necessary panic

Sometimes a phrase will catch your eye after hearing it many times and never thinking about it. This is one such phrase. In an article about evacuations in Nawlins' as a prelude to the arrival of Gustav, the writer quoted authorities as saying they did not "want to create any unnecessary panic."

This brings to mind this thought: "There is a time of NECESSARY PANIC" ?

I don't mean to make light of the plight in Nawlins. Please do not take it that way. I am glad that some forethought is going into plans for evacuation, should it become necessary. According to the article, the state has a $7 million contract to provide 700 buses to evacuate the elderly, the sick and anyone around the region without transportation. It also has plans to let residents know, those that choose to stay are on their own. The Superdome will remain locked. If you choose to stay, you do so at your own risk. Fair enough, I think.

Still ... unnecessary panic. I can see in my mind (scary place) the police going through the streets with bullhorns announcing that it is "time for necessary panic." "all citizen are now required to panic necessarily."

"This is the police. All citizens will now panic."

And now an unrelated note from a little place I like to call reality:

While my baby was in the shop, Enterprise (only game in town) provided me with a rental car. Their first attempt was a Mazda3. I fit, barely. We drove it Tuesday night to church. OMGosh. I felt like I sat down and they molded the car around me. I went back to Enterprise on Wednesday and returned the tin can and requested something larger. I was even willing to go to Lexington if necessary to pick something else.

The biggest thing they had on the lot was a Kia Rondo. It was a cross between a minivan, a sewing machine, and an SUV. It was bigger. We took it. It wasn't great, but it didn't feel as cramped. It was an '08 with nearly 33,000 miles on it. The transmission slipped a bit. You could hear the cams rattling. But, since I wasn't buying it, only driving it, I didn't care. It got me from A to B several times and now my big red baby is back in the driveway. Happy camper.

Baby is back

finally .. the truck is finished. There was a hold up on the bumper coming in.

However, it is now finished and I am a happy camprer. It looks great.

Wheeling and dealing

Well, it turns out my deducible is $500.

My insurance company (Farm Bureau) has already sent me a check for $1492 and change ($1992 minus $500.) So, today I went out and about checking other independent body shops for a cheaper price. The less out of my pocket the better. The first place I went gave me an estimate of $1327 and the second one gave me an estimate of $1213. It looks like I will have enough to fix it without any expense. Also, there are some scratches on the side that I would like to get buffed out. Someone nameless (other driver in the house) rubbed the hedges as SHE was pulling out.

Tammy has fallen in lust over a Cadillac Deville at the dealership where we bought the TrailBlazer. She is ready to trade-in. She does say that I am a big truck kinda guy and probably wouldn't be happy unless I have the TB. One of the kids at church has a fit about me calling the TB a truck. He, emphatically insists, it is an SUV.

We will see what will be.

Crunkled

Crunkled=wrinkled+crunched

Here are the pics of the damage to the truck in the previously mentioned hit-and-run

the week

It has been a week.

I have had better. I have had worse.

I took the truck for estimates and filed the police report. The local estimate was just under $2000. My agent gave me the bad news. They were mistaken in their earlier conversation with me. The deductible is $500. So, through no fault of my own, I am going to be out $500.

Tuesday and Wednesday were basically eventless. Well, not exactly. I have been building shelves for the garage and attempting to clean out some of the boxes that have been stored there since we moved in almost two years ago. I did manage to clean out several boxes and create some good piles of trash to be dragged to the curb by the boy. However, one of the things I did find was something I have been searching for. I found 6 of 10 chapters of "Seeds". For those that don't know, 'Seeds' is a novel I started many years ago. I am now in the process of typing the chapters I have found and storing them on hard drives and jump drives.


The kids started school on Thursday. So, the house is peaceful during the day.


Today, Kyle missed his bus. When the bus got here and no Kyle got off, we were worried. We did figure, since Chella didn't get off either, that she was bringing him with her. One call from her squelched that idea. Her ride drove back to the school and they found Kyle, sitting and talking to his friends. He hadn't bothered to call or let us know anything. "Bad Kyle"

Tammy was reading him the riot act. Sierra was here. She said, "I am glad I moved out."

I looked at her and said, "You moved out?!?!?!?" LOL .. she is here more than she is home.

Oh yeah, we now have over 250 pounds of boxer. A friend was moving and had to find homes for her two dogs. She called us. We found a home for the 11 yr old Lab mix. We told her we would take Sampson until we found him a home. We remembered Sampson. When we had Malcolm, Sampson came to visit (3 yrs ago) and He was about Malcolm's size (80 pounds.)

Well, Sampson came on Thursday. He is 110 to 120 pounds. (pictures will follow) He is HUGE !!!! At 75 to 80 pounds, Dusty looks small next to him. With all three, Rocky @ 70ish pounds, Dusty @ 80ish pounds, and Sampson @ 110ish pounds, that gives us over 250 pounds of boxer.

Tammy took Sampson with her last night on a midnight errand. She took him in the Mustang. He filled that front seat. She said that he rides great. She felt extremely safe. He is a great dog. He is well behaved. It did take a few lessons for all three to learn to get along. They are doing much better now. Rocky has a high pitched bark (he is just one year old this week.) Sampson has a deep earthquake growl and bark.

All that, and watching the Olympics, is my week. Yours ?

That's why I have insurance !

Last night, we went out with Chella and Caleb. Tammy and I had discussed going back to JD Legends for a little karaoke. Kyle was spending the night with Sierra. Chella was working, but had a ride home. Well, it seems that McD's had too many people scheduled to work. They gave Chella the option to go home early.

Side note here: Chella is working and saving her money to have a good 'moving out' amount for an apt and utility turn on fees, and such. She is doing quite well in saving her money. There have been times when they have asked her and others to choose who would go home. Chella chose once a girl that was pregnant to stay over her, because that girl needed the hours to support her and baby. Other times, Chella has told one or more of the 'live at home working part time to buy CD's and stuff' girls that they needed to go because she needed the hours. Her managers love her. She is a great worker. She usually get top choice of whether to go or to stay.

Last night she opted to go home early. Her and Caleb were going to go to the movies and see "Stepbrothers." I did warn her to be prepared to be a few IQ points lower when she returned home.

However, I asked her if she and Caleb might like to go with us. JD Legends is a restaurant, so minors can come and karaoke as well. They opted to go with us. We did tell Caleb that the only way Chella would be allowed to go to the movies with him on Friday was if he karaoke'd.

She and he did one song together. They didn't sound half bad. Tammy and I did four songs apiece. We left around 10:30 pm.

This afternoon, we went to Lexington to run some errands. One of our stops, I walked toward the front of the truck. (at home and earlier stops, I entered and exited from the rear of the truck direction. As I walked toward the front, I noticed the bumper wasn't right. It was drooping. Then I noticed the small dent in the fender in front of the tire and the crease in the plastic/rubber bumper. Last night, while in the parking lot of JD Legends, someone swiped me and left.

I stopped and got an estimate (about $2200) and called my insurance. I am filing a police report online (which is was cool to be able to do.) I have to get one more estimate. I have full coverage on the TB with a $250 deductible and rental coverage as well. The first estimate shop (where I will most likely take the truck) said it was about a four day fix.

I just hate that my truck is slightly crunched.

Oh well. time to see how well my insurance company performs.

playing with the layout

you may notice changes over the next bit .. I am playing with my layout .. creating some of my own stuff ..

be patient

be constructively critical if necessary

hope you enjoy the differences

late night early morning

We just got in from JD Legends in Nicholasville. We had a great time.

I sang, Montgomery/Gentry's "Cold One Coming On," Elton John's "I Want Love," Kenny Chesney's "Tin Man," Tracy Byrd's "Keeper Of The Stars," Toby Keith's "How Do You Like Me Now," and The Eagles' "Seven Bridges Road."

Tammy did, Soft Cell's "Tainted Love," Fugee's "Killing Me Softly", Patsy Cline's "Walking After Midnight," Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," Alana Miles' "Black Velvet," and two songs with Sierra

Mauritha even chimed in with a Toni Braxton number.

We even got free tickets to a Tracy Lawrence Concert in Franklin Ohio, JD Legends second location.

Not a bad night. The manager of the restaurant told Tammy he insisted that we come back. He even told her he would comp one of our meals to entice us. Is that sorta like singing for your supper ?