huddled out of the wind in any lee, or huddled against a fence trying to be still. You may see one, or a hundred, rolling across the sage in a race to the horizon. They never make it, they wear away until they are too small to catch the wind, or disintegrate under your wheels. When the wind shifts all the hiding places become launching pads, and the piles become herds racing off to nowhere.

They do attack motorcycles. I was going to work this evening and saw a huge aggressive ball of sharp sticks about ten feet in the air fly toward my truck. He missed, but not by much. I can only imagine what it would do to me on my bike. Thank God for leathers. I’m sure I’ll have the rest of the question answered eventually.

Back at work....or what ever...

I should apologize to all and sundry for my lack of posting, or maybe not, because it's not for others, but for myself that storys are written.

The LOML and I are living a dream. We are checking out state after state to find where we would like to live. We are in Washington now, good weather, good food, fishing, hiking and all sorts of outdoor activities. A fun place.

We lived through Minnesota and Iowa. Coldest place I have ever lived. All you tough types, try riding your scooter to work with out a heated suit in 14F weather. Trust me a snow flake in the eye at 55mph hurts. A doe deer four feet in front of your head light looks like a moose, and your butt will eat cotton like a combine.

I have empirical evidence.

We had quite the trip here to Wa. Got snowed on twice. The love of my life was looking for a snow storm of disasterous proportions, up to the time it happened. Then the question was"For heavens sake it's APRIL already, does it never stop?"

Yes, Virginia, it does stop, but not when you expect.

My question is a little more general, if you are in the desert, as we are, why does it rain so much? It seems I can only ride one or two days a week due to a rain storm.

Home again

We finally got in Monday evening. We left Ct. in 25 F or so and arrived home in the 60 F range. I don't mind saying it was good to come home.

Actually it was wonderful.

Then life set in.

I thought the drivers in Ct. were bad, while I was there. I am now convinced the drivers here can give lessons in stupid.

On a brighter note, the grand babies were actually glad to see me. The oldest who currently has some issue with personal contact generally, and males particularly, never even turned a hair. She walked in the door, took one look and came over and gave me a wonderful hug. That doesn't sound too strange, except she has never seen me with a beard. Think bear.

Today is Thanksgiving, a day that is seldom remembered as a religious holiday. Mostly it's the day before Black Friday. The most horrendous shopping day of the year. I am sure we will hear about the retailers going under because everyone is sitting on their money, as we have for the last twenty years.

Historically this occasion was a day set aside for giving thanks to, dare I say it, God for his blessings, and the survival for one more year.

Everyone, should, in the depths of their heart, thank what ever they believe guides them, for the past year. You have no guarantee of another day.

At my housse today, we will eat too much, and be grateful too little, we will welcome someone who can't get home to their family, and my mother in law who can't get back from where she has gone.

I will eat left overs for ever, and be grateful.

May each and everyone be healthy, happy, and avoid your just desserts, for one more year.

Brass Dragon out.

Ready to go home....

This circus is winding down, thank God. I am only working seventy five hours a week, why would that tire anyone out?

I brought the bike to ride for economic reasons, and discovered that there are …other things to consider.
When riding in 20 degree weather, a sneeze inside a full face helmet becomes a white out. When it’s cold enough, and you have to keep the face plate open because of the former situation, your eyes will water and you get an ice cream headache, and....

snotcicles.

I got into the supervisor position, sort of as a default candidate. However, I have done well enough to rate the same position at the next job and probably some after that. I am basically a glorified tool runner and facilitator. I get calls from folks who don’t want to make a decision. I have no problems there, give me the info and I can make a decision.

I will be going to Minnesota in March or before, a lot like Siberia, I’m told. This will be over for me by next Friday, I expect. The love of my life is going to fly up and we will do some sight seeing before we drive back. I'll need to take some pictures to put on this site, it’s really pretty up here. The drive to work and back is along the Niantic River. The boats anchored out and the water front homes make some classic pictures.

Out of town

Gettin' out of town for a few days, didn't win the big one (91 mil) so I have to come back. Goin' to Cancun. Fly out of D.C. to Miami, (just my luck) and then on to the Yucatan. I feel like I'm playing "run dodge and jump", Army dudes will remember that one from Basic, with storms.

We are going to Chechinitza, remember that one? A huge city that was built before Europe got started good.

Pics when we get back.