Random thoughts from the moose cave.

what a weird effed up day this was.

my check came. but smoky picked it up as he went to the doctor, and dint try to call and let me know...

no postmark on it. just bare, no stamp, and hand written "free mail" where the stamp would be.

oh well, I don't care.

bet I don't eat a baked potato tomorrow night...

So odd.

Hi.

been to the bank. now Ima run to the salvage and get a climate control head / cd player for a taurus.

gonna make the bank lady's heater work before we jump in the deep freeze...

prolly stop by mr vw's as I come back. Ima hafta hit oreillys and buy a special tool to pull it outta the dash.

back late...

k - see ya' later.

Baked tater not on the menu tonight?

Keep the bank lady warm and happy eh.

Oh yeah...she's the talkative one isn't she?

urf.

turns out I am having a baked potato again. I've got all my funds tied up in a taurus part for tonight. If I can be ok tomorrow, I'll bring the car over and install it. bought the tool before my spell.

hadda stop and take a nap at mr vw's. twas a full on episode. I keep a can of soup stashed there, and made one to sleep on. got better enough to drive back out to the ranch. but I wasn't planning on being gone so long, and it's chilly in the cabin. dink is cuddled next to the freshly lit stove.

If I can recoup my funds with some labor profit tomorrow, smoky and I will go to wally's and stock up for the cold front. I'm craving some brown beans and ham...

pertickly nahsty weather today.

brrr. base winds 24 from the north. gusting high enough to rock the cabin...

can't stay in here where it's warm, gotta go get the taurus and make the heater work. the weather is only sposed to get worsely. and if it starts to look flaky, snowplow guy is gonna start having conniptions because I have the plow truck. (I don't think we see any snow)

time for soup.

it's snowing...

off to run my errands and return a 4x4 before he gets uptight.

gonna go get some beans and a hamhock, we are...

what does one do with a hamhock?



(next question: what is a hamhock?)

It's a pigs foot - essentially - it's the part between it's knee (do pigs have knees?) and it's foot. I think. We use them to season black eyed peas and such. Yummy - I don't eat them though. <shiver> Just throw it in there like a bay leaf.

Plenty of meat on a ham hock. Stews, soups!

Keep warm!

it's a smoked pig knuckle...

and there is some tasty meat on it after it cooks all day.

going with brown beans. gotta soak 'em overnight. then cook them all day tomorrow while I pull a motor outta the Nissan pickup.

gonna send it back and they will inspect it and send us a replacement. hopefully one that lasts more than 3 months...

I went and borrowed a cherry picker from mr vw. mine is tied up right now. he was less than thrilled with my timing, with the snow and wind howling, but if Ima be shut in for a few days, I might as well get something done here.

bubba is toasty next to her stove. gonna go surprise her with some canned food in a bit.

and got something other than a baked potato for me...

Maybe what I use is not a hamhock. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of meat on it. Maybe it's just a hambone.

Well stay warm you.

the package calls it a shank...

(not like the prison knife)

we have plenty of wood for now, and groceries enough to make the weekend. I'm diggin' having the shop toasty whilst it blows and snows outside. bubba is as well...

no spells today. go figure.

and the nice little girl from the clinic that works nights and knows very little called. I should not have gotten a bill. I am not the first to be billed for a free visit, it would seem. greedy bahstids...

I spoke too soon, I did...

anywho.

got my beans a bubblin' and smoky just called. wants me to run him to wally's.

bright, sunny, and cold as hell.

dunno if Ima work today or not.

it's early yet...

Well the bill being a mistake is a happy thing. Sorry you have to get out in the blustery cold though. It's chilly down here too. They are saying some snow flurries...of course no accumulation. Never here. kills me. If it's going to be this stinking cold - the least it can do is snow.

washed my hair.

it was down last night. then I was sick all night . then I looked in the mirror.

eek.

now gram would have a holy ****-fit. I'm going out with a wet head...

but I look mahvelous.

disproving old wives tales, one day at a time. that's us...

Living on the edge. I like a man who takes risks.

Yowza.

people suck...

so I was at wally's checking out with smoky when my phone rang. dint know the number, so I let my secretary get it. (I don't much talk to strangers)

they called right back. the number was hayseed country around where I live, (so no big city bill beaters) I answered it in a fit of what the hell. it was a little lady with a flat tire wanting to know if I was still open. I said sort of. I was not at home, but would be shortly. she had a flat tire.

I explained that I might not be able to help her, but I would stop by when I got back towards the little town. I came home, fired up the stove, and called to tell her I would be there in about 15 minutes. "great' she said...

I gathered all my tire fixing stuff and filled my air bubble. then borrowed smoky's car to go find her. she lives next to my old house, and apparently has a very old business card in her possession. not sure where she got it, but I am sure I don't know her. wild brandy was living there when I moved out...

she asked how much I was gonna charge her, and I said nothing if I can't fix it, and $5 if I plug it. If it needed to be patched, we would cross that bridge when we came to it...

nobody is home. no car in the drive. and now nobody answers the phone.

this is why I don't talk to strangers.