Random thoughts from the moose cave.

you are mebbe confusing cats and stoves.

the lil' cast iron parlor wood stove that warms the cabin is rarely cold. and Stinky cycles between a spot next to it and one on the rug by the bedside electric heater...

as shop kitty, bubba gets a bigger stove, but only gets heat on days I feel up to working for a coupla hours...

she is verra fluffy and affectionate now that she has got acclimatized to being part feral. she's got a buddy that she thinks I don't know she shares food with. another ginger runt...

you are correct sir

I have confused the cats and stoves

bubba forgives you...

sparky is finally gone. I ran outta beer...

I hung a coupla more light fixtures while he was electrificating, and now the shop is full on functional. Ima add some more outlets as soon as I get some more cash.

My check from afghanistan is overdue. prolly lotsa x-mas mail and holiday catalogs slowing things down. hoping it arrives before the weekend...

anyways, it's cold out, but bubba is warm and toasty next to the big stove. sparky brought her back a can of food when he ran home for bushings. old softy he is...

having a spell, but all done working for the day, so I can let it pass before I call it a night...

Good for you. Stay warm.
I had my last day of work today. Have to find another job soon.
But I am thankful I am away from that one.

nuts those people are.

Finally found this while I was looking for something else. Very easy and with ingredients even I can find in the middle of nowhere. Sorry I can't deliver the real thing in person but once upon a time I promised the recipe so here it is many months late.

Almond Parmesan Crisps
c/o the Almond Board of California (www.almondsarein.com)

½ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
¼ cup sliced almonds
Preparation: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, stir together parmesan and almonds.
Using fingers, form 8 small piles of parmesan mixture on prepared sheet. Flatten each pile to create even thickness.
Bake 6 to 7 minutes, until browned on edges. Cool until crisp, about 10 minutes.
Serve immediately or store between paper towels in airtight container for up to 3 days.
Makes 8.

(Store for up to 3 days -- <snort> -- the recipe only makes 8 for pete's sake!)

Merry Christmas Rockhead. Hope you are keeping warm.

Hi Rocky, hope you're warm and dry.

With just a few hours left ....
My Christmas greetings to you & bubba, Rocky.
Stay warm.

thank you to any and all who wished us well.

we have survived the worst christmas ever, and soon it will be another year.

hoping the rest of you fared somewhat better.

my sympathies to the others that struggle with this time of year. lots of folks don't understand how hurtful those well meaning inquiries can be...

Good to hear from you. No one can know exactly what you are going through. I think they mean well though. I hope you know that is true for me.

Take care of you.

I'm not talking about the "are you still alive" questions from you nice ladies...

not really even talking about this place.

it's the inevitable "how was your christmas" queries from well enough meaning folks.

best to just stay clear until the subject doesn't wanna come up.

it's no one's fault but my own...

Gotcha. Sometimes I say things without thinking...just wanted to make sure you knew my intentions. They are the best for you.

^5 and happy Holler-daze, Rock! And same to all who are having a bit of a disconnected holiday season.

New Year is coming and breathes some hope. For me, I'm pleased that it's warm and sunny even though there's not a lot of money.

Oh yeah I'm happy because my 13 yr old car is still on the road. My neighbor (former mechanic) downstairs repaired my exhaust for $60 labor with a store-bought catalytic converter ($140). Now driving around is quiet again after about 3 weeks of terrorizing myself and the neighbors. Having decent or at least semi-predictable health and a working (quiet) car are not to be taken for granted.

fired up the shop stove and worked a bit for the first time in a few days. bubba is very pleased...

gonna hafta go buy some cut-off wheels for my big grinder, I think. don't wanna use the torch on the door post if I can help it. there's wires and shtuff in there...

and pre-wired all the power outlets. hoping the mail becomes unclusterfied and my afghani check arrives soon. the twenty I made today swapping a pair of tires is the first cash money we've seen in weeks.

gonna get really tight if it don't show up soonish...

dammit man...

still no check from afghanistan. gonna hafta figure out a B plan.

almost warmish today. gonna take smoky to town and try to scare up some cash to buy materials to finish the S10 from hell so I can use it to tow my dolly and trailer.

scrap prices are WAY up, and I have 2+ cars to donate at $210 a ton. and a fridge full of old junk welding rod at $180.

maybe even make enough to get started on fixing my truck so it runs in all 4 gears and I can quit borrowing vehicles. (or working on them for free so I can use them)

this year needs to hurry up and end.

it's sucked...

we're back...

got smoky a new toilet mechanism for his trouble. gonna be a plumber tomorrow, if tomorrow is a work day.

kinda wonky from running around, but got things I gotta get done yet.

dropped my big saw off to have a new chain made. the repair guy really wanted to buy it. nope. good damn saw it is...

and got 4 super duty 4 inch zipper wheels for the grinder, enough to chop up half a car. they cut steel like butter. but the hinges are gonna break at least one, I'm guessing. not a clean cut. gonna wear my face shield, too. they know me down at the hospital now, and that I am underfunded per their usual guest.

hopefully by midnight I am positioning new hinges to tack weld. I needa haul scrap by the weekend to catch up and pay back my loan. got 10 boxes and switches to finish off the upgraded power, too.

we've got three days of nice weather, mebbe we can end this ugly f*cker with a bang.

('55 ford is here now. gonna try and fire it up soon...)

best laid plans and all that...

got fires lit in both stoves, and hauled enough water to be ok. started a can of soup.

and had to go lay down. I hate this ****...

dizzy and nauseous. weak and leaden.

no fun.

no answers...

gonna try and at least get all the supplies unloaded and get set up to hopefully work on it tomorrow.

hopefully...

Here's to an average 2012!




slow and steady to get through the race (hopefully with something fun for the Rockmeister to drive)

communist mittens?

might get me arrested hereaboots...

(they have government healthcare, you know)

I actually got into an argument once with the weekend hottie bartender, who swears she knows about some people in Canada who hate their terribly inferior system and have to come here to get good doctors...

we can guess what she's been reading to have that kind of knowledge

sad thing is, she's one of the edumacated ones in the little town. been to KU and everything. she's actually a nice enough girl, other than her politics.folks are so backwards out here it's scary. I'm right in the heart of abortion is murder territory. signs out in pastures...

and the bar was like a flock of finns and waterboys. get some beer added to the mix, and add something to set off the prejudice, and the **** flies...

I don't miss having to bounce for the bar. it made my soul hurt for weeks afterward. the cooking part was fun.

should I accidentally outlive gram, I won't die here...