Love my new ride

Took it out for a good portion of the day. Started out going back to the dealer to drop off the title to the old truck. While I was there, I asked some questions about some of the accessories. It has a trailer brake control. I couldn't figure out what it was. Found out they no longer have the factory remote start available for it, so, I hit an auto place on the way home and scheduled an appointment to install an aftermarket. The aftermarket comes with a steel bodied remote that includes buttons for the lock, unlock and alarm features thereby replacing the plastic fobs. Somewhere down the line I will replace the radio. Want to put in a double din so I can add a back up camera. The cheaper radios that fit the bill start at $200 and the camera I would like is about $250. The camera is pretty slick. It is a replacement for the OEM latch assembly. You simply unbolt the original latch and install the new one. The camera is on the opposite side of center as the lock so it balances well.

The year I bought has a problem with plug breakage requiring removal of the head to remove broken bits and repair damage. The dealership I bought the truck from sold it to the original owner, took it back on trade, sold it to the second owner, took it back again for a trade, then I bought it. Apparently, the second owner wound up with the gamble on changing plugs. Dealership took heads off and removed the original plugs and did major tune up for the second owner. They told me in service that it had to do with the material of the original spark plugs and not the heads. They say once you get the originals out, the replacement plugs are fine so you are back to a normal maintenance. Heck, with todays vehicles, I am probably good with the plugs for 80,000 miles. I still can't believe how long they last. Back in the 70,s, it was a very frequent maintenance procedure. Truck runs flawlessly. Love the pick up off the line.

Tonight is just kicking back and relaxing. All the amateurs will be out on the roadways tonight. The dog and I will probably just take in a couple videos, or just watch some of the walking dead marathon, and munch on some snacks. A few beverages may also be in order. Have a happy new year everyone.

Well, I kicked tires today

After kicking tires most of the day, I brought home four of them with a F150 lariat attached to them. Found a real sweet deal on a 2006 fully loaded. Four door with black leather interior. Interior is mint. Exterior has a slight scrape on the very back of the passenger quarter panel and a few small scratches here and there, but it looks great for the age. Took some persistence to get the price where I wanted it, but I got the full blue book on my trade and got them down a couple grand on the price which was already fairly reasonable. New would have been nice, but the payment would have been through the roof. Have to play with it tomorrow. It was dark by the time I got home. Want to get some pictures of the interior. It looks factory new. I am going to have to get the remote start put on. I am a huge fan of it, especially in the winter.

Came with a nice cap. Not sure if I will keep it on yet or not. Definitely keeping it for the winter. Have to see how big of a hassle it is to get on and off. Mileage will be quite a bit worse than I am use to, but I don't drive too far on the norm, and in the summer I have the Vette. Definitely has better pick up than my old SUV.

Nice relaxing vacation.

Spent yesterday baking homemade bread and making manicotti with meat balls. Today was leftover day, so, it freed up time to go tire kicking. I keep looking at F150's and Sunday is a good tire kicking day as dealers are closed. If there is anything worse than a politician, it's a car sales critter. My SUV is doable, but, I really don't need the 3rd row any longer as my kid is grown and long gone. The truck bed would come in handy more than the cargo area I have now. Trying to figure out which model and new vs used. My son works for ford so I would get a huge discount, but I am leaning towards a low mileage used one to bring cost down to livable. May go test driving tomorrow as I found a couple I like and would like to see how they drive. The one is an eight foot bed with the extended cab, so it probably handles like a semi. The other is a four door with the five and a half foot bed. Figure I can get a feel for what style is more comfortable if I can keep the sales critters at bay. I can't stand the ones who have the paper work ready when you get back from driving, automatically figuring that is the one for you. If they get too bad, I will probably just wait another year and try again. I am still quite happy with what I have, I would just prefer a truck.

And free speech wins out

http://www.twcc.com/articles/2013/12/27/a/a-e-reverses-decision-on-duck-dynasty-patriarch

Well, it probably had to do more with people boycotting the show and their products than free speech, but whatever works. Welcome back Phil.

Merry Christmas

Just got back home from up north. Went up to visit with my brother, son and friends. Started off at my brother's new house. It is an awesome layout. several acres of land with a pond. Natural berm in the far back. Pole barn and a three car garage. One heck of a nice setup. He has worked very hard over the years and it is great to see him getting something back from all his labors.

He has a couple friends staying with him while their house closes. They are both excellent people and cooks. I now have to suffer my own cooking, but it sure was nice eating homemade meals I didn't have to fuss with. Very enjoyable stay. We got to meet up with Og and family for a bit. Og just redid the kitchen in their house and it turned out very nice. We then went around the local gun stores to see what new treasures were available. My kid joined us on the second day.  Finished out the trip with a stop at my Aunt's house for the holiday dinner. Homemade lasagna. It doesn't get much better than that. My cousin was actually able to make it this year. It's his house, but work usually pulls him to some other area of the country. Got to check out his little man cave he installed in the basement.

Back home and relaxing now. Picked up spike from the doggie day care. He actually managed to stay clean. I actually escaped having to give him a bath. Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas.....

Cooking with gas.....

The delivery crew was here bright and early with my new gas range. Eight AM, which was awesome as it freed up the rest of my day. Told the delivery guy to call when he hit my driveway so I could put hyper dog outside. He does best when he doesn't know people are in the house. He forgot and rang the door bell. I put Spike, my white dog, out in the yard. He wanted in with the company. After they got the range hooked up and left, I went out and retrieved my now black dog. Head to toe mud. I wound up leaving him outside while getting the bath set up for a hose down and laid out towels. Next, wrestle dog into a towel and run him to the tub so the house doesn't get too messy. He did somehow get mud on the bathroom wall, not sure how. Once done, I swear a peke out of the bath can beat a greyhound in a race. He does laps around the house to dry off. He does occasionally stop at my leather couch to help soak some of the moisture off of him and give the sofa that wet dog smell.

After his bath, and my second shower, I got some Christmas stuff done, then, off to the gun show. Yes, it starts early Fridays, and I was off. It was really hard not buying anything. There was a nice enfield with bayonet and sling priced low as well as a Colt huntsman that was also priced low. I am saving for tomorrows auction. They have a Luger I have my eyes on as well as a couple nambu's. A few others I am watching, but those are the main ones I am looking at. They are at the beginning of the auction, so I shouldn't be there too long tomorrow. If I don't win any of the bids, I will probably be hitting the gun show and picking up the enfield. I called my one buddy from work who relishes the huntsman I have and told him about the low priced one at the show. It comes complete with holster. If he doesn't pick it up, I will. It is priced way too low. It would be a good investment. Tomorrow should be an interesting day.

Ahhhh, done for the year.

Finished off the last day of work for the year. New range is coming first thing in the morning so I will be able to actually enjoy most of the day without waiting for a delivery person. Old range is clean and ready to move. Spot in garage is cleared out and ready. Gas and electric are ready. Time for a little relaxation before the holiday hoopla. Tomorrow is preview day at the auction house. Get to go see a whole lot of guns, knives and assorted other goodies.

Well, at least Coats stepped up to the plate.

Senator Coats voted against the budget deal. He will be the only, repeat, the only, incumbent congress critter who will get my vote. Buchshon and Donnelly both did the typical fold and go with the dimorats. Apparently, Donnelly is too stupid to realize the only reason he is there is Mourdock committed political suicide with the abortion issue at the last election. Unfortunately, it will be some time until we can remedy that situation. Would love to have a recall on the nitwit. One can only kick the can so far down the road. Sooner or later, the bill must be paid.

Wow, almost like I knew what I was doing....

Procrastinated as much as I could. I finally came home and ran the gas line for the new range today. I measured several times before drilling hole through wall, and, it actually came out exactly where I wanted it. Just off the floor enough to tighten pipe where the elbow cleared the floor. I even remembered to put the trim ring on before screwing pipes together. What really shocked me was I was able to use all standard length pipes to hit the perfect custom fit. I thought for sure I would be taking a pipe into work tomorrow to shorten and recut the threads. Tomorrow I simply need to convert the 220 outlet to a 110 and I will be ready for the new range. Shouldn't take but a half hour or so. Need to run the clean cycle on the old range before disconnecting it. It's a nice range and I am sure someone will get some use out of it. One of the guys at work was interested. I told him I would trade for a plane electric range. I want to use an old range in the garage for powder coating. I could use this one, but it's really too nice to use for that. Once you use it for powder coating, you aren't suppose to use it for food. If he doesn't want it, I am sure one of the neighbors will. Tomorrow is the last work day for the year. I pushed the range delivery from December 26 to Friday since I am ready ahead of time and got Friday off. Saturday is the gun auction. Things are looking up. It will be so nice to have a gas range again. Curious to see how the convection part works. Probably take a bit of getting use to.

Now that's fast..........

I ordered a chest freezer last night from Lowes. I have been putting it off for some time, but when I go up for the holidays, I return with a years worth of pierogi. These are not regular store bought pierogi, but home made pierogi. One limitation has always been freezer space, but not anymore. Anyway, I ordered it yesterday evening online and selected free delivery. They tell you at the end, the store will call and schedule a delivery date. I am sitting down to eat dinner today and the doorbell rings. It's Lowes with my freezer. Luckily, I had already cleared the spot out for it so I would be ready later in the week. It' sitting there purring away. Now I can stock up with meat when they have their bulk sales. The butcher runs specials on quantities of meat. My one buddy told me about the ziplock vacuum bags. I have been using them for a couple months now and they are nice for eliminating freezer burn. Helps reduce space as well. It will be nice not having to stuff everything into the side by side.

Relaxation day

Started off the day making breakfast and having a cup of coffee. Then, it was off to the gun show. They had some interesting items, but next weekend is the gun auction and I am saving up for it. After doing some research, I finally picked out a new range. When I moved down here, the house came with an electric range. It is a nice self clean smooth glass top model, but, it's electric. Took advantage of the holiday and picked out a nice gas convection oven with five burners and a griddle that swaps with the fifth burner grate. I am looking forward to having a gas range again. I not only prefer gas, but it comes in handy during power failures. They don't happen often, but when they do, they are usually a few days at a time. I have lanterns and a gas fireplace, so I can survive rather comfy during power failures, but it will be nice being  able to use a range instead of having to use a grill in winter.

From there, I was off to Home Depot for some black pipe, fittings and electrical supplies. Have to run a gas line as the construction crew didn't bother putting a shut off back there. Have to convert the 220 outlet to a 110 as well. As luck would have it, I can tap a pipe on the other side of the wall where the oven resides. Just pop a hole and run the line.

Ahhh, bonus day

It doesn't get a whole lot better. Big bonus check today, gun show tomorrow and a whole weekend off. Only five work days left in the year and a big gun auction and another gun show next weekend. It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. A little bit of new snow coming down out there, but not as bad as last weekend.

Look, New York isn't the first to do the gun confiscation.....

http://fauquierfreecitizen.com/seventy-two-killed-resisting-gun-confiscation-in-boston/

The comment section is rather humorous in spots. Rather enjoyable bit.

That's our president, unfortunately.....

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/12/11/obama-creates-international-incident-with-selfie-at-mandela-service/

The dunce starts his presidency with an apology tour. He bows (literally) to other people of power. He shakes hands with a fellow dictator. He then has a smiling like an idiot photo shoot at a funeral. NO CLASS. What a piece of work. Behavior like his is totally inexcusable. People voted for this twice??????? Next serious engagement, Michelle should take the kids and leave Obama at home, they are more mature.

Keeping our skies free from terrorists and armed monkeys

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/10/tsa-agent-seizes-cowboy-sock-monkey-2-inch-toy-pistol/

What on earth has our society devolved down to. Schools expelling kids for playing cops and robbers and such. Now, it's armed sock puppets on airplanes. These people need to be forcibly neutered to prevent breeding more liberals mentally challenged offspring to further dilute the gene pool. If this passes for good judgement, there is really no hope left for the future. These people need to be put in their place.

Hmmmm

Typical liberal twisted perspective, and the way Obama typically operates. If I am in possession of a bald eagle feather, even if I found it on the ground, I am going to jail. If I have a windmill farm, I can now legally kill as many eagles (and an unlimited number of ducks, geese and other wild game) as occurs. But, it's green. It is earth friendly. Wonder if they can sell the feathers and meat. They can make a processing plant on site and sell wild game meat and feathers. Hell, the windmill does the grinding for you so you now have ground fowl, feathers and all. The plant can run on windmill power.: )You would think that they could put a whistle of sorts at the top where the blades are to detour the fowl. It is far enough up that you should be able to generate a noise at a level to alert wild life, but not reach the ground. It is still up to debate if you really save anything at all on a windmill farm after the cost of construction and maintenance. Just another Obama green clusterfrick. Wish we could have the billions of taxpayer dollars he has squandered on alternative energy that has gone down the tubes. Gambling with one's own money is one thing, taking long shots with taxpayer's money should be illegal.

Rare sighting...

I can't believe it. I have finally seen one. I have lived down here five and a half years now, and today, I actually laid my eyes on a real snow plow, and it was actually plowing a street. I heard they had some, but up until now, I haven't seen any or much evidence of their work. It seemed to be plowing a street that had already been plowed, but maybe he only knows how to make right hand turns.

Did manage to hit the store and replenish my road salt supply. One 5 gallon container I had managed to turn into a solid brick over the summertime. I used up most of the rest I had yesterday. Hit the grocery for a couple items while I was out. Figure I will stay in the warmth of the living room the rest of the day.

Majorly annoying day

I moved down to the Indiana/Kentucky border five years ago from northwest Indiana right on the lake. I enjoy the area down here and the weather. The people are friendly. What is an annoyance is a simple snow and ice storm. The guys down here say that us northerners are use to snow, but not ice. NOOOOOO. We got plenty of ice along with our snow, it is just the simple fact we didn't solely rely on god to warm the surface of the earth up to remove it. We have plows and use salt. We used more than a half dozen small trucks to try and service a whole county.

They predicted snow for today on yesterdays news, and, they immediately cancelled all schools for today, yesterday while it was still warm outside. A lot of businesses shut down. I went in to work as did most of the workers. UPS canceled service today. My mail man chickened out. The boss decided at noon to cancel second shift. We had to complete our shift while the snow piled up, but second shift could stay home. An hour before quitting time, he was wishing he had allowed us to go as well. This is a regular snow. Nothing huge, but it's a full fledge panic. If they lived up north, they would have to hibernate like the bears. Apparently most can't drive in it as there were vehicles in all the ditches. People spinning out down the road.

I hit the back road I take home. It wasn't serviced any better or worse than the main roads, but had less idiots, and most of the ones who couldn't drive were sitting harmlessly in the ditches out of harms way. Took my time and made it home just fine. Hit one particularly stupid and inconsiderate moron. He pulls halfway into his drive, parks it hanging into the street forcing me to stop completely so he can obtain his mail from his box. He hops in his car and much to his dismay, his car is sunk in the snow and he is stuck blocking half the road. Normally, I do the Christian neighborly thing and get out and help. But, this clown made me come to a complete stop in the middle of an unplowed sloppy road and I hoped I could get started again, just so idiot could get his mail without walking from his house. I watched him and his teenage kid try to move it and finally I just went around carefully. Once past him, it was all clear.

Got home and cleared the drive and salted it. Go inside and let spike out. The snow in the backyard is taller than he is. After letting him hop through it for a minute, I got the shovel and cleared him a path and an area to sniff. Silly dog stuck his head in the spot I was shoveling and got bonked. Fortunately he didn't get hurt. He has a thick skull. Must be part democrat. So, now just time to relax a bit and stay out of the mayhem. Sure wish they would break down and buy some proper equipment.

Pleaseeeee quit talking, grow a pair and do it......

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-republicans-see-one-remedy-for-obama--impeachment/2013/12/03/e623d61e-5c65-11e3-be07-006c776266ed_story.html
Talk talk talk,  that is all they do. You don't want to rush into something like impeachment, but lets face it, they aren't rushing, they are procrastinating. It needs to be done. The president has trampled the constitution. He has taken it upon himself to ignore some laws (freezing deportations and hindering ICE from doing their job). He has granted exclusions to certain groups of supporters so they don't have to suffer under the obamacare law, thus modifying the law at his whim and without congressional approval, for personal gain. Throw in Benghazi and threatening to attack Syria with or without congressional approval. His constant attack of the second amendment and free speech. His involvement in fast and furious and protection of Eric Holder. His multiple abuse of using congress recesses to appoint people he knows congress doesn't approve of, thus bypassing procedure. He constantly erodes separation of powers. If he was white, he would have been out long ago. The race card should not be a shield to allow him free reign. Congress needs to act now to hopefully reestablish the balance of power. The bully needs to be removed from the bully pulpit, NOW.....

Crazy weather

It was 70 today. The weather station issued an ice storm warning starting tomorrow early evening. That's some swing. May turn it into a three day weekend if it hits like they are predicting. Snow, I don't mind. Sheets of ice, not so much. We shall see. They already posted the weekend work list and I am off Saturday and that is gun auction day. I hope the storm is a lot milder than their predictions. Hard to believe from 70 to lower teens in 24 hours.

Attention Attention.... all dead beat liberal cities................the flood gates are now open

The courts have given the go ahead for Detroit to off load their debt and carry on. Isn't that just special. How long before Chicago and the whole state of California and many other blue areas line up at the trough. At this point, they would probably be further ahead bulldozing the whole city and starting over. If you wipe out the debt, you still have a burned out hulk of a city with  non working welfare recipients. There is no income. There is no tax base so there is no longer a free ride. Bail them out, and the boat is going to fill back up. The boat still has a hole in it. How long until the democrats try to use the same fix for the national debt. It's another part of that Obama change package. Three more glorious change filled years ahead. Waaaaaaaaah

They finally fixed Obama care

http://home.roadrunner.com/~pjrpole/ACA.html

Nice day at the club

Went to the club to help out at the last spot shoot for the year. Thought there were a couple more, but this is it. Absolutely beautiful out, especially for a December day. Usually have to have a bunch of wood burners going to keep warm out there. They had one going. Didn't really need it for heat, but it sure makes it smell nice. Burning wood and gun powder, perfect combo. Didn't win the golden boy up for the raffle, but did have some chili and bean soup. Free beer for the workforce too. It was a nice relaxing day and got some bonus hours in. Club meeting Wednesday, and a decent little gun and knife auction Saturday. They have a Luger that looks nice along with a couple other pistols. This is the little gun auction, the big one is the 21 of December. Not too often they have two so close together. I hope to put a few in the big one. They usually pull a good price and the commission isn't too bad. Figure it is a good way to get rid of a few dupes I have acquired over time, and see how I make out on it. Three more weeks until Christmas vacation.