The good news thread

[cliffish]

As-of 3:53pm yesterday, I am officially debt-free! No mortgage. No credit card debt. No car payments. Nada. Oh, and the Cherokee is back on the road as a daily driver, nice and clean inside and out, and performing beautifully. Hell, it even has a full tank of gas!

Feeling pretty good about life, right now.

you where debt free until you filled up the Jeep...lol Seriously, congrats on putting your mind to paying everything down and then off.

 

[Squatch]

you where debt free until you filled up the Jeep...lol Seriously, congrats on putting your mind to paying everything down and then off.

Thanks, buddy. Filling up the Jeep, I can tolerate. My Dodge Cummins, however... Almost $200 a tank!

 

[Apparition]

As-of 3:53pm yesterday, I am officially debt-free! No mortgage. No credit card debt. No car payments. Nada. Oh, and the Cherokee is back on the road as a daily driver, nice and clean inside and out, and performing beautifully. Hell, it even has a full tank of gas!

Feeling pretty good about life, right now.

 

[Cheesy]

Here's a bit about Owen and Eli from the previous weekend. Last Sunday was Owens' final hockey game for the year. At 6 years old and peanut sized, his stats were non existent but he had a ball. Always smiling when he came off the ice. After the game, we are discussing with Owens' mom and dad about the evening plans, which was going to the Chicago Wolves AHL hockey game. So, you have four adults yakking and two kids being bored. Eli decides he's going to head butt us. He does everyone but me gently. For me, he rolled back that 16 pound bowling ball between his shoulders and got me square in the nuts. I dropped like a sack of potatoes. His folks, and grandma, are "What the hell, Eli?", while I'm struggling to breathe. His dad marched him to the truck pretty quick.

Move ahead several hours. We are all gathered outside the venue for the Wolves game. Eli's other grandparents are also there along with his aunt, uncle, and cousins. Eli is standing next to me, oblivious. I delivered a well placed pop to his nether region and dropped him. Other grandparents and his lawyer aunt are getting bent but Eli's dad tells them that Eli just experienced payback for dropping me this morning. I picked him up and asked if he was done with the BS now. He agreed.

After all this, Owen shouted at the top of his lungs, in a crowd, "You can punch me in the nuts all you want, grandpa. I'm still wearing my cup." The dads, grandpas, and uncles are losing it. Grandmas and aunt's are embarrassed. Owens' mom is, "What? Your game was 8 hours ago and you're still wearing that thing? What the hell, Owen?"

 

[Apparition]

Here's a bit about Owen and Eli from the previous weekend. Last Sunday was Owens' final hockey game for the year. At 6 years old and peanut sized, his stats were non existent but he had a ball. Always smiling when he came off the ice. After the game, we are discussing with Owens' mom and dad about the evening plans, which was going to the Chicago Wolves AHL hockey game. So, you have four adults yakking and two kids being bored. Eli decides he's going to head butt us. He does everyone but me gently. For me, he rolled back that 16 pound bowling ball between his shoulders and got me square in the nuts. I dropped like a sack of potatoes. His folks, and grandma, are "What the hell, Eli?", while I'm struggling to breathe. His dad marched him to the truck pretty quick.

Move ahead several hours. We are all gathered outside the venue for the Wolves game. Eli's other grandparents are also there along with his aunt, uncle, and cousins. Eli is standing next to me, oblivious. I delivered a well placed pop to his nether region and dropped him. Other grandparents and his lawyer aunt are getting bent but Eli's dad tells them that Eli just experienced payback for dropping me this morning. I picked him up and asked if he was done with the BS now. He agreed.

After all this, Owen shouted at the top of his lungs, in a crowd, "You can punch me in the nuts all you want, grandpa. I'm still wearing my cup." The dads, grandpas, and uncles are losing it. Grandmas and aunt's are embarrassed. Owens' mom is, "What? Your game was 8 hours ago and you're still wearing that thing? What the hell, Owen?"

Talking about hockey and saying he had a ball just sounds odd.

Eli had a ball or two.

Sounds like a great family outing. I’m

 

[Cheesy]

Owen's mom and dad got another call from the school. Owen has not been turning in his homework and has been in trouble for talking in class. OTOH, Owen is aceing all his tests. When Owen's mom asked him who he was talking to, it was to himself. Owen's reason for not doing his homework is that he doesn't want to because it's a waste of time. When asked if he was cheating on the tests he said "No, I just know the answers." To trip him up, his dad asked a couple of math questions and the kid did them in his head.

Our daughter called my wife and said, "Mom, I think I'm raising Dad. He talks to himself. He refuses to do his homework yet he can back up why he won't do it and he passes all the tests they give him. What do I do?" My wife just looked at me and said it was my fault.

I knew there was a reason I liked that kid.

 

[Squatch]

Owen's mom and dad got another call from the school. Owen has not been turning in his homework and has been in trouble for talking in class. OTOH, Owen is aceing all his tests. When Owen's mom asked him who he was talking to, it was to himself. Owen's reason for not doing his homework is that he doesn't want to because it's a waste of time. When asked if he was cheating on the tests he said "No, I just know the answers." To trip him up, his dad asked a couple of math questions and the kid did them in his head.

Our daughter called my wife and said, "Mom, I think I'm raising Dad. He talks to himself. He refuses to do his homework yet he can back up why he won't do it and he passes all the tests they give him. What do I do?" My wife just looked at me and said it was my fault.

I knew there was a reason I liked that kid.

I will never tire of hearing "The Owen Chronicles"!

 

[Cheesy]

I will never tire of hearing "The Owen Chronicles"!

There hasn't been a hell of a lot of 'The Owen Chronicles' of late because our daughters new high paying gig is from home and they live across the street from the boys school. There will probably be more when school is done next summer. However, we will have the girls here over Christmas, so I expect some shenanigans from all four of them.

 

[Squatch]

There hasn't been a hell of a lot of 'The Owen Chronicles' of late because our daughters new high paying gig is from home and they live across the street from the boys school. There will probably be more when school is done next summer. However, we will have the girls here over Christmas, so I expect some shenanigans from all four of them.

Don't hold back on the stories, my friend. They're awesome!

 

[Cheesy]

Owen started his next session of hockey today and decided to try goalie again.

His cousin, who I'm not too fond of, decided to drop hockey soon after his parents dropped a wad on goalie gear. They gave the kids gear bag, and everything in it, to Owen. Most of the gear is too large for him but he gave it his best shot today. The biggest problem for Owen today was that he forgot his skates today and ended up wearing his cousins' skates that were too big for him. He had to leave the ice halfway through the 2nd period. His feet hurt so bad he could hardly stand. Dad and I took his skates off and he had a couple of good sized blisters.

Owen wanted to not play goalie anymore after today but we; mom, dad, grandma, and me, talked him into giving it another shot with his own skates next time. Some more pics.

Blocking a shot.

Getting some pointers and a drink from his coach.

Getting some pointers from Dad, who's a goalie for the local team.

 

[Westtown Willy]

With rain coming in sideways and temperatures plummeting from the 50s this morning to single digits later today, and the day off, seemed the perfect opportunity to begin my culinary obligations for the long weekend. First up a batch of Reese’s peanut butter/Virginia peanut biscotti; I'll be bringing these to a friend's tomorrow for a gathering of misfits. It's the first of three cooks, tomorrow will be a Sicilian pie to bring to my mom's for a Christmas Eve gathering, then out to the grilling department to smoke some animal parts for a pasta dish I'll be taking to the girlfriend's for a Christmas day gathering.

Merry Christmas to one and all:

 

[Apparition]

With rain coming in sideways and temperatures plummeting from the 50s this morning to single digits later today, and the day off, seemed the perfect opportunity to begin my culinary obligations for the long weekend. First up a batch of Reese’s peanut butter/Virginia peanut biscotti; I'll be bringing these to a friend's tomorrow for a gathering of misfits. It's the first of three cooks, tomorrow will be a Sicilian pie to bring to my mom's for a Christmas Eve gathering, then out to the grilling department to smoke some animal parts for a pasta dish I'll be taking to the girlfriend's for a Christmas day gathering.

Merry Christmas to one and all:

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Looks delicious.

 

[John Cooper]

With rain coming in sideways and temperatures plummeting from the 50s this morning to single digits later today, and the day off, seemed the perfect opportunity to begin my culinary obligations for the long weekend. First up a batch of Reese’s peanut butter/Virginia peanut biscotti; I'll be bringing these to a friend's tomorrow for a gathering of misfits. It's the first of three cooks, tomorrow will be a Sicilian pie to bring to my mom's for a Christmas Eve gathering, then out to the grilling department to smoke some animal parts for a pasta dish I'll be taking to the girlfriend's for a Christmas day gathering.

Merry Christmas to one and all:

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Looking good!!

 

[Cheesy]

The above is Owen on our 50 year old Arctic Cat Kitty Kat snowmobile and his cousin, Lauren on a 2 year old Cougar E-ATV. The Kitty Kats' original Kawasaki 2 smoke engine succumbed to lack of repair parts and was swapped out with a 79cc Predator 4 stroke. The top speed went from 8mph to damn near 30. I know cuz I tried it last year and wiped out, leaving some skin behind on the driveway. Owens' snowmobiling skills can best be described as 'conservative'. Lauren's' skills can be described as "Hold my beer". She rolled the sled twice at WOT and said that it was fun.

Here is the oldest grandson, Eli, on the Taozuma 110cc ATV. That turd of a Chinese ATV scoots.

This is Lauren with Owens' mom and the Ural in the background.

Lauren's big sister wants to be the next caretaker of the Ural. I had her try to kick start it. No luck. I then had her try to move it after I started it. She stalled it, then jumped off and ran into the house.

 

[Cheesy]

In a fit of stupidity, I took both Eli and Owen roller skating today. It was actually a good time. I used to be a rink rat as a kid but I haven't been on skates for over three years. I have nothing on those boys.

Owen, in the red Blackhawks jersey, skating backwards. I have to retrain myself to do that.

Eli clowning around. I wish I had his hair.

Owen cruising for chicks.

Yesterday, I was just old and tired. Today, I'm old, tired, and I hurt in places I forgot I had.

I was told to get off my ass and get some exercise. Not enough snow for skiing or snowshoes. I don't want to throw on winter gear to go bicycling. I walk at least a mile everyday with Busterdog. Roller skating it is, then. It's low impact, as long as you don't hit the floor too hard.*


*There's a story there about skating, the floor, my hand, and an MRI.

 

[Gene Neill]

A couple months ago I found out I had a 34 year old son, a wonderful daughter in law, and FIVE GRANDKIDS whom I never knew existed. My "new" son is a damn fine man who dotes on his kids, adores his wife, and busts his ass to support them all.

From left: my "new" son Robert, my "old" son Cody, my new grandson Ervine, and myself in the "Old Granddad" shirt.

 

[Gene Neill]

One more. Me, my wife, and my mother. Together with Robert, my daughter in law, and all five grandyounguns.

 

[Cheesy]

Some more of 'The Owen Chronicles'.

Owen and I have been roller skating every Friday night since the first of the year. Sometimes Eli comes with, but mostly it's just us. Whether on roller skates or ice skates, Owen is a pro. Me, I'm happy if I stay upright.

Yesterday, upright was a challenge. All day. Stepped off the deck in the morning, found a patch of ice, down on my ass. Go to pick up Owen and drop off some stuff for his Dad. Find a small patch of ice at the edge of the sidewalk, feet shoot out, packages up in the air, me flat on my back. Not good omens for a night of skating.

Things are going well at the rink, my muscles are starting to loosen up, and surprisingly, I hadn't gone down on my ass. Yet. So, I'm rolling up on Owen and about to do a fist bump with him when I'm blindsided by an out of control middle school girl. She wipes out, takes me down, and I land on top of Owen. And on my phone along with a pocket full of change. I get both kids up and away we go. Only Owen is holding something in his hand while he's skating. I catch up to him and he hands me a tooth.

Oh shit, I'm thinking I knocked out his tooth when I fell on him. I'm getting all bent because I think I hurt the kid. Then Owen tells me that I didn't knock his tooth out. It was loose, so he pulled it out while he was skating. That made me feel a little better. Then he wants an Icee and a pretzel. Finishes those and he's back out on the rink for the rest of the evening

Um, me landing on my phone and the pocket full of change. I have a bruise that looks like the state of Illannoy on my thigh that hurts like hell. My phone, an old mil-spec Kyocera DuraPro2 that you can park a car on, is laughing and calling me a whiny ass bitch because I have a booboo.

My phone is an Asshole.

 

[Cheesy]

Owen lost another tooth. One of the front ones. He now looks like a real hockey player.

The little turd was trying to yank it out while we were skating on Friday and I had to tell him to stop messing with it. He opted to do it at breakfast Saturday. It wasn't quite ready but he yanked anyway. There was blood, which both he and Eli thought was cool.

 

[Westtown Willy]

finally did some looooong overdue maintenance on the John Deere & the dump trailer. The tractor is 16 years old & the trailer is 25 years old, both had leaking tires; the trailer tires were at the point where they didn't hold air at all so they had to be replaced, & one of the rear tractor tires could hold air long enough to cut the grass before going flat - some dish soap investigation revealed the air was escaping from the entire inside of the rim at the bead. Further investigation revealed something I'd never heard of, tire bead sealer, so I ordered a can of that along with two new solid tires for the trailer, I'm done with pneumatics for that thing. While I was at it she was also due for an oil change so I tossed in a full maintenance kit with oil filter, air filter & pre-filter, gas filter & plugs. All this stuff trickled in over the last week so this weekend was the time to get it done. Started about a week ago with the tractor tire, meticulously cleaned between the tire & the rim then when the sealer arrived Friday slopped that on & inflated it to 16lbs, came out yesterday & was happy to see it was still at 16lbs so I mounted it back on the tractor. Meanwhile I popped the new solid tires on the trailer & hooked up the battery charger to get it all ready for today. Fired her up & rode it from the shed into the garage to do the oil & stuff. Once finished I did about an hour or so of some initial spring cleanup, had a ton of branches scattered here & there from some wintertime pruning I've been doing.

Anyway, she's all ready to go for the season, may she last me another 16 years